Now is the time. Time to trust

During this season of Epiphany, when we recall the Gospel story of Christ as the Light of the World to all people living God’s grace and love for all, we seem to be getting a lot of call stories. Last week it was John’s story of the call of Philip and Nathanael. This week it is the call of some of Jesus inner circle. I wonder how John and Mark helps us hear and live our call?

Marks gospel is the beginning of the ongoing story of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son news. That story continues today with you and me. In Mark 1:14 and 15 we hear that, “(A)fter John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!” (CEB).

This is a pretty important couple of verses for Mark.. They set the scene and some of the key themes. Enough is enough. It’s time to get on and see the world differently. Time to expand your mind. Time to see the world and your place in it with new eyes. Time to “change your hearts and lives." Time to live the reign of God. Big themes. What Mark thinks Jesus means by all this is what the rest of the gospel is about.

So what do we do with this? What does “now is the time” mean for us today in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic, climate change gathering speed around us, the world seeming more fragile than ever. What does “now is the time” mean as mainline churches around the world continue to age and we look to an uncertain future. And what does it mean to trust this good news?

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