From the pulpit

I missed posting on Wednesday, I have given much thought on what I should say, what I might say or what
I could have said. However, for each of these questions I did not receive an answer that allowed me to write effectively. Normally I would turn to a page in my bible, and reflect on the verse I found, and then try to write a message
that is useful, relevant and speaks to us so we will know what God wants and needs us to do.
This week, even though I followed the same thing I have done since starting this blog, I found a verse and could not
find anything to say about it. Perhaps at times we are all like that, maybe we see a verse of scripture, and
while we believe we should be able to place it in to a context that is useful, we find we have nothing to say.
Why this happens? I cannot supply an adequate answer. For me, this happens when I have to many things
happening in my life. Maybe I have scheduled to many appointments during a given day or week.
Maybe I have attempted to have my hand in all that goes into running a ministry, rather than allowing others to
assist me. I may have some preconceived notion that I am, what I would call, a super pastor. One who does not
need assistance as they can handle everything on their own. This however is the furthest thing from the truth.
I believe that at times, we spend so much time trying to do it all, that we forget our humanity, that we are human and
not as tireless as God is. We at times become so wrapped up in our faith that we forget that we are fathers
and mothers, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, grandparents and friends. We forget, being servants of
Christ, that we must also be servants to ourselves and those around us whom we love and cherish. We should
consider, that if we are to do the work that God and Christ have called us to do, how can we do Their work if we
do not tend to our physical health, our spiritual health (in prayer and meditation) and our families and loved ones?
We find an answer to this question 1 Timothy 5:8, we are told “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives,
and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
We are to provide for our families, not only their physical needs, but also by giving of our time and love to them,
using the time we have with them meaningful and fulfilling.
Timothy also tells us, “For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for
God's church?”  (1 Timothy 3:5). Timothy again tell us that we must tend to our own families and loved ones.
If we cannot take care of our own, how can we then, take care of those whom we are sent to by God?
In short, the work that God sends us to, should start in our own homes. We should live our lives in the same
manner that we are telling others to live, in this way we are teaching others by our examples, rather than in words
which we cannot substantiate.
Paul tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Paul speaks of the fruit of the spirt, how through the spirit we are to act towards one another.
How we should act towards those whom we do not know, and, also to those whom we hold most dear.
God calls us to be servants, let his call to servanthood start in our own families, so that we may speak to
​ others from experience, rather than in words alone.
Pastor Lisa