As we enter a new year, we, as a society, always do a year in review. We look at significant events such as milestones or sad events such as loved ones who have left us and moved onto eternity. We review where we have been and where we are going. We look at how we responded to the events found in our lives.
These last nine months have been unlike any period in our lifetimes. As one of my friends put it, “We are living in history, and we know it.” How so true! Often we realize that this is significant history after the fact. Here we have had the opportunity to experience a unique situation as we are living it.
In the Scriptures, we see that there were many times that the people were in the middle of significant history. Abraham when he moved to Canaan was creating history that has touched us in the modem time. Joseph, being sold into slavery, saved the Israelite nation even before they knew what was happening. The plagues that plagued Egypt gave the Hebrews a chance to experience the movement of God. As they wandered in the wilderness, they were being molded. As they moved into the Promised Land, their actions would be written in the history book we know as the Bible. When the kings failed them or when they discovered the Book of the Law or when they were taken into exile, they were making history that we have read and studied.
As we move into the New Testament, God created a new historical model with the birth of Jesus. History would be forever changed. I wonder often how Joseph responded to the news of Mary being pregnant with the Son of God. Did he realize that he was making history? We are making history each and every day. We are called to help those around us to respond to the crisis that is before us. We are given the opportunity to be led to assist in the journey of others. We have been given a unique opportunity to grow unlike any modem generation.
So for this year, as the Biblical people of the past, let us take a spiritual assessment of how we are responding to the events of today. Each year we do this, it only seems fitting to do so this year as well. Let us look at how we have grown this year. Let us keep the good habits and vow to discard the bad ones that have accumulated. Let God guide us to those who need a word of encouragement or those who need a helping hand. Let us affirm that even in this his tory making time, that we are the people of God with an eternal responsibility.
And as we review, may we realize that we are to share these moments together as the Church. We do so with prayer and calls and cards and with deep affection. When we do this, we demonstrate that we are grounded in grace, living in love and growing for God here at St. Andrew.