I can hardly believe that it is May already. As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun, and Mark and I are taking such pleasure from being part of the worshipping community at Emmanuel!
May is an interesting month! According to the web, May is apparently, somewhere in the world, the national month in which people celebrate their pets. It is also healthy vision month to remind everyone to get their eyes checked regularly and motorcycle safety month. May also marks the end of Spring. And don’t forget ‘Star Wars’ – May the fourth (force) be with you!
But of course May is a very special month for two other reasons. Firstly it was on Wednesday, May 24, 1738, that John Wesley experienced assurance of his salvation. Wesley wrote in his journal that at about 8:45 p.m. “while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
Then on Thursday, May 25th, we will celebrate Ascension Day. Ascension Day is the 40th day of Easter, occurring 39 days after Easter Sunday and commemorates Jesus’ ascension into heaven.
What is the link between these? Well, when John Wesley edited the Book of Common Prayer for use by Methodists, he deleted nearly all of the Anglican’s Holy Days that weren’t Sundays, except Good Friday, Christmas Day and Ascension Day. Wesley believed that God has personally reconciled the believer to himself through the atoning life and death of Christ. It is through faith that we receive Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King. As we celebrate the ascension of Christ we acknowledge the reality of the fullness of Christ’s reign now and in eternity.
And so, following our Easter celebrations we continue to journey in faith with Christ, our Saviour. May we continue to have fun finding continuing renewed ways of sharing our faith, of being Christ’s disciples and moving forward as the people God wants us to be.
May God continue to bless us all
Sue