March 15, 2010 - 1 Peter 4:7-11

"...therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen."

There comes a point when simply showing up for church on Sunday is not enough. For me, that point comes and goes. Sometimes it's all I can do to drag myself there, and other times I can't get enough. A lot depends on my life circumstances at the time.

I didn't attend church much when my husband was sick, especially towards the end. I don't do well in a large church. Nobody really cares if you're there or not and they have all the help they need. A small church is a better fit for me. I feel useful and wanted, more like part of the family instead of a "check-with-face-attached."

This passage from 1 Peter speaks to that for me. "Serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received." God has gifted me in many areas. I can rub two words together and make a pretty good story. I can read aloud clearly and with appropriate volume. I can listen. I can pray. I can serve.

Now, the next part is a little more difficult. "Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God..." Yikes! Trust me, not everything that comes out of my mouth are words that God would speak! But...I do try. I've been dealing with an issue lately that made me just want to go and vent to a co-worker. But before I did, I remembered that acronym that I talked about before. T-H-I-N-K. Was it Truthful? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind? My issue passed the "T", but pretty much failed the other 4. So, I decided to button my lip and let it pass. (Thank you, Mary Welchel of the Christian Working Woman radio show, for that.)

So today, it looks like I have kind of a tall order on my plate. Be of service, speak the words of God, glorify Christ. Be hospitable. Don't complain. Love. I can in no way do any of these things on my own, but I know that God will supply all the strength I need when the need arises. Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings You've placed in my life. Thank You for the opportunity to be of service. Thank You for my health, for the ability to see and think and feel and enjoy Your creation. Thank You for my jobs (all of them!). Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your precious Son, Who makes all things new...even me.

Blessings to you, my dear readers. May God bless your day today!