Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. Col 4:5-6 (MSG)
Over the holidays, we had a chance to see a good part of our family. Over the years it has been our prayer that God would use us to reach family members and bring them into a relationship with Jesus. There have been times when it seemed like this was not happening at all.
This year though, we received an awesome gift. One of our nieces, who is currently in High School, told us that every night before she goes to bed she reads her bible. Though her parents don’t really go to church often, she is getting to know God on her own.
The best part, we gave her that bible about 7 years ago. It was a Christmas present that we gave out of faith hoping that one day she would have a desire to read it. I tell you all this to remind us that we should never give up on people. God can use small things and grow them into something meaningful!
This week we are starting a series in which we look at the Distinctions that should mark us as a church. They are the reasons we started the church and really should be the reason we continue the church. The obvious place to start the discussion is with God’s heart for people.
To a degree I feel some what like a broken record, but it is hard to talk about what God is up to and leave out his deep passion for people. I easily forget this importance but God always reminds me.
This coming year I want to be a person that God uses to reach people. By that I mean family, friends and neighbors. I know that God loves them and I know God has made a way for them to have a relationship with him. My prayer is that I will share his conviction of their importance
Who is God placing on your heart for 2009? I would love to hear your thoughts!
