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An Ordinary Time
In Christian calendars we are now in what is considered “Ordinary Time”. It goes from Pentecost Monday to the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. There are, of course, variations, feasts, and days to celebrate. There are some differences between the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Rite, and the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, and most evangelical churches do not follow the Christian calendar very much, if at all. So what can we take from a tradition of marking time on the calendar with something called “Ordinary Time”? I know as Pastors the year has already been a busy time with Advent, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Some churches have multiple staff who are able to share some of the workload of these celebrations, and some churches do not, but something called “Ordinary Time” seems a fine idea and an opportunity to sit back to catch our collective breath for the fast-coming fall celebrations. But is it that easy? With all that has been happening through these various celebrations I think Ordinary Time is well planned out not as a rest from all the teachings, but as a time for us digest, to chew over and, most importantly, to put into practice the truths we have been learning during the Christmas and Easter seasons. Christ did not come just to tell us God’s message of salvation and leave it at that. He came that we might have life and that more abundantly. He came to inform us that loving God is first, yet connected to loving my neighbour. I am worshiping God and celebrating life when I am out working to improve my mind, my marriage, my family, my church, and most importantly my relationship with God. James tells us my faith in God means nothing if as believer I am not doing something with it. This is a time that is called Ordinary, yet it is far from ordinary. This time becomes a time of challenge. A challenge to love the unlovable; to care for the homeless; to repair rifts too long left untouched; to step up to the vision of your church or the vision God gave you when you stopped to listen. This time becomes an opportunity to put movement to prompting, correction to past choices, and service to your professed Saviour. We have entered our Ordinary Time; a time full of hope, of change, of growth, of challenge, and of obedience. This time is far from ordinary if we are listening to God. What has He been teaching you these last months, weeks, or days? What jewels of knowledge were unearthed in your devotions, studies, or times with God that now call for action, for movement towards application in real time? Enjoy your Ordinary Time as you follow Christ’s leading. Bless you as you take those thoughts and knowledge and put it smack dab in the middle of your life. It is a new day, an ordinary day of rich and intimate fellowship with our personal Lord and Saviour. Pastor Wally -
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