Pastor's Letter - January

Pastor’s Letter
January, 2020

Grace and Peace to you in this New Year!

"A New Year, a New You."

I saw a bunch of people say this towards the end of 2019 heading into 2020. Some people were talking about old habits that needed to change, some were talking about diet and lifestyle adjustments that they need to make, and in general, it was a way of referring to New Year's Resolutions.

I want to look at this a bit differently. I don't think using the beginning of the New Year to initiate change works for many of us because it is, quite frankly, arbitrary. In fact, the labeling of calendar months and numbering of years, these are man-made things. It's all fairly arbitrary. Just because the calendar flips does not mean we stop being the people we were on December 31st.

We all have things we would like to change about ourselves. For myself, I wish I was better at being patient. I get frustrated doing things like waiting in line, anticipating an important date, and spending time trying to correct Timmy when he just. won't. get. what. I'm. trying. to say. He's 2.

But just saying, "okay, come January 1, I'm going to be patient", or even "come January 1, I'm going to act patient" doesn't work. I've tried the Weight Watcher thing too. The fact of the matter is we are all creatures of patterns that have been long in the making, and undoing those things is a much bigger matter than turing over the calendar to a new month and year. If you are trying something new, good for you, but don't fret if and when it doesn't work.

So here's what I think we should do about this as Christians: I think we need to first be honest with ourselves about who we are. We are sinners. We are beloved sinners created by a loving God, but we are sinners. And there are parts of what Martin Luther called the "old Adam" that we love. The part that gives in to instantaneous reward. The part that gives in to impulses. The part that betrays our better selves. The part that is okay with saying, "I know I should do this, but I'm going to do the other thing, or say the other thing, instead."

And after we are honest with ourselves, we should pray for God to change our hearts and minds to be more like the people he wants us to be. And then with that mind of prayerfulness and intentionality, proceed.

Then we need to forgive ourselves when we fail. And we will fail. We will eat the wrong foods. We will act on those bad thoughts that we know we should not. We will assume the worst of people- even the people we love. But we don't have to live into that and totally give into that. We can ask for forgiveness, from God and from each other, and then live another day. And in that other day, we hopefully can make the changes that we would like to see in ourselves.

That's what we have, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Another day, and another day, and more and more days. And in each day there is an opportunity to make the best of what God has given us so that we can live out God's love in a world so given over to anger and hatred.

Take that love and run with it!

See you along the way,
Pastor Brian