another year of what are we here for?

The new year tends to be a good time to ask this question? I know its fashionable and almost obligatory to look back and ponder this concept of meaning and what we do as we look forward, but it always seems to come back to this same question. Ironically, no matter how many books or talks (or blogs) we read, we never actually answer this question, at least we never remember the answer. As I have started in my new full time position at Riverbend Community Church, part of what I get to do is help people walk the path of answering this question and it starts with asking that same question of us as a collective church. I believe the answer to this question is two words: Proclaim, Respond.

Most evangelical Christian's know the Westminster Catechism says the chief end of man is to Glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But I don't think most know what that actually means in real life. When we try to put that answer into our daily lives of work, family, hobbies, etc. we tend to do those things absent of where God is in those areas. At least, God quickly exits my mind when I am focusing on things of daily living. But what does it mean when we use this two word definition of our purpose? First, proclaim means that we are announcing the Good News of Jesus rescuing us from sin and death. Responding is everything we do BECAUSE Jesus saved us. This is the model we see throughout the Bible. New Testament letters constantly have the format of because Jesus save us, we there for do such and such. It normally then leads back to proclaiming the reason for our actions. As 1 Peter 3:15 says, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

In proclaiming that good news and responding to it, we fulfill the purpose seen in the Westminster Catechism. But it is still hard to really understand what this looks like in our daily lives. Each of us this will probably look different, but the question to ask is not "what are we here for" but rather, "because Jesus saved me, how do I do ___________ differently?" What do you do differently because of what Jesus has done for you?

a start or a season?

I suppose for my first blog to this new site, I ought to explain where I have been and why I am here. And really, there are two reasons:

The first is, this is not my first blogging experience. A couple years back I blogged for the better part of six months (crossfirecontemplations-- I have just noticed my love of alliteration) and I eventually ran out of time and energy, which is a completely different story. I did enjoy my time and my posts, and I hope others did as well. But sometimes other priorities take precedence. Thats the first reason.

The second. My wonderful wife (there I go alliterating again) tells me on a fairly frequent basis that I am a decent writer and should be published. She tells me this for mulitple reasons, she loves me, she likes to boost my ego, and she would really enjoy it if I wrote her more romantic letters. This blog probably isn't what she had in mind.

But here I am, a new start, a new year, a new blog. I'm looking forward to it.