“Trust in the Lord with all your heart” – Proverbs 3:5 (CEB)
Eleanor Roosevelt once remarked that “one’s philosophy is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves . . . and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.”
We make choices, or decisions, all the time. Life involves commitments. Some of these are made on a daily basis. We decide what to wear, what to eat, and how we spend our free time. Other decisions are larger in scope. At times we might ponder a new career path or how to respond to the actions of a family member. We tend to put more thought and consideration into these larger choices.
Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his book, Ethics, that decision-making comes down to the will of God in the moment and the needs of our neighbor. I think that’s a pretty good approach to take. Looking at the will of God, we focus on the actions of Jesus. Jesus provides a picture of God. Jesus was always looking beyond himself and he had a heart for those who were often overlooked in society. In Mark 1:40-45 Jesus heals, and touches, the person with leprosy who comes to him. In John 4, Jesus reaches out to the Samaritan Woman at the Well and speaks about the importance of living water.
This month Pastor Kristina and I will focus on the decision-making process in our worship services. We will put forth a preaching series entitled, “Making Decisions.” On October 4, Kristina will talk about the decision to care for the natural world and the animal world. A blessing of pets will take place after worship in our church parking lot.
On October 11, I will lift up the choice we make to forgive another person. This decision can be challenging, but there is much to consider as we reflect on scripture. Our emphasis on October 18 will be the decision to financially give to the church. This will be our Stewardship Sunday. The aim is always the tithe or to make strides in that direction.
Finally, on October 25, Kristina and I will preach a tag-team sermon about the decision to cast a vote. With a general election coming up, as well as state and local decisions, the need is present to make our vote count.
We look forward to worshipping with you this month! Blessings to you! Scott