Feb 18/19, 2023
From the Pastor’s Desk: Pastor Karen Quan
1 John 1: 5-10 (The Message)
5 This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.
6-7 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
8-10 If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—simply come clean about them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.
Vancouver winters, although mild in temperature, can be so very dark and dreary. Although I’ve lived here for over 26 years, I still find myself longing to see the sun, even if it’s a short glimpse, especially after many endless days of rain. Slowly, the days are getting longer and I find myself emerging from what seems like this endless gray canvas.
Feb 22, 2023 marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. A solemn season in the church calendar that prepares our hearts for the death of Christ (Good Friday). It’s a time to quietly reflect on the greatest sacrifice of all time, as Christ gave up his life for our sin. It’s an opportunity to pause and make time to draw closer to God. For some, a time that might include practices such as extended prayer or fasting. This preparation can assist us to truly appreciate the resurrection of Christ celebrated on Easter.
This passage in 1 John, tells us of how God himself is light, even brighter than that of the sun. Darkness and light do not belong together, just as God and sin cannot coexist. God calls us to be in the light with him, and not stumble around in the darkness. He calls us to walk closely with him in this light and as the light reveals our sins, we’re to confess them to Jesus, for only He can forgive and remove these sins.
May the Lord give us fresh new ways to experience Lent this year so as to know Him deeper and so as to walk more freely in the Light.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Karen Quan