Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.
Matthew 28:16-17
From this morning’s Lectio 365 devotional:
“I spent many of my early years of faith seeking to be strong, to carry the load, to walk in honour. I experienced many griefs: unanswered prayers, tragic death, moral failures. One day, I had a simple realisation: I did not need to be strong enough to carry every pain and answer every question. This is what Jesus has done for me. I find deep comfort in reading the story of these eleven disciples, who walked in obedience to the mountain where Jesus had directed them, but sat in His presence in a mix of worship and doubt. When I imagine this scene, I sense the tenderness of Christ towards His followers.”
“Father, I bring my whole self to You today. I make myself fully present to You, honest in my struggles and questions. I pray that You would show me how to turn my heart to worship, and to recognise that You are with me. Amen.”
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Published by Derek Melanson
Greetings!
The most important thing about me is not first and foremost about me. It’s about the person of Jesus. I receive my identity, my purpose, and my very breath and life from Jesus. Colossians 1:16 says it well. Speaking of Jesus, there the apostle Paul writes, “All things have been made through him and for him.” Who I am, I am because of who he is. And because through him I have been reconciled to God, I now live to orient my life around him. I don’t always do this very well. So I’m grateful for the good news of God’s forgiveness.
Since August 2002 I have been married to a beautiful, wonderful Christian woman. Because of her, my life has been much more of an adventure than it would otherwise have been. She’s loving, smart, funny, determined, and real. Being her husband is a privilege and a joy.
And our joy has multiplied. We have three children. One girl and twin boys. They’re fun, silly, energetic, smart, and exhausting. All unique individuals, they keep us on our toes. Thanks to them, our home is filled with a lot of laughter.
We also have two dogs: a 10-year old mixed poodle-terrier named Sneaker and a 1-year old yorkie named Izzy.
On top of all this, God has also called me to be a pastor. Our church is a small, rural church filled with loving, faithful people. Working with them to live out the good news of God is a great gift.
What else? Well, I happen to like the following things (in no particular order of favourites): playing guitar, writing (obviously!), reading (theology, classic fiction), a variety of movies and TV shows but especially those in the sci-fi/adventure/fantasy/super-hero genres, Dairy Queen Chocolate Extreme Blizzards, buffalo wings, salsa, Doc Martens, Grip6 belts, and Birkenstock sandals. I love my children’s laughter and my wife’s smile. And I love that God — in his abundant grace — allows me to enjoy any of these things.
There. Now you really know me.
I hope you enjoy and get something out of reading my blog. I’d love it if you made some comments on a post or two. Normally, I usually post several times a week. Though occasionally I can go as long as a week or more without doing so. Fear not! I will post again!
Peace,
Pastor Derek
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