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Canadian theologian Clark Pinnock, Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, has decided—because of illness—to conclude his illustrious, if at times controversial, teaching and writing career. It is not that he has run out of ideas or become disenchanted with theology. The reason for this decision is found is a brief e-mail that Pinnock sent to close friends recently. "I want to inform you," he wrote, "that I am now middle stage Alzheimer's. I will not be able to do my writing etc. I am 73 years now, and I've enjoyed my biblical three score and ten. I am not bitter. I have had a good life. I'll meet you over Jordan if not before. You are free to make this news known. With love...". With this brief note a remarkable teaching and writing career takes a new direction. Many of us seem to be facing new directions these days for many different reasons. For one thing, these are uncertain times – times of transition. As circumstances shift and change around us, we are faced with choices. What do we do when there’s a fork in the road? How do we decide which direction to take? One thing is certain, if the new direction we choose is firmly grounded in God’s guidance, it is undergirded by peace and a quiet confidence. We must be deliberate about spiritual renewal the way Mary was when she chose "the good portion." So today, I'm asking the Lord Jesus to help me become more deliberate, more intentional, more direct about spiritual renewal in my life and in the church I serve. Join me?
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