To My Flock
James 4: 13-15
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
HOW TO SURVIVE THE COLD
We cannot gather together in worship tomorrow, so I wanted to give you something to think about while you are trying to stay warm and safe. I know that you will all be relieved that you don’t have to go a week without me preaching to you, LOL. I would like to share a devotion with you and give us all something to think about. The source of the following quote is unknown, but it is worth repeating: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why they call it the present.” How often do we waste the moments we have today by dwelling on what we could have or should have done in the past? It is history. Dwelling on missed opportunities is futile. As for the future, only God knows what is ahead, so it is indeed a mystery to us. From the moment of our conception until we breath our final breath, there is only one certainty—God. God is truly the only thing that you can count on to be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, no matter where we find ourselves, no matter whether we our hear on this planet or in heaven with our Savior, God never changes.
If you have seen a whisp of steam vanish into this air, you know how brief our life spans look when compared to history. What do we do with today? Do we waste it, or do we taste every good thing God has for us? This is a good question for us to ask ourselves on these cold, snowy days. Our moments on earth are precious. Yes, we need to stay warm and safe, and we all need and want a little time to just relax and enjoy the world as it slows down for this storm, but let us also remember that today is important because it is a day created for us by God and we should take full advantage of the blessings of the day. Today is a gift from our loving God, so unwrap it carefully, treasure its contents, and be grateful for this specific moment—for only He knows the future. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.
One last thing that I would like for us to consider as we are tempted to hibernate for a few days. We are not alone in this world and while we may have everything that we need to make it through the storm our Christian faith calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. I see this snowstorm not as a hindrance but as an opportunity. Think about it this way, maybe There is a purpose in what we see as an inconvenience, God’s purpose. This very well might be your chance to help that neighbor who you have never talked to even though you know that you are called to love them. Don’t waste this storm, do as Jesus did and help to quiet it for someone. Make sure your neighbors have what they need. If you are able to shovel snow don’t just shovel your sidewalk but make sure those around you can help themselves, if not be to them what Jesus calls us to be. As a follower of Jesus, you are responsible for those around you. Don’t you see, this could be the time where the light of Jesus shines through you and melts the heart of someone who needs to know him. Don’t waste the storm, redeem the time and practice your faith. Everything happens for a reason according to God’s purpose for his children, don’t dread what’s coming embrace it and live it. Remember these are moments blessed by God, moments that will never come again.
In Christ’s Love and Peace
Pastor Bob
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