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A God For the Nations
Series: The Gospel of MarkSpring Forward
This morning, you may be a little more tired than usual. Every loves to “fall back” with the time, but hates to “spring forward.” It’s natural—we all want the extra hour of sleep but hate to give it up.
I have been at a conference this week, and obviously one of the constant themes running through the week has been how to get our churches back on track post-COVID. Something one of the speakers said has remained with me… “stay positive.” There’s a lot to lament about the last two years, especially for church leaders. We’ve seen our churches struggle through a pandemic, getting upset about politics and COVID protocols. We’ve seen the decline in numbers—giving and attendance—and wonder what this means for the future of our congregations. But one thing that’s important for all of us is to think optimistically about the future. What could be possible in this new stage of ministry and in our churches? The point was made that no one likes to follow negativity. If all we talk about is what we’ve “lost,” we’ll get stuck in a negative cycle that discourages us and everyone around us and we’ll fail to look up to see what’s possible. It’s true, the old is gone and isn’t coming back. But, what could be possible about the future? What might God be wanting to do in and through us in this new season?
So, as you think about “springing forward,” think about it more than just being a time change. Think about how you might move into this new season of life in our culture. How might God want to use you to witness to others about His work and power in the world? What are the ways in which we can join with God in what He is doing in the world? Being positive and forward focused will allow us to see new opportunities. Negativity and lament only cause us to always be looking over our shoulder. Let’s move forward, together with Him.
-Scott McFarland
- 03132022.mp3 (33.47 MB)
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