I have always thought it strange that the longest season of the Church Year, lasting from Pentecost until Advent, is called Ordinary Time.  It does come after Eastertide, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday which are all busy and exciting times and the following months do not have those special celebrations, but still to call it ordinary is to suggest that it’s just not that important.  And that is wrong.

God continues to work just as diligently and powerfully as God works in what is considered the busier times of the Liturgical Year.  Also, for many, this is vacation season and we often act as if we think God is on vacation.  However, God is always there, only a prayer away, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all the time.  Therefore we must not consider Ordinary Time as a time to take a break from serving Christ and his church.

We have the challenge not to slow down.  The Apostle Paul writes:  “More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord.  For his sake I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” [Philippians 3:8 N.R.S.V.]  Does not sound like ordinary work to me.

Also we have been called by Jesus to be his witnesses.  What could be more extraordinary?  So while our Church celebrations have quieted a bit, by no means is it a license for God’s people to quiet down.  Now is the time to really step it up a notch and stroke the fire of the Holy Spirit for an ever increasingly broken world.  May we allow the work of God to be present in our lives this summer and beyond?  If Spring is time for new growth, then Summer is the time of discipleship and there is nothing ordinary about that!

Richard

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you, he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” [Psalm 55:22 N.R.S.V.]

Maybe the one thing that can be said for our society is that people have more stress, problems, cares and burdens than ever before. Anxiety and depression, often stress related, remain at the top of the medical problems today. Many people are caring for elderly parents as well as children and/or grandchildren at the same time. Often it seems that life itself is one great burden. It takes all of our energy and strength simply to get by.
Many are facing financial futures which do not seem as secure and promising as they once did. Many people in my age group have a real concern about outliving our money.
Violence and drugs are a real threat to our youth. They are faced with issues and choices their parents never had to deal with. Peer pressure is very strong. Many young people are driven to succeed in school, in athletics, and just in life in general to the point that all joy is gone and life is just one big hassle.
The Bible, however, offers us a world of Hope. When things get more than we can handle by ourselves, God is there! The Psalmists encourages us to “cast your burdens on the Lord.” Jesus reminds us to take his yoke upon us for he says: “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:20 N.R.S.V.] That verse is becoming one of my favorite verses simply because it reminds me that while there is no promise that we will not have burdens, or a yoke to bear, we do not have to do it alone. Jesus is there in harness with us. God will carry our burden, if only we will allow God to do that.
Yet how hard that is for us to do! It seems that we try any and everything else before we turn to God. I know that often I lay my problems on the altar when I kneel to pray, only to pick them right back up when I get to my feet. I should not do that! Let us covenant together to trust God more. I know I need to and I suspect that you do as well.
If together we trust God with our burdens and cares, and allow God to work in God’s time not our time, maybe the stress, cares, problems and burdens of modern life will not seem so overwhelming. I think it is definitely worth a try!

Richard