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Written by Paul Hagan
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Monday, 21 July 2008 00:02 |
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Today was an exiting and nerve-filled day for me. I had the honor of preaching the Lord's word for all three services and with a little help from a comforting liturgist, and some supportive friends and family, I made it through okay. What I also did was make a few challenges to this congregation, and to myself. We are given seven days every week in which to live our lives to the fullest and to glorify God. Yet it seems that when I look around at our society, we tend to be glorifying ourselves and our need for more stuff. The price of gas, the need of a bigger house, the desire to give our kids the things that we didn't have, all lead us to spending more time away from what counts the most in this world. How often do we let the almighty dollar keep us away from the Almighty Creator, and in turn our families and friends?
I am one of the idiots that lives in a house that I can't afford, and because of it am spending most of my waking time working to generate extra cash to pay for it so that I can still live a life that make me feel like a good husband and father. When do we take the time to see that our choices (yes OUR choices) seem to be what holds us back from doing what the Lord has planned for us? He designed everything in such perfect beauty, and so too did he design us and lay out the pattern for our lives. But we want to do what we think is best instead of following what He has in store for us. If you can't rest on Sunday, and keep that day holy just as God designed it to be, then you need to rethink some of your priorities. I know that I am rethinking even now as I type these words. The story of Chick-fil-a and the dedication that the owner has given to upholding the Sabbath should be a testimony to us all. If we want to enjoy the fruits of Gods grace and the joy that he has to offer, we need to give him the benefit of the doubt and start doing the things that he asks of us. I hope that this Sunday was a new start for the way that you look at the Sabbath, and that you are looking forward to a positive change in your life. I know that I am thinking ahead already to how I can glorify God on His day and how I can keep it holy as He has commanded. Remember that God created the Sabbath for man, and not man for the Sabbath. This day is a gift to us. It is a time that God has set aside for us to be with him and with our families. It is a day to put aside that which would bring us stress and that which would bring down our spirits. But the only way that we can see these fruits is if we surrender this day to the Lord. My prayer for all of us this week is that we find a way to slow down our lives and invite God back into them. If he has been gone from yours as long as he has been gone from mine, you have some real work to do, but in the end it will be a work that strengthens instead of a work that wears down. Be at one with the Lord on His day, give Him this one day with all of your heart, your mind, your soul and your strength, and you will be rewarded with the kind of rest that will rejuvenate your soul. |
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