I made the sermon.
yup, finally. I attend Ada Bible - a church of around 4,000 people. And tonight, the sermon opened with a story told about me, Melinda at Zondervan.
It was kinda cool, and very funny. He even mentioned the two guys from RELEVANT that had dinner with us in Atlanta, and that was cool too that one of my pastors remembered that evening.
But here's the kicker: God is all about irony. The sermon that was 'inspired' by me, was in no way how I have been living my life these days. Wow. That hit home pretty hard and pretty fast.
"Our mission is to enhance the reputation of our Lord Jesus - we are the temple." As part of the Church, that is part of my mission. But am I enhacing the reputation of my God?
Am i enhancing His glory when on a bad day, all I do i think about myself and how bad I have it? And I forget about the friend in Brazil who will be lucky to have a job once my Dad leaves, or the AIDS victims in Africa (and all around the world). Or the friend living in a city that seems so unfriendly right now. Or the girl at church who is dying from leukemia, and hopes to graduate high school.
Am I enhancing God's reputation when I think mean thoughts about others, regardless if I voice them? When I waste the time He has allotted me on this earth? When I spend my money on things I don't need, instead of giving it to help others in life?
Am I really giving being a Jesus-follower a good name when I hold grudges against my boss and resist submitting to his authority, though that is what the Bible tells me to do!? When I talk about people behind their back?
Or even more frequent: when my need to look out for myself and my life takes over the need to let God take control and use me how He sees fit, even if that means by being behind-the-scenes, without visibility. When I get so wrapped up in how life should be instead of saying "Ok, if it should be that way, then how do I either 1) accept it the way it is or 2) do what is within my power to make it that way?"
Sometimes the breaking of your heart can be a beautiful sound, as David Crowder sings in one of his latest songs. And that is when God breaks it with the things that break His.
I am honored that I get the chance daily to enhance God's reputation, and thankful that I have His grace since daily I will fail.
Amen.
yup, finally. I attend Ada Bible - a church of around 4,000 people. And tonight, the sermon opened with a story told about me, Melinda at Zondervan.
It was kinda cool, and very funny. He even mentioned the two guys from RELEVANT that had dinner with us in Atlanta, and that was cool too that one of my pastors remembered that evening.
But here's the kicker: God is all about irony. The sermon that was 'inspired' by me, was in no way how I have been living my life these days. Wow. That hit home pretty hard and pretty fast.
"Our mission is to enhance the reputation of our Lord Jesus - we are the temple." As part of the Church, that is part of my mission. But am I enhacing the reputation of my God?
Am i enhancing His glory when on a bad day, all I do i think about myself and how bad I have it? And I forget about the friend in Brazil who will be lucky to have a job once my Dad leaves, or the AIDS victims in Africa (and all around the world). Or the friend living in a city that seems so unfriendly right now. Or the girl at church who is dying from leukemia, and hopes to graduate high school.
Am I enhancing God's reputation when I think mean thoughts about others, regardless if I voice them? When I waste the time He has allotted me on this earth? When I spend my money on things I don't need, instead of giving it to help others in life?
Am I really giving being a Jesus-follower a good name when I hold grudges against my boss and resist submitting to his authority, though that is what the Bible tells me to do!? When I talk about people behind their back?
Or even more frequent: when my need to look out for myself and my life takes over the need to let God take control and use me how He sees fit, even if that means by being behind-the-scenes, without visibility. When I get so wrapped up in how life should be instead of saying "Ok, if it should be that way, then how do I either 1) accept it the way it is or 2) do what is within my power to make it that way?"
Sometimes the breaking of your heart can be a beautiful sound, as David Crowder sings in one of his latest songs. And that is when God breaks it with the things that break His.
I am honored that I get the chance daily to enhance God's reputation, and thankful that I have His grace since daily I will fail.
Amen.
posted by Melinda @ 11:16 PM
1 Comments:
At 10:50 AM,
Cameron Conant said…
Cool. Self-reflection is hard, but sometimes, God takes us there, and we come out on the other side with a new perspective.
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