Excellence

 

Excellence 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

 as working for the Lord, not for men,

 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

 (Colossus 3:23-27, NIV)

 

            Earlier I wrote about my “Pickeringism” that all days are not created equal. Here is another example. There are days that we are full of boundless energy and others when we are as flat as pancakes. However, these feelings are mental, physical, and emotional states, and they do not affect our hearts, just our performance or output.           

As a long-term weekend athlete, there have been too many days when only the heart showed up for the workout; the arms, legs, and head wanted to go back to bed. There were many days when that’s how the day started, but the performance was in the excellent range when it ended.           

One of my best friends and four-time Olympic athlete relates to this. Pat has trained every day of his life, and he can relate to the fact that the heart and head often lead the body, “ …  work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord,” and you will be rewarded with excellence. Excellence starts with believing in yourself and the Lord, and the rest will follow. 

Thought for Today: Today, let us remember that “All days are not created equal.” On the day we want to go back to bed, let us trust our hearts and move out, take the leap of faith and give ourselves the chance to exhibit the excellence that God wants us to share. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we give you thanks for your ongoing presence in our lives. When we are physically worn, you help us recover, and when emotionally drained, you recharge our spirits. We give thanks that you are always with us.

Amen

Pandemic Weariness

 Pandemic Weariness 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

 as working for the Lord, not for men,

 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

 (Colossus 3:23-27, NIV) 

            All days are not created equal. There are days that we are full of boundless energy and others when we are as flat as pancakes. However, these feelings are mental, physical, and emotional states. They do not affect our hearts, just on our performance or output. Certainly, our 2020 has been one of stress and often fatigue. Pandemic Weariness is probably not in the medical journals, but it is a reality.          As a long-term weekend athlete, I try to compare this to a long race, marathon or triathlon. There is no comparison, they are voluntary and have a measured end! When a race ends, recovery begins and there are very few long-term effects. We need to pray that the same is true of COVID.           

We did not enter this race, it found us. We are in it and hopefully rounding the final corner. As we move forward into recovery we need to “…  work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord,” (Colossus 3:23-27) and we will be rewarded. with a belief in yourself and the Lord. The rest will follow. 

Thought for Today: Today let us remember that “All days are not created equal”. On the day that we want to go back to bed, let us trust our hearts and move out. Let us take the leap of faith and give ourselves the chance to be a positive force in a world of Pandemic Weariness. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord we give you thanks for your ongoing presence in our lives. We are physically and mentally weary from COVID. We pray that you recharge our spirits, and we thank you for always being with us.

Amen

 

Confidence

Confidence 

 “For you are my hope;

O Lord God, you are my trust…

And the source of my confidence.”

(Psalm 71:5)                

            The Psalmist above gives a strong message a new year; we can develop confidence and trust through faith. Our news sources all seem to sell negativity to increase ratings. They think focusing on the negative is the way to sell their time. That is not an excellent service to the world. It is good to be aware of the news, even when negative. Reading the good news of Jesus to balance the books can and will overcome all the news media’s negativity. 

                This Psalmist also said:

“But as for me, I will always have hope.”

(Psalm 72-14)

and

“You will increase my honor

And comfort me once again.”

(Psalm 71-21)               

Through the good news of Jesus Christ, we will all have a better life and live in a better world. 

Thought for Today: Grow in confidence and share our good news. 

Prayer for Today:  Dear Lord and Father, we pray for the spiritual maturity and growth to be better at being a disciple and worker for You. We pray that we may find a clear vision of what we can do.

Amen

 

 

Persistence

 Persistence

"Then Jesus told his disciples... that they should always pray and not give up."

(Luke 18:1)

 Bob Dylan's lyrics said, "Times, they are a-changing…" and maybe not for the better. One of life's constants is change. It is like an endurance event or marathon. There will be ups and downs along the way that necessitates keeping our eyes on the prize. It takes persistence to get to the end. We need to "…always pray and not give up." 

There is a long year ahead, and there will be changes and some stresses; COVID, careers, financial, health, to name a few.

The holiday season is a period of stressful joy due to all the activities. January is when reality comes to the forefront, starting an annual endurance event called the year.

                 

Dr. Benjamin Mays wrote the poem "God's Minute."                                                               

                                                                I have only just a minute.

                                                                Only sixty seconds in it.

                                                                Forced upon me, can't refuse it.

                                                                Didn't seek it, didn't choose it.

                                                                But it’s up to me to use it,                                                 

                                                                I must suffer if I lose it,

                                                                Give account if I abuse it,

                                                                Just a tiny little minute,

                                                                    But eternity is in it!

 

Mays had it correct, but we need to think about a whole year.  

Thought for Today: Today, let us pray for people in need, dealing with challenging life issues: COVID, family stress, financial stress, or others. As charity begins at home, it is a given that prayer also does. Have a great day. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we pray for smooth sailing through the rough seas of life. We pray for ourselves and others who are in need. We pray that we will do better and seek a way to do your will here on earth.

 

Sincerity

01230 Sincerity 

"Love must be sincere.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Honor one another above yourselves.
 Never be lacking in zeal,
But keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.
Share with God's people who are in need.
Practice hospitality."
(Romans 12:9-13) 

        During the Christmas season, we all share material gifts. It is a beautiful time of year. It is a time of love and caring with lots of hugs, kisses, and tears of joy. The love and spirit of Christ are a blessing. 

        Now we are faced with a New Year and the resolutions that come with it. We tend to go back to the grind of daily life and settle into our routine with very few changes. However, we need to continue to share this love, this zeal, and this joy. When we do, we all benefit and live better lives. Here are two of my favorite quotes and worth thinking about for the New Year. 

John F. Kennedy:  "One person can make a difference, and every person must try." 

John Wesley:"Do all the good you can,

by all the means you can,

in all the ways you can,

in all the places you can

at all the times you can,

to all the people you can,

as long as ever you can."

 

Thought for Today: As we proceed toward the New Year, let us focus on ourselves and our talents. Let us recognize that we have unique gifts from the Lord to use for Him.

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are entering the New Year, and we wonder where it will have in store for us. We pray we can apply our talents and gifts in the New Year to pursue your will.

Amen 

 

Gifts 

  "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
In accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Just as each of us has one body with many members,
And these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we who are many form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others.
We have different gifts,
according to the grace given us."
(Romans 12:3-6) 

            Christmas has passed, and we were all involved in the materialism of it all at some level. The advertising, the gift-giving, the holiday cards all tend to lead us away from its meaning. It is not about the gifts that were given and received by people.  

            Earlier this year, we read about the gifts that God gave us.  Paul's letter to the Romans has a special meaning. When reading further through verse 9, God's many gifts to us are listed. It is essential to understand God's blessings and recognize our gifts. We need to know where we fit in God's world and how to apply His gifts in our lives. These are the gifts that matter- They are not advertised on TV or in the newspaper. They are given to us by Him to use.

Thought for Today: As we approach the New Year, let us think about who we are and what gifts God has given us. Let us learn to use these gifts to make our lives and the lives of others better.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, self-improvement always seems to be an objective at this time of the year. Each year I focus on "my improvement" and sometimes do not recognize the tasks you may have set forth for me. I pray that this will be the year that "my improvement" is accomplished by identifying your gifts to me and finding a way to do your work with them.

Amen 

 

Christ is Born Today

Good Christian Friends, Rejoice!

 

"Good Christian friends rejoice

With heart and soul and voice;

Give ye heed to what we say:

Jesus Christ is born today!

Jesus Christ was born for this!

Jesus Christ was born to save!"

(1989 Methodist Hymnal # 224) 

            This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Christmas is a special day in our faith and our society. The public displays that represent our faith, the music, the crowded stores, and special events impact the world, as has Jesus. 

            June and I lived for several years in a complex over half occupied by Jewish families. In the lobby, there was a Christmas tree alongside a menorah. Several of the Jewish families put up lights and had Christmas trees. Recently, One of June's friends, Cheryl, invited her to see her first Christmas tree. Religion was not the issue. It was about happiness, sharing joy, and a beautiful tree. 

            My Jewish tennis friend Bobby has a daughter in college. Every year since she was very young, they would set up a tree for Christmas, and Bobby and his wife would share gifts to celebrate Christ's birthday. He and his wife wanted to acknowledge the spirit of the Christian celebration, and it gave them the chance to discuss openly the differences that exist in the world. Bobby also attends bible study and often contributes using his Old Testament knowledge. 

            My family is Unitarian, and my mom's grandparents were both Unitarian ministers. They view Christ as a great teacher/ philosopher. They do not recognize the holy trinity. However, Christmas is undoubtedly the most important day on their Church calendar. They share in our Joy of Christmas. 

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph,and the baby, who was lying in the manger."

(Luke 2 vs. 16) 

Thought for Today: This is the day the Lord has made:

Jesus Christ is born today!\

Jesus Christ was born for this!

Jesus Christ was born to save!

 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, on this joyous day, we pray that we may follow Jesus' teachings and do your will here on earth. We pray for a world of peace and love.