First Presbyterian Church of Logan

As we read about and watch the news, it is easy to be overwhelmed and experience a sense of hopelessness.  Wars, oil spills, natural disasters, world hunger, local violence - all fill our homes with despair, “What can we do about this?  The problems seem insurmountable.”

Walter Wink speaks of these things in his book Engaging the Powers.  He writes in the chapter on prayer, “We cannot fix the world by ourselves.  We can only do what God calls us to do (and not one more thing)…..God invites us to seek the specific shape of our own divine calling in the day-to-day working out of our relationship with God….We are not called to do everything, to heal everything, to change everything, but only to do what God asks of us.  In God’s asking, we are supplied with power to perform it.”

I, or we, cannot change the world.  It’s too big.  But we can pray and remain committed to our calling.  We can perform the ministry God calls us to and have a great impact on the world around us.  And what happens here spreads throughout the region as other Christian communities respond to the call God gives to them.  And God’s good work keeps on spreading.

Wink reminds us of the prayer attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr:  “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”  May God bless you with serenity, courage, and wisdom.

Grace and peace to you.

                                                Larry