Words from Our Pastor

Monday, December 31, 2018

A New Kind of Resolution

I love clean slates. Always have. I love the opportunity to try again. Because I rarely get things on the first try. This is why I’m a big fan of the “mulligan” (play golf with me and you’ll quickly realize why). 

To me there is great comfort in knowing that whatever mistakes I’ve made or whatever I wish I would have done but didn’t, gets wiped away and replaced with a fresh new start. A do-over. 
This is why I love Monday’s- if I blew it the week before- if I wasn’t as patient as I would have liked  the week before, if I had maybe not made it to the gym like I wanted, or if I had put off some of my goals, I get this new set of days to start fresh and make another go at it. 

New Years Eve is the ultimate. A whole new year- 12 months!- to start fresh and really get after those goals and shape your life to be the life you want. Whether it’s get into shape, read more, learn a new skill, start a new career, end a bad habit— whatever it is, you are freed from that weight of the past and liberated to start anew. 

Our baptism does this for us as well. We can remember our baptism each morning in the shower, as the water, joined with our prayer, washes away our “old self” creating a space to start anew. Visualize this the next time you’re in the shower.  These ancient religious practices hold powerful truths. 

Yesterday I preached about the spiritual disciplines referenced in Richard Foster’s book classic, “Celebration of Discipline”.  There are the “inward” disciplines, or practices: Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, and Study. There are the “outward” practices: Simplicity, Solitude, and Service.   And there are the “corporate” ones we do together: Confession, Worship, Guidance. and Celebration. 
Each of these in their own unique way help us more fully engage God, opening a door to a deeper spiritual life. 

So as you make those resolutions for 2019, excited as I am for a “clean slate”, maybe consider choosing just 1 of these spiritual practices and making them part of your routine. And may it draw you into the wondrous beauty of a life of faith. And may it make 2019 one of your best years yet. 

See you in church. 

Pastor Brook