How do you celebrate the past without making it into something it never was? How do you talk about the past that was good without giving the impression that nothing can ever match it in the present or the future?
In the wake of a political miracle, Israel arrived back in their land. There was so much to do: houses to build, a temple to rebuild, a city to renovate, food to be grown and borders to protect.
But first they worshipped.
They knew that regular worship would define them, shape them, remind them of their identity. It still does.
It might not be a perfect experience, but it is the most important thing that the returning church must do.
I have never met him. I couldn’t. But there something about this small, bow-legged, hard-working character that I carry in me…
The book of Ezra is the account of the regathering of God’s people. God had never given up on them even when they were invisible to the rest of the world. But the day came when they became visible again.In doing so they began to rediscover what it meant to be God’s people.
The lessons are as relevant as ever – especially to us in a new building.
Growing up in the Salvation Army gave me lots of things, but it never helped me to play cards. I think they thought that you would start with solitaire and before you knew it you would have lost your house betting on a five card stud. (See: those last three words run together well, but I have no idea if they actually mean anything.)
Every morning we wake up and enter a future that we have not yet encountered. This future will be shaped in part by all the decisions we have taken up to this point, but as followers of Jesus, it will also be shaped by the way we see our lives joining in with God’s Big Story…
Some days, time seems to fly and life can feel short. Don’t let it all drift away from you. Know the time and how you will live your life in such a way that brings glory to God.
As the ancient sage said: there’s a time for everything… including change.
But how do we know what time it is for us? What is it too late for? What is it just the right time for?
When thinking about change, being able to tell the time makes all the difference.
If you think of all the hats you are wearing at the moment, which ones no longer fit well? In reality there are some things you can’t change but from time to time it’s good to look at all you are doing and ask whether this is a time for change to happen.
Change is inevitable. It happens to us all, and it affects us all. How we respond to that change will be different for each of us.
How can we ensure that we embrace the changes that will be good news for us in a way that will help us grow closer to God?
Salford Elim Church St. James Hope 3 Vicarage Close Salford M6 8EJ
info@salfordelimchurch.org
07771 558 058
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Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance
Registered Charity 251549 (England & Wales) SC037754 (Scotland)
