This summer I had the opportunity to travel home to visit my family in New Mexico. In the normal routine of packing in and out of the car as we went about our days, I became acquainted with a now regular ritual. It went something like: me parking and thinking I did a pretty good job followed by an awkward silence as no member of my family unbuckled their seat belt. Then, the same brave sibling would say something like, “Ummm, you parked diagonal again.” You see, I was doing the bulk of the driving on this trip and when I would forget to wear my glasses, it most noticeably showed when I went to park in straight lines. I really wanted to park well - I promise! I often thought I was pretty close but reality and the community of my family helped me (sometimes with snickers) see where I was out of sync.
Now don’t worry, earlier this year I went to the eye doctor and after a few tests, it was clear that my brain and my eyes weren’t working “together as well as they should,” as my optometrist said. Cue cute new glasses and some very fun vision therapy pencils!*
As believers, our earnest desire is to “walk worthy in a manner pleasing to God,” or in other words, park in the straight lines God has given us for his glory and our good. We may use phrases like “stewarding the season,” “working on our relationship with the Lord,” or “getting back into a spiritual rhythm as a family.” At the heart of that is a desire for momentum toward alignment with God and His kingdom. Oftentimes our desire is there but there are things we can’t see because some part of us is out of sync and requires truth and community to help us reorient.
One of my favorite parts about Bible Study is that when we bring our lives before the word of God, it diagnoses where our mind, heart, and life are out of line with God’s word and purposes. What is painful for a moment leads to life! While there are occasionally fun colored pencils involved, there is nothing more precious than receiving the insight, wisdom, and revelation from a gracious God that we might not just live aligned but live fully on this side of eternity.
Whether this season is one of joy, pain, or questioning we hope you will join us as we walk through the Letter to the Hebrews this fall. Few books of the Bible give a clearer vision of the radiance, beauty, and power of Jesus Christ, the one to whom we look, who looks back at us with healing, redemptive, and restorative eyes of priestly compassion and kingly power, especially when life doesn’t make sense. Join us as we submit to the Spirit through word and enjoy fellowship to look again to our Lord and Savior with eyes that can truly see the unveiled mystery of God across the ages (Col 1:26).
In Christ,
Antonea Bastian
Minister
*I promise I am making great gains and under wonderful care :)
