Pastor Steu speaks about Embracing Change this week. We often do not like change, but in many aspects of life it is inevitable in order for us to grow. Ps Steu speak of three kinds of change specifically today, changing course, changing companions and changing conditions. 

He prefaces this with our vision this year, Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. The overriding encouragement if for us all to run the race God has set before us with stamina, strength and endurance, our eyes set on Jesus. We need to be people filled with His power.  For an athlete running a race, the challenges faced by running different courses with different companions in different conditions provide added strength. However, we are not competing against each other. Rather, we encourage each other (Hebrews 10:25).

Ps Steu goes on to speak of the strengths we encounter arising from embodying change into our lives and illustrates this with reference to Isaiah 43:17 onwards. The wisdom here is for us not to forget the good things that God has done in our past - it's good to remember such things. But let us not try to live in or keep going back into these things. What God is going to do next is different to what he did before.