6 months... It has been SIX MONTHS since the last post to Nehemiah's Nemesis!!! No excuses gang, although I have a boatload of 'em. Here's how it is: I haven't been faithful, I didn't set reasonable priorities, I_simply_didn't - period. You know what? It feels good to be tapping at the keyboard again... with purpose (and not the "purpose" of planting and harvesting in Farmville). So, here we go again...
Maybe, just maybe, I am getting back into a routine... I'm back at CCNO, back at The Disciple House, back to my Saturday morning accountability group, and I even gave a Gideon message at St. John Lutheran in Montpelier last Sunday. And (can you believe it?) I actually prepared and led the Sunday School lesson today (it was even today's lesson in our Life Matters quarterly).
For those of you who were physically present, let's review, and for those who were AWOL (as I was last week) here's an overview of our current lesson titled Fueled For Action.
Working from 2 Corinthians 5:67-21 (you'll have to look it up and read it yourself or find it here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Cor%205:6-21&version=NIV ), we looked at serving in the church for three reasons: We're expected to... We're compelled to... It's who we are!
First, we're expected to. When a member of The Team ( the Body of Christ is our team) isn't prepared, doesn't pay attention, or fails to take responsibility, someone else has to pick up the slack and the team suffers! We're expected to work cooperatively within a strategic plan allowing each one to use our unique, God-given gifts as He intended. At times we'll take the lead and at other times we'll depend upon others to exhibit their best efforts while we assume a supporting role. God expects us to serve and each will have to answer to Him for what we did with what He gave us. Admittedly, we don't like being held accountable, but each of us has a responsibility to the Body of Christ that must be fulfilled.
Let's pause here for a couple of question (hit the "comment" button to respond):
How well are YOU using the gift(s) God has given you? What happens when you don't serve as God intends?
Next, we're compelled to. Let's note that "compelled" does not mean "forced". Barb put this so well this morning saying "Christ's love for me moves me to want to serve him!" Christ's love, demonstrated by his willingness to die on the cross for us, should be sufficiently compelling that we want to serve Him in whatever ways we can, as often as we can! We can't earn God's grace and love, but, once we've experienced it, how could we not share the hope we have in Him with the world around us?
It's time to pose another question for you to consider:
How can YOU show your appreciation for what Christ has done for you?
I'll be back in a few days with a preview of next Sunday's continuation of this lesson. We'll explore this reality: It's who we are! We'll be asked that personal question again... What are YOU going to do with what God has given to you??? For now, read the passage from 2 Corinthians, ponder the questions posed in this entry, and, please... add your comments (and react to the comments posted by others)...
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I'll comment first, Ron, and surpass my promise to at least "look" at this blog! I want to start by making it clear that my comment about God "moving" me to want to serve Him was not all my own. Be it all very true, I was actually quoting from the 'Message' version of the Bible. I simply agree with its explaination!
ReplyDeleteNow, to the sharing....I find great joy and fulfillment in serving my Savior with the gifts He's given me by: teaching youth in Sunday school, leading (being a part of) a young women's Bible study, leading worship music and singing special music for my church body, as well as singing (worship/ ministering) in a Christian (God-serving) band. This is the "list" now, but it wasn't always so. For example, it took me a long time to agree to teach the youth. I felt I wasn't educated enough, would be seen as too hypocritical, and was generally just not qualified to do such a thing...and it was all true. The thing was, God wanted me to take the pitcher's mound and start the game anyway, (going back to the baseball metaphore we used in class), so that all didn't matter. However, while I stood back, still justifying my refusal, God allowed me to experience an unsettling discontentment that I couldn't explain away with anything else I was lacking in life. (because I wasn't lacking anything) It wasn't untill I accepted that it was He who gave me all the tools I'd need that I finally submitted (much to the relief of my spirit) to His will. It wasn't about me or what I could accomplish or "win." It was about what HE could accomplish and win through me!
Then, it happened again in starting a women's Bible study. I felt it was not my place to take on such a venture. I felt I was not qualified or equipped to lead my peers in something so above my head. Again, my heart hung heavy with uneasiness...a feeling of something missing....yet I waited for someone else to "be the pitcher." I was content enough to play second base..or even right field! I was still studying God's word, still being faithful, right? Yeah...but then why the all too familiar uneasiness? God finally sent out a messenger to right field to tell me to get my stubborned pattotey up to the pitcher's mound... I was needed. I finally listened, and the blessings have poured in!
So, how does one show appreciation for so much undeserved faithfulness and blessing? Well, for me, it's literally thanking Him, and then... I just keep singing for Him, keep studying and teaching His word, giving Him the glory for it all...trying with all my heart, mind and soul to do everything I do to please my Father's Heart.
~Barb