September 2004
“GOD ACCEPTS US”
As I write this, I am two weeks into my second month as your pastor. Time has flown by, and already I’m feeling at home among you. I have enjoyed the food and the fellowship, all your wonderful smiles and your words and gestures of welcome. You have all been so welcoming and supportive of my family and I, and we truly appreciate everything that you all have done to make us feel welcome as a part of your church family.
As I learn more and more about you, both individually and as a church, and what you have done and are doing for the cause of Christ, both locally and throughout the world, I am overcome. I am awed by what can be accomplished through the power that we have as believers in Jesus Christ. I am excited about visions that you have shared and all the possibilities of what we might do together as pastor and church families for the Kingdom of God.
When I received my call into ministry, God offered me an opportunity to participate in a great adventure. I accepted God’s call only after months of denial – How could Almighty God – the Creator of the Universe want to use a sinner like me? I didn’t feel that I was “good” enough or strong enough to do anything that would bring glory to God. But it wasn’t my strength that was needed. It was only when I finally surrendered to his call that I began to understand that God’s strength is displayed in our weakness.
The great adventure God had offered me was a spiritual journey and I have never looked back, nor have I been disappointed. This journey has opened my eyes to the mighty works of God throughout human history, works that are still happening all around us everyday. God is very much alive and active in His creation. God’s work in this world continues to be a bee hive of activity that we all can see if we take the time to stop and look around us.
We, as the church – the body of Jesus Christ, are an instrument of God’s activity in this world. Through us, God moves toward the fulfillment of his will, but for us to do the will of God we must come to know the will of God. To know God’s will, we must be willing to know God’s heart. To know God’s heart we must surrender ourselves as willing disciples to the one whom the Father sent to us – his only son, Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us that “the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19). As Christ imitates the Father, we are to imitate Christ; but to do so, we must come to intimately know the one whom we are to imitate through prayer and the study of his word in the Scriptures.
God calls us all to participate in a great adventure. A great adventure unlike anything you have ever done before. God’s adventure will take you to a world of infinite possibilities; a world of faith and hope and love. It is an adventure full of wonder and surprises with something new around every corner. Through this adventure is life and life abundant. Though there may be trials and dangers, with Christ beside us and the Holy Spirit within us as our guide, who could possibly prevail against us.
God is offering you an opportunity to partake in a great adventure. You don’t have to be perfect or have super human strength; God accepts us just as we are. God’s grace is sufficient. Chose to accept and you’ll never look back and you’ll never be disappointed.
God Bless you all . . .,The Rev. Rob Hughes
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