+ Register
|
Site Menu Member can contribute here
|
A time for reflection, A time for changePublished by Nitin_shah on 2007/12/31 (74 reads)TUPELO – In Rev. 21: 5 God says, “Behold, I make all things new.” For Christians, this statement became a historical reality in Jesus Christ. With the new year approaching, area ministers shared their perspectives about Christianity’s invitation to renewal and how it bears fruit in the Christian life. The Rev. LaRae Rutenbar of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Tupelo said that regeneration and newness are scriptural and at the very heart of the Christian tradition. Said Rutenbar: “God is always about doing a new thing.” Evangelist Jim Allen of Northeast Church of Christ in Tupelo concurred. He said that the sacrament of Baptism exemplifies the “new creation” of which Paul speaks in 2 Cor. 5:17. Allen added, “What a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays and to begin the new year – as one who has received newness of life.” People of hope Bishop Clarence Parks of the Temple of Compassion and Deliverance in Tupelo said that, unlike religions that view time as cyclical, such as Buddhism, Christians live in faith of future fulfillment. “We anticipate Jesus’ Second Coming and mark time according to him,” said Parks. He added that Christians see time as one day ending and yielding to eternity: “Eternity won’t be simply endless time but something completely different – existence without duration.” Christians live in a horizon of hope and faith – from creation to redemption – in which God’s Holy Spirit is always at work. “The Spirit of God, given at Pentecost, is the promise, the future, the life that sustains and inspires us,” Rutenbar said. Accepting change Within that horizon of hope Christians experience perpetual change, a reality that comes into focus during New Year’s. Rutenbar, who has spent much of her 25 years in ministry working with parishes in transition – she is currently interim rector at All Saints’ – said that although change seldom comes easily, the moment can be holy and meaningful. She said that some changes – “like babies” – are welcome, and others are unwelcome. “We can decide either to grumble about them or to be open to God’s grace,” Rutenbar said. “We should resist being obstinate or self-assured about what’s best for us and remain courageous and open to where God’s leading us.” Rutenbar prefers the more existential term “transformation” in speaking about the “deep, abiding changes” in people’s lives. “It only comes with struggle,” she said, adding that God often challenges Christians to move out of their comfort zones in order to grow. Parks agreed, saying that Christian hope reveals the “privilege of living” as a free child of God – one capable of changing and maturing. He cited Lk. 3: 3 – “And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and with people” – as Jesus’ showing the way for humanity. Rutenbar said that the passage of time inevitably brings a new perspective. “I feel differently about many things now than I did when I was in seminary,” she said. “By the grace of God I’ve changed and hopefully I’m moving toward a deeper understanding of my faith.” She also said that, although people crave certainty when facing change, prayer can help them deal with the ambiguity and mystery of life. “Life is lived in the gray areas; not so much in the black and white,” said Rutenbar. Renewing ourselves At New Year’s Christians reflect also upon the meaning of changes that have already occurred. The Rev. Sam Shaw of Hope Church in Tupelo said that reflection includes surrendering to God one’s “failures, mistakes and wasted opportunities.” Shaw said that New Year’s reflection also involves asking probing questions, such as “What has God taught me this year?” and “How can I become more like Jesus?” Rutenbar phrased it this way: “What are the things that habitually draw me away from God?” The Rev. Donny Riley of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Tupelo said that all Christians should try to make questions like these part of their daily routine in the new year. As a minister, Shaw said that at New Year’s he wants to renew himself in order to better serve others. “I try to get alone with God” he said, adding that meditating and walking help him carve out a quiet space in which to hear the voice of God. “I ask for forgiveness, healing...cleanse my mind. It’s a yearly Sabbath,” said Shaw. Focusing on others Parks said that popular culture’s preoccupation with self-help, often expressed in half-hearted New Year’s resolutions, runs the risk of becoming narcissism. To combat that, he said that he discourages his congregation from making New Year’s resolutions. “The Christian finds himself, loves himself, in serving and loving his brothers and sisters,” said Parks. He added, “I encourage members to focus on deepening their relationship with Jesus rather than making empty promises.” Riley cited Psalms 100:2 and 102:22 which speak of serving God and others joyfully. He added, “Today’s society has shifted focus to ‘me, myself and I.’” Riley admonished, “To know true self-satisfaction, do something for someone else. God gives each of us talents and it is when we use those for his glory that we will truly be blessed.” Rutenbar spoke to universal human experience that underlies New Year’s resolutions. She said that, fundamentally, people experience themselves as less than perfect, thus change and growth are always part of their lives. “You can never go back,” she said, paraphrasing the popular dictum. “But, you can trust that God loves you, and – at the cost of sounding cavalier – things will be all right.” “That’s the whole Gospel,” she said. “The woman caught in adultery and – what does Jesus say? – ‘Come back. Begin again.’”
Contact Daily Journal religion editor Galen Holley at 678-1510 or galen.holley@djournal.com. By Galen Holley Daily Journal Source: Click Here
|
Site Search
Bookmark us at
Web Search
Who's Online
|
||||||||
