SEASONS
The nights are getting colder and the days shorter, it is clear evidence of a changing of the seasons. I sometimes wonder how many seasons I will see or experience, certainly I think I must be past half-way by now. As the years advance we become a little more careful with the seasons of life and look to appreciate them a little more than we did previously.
Perhaps it is like a friend of ours who spent two months in his apartment in the Northern part of Italy, not allowed to leave he was constrained by a social conscience and four walls. On being allowed to leave after 8 weeks he spent 3 hours cycling around his town experiencing again what his town had to offer. He didn’t head to the cafes and bakeries, he looked at the buildings, the parks, the spaces he had missed.
I think it would be a tragedy if we don’t retain a sense of wonder in our own world post Covid-19. If we all wind up the rubber band again so tightly that we fail to see our neighbours, or the flowers or the spaces or the bare trees or the changing colours of the sky. The benefit of experience is that we should learn from it, not ignore it. What is it that you will learn from the experience of being locked down? How has it altered your relationship with the creator of spaces, skies and trees?
We can also learn from others. Sadly, Ravi Zacharias passed away this week – to many of you his voice and reasoning will be familiar. His ministry has impacted many people around the world as he declared the rationality of faith and the certainty of his trust in Jesus. John 14:19 was an instrumental verse in Ravi’s life – ‘because I live, you also will live’.
Alive, living, and life – this is what Jesus the Messiah came to give to those who would love him. Like Ravi Zacharias it is not enough to just be a receiver of life, it is also ours to continue to show the way of life to those around us. Will we?
Will we discuss with others the ideas intrinsic to faith?
Will we talk with compassion and passion as Ravi did?
Will we live what we believe as transparent followers of Christ?
Will we learn from the experiences of life and share that journey with others?
When Ravi Zacharias was 17 years old, he tried to kill himself – I thank God that he was not successful and that he went on to inspire many others to follow Jesus in humility but with their brains turned on, considering how to engage with the culture we live in.
Jesus calls us to life, a life full of the fruit of the Spirit.
Choose life and show others where life and love live. Just like Ravi did.
In that way, we will celebrate each passing season and celebrate the passing from one life to another.
God bless you,
Warren
21 May 2020
Previous Blogs
The News... : Warren, 1st July 2020Shhh - Listen : Warren, 19th June 2020
Relief? : Warren, 11th June 2020
On the Cusp : Warren, 4th June 2020
In the Beginning... : Warren, 28th May 2020
Seasons : Warren, 21st May 2020
Aroha|Love : Warren, 14th May 2020
How is your mind? : Warren, 7th May 2020
On the Level : Warren, 1st May 2020
Signs : Warren, 24th April 2020
Whakaaria Mai : Warren, 15th April 2020
Essential Worker or Not? : Warren, 8th April 2020
Rumours : Warren, 1st April March 2020
What Would Jesus Do? : Warren, 25 March 2020