Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day! 2 Corinthians 4:16
What’s an ideal life? No health problems, no trouble, no challenge, just enough money to survive, maybe just a little fun money once in a while, maybe we could eat a meal or two a week out, maybe a vacation or two. Oh and I don’t need many things, just enough to pay for transportation, my note taker functioning properly with no fear of crashing, my computer and Alexa’s working properly. Oh and I can’t do without the visits I have with friends so I want to make sure I can have enough to entertain them and go visit them. And on and on and on.
So how about the church? Is there an ideal? Well we just want enough money to work with so we can function to pay our budget. And it’d be nice to have no concerns about paying outreach. We’d love it if one or two young families would join our church every few years, and our worship attendance would stay above a certain amount to pay our bills. We’d be blessed if God would bless us with the Spirit’s movement each week so meetings wouldn’t be too long (let’s keep it to an hour.), and our services would be alive, and on and on and on. And we haven’t even gotten to the ideal beliefs of the church and how we wish everyone would be at least happy with something going on.
Gosh, when you step back and think about it, we ask a lot. Therefore, we constantly, in these times especially, are disappointed. So was the state of the Corinthian Church. Paul was reminding them there is simply no ideal any longer which can be satisfied by themselves. They must rather be built on the values of Christ and be able to, even amidst however the times restructure the church, to make sure the gospel never wavers, the Holy Spirit never is dimmed.
Yes, the church is a business. We lead busy personal lives. A bunch has to get done. But do we lose heart as we see one unrealistic ideal after the other fading slowly from view to the point pretty soon, we cannot depend on any world ideal.
Sadly friends, nothing in this world will ever be ideal, but Jesus Christ offers us through his gospel the only realistic lasting ideal. No matter what happens to us in the times we’re living, his peace, hope, love, and joy abide.
So sisters and brothers, even if at times we may feel ourselves and circumstances slowly wasting away in this world, do we feel ourselves being renewed somehow in our Lord Day by day. I sure hope so. After all, now and for eternity, that’s the only ideal we can truly cling to.
To God be the glory in Jesus’ name Pastor Brandon
Adult Sunday school 9 am
Morning Worship at 10:15 am
Enjoy the feeling of home and family.
Please join us, all are Welcome.