With Lent and Easter just past, along with the Centenary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli I am very aware of the deeply contemplative reflections we have undergone during this time.
Lent is, of course, the time we intentionally set aside to reflect on our earthly journey with our God. Many of us are involved in group Bible studies during this time, with the focus on our beliefs surrounding the sacrifice of Jesus and how we live these beliefs in our lives.
Anzac Day places our focus on the sacrifice of those who have lived and died to demonstrate their beliefs in freedom and justice. It is a time when much of the world shifts its focus to those rocky cliffs in Turkey where so many of our young men, and the young men of New Zealand and Turkey, fought and died, very graphically demonstrating their beliefs.
I am sure we have all read many of the very moving accounts of those days, with many of our young people engaged in in-depth study of the circumstances surrounding the encounter. I hear them expressing how much these accounts have changed them and made them reconsider the patterns of their lives.
This in turn leads me to question how we tell our Christian stories, showing our communities how these accounts have changed the way we live and work. God has provided us with the necessary stories and framework to make a huge difference in the world – No, to change the world completely!
Are we happy to tell our stories and show our deep beliefs in the way we live, work and show regard to all others? Do we really acknowledge our beliefs?
DOWNLOAD ENCOURAGER HERE ENCOURAGER May 2015 No 91