Looking Forward to November 10, 2013

The Scripture Readings for this week are:

• Psalm 46 
• Philippians 4:4-7 

We will also have a reading from the AA Big Book.

The Sermon title is Key to Serenity

 Early Thoughts: It is a prayer well used within the 12 step movement (although popular usage changes the wording a bit from the original we will use on Sunday and posted here):

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, 
Courage to change the things which should be changed, 
and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. 

But what is serenity? Where do we find it?

The 12 step folks will maintain, and I tend to agree with them, that serenity comes with acceptance, with balance, with a realistic look on life. At the same time I think there is more.

Another source of Serenity is to follow the wisdom found in verse 10 of our Psalm reading this week.  Be still and know that I am God.  Serenity comes, not from chanting/yelling/grunting "Serenity NOW!!!!!" (for those Seinfeld fans out there), but from remembering that God is present, God is in charge (if not always in control--we will talk about that difference next week) and God is constant.

Our peace and serenity don't come from us.  We can make choices that allow us to embrace it but we don't create it.  Our serenity comes from God and when we embrace it we are putting ourselves in God's care.  May God help us find the path to serenity, acceptance, wisdom, and peace.
--Gord