Dear Friends and Family of RRUMC,
I want to start with a Scripture from Hebrews chapter 12. It says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
One particular part of this text, “… lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us,” stands out to me. It reminds me of taking my driver’s license exam last fall. It was time to take the vision test and they asked me to signal when the light popped up in my peripheral vision to the left or to the right. They wanted to know that, if I was focused on the road in front of me and something came at me from the side, I would be able to see it and still stay focused. Isn’t that the same with our faith? The text above says to fix our eyes on Jesus. It does not mean that there will not be other things in our lives that try and throw us off course. There will most definitely be things that the devil tries to use in our lives to get our eyes focused on anything BUT Jesus.
That is the same for the church. I want to remind you of our mission and vision. “It’s all about the story. We exist to help people meet Jesus Christ in the midst of their story.” That is how RRUMC is fixing its eyes on Jesus. That is what helps us to lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us. I ask you to remember the Scripture from Hebrews and our own mission and vision as we move through the many things in life, in the news, in our homes, in our jobs, and in our own United Methodist denomination, that are trying to keep our eyes from being fixed on Jesus.
Stay focused and let’s keep helping people meet Jesus right in the midst of their story.
Peace and Blessings,
Rev. Dan