Becoming

This is the time of year when many of us find ourselves asking questions like:  Who am I becoming?  What New Year's resolutions will I have, if I choose to have any at all?  And if I do have resolutions, how will what they anticipate come about?  It might also be wise to ask questions like, Who will influence me the most in my 'becoming' in 2010?

As challenging as resolutions can be at times, the Good News is that God is more eager to bring about growth in our lives than we often imagine.  No matter where we may find ourselves at the end of 2009, because of God's incredible graciousness, and His presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit, God is constantly at work to grow us.  In fact, Paul reminds us that we are a "new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."  (See 2 Corinthians 5:17).

2 Corinthians 4:16 [NIV]

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

One of the great things about the faith we share is the ability it gives us to be honest.  Not that we always are, but we are given the freedom to be.  Because of grace, we are able to admit that we are not finished products.  More specifically, we are flawed products.  God is not shocked or surprised at this, takes us "as is" and grows us from where He finds us.  So grace gives us both the ability to tell the truth about ourselves, and the opportunity to grow into all God dreams for us to be.  Odd that so much time and energy is spent avoiding or denying both of those, among so many of us, so much of the time!  But the good news is that we don't have to live that!  It is a new year, and we have the opportunity to begin again!

 "A new beginning!

We must learn to live each day, each hour,

yes, each minute as a new beginning,

as a unique opportunity to make everything new.

Imagine that we could live each moment

as a moment pregnant with new life.

Imagine that we could live each day

as a day full of promises.

Imagine that we could walk through the new year

always listening to a voice saying to us:

'I have a gift for you and can't wait for you to see it!'

Imagine!"

(Henri Nouwen, Here and Now: Living in the Spirit)

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

The Psalms contain a number of selections that describe the process of growing in our walk with Jesus.  One of the most famous is the imagery of Psalm 1.  Another is the imagery drawn from yet another psalm which you can watch in the video below:

This week as we celebrate communion together, the service that symbolizes God's commitment to transforming us from the inside out, Pastor Jon invites us to reflect on becoming and what they might mean for us as we allow the life of Christ to become ours.  To listen to the sermon again, click here.

Questions for Reflection