On the final day of the congress, Sam Leonor preached (again) on how a belief in the destination of our journey affects how we act along the way. We had read to us Revelation 21.1-6 and were thinking about the New Earth; about when there will be peace and reconciliation between all people, and even all things. Where there will be no pain, or suffering, or tears, and where God will dwell with us. Where nobody will hurt or abuse anyone, or oppress or despise anyone, but all will live in harmony and compassion alongside each other. And what Sam was saying, was that if that's what it's going to be like in the future - if that's what we believe, and hope for and long for - then that's what it should be like now. In our everyday lives NOW, we should be witnessing to and demonstrating that the future is beautiful, by living like that now. It pains me that Christians do not demonstrate the joy and hope and love we believe in. It gets blocked out or pressed down by all the other things going on around us. And it should not be! It shouldn't be that when someone throws me an off-comment, I want to show everyone that I can hold my own and explain why I'm in the right so much that I turn it into a fight! If I believe in and long for God's Kingdom of peace and reconciliation to be fully brought in, then I should be making peace and reconciliation in my relationships now. It shouldn't be that when I see someone lost or in need or alone, I'm too scared to reach out to them and I just walk by on the other side and leave them there. If I believe in and long for God's Kingdom of love and compassion to be fully brought in, then I should be recklessly giving love and compassion to those around me now. Sam finished by saying, 'Let's give credence to the belief in the New World we hope for, by living like it now.' In other words, let's give credence to our faith - all of it, who God is, what Jesus did, the hope that's coming - by living like we have what we have! God is incredibly beautiful, and having faith in God makes my life beautiful too. Just sometimes I get weighed down too much to see it. That should not be! My joy and strength come from the Lord, and so I can live making peace and reconciliation; giving love and compassion; and trusting in God no matter what my circumstances are. If that's what it's going to be like, then that's how I want to live now. What do you believe but don't really live? You are precious and loved by God; let him open your eyes to see his beauty, that you may be blessed, and be a blessing!
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AuthorI'm a recent Cambridge Theology graduate now studying for a Masters in Biblical Studies and blogging about all sorts of things! I'm interested in faith, Church, theology, social action, the great outdoors and being creative, and all of those things - along with many more - come through in my posts!
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