I went to church this past Sunday, as I do every week. But it occurred to me as I walked in the building, that I felt different. I was not the same person I was the last time I had been there. We had missed a week, but the fact was that so much had happened in the two weeks.
First of all, are the changes in my daughter. After twelve years of hard work, and eighteen years of life, she is now an adult, and a high school graduate. And just like that, I am the mom of a college student. That’s not who I was the last time I went to church.
The other thing that changed was that I spent most of last week in Colorado, at a seminar. I help write children’s Bible curriculum, and a couple dozen of us were invited to hear an expert and author on the subject. It was so interesting and informative. I felt like I was doing nothing but taking eager notes for two days straight, even though I know that’s not true, because she had us doing activities and engaging in discussions. I learned so much, and I can’t wait to have a chance to start implementing what I learned. And I’m not the same person I was a week ago. I’m a little smarter than I was before.
The truth is that every time I walk into church, I’m different than the last time. Hopefully a little more mature, a little wiser, a little more compassionate and forgiving. Of course it’s also possible I enter the building a little more self-centered than I was before. It all depends how I spent the week. Or the morning, for that matter….
Every day is new, and every day we are the sum of who we were all the days before. And without His guidance, His love and His work in our lives, we will stagnate. Or worse, we will become less than who we could be in Him. He has begun a good thing, and will be faithful to complete it. As long as we cooperate.
Light Expectations 