Welcome to Thursday! It’s always good to be together in the Pastor’s Workshop! I enjoy being with you in the Word and listening for Sunday’s message.
Thursday is the day we “put it all together”. We look at our thoughts and musings from the week and see how they fit into a larger “whole”.
Again, as we move towards Sunday: our title is “New Normal”; our Bible verses are I Timothy 4:7-8; and our focus is “train yourself in godliness” (4:7b).
With these as our framework, what might a message be?
Here’s how my thoughts come together:
As we “shelter in place” for weeks on end, we are cultivating “new habits”. We are establishing a new normal.
“New Normal”, that’s the term being used for what’s ahead. What will things be like when this season of sheltering is over? Equally as significant, what will shape or determine our “new normal”.
As you listen to commentators and pundits it’s easy to be concerned that the “new normal” will not be a “better normal”. Possibilities of a Corona Reoccurrence, continuing Economic Distress, and Societal Stress along socioeconomic and racial lines are all lifted up as “shaping forces”.
Yet in the midst of this trouble, we remember that last Sunday we celebrated the Resurrection! We are Easter people! Jesus Christ is our Risen Lord. He invites us into risen life. Easter calls us to embrace “resurrection reality” as the guiding grace that shapes our new normal!
In our faith, we have a term for a life shaped by resurrection. The word is “Godliness”.
“Godliness” is a good word! It’s good because it begins with “God” and God is good all the time!
Godliness is about working God’s goodwill and God’s good ways into our will and ways. It’s about God’s goodwill and good ways bringing healing and wholeness, well-being and strength into our daily living.
Godliness is a comprehensive word. God’s healing and wholeness, well-being and strength would bless all facets of our lives: Body, Mind, Heart, Soul, Home, Church, and Community!
This Scripture challenges us to build that blessing into our lives as the Apostle calls us to “Train yourself in godliness”.
Training is Exercise! It is becoming Fit in our Faith. Like all Training, there are steps we need to take. In this Sunday’s message the steps outlined are: Be Mindful, Be Decisive, Be Deliberate.
And there are benefits from this Training in Godliness. As the Apostle says, training in godliness holds promise for the present life and the life to come. We’ll look at some of these too!
The bottom line, our hope for the message is that “Training in Godliness” would become our “New Normal”.
This is just the outline. Sunday’s message will explore and expand on these talking points. As always, I hope that the message will not only present thoughts and proclaim God’s truth, but also invite us into action, call us to follow our Risen Lord more fully and more faithfully.
As you put your thoughts and musings together, what message came to you? It’s always amazing how the Spirit will speak to one person one way and another person another way. How did God’s Word in I Timothy speak a transforming word to you?
I look forward to being with you on Saturday for the “prayer that prepares” and on Sunday as we worship together.
In that coming blessing, I’ll see you on Saturday!
Prayer: Gracious God, we thank you always for how you would use your Word to speak to our hearts, awaken our minds, strengthen our spirits and call us to life with you and for others. In that grace, which is ours in Christ, we go from the workshop into our daily work today in Jesus’ name.