Living in the light of Jesus

I remember learning how to play the tonette in elementary school. This small plastic wind instrument was a prerequisite for learning the basics of reading notes before a student could choose their instrument.

What an exciting day when I received my first cornet. My goal was to play with the brilliance of my instructor, whose pure triple-tonguing tone left me in awe. The only problem was I never liked to practice. In fact, the biggest power struggles I had with my parents were over my unwillingness to practice each day. By high school, I loved marching in parades and the concert tours but still struggled with practicing.

Many of us probably feel the same when it comes to practicing our Christian faith. The very phrase may leave us feeling confused and uncomfortable.

We know the Spirit brings us to faith in Christ through the proclamation of the gospel. And we are reminded by Martin Luther’s meaning of the third article of the Apostle’s Creed that “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel ...” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, page 1162).