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Resources - Meditations
May 2000
Trowel - Building
New Carpet
Rev. John Ter Horst
Not long ago we approached the local committee responsible for the
upkeep of the manse. We asked whether they would put some money aside in
next year’s budget for some new carpet. As it turned out, there was some
money available in the current financial year’s budget. And so the
process started: the trek to the carpet showroom, quotes, etc., you know
how that goes. That was all relatively straight forward. Then came the
work. We had to move all the furniture out of the lounge room. After the
carpet was laid, back in it went, although not in the same way. We
changed the location of some of the furniture. We changed the way the
lounge room looks. It was interesting how some people, not realising we
had new carpet, asked whether we had updated the furniture. We are
grateful for the new carpet.
I don’t mind change. Of course, it can be confusing. I look for a book
on a particular shelf, forgetting I moved it to another place. Last week
I wanted to switch the car lights on, but was attempting to do it where
the switch on the old car was. At night I have tripped over furniture we
have moved. I go to the garage for something that is now under the
house.
But change is part of life. I change, and you change. Our homes change,
and our lives change. We have an old valve radio, but today we listen to
the radio on our “Kenwood - Sound Entertainment System”. I even stay in
my seat to adjust the volume with the accompanying remote control. The
television is colour, and I take the chill off my ice cream with a short
burst in the microwave.
My church has changed too. I think about how my pastor, Rev. Den Brave,
would have related to a music group and wonder whether he would ever
have asked someone to do a children’s address? My Psalter Hymnal
(remember the brown version we had, even before the blue one?) sits
quietly on my shelf, while I regularly thumb through my Rejoicing 2
book, picking songs for the Sunday service. Some ministers are no longer
chairman of the Session, nor do they teach all the catechism classes. We
type up sermons on computers instead of writing them out by hand, and we
photocopy the weekly bulletin (with pictures?) instead of using a
gestetner. My church has changed too.
Many of the changes we experience (in daily life and in the church) are
good. Some are not. Change is necessary and needs to be carefully
weighed up, openly discussed, and honestly evaluated. Genevan tunes are
good, so is some of the material that emanates from ‘Hillsong’. Some of
our priorities in life and church are changing, and we are presently
rewriting our Church Order. More of ‘us’ are involved in mission, yet
our statistics show a gradual decline. Some of our services are more
‘user-friendly’, not all of them attract the intended audience. Yet,
change is necessary and needs to be carefully weighed up, openly
discussed, and honestly evaluated.
Thank God some things never change; like God’s love for a fallen
humanity... like salvation by grace alone. The fact that nothing can
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The
truth that our every single need will be met. That God is closer than
our skin, wherever we are and in whatever we do. Husbands are still
commanded to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church, and they ought
not to provoke their children. God still says, ‘Go and make disciples,
baptising and teaching them.’ Jesus’ words that we cannot bear fruit
apart from Him have not changed. Neither has the fruit of Spirit-filled
living. It is still love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Disobedience and sin still
need to be repented of, that has not changed. God’s Word is still Truth,
in spite of what we are told by some. God is still the same, ‘yesterday,
today and forever’.
Our lounge room has changed, but not the prayers that are at times
offered in that place. Neither has the God to whom they are addressed!
Sometimes our worship services are different, but our praise is still
for the one and only true God, who does not change.
A Prayer: Dear Father, in a world of change, and sometimes
instability, thank you for being the Rock of our salvation. Amen.
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