Feeling much better - just can't quite shake off the cough. But it really is about time I got back to writing!
At the beginning of the month, as a church, we started a new chapter in our history. Having been amalgamated into part of a bigger church for eight or so years (to help the church through a difficult time), on 1 September we once again were ready to stand on our own two feet, to go and make our own way in the world, to fly the nest...add any other analogies regarding children leaving their parents' home for the first time that you can think of...
On Sunday morning we began looking at the New Testament book of Philippians (1:1-11). And there is much here to encourage us. Just a few points.
Although we are at the start of a new chapter, we go into our exciting but uncertain future with a faithful God who has helped us this far, and who has promised that he will bring to completion what he has already started (6). It's not about us standing on our own two feet for we walk alongside a God who has promised to be with us every step of the way.
We are currently having building work done at the church, and so there has been a lot of dust and noise. Parts of the building can be best described as a building site. It's a mess, but the work is being done, and will soon be completed. Our lives resemble a life long building site as God works in us to fashion something amazing. Sometimes that work will create a lot of noise and dust. Other times we may hardly be aware that it is going on. But we will never be the finished product - God is constantly at work in us - until our life here comes to an end.
One of my dreams and hopes for our new church is spiritual growth. And I echo Paul's prayer in verses 9-11. Praying for increased love for each other; that we get to know God better; that as God works in us we learn what the right thing to do is in any situation; and we discern which are God's priorities in the long list of things that we could be doing. And that we will see the fruit - to God's glory.
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