Rev. Reed Lee Pedersen's
Happy New Year! The year 2018 brings with it unlimited potential and possibilities. This is usually a time where people make resolutions. While resolutions are good and can lead you to be healthier, thinner, more fiscally responsible, more active, or more (fill in the blank), they do have a negative side. New Year's resolutions can also be more focused on self-loathing than self-betterment. We try to fix what we do not like or even hate about ourselves. Other people might weigh in too about our "faults". Magazine covers remind us we aren't pretty or handsome enough. Weight loss shows point to how we aren't motivated enough. Many more affluent people try to say that those without money are only that way because they aren't responsible enough. The sad part is that churches do this too. They may ask, "Are you faithful enough?" They may tell you that you aren't good enough for Jesus or ask you to leave because you aren't living life the 'ways God intended'. I have met a lot of faithful people who stopped going to church because they were tired of being told they weren't good enough for their church. The world casts judgement on us every day and churches unfortunately have a history of taking part in that too. I don't have a resolution for you to consider this year. Instead I want to tell you of the revolution that occurred for us: "God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10) This world may come up with a million reasons you aren't good enough, but that is not what God's love does. It may hard to recognize who loves you in this world. "But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) God loves you for you! This is something to remember in the midst of all the negativity. If you are feeling from other people or even yourself that you are not good enough, God politely disagrees. Through Jesus Christ God has given us an ability to look in the mirror at our brokenness and shout, "This is me!" Point to Ponder: This song occurs in the movie, "The Greatest Showman". It is a powerful song about claiming self-confidence in one's self. As you listen please consider that Jesus gives us this power through his love.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorPastor Reed is a first call pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover, Illinois. Archives
July 2019
|