Faith, Hope, And Love

    I believe it is important to stop and examine what has occurred in the past.  This discipline has two purposes.  First, it reveals where God has intervened in his world.  Second, it lets me evaluate if I am making progress in achieving my goals.
    Last week I began look back at what has happened to Epiphany over the last seven months.  As I looked back, I reflected on Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “faith, hope, love abide but the greatest of these is love.”  In this passage, Paul is gives me a perspective on time and how three time periods builds faith, hope, and love.  I believe this passage is a good way to reflect on Epiphany’s recent past and to evaluate today and anticipate tomorrow.
    Faith is built upon past learnings and experiences.  Faith identifies where God has been present.  We often miss God’s intervention into our world because we do not stop and examine what has happened.  In the case of Epiphany, we can see God’s guiding hand over the recent past.  In January, the leaders of Epiphany and especially the Church Council regrouped and worked together to enable a hurting congregation to continue to care for its members and to reach out into the Centerville community.  In March, Epiphany’s leaders began to think about the way a congregation functions and how to use Epiphany’s administrative structures to maintain and build ministry.  In April, the Council tackled the difficult process of defining Epiphany’s purpose.  Then, a vision of God’s future was discerned.  In May and June, the call process was implemented, a profile of the congregation was written, and a Call Committee was appointed.  Who said it couldn’t be done?  Would anyone seven months ago said all of this would happen?  But looking backward, we see God’s hand in all of it.  That is called faith.  The more that we can see God’s intervention in the last seven months the stronger our faith will be.
    Hope is the future period in Paul’s famous saying.  Without hope there is no reason to continue.  Without hope there is only despair.  I once read a book of sermons written by a  college chaplain.  He wrote that students today need hope more than anything else.  They need to know that a future exists for them.  Well, there is a future for Epiphany, a bright future I might add.  If God can accomplish all that has happened in the last seven months, why would we doubt that God can accomplish great things in the next six months, the next year, or the next decade.
    Paul then says, “the greatest of these is love.”  Psychiatrists tell us that love is impossible without experiencing it in the past.  Because of God’s love in the past, and because of the future God gives, we are able to love today.  I believe Epiphany’s strength is because its leaders have love for their fellow disciples and for those who do not belong to our congregation.  Over and over again, ministry and love are delivered to those who were hurting spiritually, psychologically, and physically.
    As I discipline myself to stop and examine what has happened in the last seven months, I see all three of Paul’s time periods.  I see where God has touched Epiphany, where God is leading Epiphany, and as a result, Epiphany’s ability to love and serve others.
Pastor Pete