Coming out of the covid-lockdown, my mind has been churning on what needs to be a our message to the church right now. What should we focus on? After a year of stress and strain on many fronts in life, I found David Woodrum's words today refreshing and hopeful!:
“It pleases God to give us his Kingdom now in this world, where we live... that we might reign in life through Jesus Christ, not only after we die and go to heaven, but now as a testimony of the sufficiency of his sacrifice on the cross, in the grave and upon the altar of heaven… One of the surest evidence that we have passed from death to life is that we are reigning in this life, triumphant over the forces of death, set free and progressively make free from the ravages of sin, sickness and the curse of the law. Please do not misunderstand my words and think that I mean that a disciple will never be sick or have difficulties in this life. But what I am saying is that in the midst of trials… the disciples can reign over the attitudes of his or her own heart in confidence of who Jesus is and that he rules over all things.” (Woodrum, Kingdom Exploration)
"Reigning over" my attitude and "reining in" my attitude go hand in had. I am increasing chomping at the bit for my church to be out in the community serving again, boldly and creatively, making the Kingdom of God tangible to people again, face to face!
When you consider the needs in your community, what ministries of your home church do you want to see start up again to meet those needs first hand?