Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’”
Mark 1:14-15
When it comes down to it, the message Jesus had for the Galileans wasn’t much different from that proclaimed by John. “Repent and believe the good news!” It really is pretty basic, and it’s essentially the same message that confronts us when we begin our search for truth. It’s the first part that gives us fits. No one particularly likes to be told that they need to repent–change is difficult, and it doesn’t get any easier with the passing times. For us it means giving up on some of the old traditions and religious attitudes that we’ve held dear for so many years. It’s challenging to be told that some of our old theologies and practices need adjustment, that maybe our view of the universe is outdated–that maybe we have to change our conception of God. We’ve gotten used to dualistic thinking–it’s been the bread and butter of religious training for centuries, and we’re pretty comfortable with our notions of good and bad, heaven and hell, and making easy judgements about who is in and who is out. But as we repent of those old ways of thinking, a miracle happens and we are introduced to the good news of the ever present Christ. That’s what people saw in Jesus, and it transformed their lives. Some left everything just to follow him! And it’s still happening!
Thought for the Day: How has my thinking about God changed?
0 Comments