No, I don’t have a strange new calendar. Neither am I mixed up about my dates. But in many ways September marks the beginning of a new year. School is beginning for all our students, teachers and other various individuals who work in education. We also begin a new Sunday School year here at Grace Mennonite. So while it is not actually the change of the numerical year it is a time for new beginnings for many.
Beginning this September is a new catechism class. This year I have three high school sophomore girls who are preparing for baptism later this year. They had been deeply challenged at the Mennonite USA youth convention in Pittsburgh this summer. One speaker in particular encouraged the young people to consider getting baptized as a sign of their calling, commitment, and service to Jesus Christ. It is always very challenging for me to reflect anew on the essentials and basics of our faith and communicate that to high school students. I also learn a great deal from them as they respond to the assigned Bible readings each week and share the significant verses they find while reading. Most of all I appreciate the questions that are asked. We are beginning by reading the Gospel of Matthew. I can’t wait to see what they say about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 this Sunday.
Dennis’ favorite verse of the week
One of the new things I am doing this time in my Baptismal Preparation Class is sharing one of my favorite Bible verses or passages each week. I have lots of “favorite verses” and I have always found it difficult to narrow it down. But after being asked many times what my favorite verse was, I finally decided a number of years ago to choose one verse as my number one favorite verse. So now, when asked, instead of trying avoid the question by explaining that I have many favorite verses and not just one, I immediately respond by saying my favorite verse is I John 3:1. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
This short verse reminds me that no matter what kind of day I am having or how I may be feeling about myself, that I am a child of God. Wow! I AM GOD’S CHILD! I am also struck each time with the word “lavished.” God does not just “share” love or “give” love; God LAVISHES his love on us. This verse also reminds me of how I am to live my life as a child of God. I could write much more about this favorite verse of mine, but the blog would get too long. Another verse next time.
What I am Reading
My reading time this last week has been given over to studying maps and guidebooks in planning for our trip to Europe at the end of October. More on that later. I hope to get back to my book about Deo Gratius and his escape from Burundi soon.
Where in the Bible is Dennis Reading?
I have finished up I Corinthians. Always good to go over the love chapter in I Cor 13, Spiritual gifts in chapter 12 and the resurrection in chapter 15. I also finished 1 Samual and am now well into King David’s life in 2 Samuel. Psalms 58-59 where my Psalms for today. Even though I have read the Psalms many times, I am still amazed at the very forceful language, like “Break the teeth, O Lord, of the wicked.” The language in Ezekiel 16 is even stronger as the prophet refers to Jerusalem as an adulterous wife engaged in prostitution. How would Ezekiel refer to the church in America today? But then even Ezekiel is sprinkled with those very comforting and promising verses like Ezekiel 12:9.
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
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