Another Beginning?
Four months ago, at the beginning of my ministry here with you, I preached a sermon entitled A New Beginning. In a sense we are once again at another beginning — this bulletin is our congregation's first independent newsletter and, as with all beginnings, we have to take that step of faith and belive we have done the right thing!
Yet, one is painfully aware too that beginnings are not always easy. Will it work? Suppose we fail? What will others say? Can we sustain it? And of course there's that lovely word "procrastination" — putting it off until another day!
However, beginnings are not an end in themselves but a starting point… a baby will grow into an adult; a little grocery can grow into a supermarket; a gift from God can grow into a ministry! Beginnings promise fulfilment, as Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians:
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion…Philippians 1:6
So we're launching out in a spirit of adventure tempered with God's grace and guidance!
We are now entering the season of Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday on 5th March. The epistle reading for that day is 1 Corinthians 5:20b–6:10 and verse 5:20b sets the theme for all of Lent:
We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.1 Corinthians 5:20b
Being reconciled to God involves reconciling with ourselves, our hurts and our weaknesses, but also with our neighbours and with all of God's creation. Once reconciled, we can, as the passage reveals, become "the righteousness of God" on earth. Yet this reality can only be born of true humility. We begin our journey with dirt and ashes that have accumulated over the months and years, and then move on to become living instruments of God's grace!
The grace of our Lord be with you!