RE-cycle

Well, we've just finished our 3rd week here. We've been able to get to know other members of the Grass Valley congregation a bit more over the last 3 weeks. Today's morning sermon lesson that Eli delivered was titled "Recycle". In today's "natural" world and mindset (especially here in California) we weren't talking about taking care of our earth and it's resources. He talked about how the prefix "re" indicates repetition or restoration, to bring back to a previous state. To recycle is something that's a communal event to bring something back from a decaying state. Eli talked about the cycle the Israelites went through as indicated in the book of Judges: Peace, Rebellion, Oppression, Repentance, Deliverance... back to Peace.

The Israelites knew God, otherwise how would they know to rebel? Interesting. The idea that when we are at peace that we begin to rely on ourselves rather than God. And then through that self-reliance we rebel against God. Then God oppresses His people (as illustrated in the book of Judges). And through that oppression, His people repent and then he delivers them bringing them back to a state of peace.

Eli mentioned briefly the mindset, especially in the Grass Valley community, being the idea of "I want you be be open minded as long as you agree with me," and "If your peace interferes with my peace then you're obviously the problem and you should change." These statements give us insight into the mindset and attitude we'll more than likely encounter here.

Eli touched on each characteristic of the RE-cycle, cycle. One of the thoughts I thought was interesting was the idea of repentance. He'd asked the question, if repentance does not pay for deliverance, then why the need to repent? The answer was simple enough: Even though it doesn't change the past, it doesn't make God happy for past rebellion....rather it makes us aware and that such kinds of cycles are broken by awareness and commitment (to change those cycles). I'm thankful for God's grace that I'm delivered from the consequences I deserve from sin.