Spring is starting to emerge and so is the most powerful season of the Christian faith–Easter. Different church traditions prepare for Easter in different ways. Regardless of the tradition, I (Eric) am inviting YOU and the Altar community on a journey that begins with two questions that have the power to change everything–at least for those who will honestly answer them.
Paul Tripp is one of my favorite authors and devotional writers. We regularly feature his devotional New Morning Mercies on our retreats and on our resources webpage. In his recent book titled Awe: Why It Matters For Everything We Think, Say & Do, (a must read by the way!), Paul offers two questions whose answers (your answers) will shape the way you think about God, yourself, life, relationships, what is important, and how you live each day.
The questions:
- What in the world is God doing right here, right now?
- How in the world should I respond to it?
There are seasons (like spring) when it is time for new life to emerge, grow and fill barren spaces. In fly fishing, we watch this unfold in the rivers, streams, and beautiful landscapes whether observing the hatches of new flies or the green of leaves and flowers blooming on banks and hillsides. So it is with our lives too.
Let the days leading to Easter unfold with new growth in your life, shaped by God, as you honestly answer two questions that just may change everything.
FOR REFLECTION:
Set aside 30 minutes to thoughtfully answer the two questions above.
- For the first question, reflect on:
What you observe God doing in and around your immediate life.
What you observe God doing in the world.
- For the second question, try to be specific in what you will do in response to your answers. Consider listing a few simple, doable goals to help you live intentionally into your answers.
- Bible Adventure: Read the Gospel of Mark leading up to Easter. If you read one chapter each day (beginning today), you will finish before Easter.
Eric Camfield | March 2022
