A first! A newsletter to cover two months! Does this mean my "Notes" must be twice as good? Twice as long? Twice as memorable?  What to do!?!

 

Silly worries, aren't they? Yet these are the types of things that, at times, can press upon us. We so busy ourselves worrying about things that, in the end, matter little. We so worry about things over which we have little or no control. And we so worry ourselves because we all too frequently take ourselves and our work a bit too seriously at times.

 

One thing we too often forget is that prioritizing is a part of discipleship.  We tend to focus on the "doing". We tend to focus on the right and wrong of those things we attempt. Sometimes we need to put energy and focus on first deciding what things we ought to attempt in our following of Christ and which things we ought to forget or at least postpone.Is one work of discipleship done well better than several done weakly?  A second important part of discipleship is realizing we are not in the work of following Christ alone. However important or good are our efforts, acts in partnership often accomplish more than do solo acts. Of course, above all it is Christ whom we are to take most seriously. It is the one who has already done all things for us. 

 

Many things in our personal life, church life, and life in the world confront us. How do we deal with them as disciples? First we begin by weighing them and deciding where our discipleship might make a difference. It is okay for disciples to let some things pass. Remember, our work as disciples is not about saving ourselves. It is about serving others. It is about taking Christ and the needs of others seriously. 

So, I get a month off from writing "Pastor's Notes". Grace allows such things.