Room for Improvement

Sorry I've been away for a while!

A little something from Centenary's October newsletter...

Pastor Joe shocked the congregation when he announced his resignation from the church and a planned move to another church. After the service a very distraught Mrs. Smith came to the pastor with tears in her eyes, “Oh, Pastor Joe, we are going to miss you so much. We don’t want you to leave!”

The kindhearted pastor patted her hand and said, “Now, now, Betty, it’s going to be OK. The pastor who takes my place might be even better than me.”

“Sure,” she said skeptically. “That’s what our last pastor said too!”

Ouch! Sometimes we are tempted to fall into two categories: those who think the world revolves around them, and those who think they have nothing at all to contribute. But the reality is that we all have something to contribute, and one person is not more necessary than another! The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another” (Romans 12:1-5).

What we have belongs to God. Everything. When we serve the Lord in humility and in gladness, we can share all that the Lord has to give. Our time. Our talents. Our gifts. Our service. Out of thanksgiving for all that God has done for us, we can’t help but serve! We can’t think we’re too important, but we are all needed. You are needed! I thank God for serving him among all of you, and I thank God for each of your many talents. Let’s share them for him!

Laugh, live, and celebrate God’s love,
Oliver