Recalibrate
Dear Friends and Family of HBC,
In the opening chapter of his book “Celebration of Discipline”, considered by some to be a classic on the implementation of following spiritual practices, Richard Foster writes:
“Superficiality is the curse of our age… the desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people…Our world is hungry for genuinely changed people.”
What may surprise you is that this book was written in 1978 and has been reprinted several times since then! These words seem just as appropriate today as they were in 1978, perhaps even more so. (On a side note, I would recommend this book to anyone who desires tangible ways to be closer to Jesus. It does not promise a destination, but it does show the different paths to get there).
One of the more interesting aspects of my job is the awareness of how various conversations with different people in different circumstances often reveals a common theme. In the last year a common theme I have heard is “I want more depth and connection in my life. I want more depth and connection with God and with others.”
I don’t think this is a result of COVID-19. Instead, I think the experience and fallout of COVID-19 has simply made people more aware of the deeper longings in their soul. Before COVID-19, we could keep ourselves busy enough to ignore and drown out the cry for connection and depth. Then COVID-19 forced us to slow down, isolate and listen. Suddenly those cries which had always been there and had been ignored became more apparent.
I have said this repeatedly but 2020 has certainly been a year of changes and challenges. If you have been in church or been in discussions about the church, you know that our theme for 2021 will be “Recalibrate”. After a year like 2020, we need to find ways to allow God to bring healing, re-centering and re-focus into our lives. We need “recalibration” to go deeper, to reconnect with our self, with others and with God.
To help us do this, we will spend the year working chapter by chapter through a book called “Silencio”. A generous gift to the church has allowed us to give a copy to anyone who would like one. Most Sunday’s I will speak on one chapter from the book and you will have the opportunity to work through the chapter on your own at home. I can tell you that in the last year I myself have worked through this book and found myself drawn closer to God because of it.
Some of you reading this haven’t been to church for awhile for your own reasons. Yet perhaps you can relate to having a desire for depth and connection. Maybe these words you are now reading is God’s way of calling to you. Maybe this is your year to reconnect, re-center, re-focus and “Recalibrate”. Give it some thought.
Be Still,
Dan
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