I sat down this morning to think about the series of Covenant Services I will be leading over the next month. This peculiarly Methodist tradition of annually consciously renewing our commitment to serve God whatever may come is a privileged mixture of joy and responsibility, one that may fill us with trepidation as well as awaken us to opportunity. For it reminds us that the only guarantee we have as Christ-following people is God will be with us in whatever may come.
Quite anxious
A few years ago, I had to have two surgical procedures in 7 months. I hadn’t been in hospital since I was 8, so the first one was like a big unknown, and I was quite anxious about it when I look back. When the second one came around the following May, my trepidation had been turned to joy: “Great! On Wednesday morning someone is going to put me to sleep for an hour! Bliss” What made the difference? Knowledge, I suppose. I had first-hand experience that gave me a greater confidence, despite the anaesthetist reciting all the risk factors into my ear as he gave me a nerve block and then put me out.
Remain open-hearted
As we approach our Covenant renewal, we come open-eyed. We are human and prone to all the weaknesses and failures, struggles and disasters of our race. Having God in our lives does not change that aspect of our humanity. But we are also prone to growth and learning, success and triumph. And experience (aka knowledge) leads us to the conclusion that if we remain open-minded and open-hearted, we can find benefit in all our experiences.
Live with curiosity
So, as we read aloud the lists of opposite circumstances, let’s try to be as open as we can to life in all its fulness, which is God’s promise and purpose for us. Let’s try not to get too attached to how we want things to be or to work out, and let’s live with curiosity about what is actually going on. Such, it seems, is the meaning of living in faith, for faith is simply trusting God to be faithful to us, no matter what.
Grace and peace,
Dave Bonny
