A Word about the Word-
…Until Christ is formed in you. [Galatians 4:19]
That is precisely the goal of the Christian’s life: Christ, his character, and his life recreated in me and you. Beatle George Harrison wrote a song with the lyrics, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Yep. And the road—the goal—of our Christian journey is not just “Heaven” or forgiveness or even loving our neighbor, which are all clear and wonderful aspects of the believer’s life. The “finish line,” what God has planned for us (“predestined”) and what “all things” in and around our lives are working together to accomplish is that we “be conformed to the image of his Son” [Romans 8:29].
Is there a family resemblance yet?
Close to Home
On Sunday, we started a message series entitled “Rhythms.” We are discussing that goal and the disciplines (the “rhythms”) that are meant to enable us to cooperate with the working of the Holy Spirit in reshaping our hearts and minds and personalities into the image of Christ. If you would like a PDF of the Rhythms booklet, click here. If you would like a copy of the sermon slides, click here.
“Emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable. It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature…Changing the way we have lived for 20 or 40 or 60 years is nothing short of a revolution.” [Peter Scazzero] There is still time to join an Emotional Healthy Spirituality small group—here’s the signup.
Correction: In my “To the Point” of a couple of weeks ago, I referenced the movie Soul. In my comments I wrote that it is the Christian belief that a person gets their soul upon birth. Not so. I should have written that a person gets their soul in the womb, at conception, when life begins. Hence, John the Baptist can worshipfully leap in his mother’s womb when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, shows up (Luke 1:41–44).
The World as It Is
Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. If you have never read (or even if you have his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” I strongly urge you to do so. These eloquent words of justice and non-violence, some of which you’ve heard quoted before, won’t take you long to read. And it will be well worth your time.
https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
The Cleveland Browns had a really good season. One to build on for the future. And the “touchback” rule is dumbest rule in sports. I’m just sayin’.
A Final Thought
With the presidential inauguration tomorrow, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite poems written by Robert Frost, who spoke at President Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
I’ll catch you on the other side.
