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jn_en_2015_05_26

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Encouragement to stand firm ...

Tuesday, May 26, 2015. We live in a world of rapid changes. It is quite fascinating to observe the speed of innovation which has taken place over the past 150 years. From electricity and radio waves to human flight and modern computing devices. One is tempted to be just impressed: wow!

In the middel of innovation …

We all are in the middle of strong innovations. We use the internet. We drive by cars or by air planes. We all use new materials in our kitchen. We all eat things which have been manufactured by methods which mankind could not have imagined just 70 years ago.

It is good to think about all these things. In the last week we had holidays and spent a week with the history of recent technology, a week full of impressions and insight into where mankind stands, where we all stand in terms of technological progress. The exhibitions were quite enthusiastic about all this - and it is indeed fascinating.

At the same time, I read a book about the history of the western civilization since about 1500. It is as fascinating to observe important modern social elements such as property, competition, law, justice and freedom. These are key elements which lead to social progress and economic prosperity. It is not the innovative moment alone, there is much more shaping our days and our developments!

Take care! …

We can quickly be drawn into an unbalanced idea of human progress. We can think that humanity is defined by innovation alone, or by prosperity. But this is an illusion. We need mercy and love and justice and forgiveness as strongly as we need food and work and health and security. We desperately need to develop a wider and more balanced view, which includes faith, Christian faith. The Apostle Paul is talking about this when he reminds the Thessalonians that they should stay in the faith which he has passed down to them:

13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thess 2, 13-17)

There is much to say about the gospel of Christ Jesus and its meaning yesterday and today and tomorrow. We need to talk about its meaning in the middle of the modern world. God wants to be with us today as much as he was there in the past. He wants to help us to balance our life, to live fully human, to live with him. (RWEP) ... more texts

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