Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “A life of service”
Our Bible verse for today: “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.” Psalm 37:4-6 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Listen to your heart.”
The other night I came across a great story about a life of service that was directly connected to the loves and passions of the individual involved. His name was Wilfred Grenfell. He was born and raised in England in the late 1800s but ended up spending his life as a missionary doctor in Newfoundland.
As a teenager Wilfred had a great love of sports (especially fishing) and dreamed of spending his life involved in the sporting world. But then at the age of eighteen he discovered another interest that would develop into a lifelong passion as well, medicine. It happened when a local doctor showed Wilfred a human brain preserved in a jar of chemicals. Wilfred was intrigued and immediately decided to go to medical school so he could learn more about the human body.
Then one night Wilfred noticed a large tent erected on the edge of town and crowds of people going into it. He thought it was probably a circus and so he decided to go see for himself. The event turned out to be an evangelistic rally being held by the famous evangelist D.L. Moody and that night Wilfred gave his heart, and his life, to Jesus Christ.
After medical school the three passions of Wilfred’s life – sports, medicine, and God, led him to volunteer with an organization then known as “Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen”. It involved travelling on a small hospital ship to circulate among the fishing boats along the Newfoundland coastline and minister to the thousands of fishermen who made their living there.
Wilfred loved the work and it evolved into a lifelong calling for him. Over the course of his life he ended up establishing hospitals, clinics, orphanages, schools, and numerous churches among the fishing communities of Newfoundland – and all because he prayerfully and obediently listened to his heart and followed his God-given passions.
The story of Wilfred Grenfell helps to remind us that God creates each of us as unique individuals and endows us not only with spiritual gifts, but also with skills, abilities, interests, and passions. All of that combines to make us who we are in Christ. Don’t discount any of it. The things you love to do are part of how God has made you. So as you’re considering how you should be serving the Lord and others, be sure to listen to your heart!
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 