| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “How to inhabit time” Our Bible verse for today: “… but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25 (NIV) Our thought for today: “A purpose worthy enough to inspire you” What gets you out of bed in the morning? (Please, don’t tell me your bladder). What I mean is, do you have a sense of purpose that inspires you so much that you look forward to each day and approach it with eagerness and expectation? Does it make you want to get up and get going? Jesus had that sense of purpose. In John 4:32 He told his disciples, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” He wasn’t referring to bread and meat. He was talking about His sense of purpose for being involved in His Father’s business in this world, and accomplishing meaningful things for the kingdom of God on earth. That sense of purpose and mission drove Him – it inspired Him and kept Him going through even the most difficult of times. That’s what Jesus was calling for from us in Matthew 16:25 when He told those same disciples, “… but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” What He meant was that when we make His mission our mission, we find that our life has purpose and meaning far beyond what it would have otherwise. Being successful in your career, owning a nice home, raising a family, building your bank account, going bowling on Thursday nights, are all things that might be meaningful and helpful, even enjoyable, but they don’t add up to the life Jesus wants for you. Those other aspects of life do matter, but being a faithful disciple of Christ and being on-mission with Him in this world matters more. He wants us to concentrate on blessing people in need, comfort the suffering, offer words of hope to the despondent, and share His love in word and deed. That doesn’t mean you can’t go bowling on Thursday night. But it does mean that while you’re bowling on Thursday night you could also be looking for opportunities to bless other people. It’s not hard to incorporate that sense of mission into all the rest of life. Smiling, being friendly, listening to someone who might be struggling with life issues, offering some help, inviting them to church on Sunday – you get the idea. We all have to live life. Working, playing, eating, sleeping, changing diapers, mowing the lawn, talking to the neighbors, and washing the car are things we all have to do just by virtue of being human and living in this world. But all of it can be undergirded by and inspired by a higher and worthier purpose. Having a sense of purpose that is larger than yourself will make your life richer, fuller, and more meaningful, and it will inspire and motivate you. This is an important aspect of how we value our time and how we use the gift of time that God gives us each day. It’s so important that we will continue this discussion tomorrow. God bless, Pastor Jim |
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