06-30-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 30, 2023
On this day in the year 296 AD, Marcellinus became the Bishop of Rome (also known as the Pope). Marcellinus has a questionable segment of his story, at least from some people’s perspectives. As the leader of the church, he was accused, during a time of persecution against Christians, of renouncing his faith by paying homage to a Roman god. According to some traditions, he quickly recommitted himself to the ways of Jesus and was killed for doing so. Whether this is the way things occurred or not, I have always been drawn to the story. For some in the early church, his decision to turn away from his faith was enough to write him off and not include his name among the martyrs. I, on the other hand, find him to be very real. We all would like to think that if we were truly tested, in a moment where remaining true to Jesus would mean death, we’d all remain true to Jesus. Really? None of us know, unless we’ve truly stood in that moment, what our answer would be. And if you live to tell about it, then we know your answer. I would go on to say that we all, many times each day, have had little moments where we chose something other than faithfulness. This is not intended to bash or cause guilt, but to acknowledge the real challenge of seeking the ways of Jesus and living into what we at Cypress Creek Christian Church call the Love First Life. Each day offers us another opportunity to try to love like Jesus, and it’s okay to learn from those previous less-than-stellar moments, but dwelling on them is not helpful. Whether it was how you responded to one of your kids, your spouse, your neighbor, your sibling, or a complete stranger, loving like Jesus is the goal. With that said, falling short is often the reality, yet grace and a little self-forgiveness help provide the pathway to the better.

​May the depth of my devotion grow with each passing day, O Holy God, as I seek to learn more about myself, Jesus, and the witness of those who represented real struggle amidst their faithfulness. Amen.