From the Pastor

March 2010

Although I prefer the events of the Summer Olympics, I still enjoy watching the Winter Games. I love to watch speed skating and the bobsledding and luge ... and I have even developed a bit of a liking for curling! I do not understand all the rules, but I find it fascinating.

In addition to the entertainment I get from watching the Olympics, I am always amazed at the skills of the people involved. Even more, I am impressed by the hours and hours of training that goes into their preparation. They may all have inherent talents, but without consistent practice and use, those talents would not amount to much—certainly not to a chance at an Olympic medal. It takes dedication and sacrifice to be the best competitors they can be.

I think the same could be said for the practice of our faith. Faith is given to us as a gift, but if we just let that gift sit inert, nothing much will come of it. It takes practice ... it takes dedication ... it takes sacrifice. Faith will not grow and mature or be strengthened without being exercised.

It would be easier for an athlete to sleep in and miss practice. It would easier for a Christian to sleep in and miss worship. It would be easier to engage in a half-hearted effort at training for a sport. It would be easier to give offerings of time or money as an afterthought or engage with the scripture only when in worship. It would be easier to let the status quo reign, and never challenge oneself to be the person we were created to be.

For the Olympic athlete, their reward comes in the moment they compete against others and win. For us, the reward has already been won. We know that God in Christ has already accomplished our salvation, and that we can never earn that gift through anything we do. But we can challenge ourselves to be disciples who reflect God’s love and abundant blessings every day by exercising the gifts and abilities we have been given ... even when it would be easier not to do so.

In Christ,
Pastor Brenda