"Frogs without legs can't hear." Say, what??  That statement is an example of reaching a wrong conclusion, even if it appears to be supported by data that has been carefully collected. 

 

Often, even as Christians, we do such wonderful jobs of "collecting data,"  of pondering, praying and formulating our faith statements and core beliefs, that we become frustrated, frazzled and sometimes even beligerant if anyone would dare to question our conclusions and often "long held" beliefs.  I'm not sure that holding tightly to something we have concluded is allowing room for the workings and maturing actions of the Holy Spirit who is with us on a daily basis to help us grow and apply our faith in ever new and changing situations. 

 

Part of what we are about as Christians is "being church" in the world.  That means that we can't "run away and hide," ignore, or pretend just don't care about what's happening outside the doors of our congregations.  We must continually be about engaging the world as Christian ambassadors.  That means we are required to listen, to ponder, to pray, to formulate our thoughts and responses and then be willing to listen, ponder, pray and re-formulate our thoughts and responses because what was helpful and workable yesterday may not be so tomorrow. 

 

My belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior is the same as my mother's, but my way of living it and proclaiming it in today's world is very different than the way she went about it in the 1950s.  Life has changed; gender issues have changed; social issues have changed; the world has changed.

 

Is it for the better??  That could be debated for a long time.  But reality remains.  Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today and forever.  We are not Christ.  We change, grow, mature, and struggle.  Let's keep our faith centered in Christ and His promise that He will never leave us, or forsake us, and then let us continue to collect today's data, ponder, pray, and formulate conclusions for the here and now, knowing that our work is not finished and we will need to be about the same process in the not too distant future.

 

Life is not stagnant. Let's trust God's Spirit to keep us fresh and vital in the midst of it!

 

Peace,