Got Perspective?

So many of you know by now that both Pastor Dick and Pastor Cindy will be leaving our church to go where God has called them to. It is hard for many to understand how all of this change can happen at one time. We have a lot of processing to do. We have said a lot of "goodbyes" in the last few years and we are not sure we are ready for any more. I was reading one of my devotions from the Daily Bible Verse that talked about Caleb and the spies. They were sent to go check out the Promised Land. The spies thought it looked like a losing battle; there were huge giants that were scary, no way this was going to work! Then Caleb goes and sees things from a whole new perspective. He is looking through the lens of hope, the lens of a kept promise.

I have felt for a little while now that God is doing a new thing here at Christ Church. I am excited by it. I sense a deeper level here on so many fronts. I have been excited by the various ways that people are gathering together and engaging in community. People are seeking to reach out to those they don't know and to connect. It is so easy in our lives to feel like we don't have the time or energy to engage in one more relationship but people are breaking through those excuses and seeking to live as the Body of Christ. Consequently, in these past few years and especially in these past few months, the amount of folks that are coming together to study  in various small groups has been awesome! I have witnessed people, some who have been in the church their entire lives, really wrestle with their faith and become excited about God's Word and what it means for us today.

We are ready to take the next step as the church, to step out into this new thing that God has for us. But there will be some who peer into this new territory and say, "oh no, not possible, too scary!" And there will be others that look in and say "Look what God has in store for us!"

So as we walk together in these next few months, I encourage you to think about what perspective you have. And maybe spend some time dwelling with Caleb.

From the Daily Bible Verse "In many ways, we find ourselves constantly facing a Promised Land – a place that is exciting, yet unexplored. We finally get a grip on one season of life only for it to melt into another. We understand an industry just in time for that industry to change. But each change is another opportunity for God to be glorified. It is when our hearts are wholly focused on His faithfulness that we inherit the new horizon in front of us."