Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “A life that matters”
Our Bible verse for today: “I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “All lives matter.”
Right now in our country there’s a movement known as “Black lives matter”. The motivating premise behind the movement is the belief that blacks, especially young black men, are being singled out by law enforcement officers for unfair treatment and are even being killed by police in numbers disproportionate to other ethnic groups.
While everyone would agree that black lives do indeed matter, many people believe they hear in that slogan an inference that perhaps black lives matter more, and therefore blacks should be given special consideration or special treatment. So the push-back has become “White lives matter too”, and “Police lives matters”, and “All lives matter”.
It’s not my intent this morning to enter into that debate. I only wish to use that contemporary example as a way of pointing out that while all lives do matter, some people live lives that are full and rich and productive, while others waste their lives. So when in our theme for this month I urge us to strive to live “A life that matters”, I don’t mean to suggest that your life doesn’t matter if you don’t do the things I write about this month. I only mean that there is a way to live that will make your life much more meaningful, and productive, and significant.
What I’m referring to is what Jesus meant in John 10:10 when He said that one of the reasons He came was so that those who follow Him can have a life that is full and abundant. In one respect that’s a reference to eternal life. That’s the life that matters most. But Jesus also meant that it is His desire for us to live lives now that are full of meaning and purpose. His intent is that we don’t waste our lives on frivolous pursuits and on things that don’t ultimately matter very much.
Towards that end, He has given us the power of His Holy Spirit living within our hearts in order to empower us to live the life He wants for us (Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And, as was taught in an earlier devotional message this month, He has also endowed each of us with spiritual gifts, talents, skills, and abilities which we can and should use to bring glory to God and as a blessing to others in His name.
That’s what we mean when we refer to living a life that matters. As the followers of Jesus we are to utilize the power of His Holy Spirit and the gifts, talents, skills, and abilities He has given us, to live a life that is full and abundant and productive in ways that matter for eternity. That, my friends, is a life that matters.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 