Slideshow image

Mountainview Family, 

 

This year I have increased my focus on being intentional to spend time in solitude, and listening to what God wants me to hear from Him. He has gently, yet quite clearly, reminded me of many things – things that had faded in the busyness of living. Often, my Friday emails are a result of this deeper level of contemplation about the work God is doing in my life. Today is one of those. 

 

God has reminded me (again) that there is never a moment when He isn’t moving toward us. When I say “us”, I mean mankind, as in “everyone”, not just “us Christians”. 

 

All too frequently, my assumption has been that God must be absent from all those other people and their situations. He’s certainly present for all the people who share my beliefs and worldview. It’s a lot easier and less complicated that way...but that’s a wrong assumption. God really is present and making Himself known to people who think and believe differently, who go to different places and behave much differently than I do. Why? 

 

Because God is for people in our world - all of us. “For God so loved the world…” says the familiar John 3:16. Since the very beginning, He has been all about rescuing all people, not just some of us. He is present and working in the lives of people around us…without our knowledge or help, He’s been drawing them to Himself in ways we don’t understand. Often, He’s preparing them for us to show up as His partner.  

 

What would happen if we looked at people around us, not through a judge’s lens of brokenness, fallenness, or sinfulness, but rather through a lens that God is for us and extends Himself to all people, everywhere?

 

Mother Teresa said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” The 89 chapters of the Gospels are filled with examples of what it looks like to build God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus modeled for us and Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John documented what it looks like to shine like stars in the universe. 

 

Is there ever a better time or place to actually live what we claim to believe? 

 

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Tom