“Ponderings from the Pastor”
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Fall is officially upon us. My favorite of the four seasons began just a few hours ago, and I am already reveling in it! Cooler days, crisp, clear, non-humid nights, firepits, and caramel apples… what’s not to love? And our Heavenly Father really shows off His majesty during this wonderful time of the year with the brightly colored leaves, majestic sunrises, and brilliant sunsets. Isn’t our God amazing?!
Another one of the things I most look forward to in the Fall, is I can comfortably spend time on the back porch or deck and enjoy one of my favorite activities… reading! I enjoy new books for sure. But I also have a soft spot for some old favorites that I hang on to, just because. For me, an old, favorite book is like an old pair of slippers- reliable, comfortable, and dependable. I have just started re-reading a book I highly recommend to you. It’s entitled “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”, by Philip Yancey. I know this is probably about my third (or maybe even fourth!) time reading this particular book, but for me, God’s Grace has always been a source of comfort… and questions. The biggest question is probably, “Why?” Why does the King of the world pour out His grace on us undeserving sinners like waters rushing over Niagara Falls? Yancey’s book has given me many answers, and if you are like me, I believe it will be an encouragement to you as well. Many Bible dictionaries define “Grace” as “God’s unmerited, divine assistance granted to humans for their regeneration or sanctification.”
During the month of October, I will be sending you daily Scriptures about this concept of grace. But in this “Pondering”, I want to give you some quotes from Yancey’s book- “Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are.” “All of us in the church need ‘grace-healed eyes’ to see the potential in others for the same grace that God has so lavishly bestowed on us.” “I would far rather convey grace than explain it.” And maybe my favorite- “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more... And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less... With all of this in mind, our Life Verse for October will be- “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Psalm 145:8) If only the world would adopt this as their Life Verse! Amen?!
It's worth pondering!
Pastor Bill
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Fall is officially upon us. My favorite of the four seasons began just a few hours ago, and I am already reveling in it! Cooler days, crisp, clear, non-humid nights, firepits, and caramel apples… what’s not to love? And our Heavenly Father really shows off His majesty during this wonderful time of the year with the brightly colored leaves, majestic sunrises, and brilliant sunsets. Isn’t our God amazing?!
Another one of the things I most look forward to in the Fall, is I can comfortably spend time on the back porch or deck and enjoy one of my favorite activities… reading! I enjoy new books for sure. But I also have a soft spot for some old favorites that I hang on to, just because. For me, an old, favorite book is like an old pair of slippers- reliable, comfortable, and dependable. I have just started re-reading a book I highly recommend to you. It’s entitled “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”, by Philip Yancey. I know this is probably about my third (or maybe even fourth!) time reading this particular book, but for me, God’s Grace has always been a source of comfort… and questions. The biggest question is probably, “Why?” Why does the King of the world pour out His grace on us undeserving sinners like waters rushing over Niagara Falls? Yancey’s book has given me many answers, and if you are like me, I believe it will be an encouragement to you as well. Many Bible dictionaries define “Grace” as “God’s unmerited, divine assistance granted to humans for their regeneration or sanctification.”
During the month of October, I will be sending you daily Scriptures about this concept of grace. But in this “Pondering”, I want to give you some quotes from Yancey’s book- “Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are.” “All of us in the church need ‘grace-healed eyes’ to see the potential in others for the same grace that God has so lavishly bestowed on us.” “I would far rather convey grace than explain it.” And maybe my favorite- “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more... And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less... With all of this in mind, our Life Verse for October will be- “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Psalm 145:8) If only the world would adopt this as their Life Verse! Amen?!
It's worth pondering!
Pastor Bill
