Set your face towards the days
by Pastor Tim Castle-Schmidt
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Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable (2 Timothy 4:2).
Some days are more favourable than others. Some days, it’s the weather; some days, it’s other people. But without question, some days go better than others.
But does Paul encourage us to proclaim the gospel only on those easy days?
Far from it. Paul encourages us to embrace the times we live in and speak God’s word into those days and in the context of those days. And that is because God is present in all days, the good and the bad. Good Friday was actually a bad day. And yet, Easter Sunday tore open the veil to the never-ending days of direct access to our Father (Mark 15:38). And so, when we become fearful that the days – the times – are against us, we can be reassured that God is Lord of all the days.
It is our privilege to be the means through which God speaks into our days. We are employed as God’s contemporary mouthpieces to address our days with God’s message of peace, justice, hope and mercy.
In fact, through Paul, God calls on us to set our faces towards whatever our times hold. God will be present in those days and reveal himself through them – both to us and through us. God is present here and now.
Lord, give us the faith to speak into our world and address the cares and concerns of our days. Move in and within us, and grant us peace in knowing that you are Lord of our days. Amen.
Tim Castle-Schmidt is the pastor of Onkaparinga Lutheran Parish in the Adelaide Hills. After spending many years as a teacher in Lutheran schools, he says he finally listened to God’s call to pastoral ministry. Tim is passionate about social justice and engaging the church with contemporary society. Tim shares his life with Fiona, daughter Miranda, a Jack Russell called Otto and 10 chooks.
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