Kirk Reflections 27th August 2023.
Rev. Erick du Toit brings today's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland.
"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
This week, we'll further discuss the importance of becoming living sacrifices as we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to renew our minds.
Changing is difficult. The older we get, the harder it becomes. But we're challenged by God's Word to be different and distinct; to be in tune with his will and calling on each of our lives. Our natural inclination is to simply 'fit in' and get on with it... but, it takes a real mind shift to realise we're encouraged to constantly alter our ways.
If we don't do that, we're not true to our calling as reformists (or followers of The Way!). Stopping to do this can be likened to a shark that no longer swims forward... eventually it will die for without 'movement' there can't be a flow of oxygen into its gills.
The Church, now more than ever, is called (and instructed by the General Assembly) to think afresh and anew about our mission; to seek new pathways for ministry in his Kingdom.
Isn't it wonderful to note that lots of 'rethinking' in our Kirk has already led to fruit-bearing?
You don't have to look far... I'm thinking of the amazing Work Kirsteen, our Children & Families worker is doing with the children and families in our community (Dynamite, Friday at the Centre, Breakout Rooms, Little Coffee Stop, etc) and also the connections our Youth & Community worker, James is building up with other churches, charities, the Community Fridge, Schools, a NEW Youth Group, etc.
How special to see God at work when we allow our minds to be transformed to become more Christlike - much more adventure awaits with Jesus on our minds!
