Time for renewal

Dear fellow-travellers in the Way of the Lord,

Here I am almost 10,000 km away from Berlin in the south of India enjoying a pleasant 28°C at 2 in the afternoon! I'm on a brief holiday at my sister's place along with my mother who has come here from Toronto. These few days have been a time for personal rest and renewal, for reflection and for "building up".

You've all been close to me in my thoughts and prayers. In the coming weeks many of you too will be holidaying somewhere — some far away like me, others closer home and some perhaps in Berlin itself; some with family, others with friends, and some by yourselves. For you too it's hopefully going to be a time for a brief rest and renewal, for reflection and "building-up".

We often hear the phrase "building up the body of Christ". We do this in fellowship with one another, by encouraging one another and sharing one another's joys and sorrows. Yet, to be effective "Body-builders", we have to take the time to renew and build up our personal selves and relationships even as we venture to build one another up. This is where holidays become God-given opportunities to let go of ourselves, thereby allowing the Sprit of God to come to us anew and renew us in our leisure and in our pleasure.

As I now prepare to return to Berlin, my prayer is that each one of you, like me, will come back after the summer break refreshed and renewed in the Spirit whose abiding presence we recalled and remembered so meaningfully and experientially over Pentecost. This season has indeed ushered in for us times for renewal — both personal and corporate, and I pray that none of us will let the opportunity slip by!