Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to spend some time with a 90-year-old member of our congregation. He invited me into his home, and I was blessed to simply chat with him. He didn’t have me over to complain or worry about the world. I was there because he wanted to ask questions and listen to the Spirit. He wanted to ponder the blessings of baptism and he wanted to give thanks for all that the Lord has done. I was astounded by his desire to grow in faith. There are days I know I can become complacent. I stop looking for surprises, and I can become bogged down by the complaints or frustrations of the world. I walked away from our time together inspired. Christ calls us to see the blessings, and I am thankful for the opportunity to share these moments with others.
This weekend we will be continuing our sermon series on the Book of James in the Bible. James is a wisdom book, and wisdom has a special place in our scriptures and in our lives. We are taught to learn from our experiences and grow from our mistakes. Biblical Wisdom does not shame us for our failures, but it does call us to grow. We are taught to listen to the voice of God, and we are told to incorporate God’s love into our lives.
Are you at a place where you can listen to God? Are you open to receiving the gifts of the Spirit? God calls each of us, whether we are 2 years old or 92 years old, to grow. Christ wants us to learn lessons from the world around us, and we are taught to believe that the Love of God surrounds us in all we do. Today it is my prayer that we would all open our hearts to these gifts. If we realize that our hearts are heavy, may we give those burdens to Christ? There are new blessings for us each day. Let us cherish all that we have.
In Christ,
Brian Ward
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