Willing to engage in ministry and service

Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of children?

Are you willing to remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old?

Are you willing to stop asking how much your friends love you and ask yourself whether you love them enough?

Are you willing to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts?

Are you willing to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke and to carry it so that your shadow will fall behind you?

I adapted these questions from Henry Van Dyke’s poem, Keeping Christmas. They are critical and Christian questions for us to ask ourselves at any time of year.

Last Sunday, Mark’s gospel reminded us that the call to discipleship, the call to follow, comes to us over and over again. This next Sunday, January 29, we’ll hear from Mark about the teacher with authority to cleanse whatever unclean spirits possess and control our lives. Before Sunday, you are encouraged to read Mark 1:21-28 and Psalm 111.

Look forward to seeing you at the place where we are willing – Nathan