[amc] a note from the pastor
- From: "garland robertson" <pastor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Austin Mennonite Church" <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 09:45:44 -0500
Members and Friends of Austin Mennonite Church
I pray you are encouraged in your commitment to be a faithful disciple of
Jesus.
All of us sense uneasiness whenever we are in relationship with someone who
has power over us. From where does this discomfort arise? Why might we
feel anxiety because another individual or group has the capacity to impact
our lives with a decision or action in which we have no opportunity to
participate? This discomfort might result from our inability to trust
completely the perceptions and motivations of those whose position
determines how power is used. Suspicions which prevent us from completely
trusting originate either from our own experience or from the experience of
others. All of us know about disruption and pain associated with the
application of power. And most likely, all of us are guilty of misusing
power in some previous relational context. Perhaps our own misapplication
of power causes us the most difficulty: we fear we might eventually have to
pay for the wrong we have done. Yet whenever we comprehend the awful state
of our consciousness which prompts these transgressions, we are even more
afraid. The discussions about forgiveness in scripture seem to be
addressing this dynamic, intending to show us a way out of this desperate
predicament. These thoughts will compose the sermon for next Sunday, 'The
healing power of forgiveness.'
May it go well with you. Sincerely,
Garland Robertson
...always hold firmly to the thought that each one of us can do something to
bring some portion of misery to an end
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