lately, as i've been reading the Bible, i keep coming across God's desires for us. and what i've found is that God intends His children to be examples for the rest of the world. He tells us that we should do good deeds, conduct ourselves in a Godly way, to seek His wisdom and to not do wrong against others. these seem like such basic tenets for life. but yet, we struggle with these directives at various points in our lives.
this morning i was reading the book of titus. and paul explains to titus how he should choose elders to promote God's teachings. but then i came across this, titus 3:14 and it states:
"Our people must learn to use their lives for doing good deeds to provide what is necessary so that their lives will not be useless."
i've also been listening to a john piper sermon where he states that the greatest tragedy and fear is that he doesn't live his life to the fullest...that he does not want to live a wasted life (actually, the sermon is title 'don't waste your life')
in reading God's Word, i can see that this is so true. God blessed us with gifts; not necessarily monetary gifts, but gifts of grace, mercy, love, etc. so that we may go out into this world and be examples of God's love. i keep coming back to the thought that when i get to the gates of Heaven and i am asked "did you do the most with the gifts I gave you?" i can't help but think that is my motivation...i want to carry out God's plan with the gifts He gave me. we all have different gifts and i encourage all of us to use them for Him.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Here is a quote I love that goes with this:
ReplyDelete"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautiful tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt form making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my nails from helping weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheek and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived. "
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley
THAT'S AWESOME!!! I love it!
ReplyDelete