In the next 20 to 30 years

Bonnie and I just returned from a week of vacation in Florida. We spent our week at her dad’s place which is located in a small community for people over 55 years old, a retirement village. I found it quite interesting. The place was full of wonderful senior adults many of them enjoying life and contributing to those around them. But this was not so for others. I was struck by how empty and seemingly quite meaningless life can be if your heart and life are not prepared for your tomorrows. I found myself pondering what my life might be like when I am in my senior years.

Assuming, which can’t be assumed, that I will be living 20 or 30 years from now I wonder… How will my spiritual habits sustain me in the future? How will my financial preparation sustain me? Who will my friends be? Am I caring for my health in a way that will make my senior years productive? Will I desire to be serving Jesus with a similar passion that I do now? I know that there are a lot of variables, but not everything is up for grabs is it. Whatever is to come I would like my spiritual life to be full of vitality and in a giving mode. In order to have this hope I know there are some things that I need to modify in my life today so that I can be ready for tomorrow.

Visiting this retirement community for the week also made me think of my mother. She is 77 years old and still teaches a weekly Bible study to young women. She became a follower of Jesus when I was a high school student. Giving through teaching God’s Word has been a part of her spiritual life for as long as I can remember. I admire that in her. I read recently a quote from Philip Yancey: “We must serve or we die.” Each one of us is given a gift that is meant for the rest of us. It is an interesting paradox in the life of a Christian – the more you give yourself away the more you live!

Which brings me back to the things I am pondering: what modifications do I need to make today so that my tomorrow is vital?
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul

NOT JUST COFFEE

We all know it instinctively, I think, that fellowship is more than just sharing a cup of coffee. Fellowship as I look at it in the New Testament seems to be about sharing life. It implies a depth. As I was looking up the word, kononia (fellowship), I was reminded of a few things and taught a few things. I was reminded that fellowship is about real relationship, depth of relationship as I mentioned earlier. But I was taught something about how this depth is created. I found it really interesting that the word for fellowship implies within it a “generosity.” What a wonderful understanding -- relational generosity. Fellowship is being a relationally generous giver – giving of ourselves in relationship to others. Fellowship is being a relationally generous receiver – receiving relationship from others.

Wow, imagine if we could create a Church where relational generosity was the norm. If we fellowshipped by being generous with our gifts, our talents, our stories, our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses, and our sinfulness. But not stopping there. But striving as well to be relationally generous receivers; receiving other’s gifts, talents, stories, vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and sins. I am thinking I want to strive toward relationally generosity. But as I write that I know there are things that are risky about it. I wonder if I will be able to take the risk – at least gradually.
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul