A sharing of beliefs
Advertisement
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/04/2021 (792 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
In like a lamb. Out like a lion. That was the month of March this year.
It’s so easy to talk about the weather in Manitoba. It’s something we all experience. When it’s beautiful outside, we can rave about it together. When it’s really cold or rainy or windy, we can commiserate together.
It’s not as easy to talk about other matters. Like our beliefs.
Although more significant to our lives than the weather, we tend to shy away from talking about how we got here, the purpose of life, or what happens when we die. We rarely discuss why there is evil and suffering in the world. Maybe because we’ve been conditioned to believe it’s wrong to do in public.
If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that our lives are fragile. We may have lived like we’re invincible, but we’re not. This past year has also revealed that there are many gifts in being human: love, friendship, eating together, family, recreation, joy, creativity, music, dance, hugs, laughter, sharing life with others… the list goes on. We are set apart as humans, and we take it for granted. We’ve also learned that fear is a powerful force, that peace is easily shaken, and that hope is an absolute necessity.
In light of what we’ve learned in the last year, bear with me as I break all social norms and share what I believe.
I believe the earth and everything in it, and the entire universe was created by God — a loving, relational being, perfect in every way, who has always existed outside of time and space. His purpose was to make a good home for the people he would make in his likeness — free to love, speak, and create. In giving them free will and the ability to love, he also allowed them to reject him and go their own way. When it inevitably happened, everything changed. Death and suffering entered the picture. Futility and pain. Separation from God.
Fast forward to the rescue plan. In came Jesus, the Son of God. In like a lamb. Suffered a cruel death by crucifixion (hung on a cross). Took on the sins of the whole world. Dead. Buried. And then out from the tomb like a lion on the third day. Victory over death, sin, and God’s arch-enemy, Satan. And to all who receive him, he gives the right to become children of God, the gift of eternal life, the forgiveness for self-centred ways, and the power to live transformed lives.
In Jesus, there is hope. There is lasting peace. There is freedom from fear. That’s what I believe. And that’s more important than the weather, isn’t it?
Sonya Braun is a community correspondent for Springfield North.
Sonya Braun
Springfield North community correspondent
Sonya Braun is a community correspondent for Springfield North.