we consider ourselves traveling companions through life and on the path of faith. some of us have been on this road a while; others of us have just started. but as we journey together, we choose to take it slow and value some things about the adventure.
struggle
personal depth is developed by asking tough questions, by struggling. those who abandon the struggle either come to believe that they have gained all of the answers or quit caring about those answers altogether. life is not meant to be lived in either of these extremes. life is a struggle. following Jesus does not alleviate our struggle, give us the answer to every question, or enable us to conquer every difficulty of life. but it does make the struggle worth facing by tying it to something greater than ourselves. it is in this wrestling that we learn to trust and draw closer to the heart of God.
meaning
because we have been purposefully created, everyone seeks meaning and truth. the desire for purpose is built into us. Satisfaction of this inner hunger will only be found by exploring why we were created. Jesus claimed to give “life to the full.” as we gain an understanding of his teachings from the scriptures, our eyes are opened to the ultimate meaning of life. this fullness is not only found beyond this life, but it can exist in how we live our lives right now, everyday.
redemption
to “redeem” is to buy back something that you originally owned. all truth and beauty belong to God. unfortunately, selfishness, pride, and hatred have twisted and marred much of it. Christ came not only to reclaim individual lives, but all of creation as well. redemption can occur in the simple beauty of art and creativity, the profound redirection of a life consumed by self, or the overwhelming task of tackling poverty, hunger and sanitation in third-world countries. we partner with Christ to recover the sense of beauty, renewal, and justice which he intended for our lives.
sacrifice
here the teachings of Jesus become very unpopular. true love transcends self and ease and therefore requires sacrifice. God first demonstrated that love to us through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus, on the cross. as an act of worship, and in response, we give our lives, sacrificially, to him and to those around us. to follow Jesus is to reflect his giving nature; to take more interest in the needs of others than of ourselves.
community
we struggle, but not alone. we search for meaning, but others walk the path alongside us. we partner with God to redeem creation, but we do so in conjunction with others. we sacrifice of ourselves, but must have others to whom we give. the new testament is filled with teachings on how we are to live with “one another”. we laugh together and cry together. we celebrate together and grieve together. we were not meant to journey alone.