Hi everyone,

As I watch our kids grow, I see how they change, mature, and just the world differently. What they like to do in their spare time shifts a little, what foods they prefer might vary, and even how they react to their dad’s goofy jokes might not be what it used to be. Growing up is just inevitable, and thus so are the changes that come with it.

But as sad as I can be from the reminiscing of what was, I can still look to the future with hope of what could be. Like what dreams of theirs can be realised or what goals they’ll be able to accomplish, and maybe even who they’ll select as a life partner (or not). It’s something to look forward to and I want to be there for them to support them, assist them if needed, and likely help to pay for it all.

Because in the end, even after all the changes and the differences, they’re still our kids. And they’ll be our kids even if they change their names, their locations, or whatever else about them that makes them uniquely them. But they cannot change their heritage and my regard for them as the (not-so-little-anymore) apples of my eye.

Oh will you look at that, I have something else in my eye… excuse me as I just wipe it out…

Here are the readings for next week:
Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12]
Psalm 112:1-9 [10]
1 Corinthians 2:1-12 [13-16]
Matthew 5:13-20
And a video of them being read:

God, through Jesus, declares us as the salt of the earth. The light of the world. The people who can be regarded as God’s children.

Sometimes we brush that off and think, “that’s nice.” But I think these metaphors used to describe us goes a bit deeper than they let off right away. At first we might think that salt and light are things that are needed, things that add to our quality of life, and maybe the staples of what life even is.

But I wonder if it’s also how salt and light are unchanging in their nature. Salt will be salty. Light will be… uh… lighty. If they ever lose those properties they cease to be what they are as salt and light. That is just what is.

And I think that’s what Jesus means. We just are children of God. Not because we have done or said what needed to be done or said for us to earn this, but because God has graciously decided it to be so. And because it was God’s choice, there is nothing we can do to ever change this nature of ours. This nature as being regarded as God’s children. This nature of being God’s redeemed and saved people.

This nature of being God’s beloved.

Thanks be to God! Have a great week, everyone!