Pastor’s Corner – November 2019

Posted on Nov 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Ministry, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Nov '19

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6–7)

“Continue to live in him, rooted and built up, strengthened in the faith as you were taught”

Each year, as part of my benefits package, I am given two weeks of study leave. This isn’t two extra weeks of vacation; it’s an intentional time for pastors to do exactly what Paul says in this verse, to be ‘rooted and built up [in Christ], strengthened in the faith.” Just as we need exercise to keep our bodies healthy, we also need to be intentional in strengthening our faith. That is what study leave is meant to provide. I spent the time reading several books about pastoring in our current cultural reality, meeting with a spiritual director for my own spiritual growth and well-being, and sketching out a sermon plan for next year. Thank you for letting me have the time away, and I look forward to sharing with you what God has been sharing with me!

“Overflowing with Thankfulness”

Thank you, also, for the wonderful cards and expressions of appreciation you all shared this past weekend. What an unexpected surprise to receive upon my return from study leave! One of my greatest joys is being able to tell others about what a blessing you all are to my family and me and how thankful we are to get to serve alongside you. So many pastors serve places that are hard and challenging, but serving Northminster is a joy and delight. We truly are “overflowing with thankfulness” for each one of you.

For what are you “overflowing with thankfulness”? In the midst of the craziness of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget to reflect on that question. I encourage you to be intentional in taking time to reflect on the things for which you are thankful. Yes, expressing gratitude in the moment when we’ve received a gift is somewhat easy, but to “overflow with thankfulness” requires intentional thought and perhaps even prayer. How different might our thanksgiving celebrations be if we take as much time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for as we do cleaning, cooking and preparing for those celebrations?

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Oct '19

Pastor’s Corner – October 2019

Posted on Oct 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Oct '19

Here’s something I’ve been thinking about lately:

What difference does Jesus make in your life?

Not long ago, I came across an interview with a pastor who said that it wouldn’t affect her faith in the least if there were definitive proof that Jesus Christ never existed or wasn’t resurrected from the dead and certainly wasn’t God. In fact, this pastor argued, such belief takes greater faith than holding to the orthodox beliefs about Jesus (that he is fully God and the second member of the Trinity, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died for our sins, was raised from the dead on the third day and is now seated at God’s right hand, to name a few). The Apostle Paul has some pretty strong words for such a view:

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Cor. 15:13–14, 17–19)

Everything we believe and are as Christians hinges on the resurrection of Christ — in this life and the life to come. For a long time, much of Christian hope and faith was placed in the promise of eternal life with God in Heaven. Over the past century or so, however, that focus has shifted toward the benefits of believing in Christ in this present life. That, in my opinion, has been a necessary correction. However, now it seems even that is fading away. It seems to me that there are a lot of people who claim to believe in Jesus, but for whom Jesus makes no practical difference in their daily lives whatsoever. I wonder if in losing our focus on the former (our hope for eternal life), we started to lose our focus on the latter (the change in our daily lives).

But think about what Jesus said about why he came: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (John 10:10) Our faith in Christ brings us “real and eternal life.” It’s absolutely about the life to come. The greatest hope of our eternal life is that we will see God face-to-face. Holding to that hope, through Christ we are able to have “more and better life than we’ve ever dreamed of” in this present life. How I live my life today is formed and shaped by the sure knowledge that one day, because of Christ, I will see God face-to-face.

There’s an old saying that someone is “so heavenly minded, they’re no early good.” We’ve all known people like that. But that’s not how it actually works. If I’m focusing on eternity rightly, then the present is molded and shaped by it. It is that sure and certain hope that enables me to live sacrificially and fully for Christ today. The saying should more be like, “I’m only earthly good because I’m so heavenly minded.”

It is my prayer that, because we know we will one day see Him face-to-face, we would all know Jesus so fully and deeply that we can’t imagine living a day or a moment without Him.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Sep '19

Pastor’s Corner – September 2019

Posted on Sep 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Sermons, Spiritual Growth | 0

Sep '19

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Tim. 6:10)

My parents raised me to believe that there are three things you don’t talk about in polite company: religion, politics and money. We can’t (and probably shouldn’t) avoid talking about that first one in church, and while this usually hasn’t kept me from talking about the other two, but every time I do, I hesitate…particularly when it comes to talking about money. Especially when it comes to preaching about money. Not only do I not like preaching about money, I’ve never met a church member who likes or wants to hear sermons on money. As someone once told Bob Mills after a sermon, “Now you’ve gone from preaching to meddling.”

However, there are two truths about money that I think ensures it’s worthy of our time and attention on a Sunday morning. First, the reality is that everyone is always talking or thinking about money. As Carey Nieuwhof writes, “People talk about it, argue about it, and try to make their plans around it. Almost everyone in your church and community thinks about money daily and talks about it daily. They may even struggle with it daily. It’s just that few people step up to help them with it” (underlined reference links can be found in the online version of this article). If it gets that much of our mental energy and time, isn’t it something we should seek biblical guidance regarding?

Which leads us to the second truth: Did you know that the Bible talks about money more than any other subject? As an article at crosswalk.com points out, “It is worth noting that money is such an important topic in the Bible that it is the main subject of nearly half of the parables Jesus told. In addition, one in every seven verses in the New Testament deals with this topic. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, fewer than 500 verses on faith, and more than 2,000 verses on money.” As the article states, “Why such an emphasis on money and possessions? There is a fundamental connection between our spiritual lives and how we think about and handle money.”

So for the next six weeks, beginning September 8, we’re going to be talking about money. We’ll spend the first three weeks talking about the connection between our spiritual lives and our focus on money and the second three weeks understanding what the Bible says about why and how our giving to the Lord is an important part of our growth as disciples of Jesus Christ. While certainly a subject no one wants to talk or hear sermons about, I think we’ll find a way to a deeper, richer life in Christ as a result.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. (1 Tim. 6:11)

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Aug '19

Pastor’s Corner – August 2019

Posted on Aug 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Sermons, Spiritual Growth, Worship | 0

Aug '19

“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18)

Summer doesn’t officially end for another month and a half, and given that we live in central Virginia, it won’t begin to feel like fall until sometime in October, but with kids going back to school in just a few weeks, it seems like fall is already here. And with the fall comes the harvest season. In our summer sermon series, Do Something, we’ve seen that James uses the image of the harvest a lot throughout his letter.

I’ve been amazed at the way the flowers and plants in our yard have absolutely blossomed and exploded this year. As much as we’d like to take credit, this isn’t really because of anything my wife and I have done. Someone else put these plants in the ground long before we moved in, and last year’s incredible rainfall nourished the soil richly over the winter and into the spring. We put a lot of effort into weeding and mulching early on, but haven’t done a good job keeping up with it.

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Cor. 3:5–9)

Such it is with our spiritual lives. Often we find that spiritual growth happens, regardless of what we do or don’t do. But some simple truths are still central. First, you harvest what you plant. Second, while the seeds grow naturally, there are things we can do to encourage their growth, such as watering, weeding and fertilizing that create an environment conducive to their flourishing.

Much of what we seek to do here at Northminster is help you with those two aspects of your walk with the Lord – planting seeds of faith and spiritual growth, and cultivating the soil of your heart and soul to nourish those seeds. As we head into the harvest season, be on the lookout for opportunities to check the health of the soil of your soul as well as opportunities to “do something” with the growth that God has been doing in you. If there is a particular way you’d like some help in your spiritual growth, be sure to let one of our elders or me know.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Apr '19

Pastor’s Corner – April 2019

Posted on Apr 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Apr '19

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” — Matt. 11:28-30 THE MESSAGE

Out of Rhythm

About 5 years ago, my kids and I were swimming at a friend’s house and I found I couldn’t catch my breath. Even sitting still, I was breathing heavily and my heart was racing. I had no idea what was going on. Erring on the side of caution, my wife took me to the ER and we found out my heart was in atrial fibrillation. The ER staff took great care of me, and a few hours later we were on our way home. A couple of years later, my family went to Sliding Rock in North Carolina (pictured). I’ve never experienced water as cold as that. Hitting that water was such a shock that it not only knocked the wind out of me, it sent my heart into a.fib a second time. Just like the first time, I couldn’t catch my breath even standing still and my heart was racing. Having experienced it before, I knew immediately what the problem was. This trip to the ER resulted in an overnight stay, and somewhere around 15 hours later, my heart returned to normal rhythm on its own. Fortunately, other than these two instances, I have a very healthy heart and haven’t had any further issues. Some folks go into a.fib and aren’t aware of what’s going on for several days. When your heart gets out of rhythm, it affects everything else.

Life Arrhythmia

I think many of us spend our lives in a kind of “life arrhythmia.” Our lives are out of rhythm and we often don’t even realize it. We live and move and work in something of a semi-frenzy, desperately trying to keep up just enough to catch our breath every now and then. We yearn for rest, but find that even in the moments of rest (whether a couple of hours or a week of vacation), we still can’t catch our breath. Our souls weren’t meant to live like this, and when we spend our lives out of rhythm, it affects everything else. Sometimes we know what the problem is; often we don’t. If we continue to try to force ourselves to live according to the rhythm of the world around us, we’ll never get in sync and will be constantly racing to keep up. We need to look for a different way.

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

That different way is the way of Jesus and of grace. This is the natural rhythm in which we were created “to live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). It is a rhythm that enables us, as the passage above says, to find true rest. Following the unforced rhythms of grace isn’t about another burden, or rule, or expectation placed upon us, but rather finding ourselves synchronized with Christ in such a way that we are able to live freely and lightly regardless of the rhythm of the world around us. A part of our goal in our worship services is to provide an opportunity to get out of the frenetic pace of our lives in order to connect with the unforced rhythms of the grace of Jesus Christ, if only for a few moments. Initially it feels discordant, even boring. But as we take the time to settle into the moment, we begin to feel the new rhythm and experience the rest and freedom Christ offers.

As we continue to move through this season of Lent and prepare for the joyous celebration of Easter, may you hear the gentle invitation of Jesus to ‘walk with Him and work with Him — watch how He does it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace’ and find yourself living freely and lightly.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Mar '19

Pastor’s Corner – March 2019

Posted on Mar 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Sermons, Spiritual Growth | 0

Mar '19

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;

he will never let the righteous fall.” — Psalm 55:22

Teach Us To Pray

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been exploring the Lord’s Prayer, asking Jesus to do the very thing He did for the disciples: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). We have seen that this somewhat simple and very well-known prayer is loaded with depth and meaning. The Lord’s Prayer is incredibly profound, especially considering how succinct it is, and it certainly provides an excellent template for our prayers, let alone making it part of our daily prayer routine.

More Than Knowing How

But knowing “how” doesn’t always get us to the point of actually “doing.” We all know how to eat well, but still eat too many French fries. We all know how to exercise, but we still watch too much TV. Over time, we get stuck in routines and habits that unintentionally create hurdles and obstacles that keep us from doing what we know we ought to do. Or we find ourselves facing a difficult situation (like a large pizza) that keeps us from doing what we know we ought to do (not eat an entire large pizza). There comes a time when we need to hit a “reset” button and start over. Cultivating a habit and lifestyle of prayer is no different. It’s far too easy to allow the busy-ness and stress of our daily lives to fill our schedules, leaving us with the feeling that we’re too busy to pray. Or we run into a situation where we really have no idea how to lift up in prayer.

A Spiritual “Reset” Button

That’s one of the reasons why Lent is one of my favorite seasons of the liturgical year. It’s an opportunity to hit that spiritual “reset” button. Lent is an Old English word that means “springtime.” Spring is a season where we clean up the muck of the past year to prepare our yards for new growth and to freshen and straighten our homes. Spiritually, the season of Lent provides the same opportunity. It’s an opportunity to restart some old habits that have been lost or begin new habits out of a desire to clean the spiritual muck out of our hearts and souls to make room for the new spiritual growth the Holy Spirit has in store for us. We take advantage of this season by setting aside some bad habits that are keeping us from praying, or starting new habits to enable us to pray more effectively.

On Sundays during Lent, we’ll use the prayer book of the Hebrews, the Psalms, as our guide to praying through some of the more challenging things that come up in our lives. Over the course of this series, we’ll look at the problem of prayer, how to approach the Inapproachable, how to pray when we’ve done wrong, how to cultivate a trust that never stops, how to pray when there is no hope, and what rejoicing really looks like.

May this season of Lent and our time spent in the Psalms nurture and encourage your soul.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Feb '19

Hope Springs Eternal

Posted on Feb 28, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Spiritual Growth | 0

Feb '19

Tomorrow is March 1st. Here in Central Virginia, there’s a Winter Weather Advisory for tonight and talk of a couple of possible snowstorms both early and late next week. Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. This is almost as late as Ash Wednesday can be, so usually by this time we’re a few weeks into Lent and already looking forward to Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Lent is an Old English word that means “springtime.” Apparently, spring is taking it’s sweet time coming this year.

I’ve found that it doesn’t take much to give me hope. Did the sun come out in February? Time to break out the shorts and t-shirts, even if the temperature is in the 30s and there’s snow in the forecast. Did the Redskins score a touchdown? Pretty sure they’re going to the Super Bowl. Did the Cardinals win a spring training game? The World Series is a lock. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

There’s a great story in the Bible about this kind of ridiculous hope. Israel has been locked in a nasty drought for about three years. Elijah has just won an incredible victory over Ahab and the prophets of Ba’al, and then this happens:

And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.

“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there,” he said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” (1 Kings 18:41–44)

I wonder how many times over those three years of drought had folks looked and seen a cloud, the size of a man’s fist, on the horizon and wondered if this might be the cloud that brings the rain. But no rain came. And I wonder how the servant felt being told to go look seven different times. But then there is a cloud, and Elijah knows that the rain is coming – torrents of rain, in fact (1 Kings 18:45-46). I am sure that Ahab, Elijah’s servant and everyone else thought Elijah’s hope was ridiculous.

Of course, God had already told Elijah that the rain was coming, so his ridiculous hope was grounded in knowledge and trust (1 Kings 18:1). But is our hope any less so? Far from it. Well, hoping the Redskins will go to the Super Bowl because they score a touchdown…yeah, that’s ridiculous. But seeing a new crocus plant breaking through the snow and being hopeful for spring? That’s a hope grounded in knowledge and trust. As the prophet Jeremiah writes,

Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lam. 3:22–26)

Much like feeling a warm breath of wind on an otherwise cold winter day, or seeing the tulips beginning to break forth out of the ground, or the leaf buds on the trees, it is right and good to wait and hope for the salvation of the Lord. This is the way God often works. Spring has started long before we see any signs of it, even while everything we see is locked in the frozen cold of winter.

You may find yourself yearning for spring in your life, but locked in the frozen cold of depression, or the hurts of life, or a mess that maybe you had nothing to do with but swallowed you up anyway. Right now, trying to hold on to hope might seem ridiculous to you. But I promise, God is at work in ways you can not yet see and spring is coming. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18) Don’t give up hoping and trusting in the Lord – He hasn’t given up on saving and healing you.

Feb '19

Pastor’s Corner – February 2019

Posted on Feb 1, 2019 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Reading the Bible, Spiritual Growth | 0

Feb '19

If you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn. — English proverb

But Jesus answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” — Matthew 4:4

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” — 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Learning to Study the Scriptures

One of the core beliefs we hold as Christians is the authority and importance of the Bible. We believe it is divinely inspired, without error and fully authoritative for us and our lives. We also believe that Christians should regularly study and learn from the Bible. But much of how we do that is through sermons and Sunday school lessons, which usually involve someone (the preacher, for example) reading a passage, telling us (the congregation) what it means, and then how to apply it to our lives. It is, in many respects, a passive learning experience – knowledge and information is given to us to receive and absorb, and hopefully live. But we all learn best by doing ourselves, rather than someone doing the work for us (see the English proverb above).

Getting SOAPy

On Sunday evenings, the youth have started studying the books of the Bible. In doing so, we’re seeking to teach them not simply what the Bible says and means, but more importantly how to study the Bible for themselves. I think the technique we’re teaching them might be of benefit to you, particularly if you’ve struggled with how to study the Bible on your own. The method we’re teaching is an acronym called SOAP – Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. Here’s how it works:

Scripture

The first step is to identify a Scripture passage for study. It is generally good to Study one or two paragraphs – or about 6-10 verses — at a time. After selecting a passage, it is good to identify what Testament you are in (before or after Christ’s birth), and what kind of literature you are reading (history, law, prophets, poetry, gospel, letters). It is helpful to copy the passage or key verses into a journal, as this increases comprehension and sets the stage for learning. Remember: You can Google any book of the Bible for answers to simple questions about that book.

Observation

Observation is taking time to look at the passage and ask questions to learn what it is saying. What are the commands to obey or examples to follow? What are the promises to claim? What does it teach me about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit? Take time to identify questions you may have that will lead to additional study. Write your observations and questions in your journal. Consider using a Bible handbook or simple commentary for further study.

Application

Do not stop with observations; take time to make applications. Ask: How will this truth change me or my family? Where do I fall short and who can help me? What will I change in my attitudes, relationships, and behaviors? What must I do today as a result of this study? How am I strengthened and encouraged by this passage? Record your applications in your journal.

Prayer

Conclude your Bible study with prayer. Ask God to help you apply the passage to life. Where do you need God’s help or forgiveness? What are you thankful for in this passage of Scripture? Write the answers to these questions in your journal.

Learning to study the Bible is not difficult, but it takes practice and commitment. Like any good habit, the benefits of practicing regular Bible study, by yourself and in groups, make the effort of cultivating it worthwhile. It is my prayer that using a little SOAP in your study of the Bible will help you know God’s Word and its importance for your life.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Jan '19

New Sunday School Opportunity – Beginning Sunday, January 27

Posted on Jan 16, 2019 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News, Reading the Bible, Spiritual Growth | 0

Jan '19

Let me be up front: If you aren’t already attending a Sunday School class at Northminster, we’re inviting you (and your kids) to come to Sunday school. I suppose it’s kind of obvious that a pastor would make that request, but there’s more to it than that.. Let me explain.

I think most of us would agree that our faith is important to us, but when push comes to shove, we (yep, even me) tend to let the hustle-and-bustle of life crowd out the rhythms and practices of our faith. Before we know it, while still important, our faith has been moved to the back seat.

Jesus says in John 10:10 that he came so we might “have more and better life than we’ve ever dreamed of.” Being in the back seat of our life likely isn’t what he had in mind. And I think most of us would agree that while our lives might not be terrible, they probably aren’t exactly “more and better than we’ve ever dreamed” either.

Here are some things I know, mostly from what I’ve experienced in my own life:

The closer I walk with Jesus, the closer I come to that “more and better life.”
The more time I spend in God’s Word, the more grounded I am.
The more I connect with other believers, the more hope I have.

I also know that, as parents, we want to pass on a faith to our children that is meaningful and valuable to them. Along those lines, I also know (again, from my own experience, but also from 20+ years of youth ministry) that there are three key components to passing the faith to our children effectively. They are:

Teaching the full gospel of Jesus Christ (more than just “sin management” or whatnot),
Parents being the primary ministers to their own children (don’t let this scare you), and
Building as many intergenerational connections into kids lives as possible.

All of the above is why I’m inviting you to come to Sunday school. Beginning January 6, from 9:45-10:30, I’ll be teaching a new class that will meet in the Tatman Room. But actually, I would think of this as more of a “small group” type thing than “Sunday school.” There will be more discussion than lecture, more questions than dissertation. It’s an opportunity for us to dig into God’s Word together, to understand what it meant back then so we can better understand what it means right now, and to apply it to the nitty-gritty of our lives right now. The better we know God’s Word, the more we will know and live the Gospel, the easier it’ll be to share our faith with our kids through our lives. We’ll be starting out studying Paul’s letter to the Romans.

And that intergenerational part? Well, we happen to have a whole lot of folks in this church who would love the opportunity to love your kids in Jesus’ name. While we’re growing as disciples together, your kids will be being taught the Gospel as well and building those intergenerational relationships I mentioned a moment ago.

I know for many of you, Sunday morning is one of the few, precious opportunities you have to sleep in. I also know that getting the kids out the door to be at church by 9:45 can be a hassle. My intent is to make this class, as well as your children’s classes, worth the effort to be here.

I hope you’ll join us Sundays at 9:45 in the Tatman Room.

Jan '19

Pastor’s Corner – January 2019

Posted on Jan 15, 2019 by David Garrison in Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Jan '19

Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Tim. 4:7–8 ESV)

What’s Your Resolution?

This is the time of year that gyms and diet programs love, because we all seek to take advantage of the new year and the “fresh start” it provides. Year after year, at the top of the list sits resolutions to get healthier and lose weight. We know we need to take care of our bodies, that we just spent a month (or more) overeating and indulging, and that summer is just a few months away. Taking care of our physical health is important, and I applaud you if you’ve made such a resolution. But as Paul says in the passage above, are we as equally resolved regarding our spiritual health and well-being?

Lord, Teach Us To Pray

Just as with physical health, our spiritual health takes intentionality and commitment, and it begins with prayer. Prayer is a funny thing — most everyone has prayed at some point in time since they were a little child, and yet it’s also the one thing I hear that people struggle with more than most anything else. In fact, at one point even the disciples had to ask Jesus to teach them to pray: Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1 ESV)

Praying Like Jesus

We’re going to be intentional in learning to pray like Jesus prayed. On Sunday mornings through the course of the season of Epiphany, we’ll dig deeply into The Lord’s Prayer – a prayer we all say every Sunday, but many of us don’t fully understand what we’re saying about or asking of God. Then, through Lent and leading up to Easter, we’ll explore the prayer book of the Hebrews, the Psalms, and find guidance for some of the problem areas of prayer.

If you, like the disciples (and most of us if we’re honest), are looking for someone to teach you to pray, or maybe you could use some encouragement in your prayer life, I hope you’ll join us. May God bless you in this new year!

Blessings, Rev. David Garrison