There is a real sense in which this decay that leads to death is unnatural for those made in the image and likeness of God. We are making amazing strides in understanding wellness and longevity (one of the largest industries in the world today) and there are many elements of that progress that actually reflect good stewardship and a common grace from God.

And … (that most important of theological words)

Decline and death awaits us all. 

Our lives are filled with millions of moment by moment decisions which really boil down to only two choices repeated over and over again. Which will you choose?

When the way forward is shrouded in fog and mist and the road ahead is unclear and uncertain. Remember, there is a way through to the other side.

Friends, in Christ, we are not defined by our worst moments. 

I am such a weak hypocrite most days. And yet, I am Ross … beloved Son of God, justified brother of Christ, a messenger of the gospel of the Kingdom. It is almost too much to contemplate. 

People are incredible. People are also the worst. What a wonderfully, messy, potential and risk-riddled endeavor it is to be a human being. 

Don’t just try to make it to summer. Ask God to help you stand firm in the faith to the end. And remember, that in a manic society of busy activity, one of the most counter-cultural things that the people of God can do is to stand still together in an ancient assembly and hold fast to some unchanging truths.

There is so much tension in this life we live where it is obvious that we are not home yet. May we be people who commend our spirits and our lives into the hands of our heavenly Father.

I couldn’t get Hebrews 10 out of my mind as I pondered this. Hebrews 10:25 is the verse that pastors love to remind people that they really should go to a church service on a Sunday, and it is well suited for that purpose. The writer warns that they shouldn’t be like those who neglect to meet together regularly, thus reminding us once and for all that the gathering of the saints is an essential activity in the life of the believer. But, there are three imperatives in the verses leading up to verse 25 that I think describe some of what we are supposed to be experiencing when we do gather.

Every Thursday I write a pastoral letter to my congregation, hoping that it helps us to pay attention to the reality of God together in the midst busy and distracting weeks.

This one is about family mantras, John’s first epistle, and our favorite Australian dog cartoon.

Church is supposed to be a beacon of hope even (and perhaps especially) when it is surrounded by an environment of hopelessness. I loved revisiting the stories of Churchill’s leadership through the dark days of the air raids in World War II. Whenever Churchill would get updated on the damage that London had sustained the night before he would ask: “Is St Paul’s still standing?” It was, and it is, and that building served as a reminder of what the people of God are supposed to be like.