Pastor’s Ponderings
Pastor Paul Bennet
by Pastor Paul Bennett
I have often felt that, as a Christian, it would make much more sense to celebrate New Year's not immediately after Christmas, but after Easter.
Having just celebrated Christmas, I feel much more inclined to go into hibernation or work on emerging from my food coma than I do to ponder ways to improve myself and set goals for the coming months.
As a follower of Christ, the events of Easter are much more compelling as inspiration for personal growth. Jesus has just sacrificed His own life on my behalf, then has broken free from the bonds of death and escaped the tomb himself so that we might all be granted this same victory over the grave. These realities absolutely demand a response from us. How can we not respond to a love so selfless and fierce?
As I write this article, I am in the RRUMC sanctuary and our communion table is right before me, with the words “In Remembrance of Me” engraved on the front. On Maundy Thursday, we recalled Jesus instructing his disciples to frequently reenact the Last Supper they had just shared. The idea was that Jesus wanted them to remember the sacrifice He would make for them on the cross in order to be empowered by his indescribable love as they continued to serve God and work for His Kingdom. All throughout Scripture, in fact, God encourages His people to look back on His acts of love and faithfulness for encouragement to then move forward in their faith.
If we are to see the events of Good Friday and Easter as we ought to, a fresh start and a new and compelling reason for us to surrender our lives all the more to our Lord and Savior, how might we find the strength and encouragement to achieve the change we desire? Nothing about January 1st makes me enthusiastic to seek personal growth, and thus my New Year's resolutions often fall well short. Turning to a new calendar year just doesn't do it for me I guess. But the love and sheer determination of my Messiah hanging on the cross for me, then breaking free from the bonds of death to grant me the chance for eternity, certainly should.
God urges us to look back on His faithfulness to us that we might move forward in our faithfulness to Him. How can I bring appreciation for what Christ has done for me into my day to day? When faced with the choice to show mercy rather than malice to someone who has harmed me, how can recalling Jesus on the cross inspire me to make the right call in the moment? When weighing my options between reading my Bible or binging Netflix, how can the empty tomb compel me into God's Word? The key is in taking small steps towards practicing the realization of God's presence in our lives. We will not fully arrive overnight, but small changes breed larger changes. Inserting five minutes of prayer per day can help us gain 5% more awareness of God's presence in our lives. Journaling at the close of each day on ways we saw God moving and active throughout can help us better recognize ways God is showing up that we never before realized. What other ways can you practice awareness of God’s constant presence?
This may not be the beginning of a new year, but our experience of the cross and empty tomb has most certainly made this the beginning of a new and glorious reality for all believers. How will you bring the new and more faithful you into the journey of devotion and service that lies ahead?
With you in ministry,
Pastor Paul