Good Gracious
Grace Church publishes a monthly newsletter with various topics such as ongoing church matters, living a Christian life, and devotionals. If you wish to receive the newsletter in your e-mail, please please contact us.
Below you will find articles from this newsletter and other articles published by Grace Church.
See a listing of articles from Pastor Jon See a listing of Hazelwood articles See a listing of Miscellaneous articles
Good Gracious
-
“Vision for the Future”
Does anyone remember when we thought that 2020 was going to be the year of vision, because it is 20-20? Then we entered into it and many of us thought we were playing parts in an end times movie where a bad illness suddenly overtook the world and shut down countries and economies. No zombies in this movie, but we haven’t seen the effects of the vaccine yet.
Seriously, many of us will not be sad to see 2020 fade into history. We simply want to live our lives. And so we enter Advent, Christmas and New Year’s one more time. The beauty of these seasons is that they cause us to reflect on hope, peace, joy and love. They take us away from the commercial side of the holiday to the spiritual side, as we consider how Jesus brings us hope and peace and joy and love. This year, like every other year, we get to trust the Lord anew for our families, for our health, for our routines. Travel is different. Get-togethers will be different.
But we are faced with the same faces in the mirrors. We face ourselves and our loved ones. And maybe we have been together too much this year, and have gotten on each others’ nerves a bit more than usual. But we turn together again to the One who knows our needs, loves us, listens to us and tries to turn us in the direction of life.
We know Jesus is coming again soon. We know we are in the end times. We just don’t know exactly when He is coming. Like a thief in the night. (2 Peter 3: 10) Like the fruit on a fig tree. (Mark 13: 28f.) He is coming, but not when we expect it, exactly. Meanwhile, we are in charge of sharing our faith in Jesus with others. We tell everyone who will listen who gives us hope, who gives us peace, who gives us joy, and who gives us love. We need the Grace and Peace that the Bible often talks about. We know it is in relationship to Jesus that such gifts come to us. The peace that passes understanding. (Philippians 4:7) We need Jesus to guard our hearts and minds.
So as you celebrate Advent, Christmas and New Years, include the Lord in your celebrations, whether you are alone, or in a larger gathering or anything in between trust Him anew. You will find rest for your soul there. And don’t forget to begin 2021 with a plan to read through the whole Bible in a year. If you need help, talk to me or one of the elders. Pray for the new elders as they are considering whether they will say “yes” or “no,” right now in this season.
God bless you,
Pastor Jonathan
