The Spiritual Gift of Goodness

God has called all of us good.  The church is supposed to be a light in the darkness, and we are called to share this light with the world.  However, some days it can be pretty hard to see the good in our lives. The news is filled with awful stories ranging from the corona virus to political divisions to acts of bigotry and hatred. Sometimes the Good News that brings hope to all people can seem rather hidden.  So where is God’s goodness?

God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
-Micah 6:8 

Finding good in the world doesn’t have to be left up to those who believe in fairy tales. God is asking us to believe that the goodness of all creation is present all around us.  These words from Micah 6 were written after a foreign army stormed through Israel destroying much of the land. The nation was in an incredible state of turmoil, and there was every reason for the people to see hatred and division in the world around them.  However, the prophet was reminding people of the simple gifts they had to show love.

Today there are a number of reasons we can complain or dismiss the needs of others, but God is also leading us to a different path. This week, in spite of some of the bad news out there, I also got to see my two little boys playing and laughing together. The two year old loves to chase after his big brother. He runs wherever his brother runs and climbs whatever his brother climbs. Now, this never lasts too long. Either one boy gets annoyed or somebody gets hurt, but these two kids are also filled with love. They care for each other. We are all part of a family. None of us are perfect, but God is with us. There is good in the world, and I believe we all have a chance to see this every day.

In the Bible, God calls each of us good. Today I hope that you can all seek to discover the good in your lives. I hope you can all find a bit of love and a bit of hope wherever you are!

Blessings!

Brian

Patience and God's Blessings

Do you have the Spiritual Gift of Patience? 

I have heard it said that a person should never pray for patience, because God will give you the opportunity to use it.  :)

The truth is, whether we pray for patience or not, we all need it in our lives. We spend a lot of time waiting, and this can either drive us crazy or it can open us to God’s work. I hate waiting, and I really don’t know anyone who likes just standing around. However, there is a Bible verse that I would like to share that comes from the book of James:

 

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the early and late rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another…

-James 5:7-9

  

In this analogy, the farmer knows he or she can’t rush things… We have some amazing technology in agriculture today, but there is still a need for faith. The farmer can plant, tend, and harvest the crops, but there has always been a certain element they cannot control. A crop will not grow overnight, and we cannot force the weather to obey us.

Today we have a ton of technology and power at our disposal. However, we still cannot force a virus to obey us. We cannot make other people obey us. We still need to live by faith each and every day. I think we really have to ask ourselves if we want to spend our time worrying about all the things we cannot control.

Personally, I also love how these verses from the book of James tell us not to grumble against one another. Waiting can easily turn into grumbling, frustration, and resentment toward others.

Today I hope we can take a little time to be present in the moment that we are in. Sure, there are lots of wonderful things to look forward to. I am excited to gather with others in person. I can’t wait for my kids to reach their next milestones as they grow up. (I really look forward to the day when I won’t have to wake up in the middle of the night!) However, the Bible tells us that each day is a blessing. Let’s not wish this day and the blessings we have right now away. Let’s live each day by faith trusting that God walks alongside us in our journey.

Blessings!

 

Pastor Brian