Some things never change. I have just been reading a book (The Road to Character, by David Brooks) in which he laments a radical change, over the last fifty years or so, in what are considered the important things in life. People used to put much more store on character (the kind of things that will be said at your funeral) than they do now. Today there is much more emphasis on success (the kind of things that go on your CV).

Lord God, You knew us before we were born and will receive us when our bodies die. Be near to me today that I might live as you would have me live, bringing glory to you and healing to your world. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

No one is his own master. We were born to serve, and serve we do, whether we admit it or not. We sacrifice most of our lives at tasks not of our own choosing, struggling with boredom and exhaustion to pay for shelter, groceries, light and heat. Every adult learns that this is not a choice.

What remains a choice is how we serve, and in who’s name.

The world that is, is not what was intended to be. We were meant to eat without having to wrestle our bread from the earth, to build without breaking our bodies to do it, to love without our hearts being broken. But the world was warped and broken by sin, and all things were bent away from their original intention. Death crept in through the cracks that had opened in the universe, and with it came things that were never meant to be: sickness and war, and famine and disease.

Christians are often criticized for ignoring the problems of the world and focusing on some magical future free from pain. The common misconception is that we are so preoccupied with our future happiness that we are content to close our eyes and wait for death as the world burns down around us. But in fact the opposite is true: We believe our life in this brief and fading world has meaning because there is more to come.

We are living in the golden age of communication. If we are seized by a notion we wish to share, within three minutes we can have it published worldwide, effortlessly and for free. It’s an incredible privilege never before afforded the human race, but instead of being awed by our power to communicate ideas with one another, we’ve lost our respect for it.

As I get older, I realize how important it is to tell my grandchildren the story of my journey with God and have them hear of the times when God has intervened, supported, challenged, encouraged, disciplined, and cared for me.

It is especially important for them to understand God’s unconditional love and faithfulness in the lives of ordinary people.