Reformátusok Lapja, 1972 (72. évfolyam, 1-7. szám)
1972-01-01 / 1. szám
REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 3 A NEW YEAR OF GRACE The Christian knows well that he lives by the grace of God. The year just passed was certainly ample proof of His love and providence towards us. What can we give Him for all His goodness? We are able to give Him nothing. But we can proclaim, all the days of our life, the richness of His mercy and grace to us. The Apostle John speaks of receiving grace upon grace in Jesus Christ. And so it is that “from his fulness have we all received grace upon grace” (John 1: 16). But the road ahead is dark and unknown. Our churches and our pastors face severe challenges from an increasingly paganized society. The secular world has invaded our sanctuaries and in certain areas has already taken hold of the leadership of the church. A new structure must take the place of the old. After 80 years of serving the people of the Hungarian Reformation in America, we face the challenge of placing the future of our faith and heritage, bought with so much sacrifice, both here and abroad, into the safe-keeping of a new generation which has little understanding of the worth and the value of that faith and heritage. This is crucial to our future! Our struggle for purpose, identity, mission is a continuing part of our corporate life. The answers we give are in direct relationship with our willingness to serve and assist “the family of faith” scattered all around the earth. These brethren look to us for help and guidance. True, we have made an excellent beginning, but the challenge looms ever larger. Will we meet it? And transcending all is the vision of a Reformed Unity that will rise above all our human frailties and become instead a blessed instrument for the unity of the Body of Christ; a unity for which we will be held responsible by our people and be accountable for it to our God. Having received grace upon grace, we face the future confidently and with blessed assurance. We wish, therefore, to all our brethren, our pastors, our fellow Christians of the Reformed faith and all men of good-will a blessed, a peaceful, and a happy New Year. Arpad L. Beretz, Bishop ♦ L<J im e I knelt to pray, but not for long, I had too much to do, Must hurry off and get to work For bills would soon be due. And so I said a hurried prayer, Jumped up from off my knees; My Christian duty now was done, My soul could be at ease. All through the day I had no time To speak a word of cheer, No time to speak of Christ to friends — They’d laugh at me, I feared. No time, no time, to much to do — That was my constant cry; No time to give to those in need — At last ’twas time to die. And when before the Lord I came, I stood with downcast eyes, Within His hands He held a Book, It was the “Book of Life.” God looked into His Book, and said, “Your name I cannot find, I once was going to write it down, But never found the time.” — Author unknown ♦ c on fide Psalm 71:1 Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee; Trust Him when thy strength is small: Trust Him when to simply trust Him Seems the hardest thing of all. Trust Him, He is ever faithful; Trust Him, for His will is best; Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus Is the only place of rest. Trust Him, then, through cloud and sunshine; All thy cares upon Him cast; Till the storms of life are over, And the trusting days are past. — Author Unknown.
