"Making Memories" -2

"I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations."
(Psalms 108:3)

 Okay, so maybe everyone is not called to preach; but each and every one of God's children are called to be lights in the darkness. His light shines in us for a reason, even if it is helping out in Sunday School or monitoring the parking lot, we all have a role and a function in the army of the Lord; even if it is just supplying food and water to those that are on the front lines. God has been putting this on my heart lately, and I feel as though the profession I have worked at for all of this years is getting more and more stressful, almost as if it is not where I am meant to be. I have felt God calling me into an RV ministry, one that focuses on being committed in marriage and bonding together with our spouse in the twilight years of our lives. You can bet the Gospel Message would be woven into all of that, but in this day and age, the conversation needs to be one that grabs the attention of the listener. Paul used the statues and idols on Mars Hill to grab the attention of those that worshipped them, making the one proclaimed to the unknown god as his focal point to introduce the Creator, and God they did not know. That is pretty much what we do, we find out what people are interested in, and then gain their attention to introduce them to the Lord. Paul said, "Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:19 NLT) It really is about making ourselves available. Just showing up sometimes is the most important first step in any ministry. Besides, we really need to start putting notches on our belts, if you will. There are so many wrong things we remember doing and things that cause us to be discouraged, we need to over shadow those things with the good and right things, those things that not only please the Lord, but make us feel worthy to be called His servants. Yes, it is about the memories; those things that we look back on and can point to as proof God is, has and will work in and through our lives. Isn't that what fruit is all about? Where is the fruit? James says, "How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?" (James 2:20 NLT) It is not about works, it is about The Work! It is about us being open for the Holy Spirit to do His work in our lives; even if it might take us somewhere we never thought we would go. Real memories are born in adventure and uncharted experience; as faith is only really realized when it is tested and used...

"Don't be misled -you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone -especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:7-10) NLT