Wednesday's thoughts

The new year gives us an opportunity to take another look at our lives and to make some changes if we need to. Some of those changes are attitudinal and some of them are behavior modification. Most of them are internal but the internal revolutions will have major consequences in terms of what we are able to accomplish and what kind of person we are able to become.

I am of the opinion that we have free will. We can make changes in our lives for the better or for the worse. The beginning of a new year is one of those times when we have a chance to make important assessments and adjustment.

John Wesley was one who was completely open to people having differing ideas. However, he was passionately opposed to two approaches to life and theology. He could not believe in a God who was distant and indifferent to what is happening to us. An indifferent God is not God according to Wesley.

He was equally contemptuous of the idea that we are predestined to be what we have become. He could not accept the idea that we have no choice in our lives. In fact he was convinced we have the capacity to "move on to perfection." He thought we have control over our destiny to a large extent.

The new year and the communion table call us to take a look at where we are and where we want to be. We can choose to "go back home by another way" (as the Magi in the Matthew Epiphany story).

Here is how we do it:
1. What we don't like about our lives we say it.
2. What we need to rid ourselves of we do it.
3. What we wish to become in our lives is determined at the table as we join with others who, as Christian people, have decided to build the kind of world described by Jesus as "the Kingdom of God". We take on an identity as problem solvers; as care givers; as agents of hope.

One of the ways it is manifest is at the table.

What will you be giving up?
What will you be taking on?
What will you be changing?
What will we become as Christian people?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster