7-25-10
Order of Worship  Listen Watch Video

Dear Friends,

Of all the feel-good stories that we are apt to hear or read about, the most compelling feel-good stories of all are those that highlight the rare personal quality of persistence.  I am often inspired by people who refuse to give up or give in – people who, facing tremendous odds, accomplish their dreams; people who, after years and years of struggle, finally break through the obstacles and find success; or people who, after having been told that their efforts are hopeless or in vain, go on to do great things.  Persistence, while not one of St. Paul’s famous “fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5), is an essential Christian characteristic.  It is the ability of the believer to press on in faith, regardless of one’s feelings, toward a purpose or a vision larger than one’s self. 

In a world with so many large, complex, overwhelming issues and problems, it’s easy to grow weary of doing good and following in the footsteps of Jesus.  We do not always see the tangible results of our commitment to live generous, just, merciful lives.  How often do we work earnestly to repair our world, only to see it fall apart all over again?  How often have we reached out to others with help, only to see them fall back in the same patterns or troubles?  Like dishes in the kitchen sink, the problems we seek to fix seem often to reappear, piled higher and higher, so that it rarely feels like we’re making any progress at all.

The disciples had come to Jesus one day, asking him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1-13).  Maybe they finally realized that the kingdom work to which Jesus had called them was more difficult than they had originally thought.  Their well of talent and energy and enthusiasm had run dry at last; they were running on fumes.  Meanwhile, there were still demons to cast out and bellies to feed and sins to forgive – day after day after day, with no end in sight.  Perhaps it finally caught up to them and they were desperate.  “Teach us to pray,” they said to Jesus.   I think it was their way of saying, “We need serious help.  We need God to do what we alone cannot do.” 

How else can one persist in the daily practice of faith, if not by prayer?  To do everything we can, at every opportunity, until we have nothing left to give, and then to leave it all at the feet of God, saying, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done….” – this, in the end, is how the world is changed.

See you Sunday,

 Rev. Mark