Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “A life that matters”
Our Bible verse for today: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “It’s always easier to do nothing than it is to do something.”
Those of you who know me well know that one of my favorite U.S. Presidents of all time is Teddy Roosevelt. To be sure, he was far from perfect. He had his share of warts and pimples and character flaws. But I love his spirit. He lived with enthusiasm, zest for living, and a never ending quest for adventure. I’m also inspired by his example of simply doing things. Teddy was not one to sit on his rear end thinking about things that needed to be done but never actually doing them. Instead, once he decided that a thing needed doing, he got up and did it.
One of my favorite TR quotes comes from a speech he delivered on April 21, 1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. He was speaking about the responsibility of citizens in a free society to be doers, rather than just people who talk about doing things but then never actually do them. This is what he said:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but he who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great devotion; who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls, who know neither victory nor defeat.”
My friends, it is always easier to do nothing than it is to do something. A timid person will find excuses and think up innumerable reasons for not even trying. A bold person simply gets up and does it. Oh yes, they might stumble and fall, but at least they will have tried. And if they keep trying, their chances of success multiply exponentially. The credit belongs to those in the arena giving it their best.
As we continue in our month of devotionally thinking about living a “Life that matters”, I want to encourage you to avoid giving in to negative thinking. Don’t allow yourself to come up with excuses or rationalizations for why you won’t attempt this thing or that. In the days to come will consider multiple ways in which your time in 2017 can be well spent, but each of them will require both effort and risk. Nothing worth achieving is ever achieved without effort and risk.
In Romans 12:11 Paul urged us to live with zeal and fervor – especially in our service to the Lord. Let’s resolve to do exactly that.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 