| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Be the church” Our Bible verse for today: “But those who trust in the Lord, will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Action and Attitude” As we end this month of devotionally thinking about effectively being the church in this messy world of ours, if I had to sum up what we have learned in just a single phrase I think it would be “Action and Attitude.” Effectively being the church is a matter of how we act and the attitude with which we do it. It is what we do, but also how we do it; it is what we say, as well as how we say it. Also, as has been noted in previous devotionals, I think our example of living well and living joyfully in the middle of all the trials and challenges of life should be inspirational to the observing world and can cause them to want the faith that we have. I love inspirational stories. They make me want to be better than I am. I especially love being around inspirational people. Reading an inspirational story is good, but watching it being lived out in real life is better. That’s one of the reasons I’m grateful God allowed me to have twelve years of friendship with my friend Tom, whose funeral I told you about last week. Tom lived large and lived well despite great challenges and serious disabilities. It’s also why I’m grateful for the example I see lived out in my own home day-after-day by my wife Linda. It has been more than sixteen years since she had the stroke that rendered her seriously disabled. But they have been sixteen years of resilience, achievement, and victory for her. Hard years, yes, but good years. Tom and Linda are the kind of Christians who inspire believers and unbelievers alike to want to be stronger, better, and more resilient. We all need to be more like that. In his book “You Gotta Keep Dancin’” Tim Hansel (who lived with daily debilitating pain) writes about others who have inspired him. He calls such people the “verbs” and “exclamation points” of life. In other words, they’re all action and attitude – despite the challenges they face. They’re people who, rather than sitting around complaining, rather than being victims of their circumstances, instead find ways to live life to the fullest, with vigor and gusto. And they have chosen to live that way. They have chosen to be a victor rather than a victim. They embrace their situation as it is, and they do what they have to do in order to live the fullest life they can under the circumstances as they are. As Tim wrote, “What a test adversity is. It can either destroy or build up, depending on our chosen response.” I thank the Lord for the inspirational examples He has put into our lives like Tom and Tim and Linda, Christians who show the rest of us how to do this right. They truly are the verbs and exclamation points of life – all action and attitude as they live life to the fullest. That’s what the observing world needs to see from all of us as we go out there on-mission with Jesus, just being the Church in a hurting and confused world. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
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