1-23-2014

Good Morning to All,

    Genesis 1:26; “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

    I was watching the TV the other day and was listening to a guy tell me I needed to get a reverse mortgage.  It sounded so easy just a couple of minutes and they would be sending me money “for the rest of my life”.  Cool beans, I could use money the rest of my life.  I am just not sure that will happen, at least from that I.  I am pretty sure it wouldn’t work.  I could always try the second most common method of estate planning- the lottery.  I don’t think that works either.  But something might; not sure.

   So how do we plan for the future?  For many of us a better question is how do we plan for tomorrow?  Can I pay off my VISA with my MASTERCARD and still get flier miles?  It is easy to get drawn into the web of deceit from the world.  Easy payment, easy credit; just worry about it tomorrow and live it up today.  The finances are bad enough but it also impacts our relational life as well.  I have my needs, my kids can fit in later.  I need to go to the “Y”, go to by book club, go on my weekends to “get away from it all”; I’ll take care of me first and what is left over will be good enough for my spouse, children, family and friends.

    The tough thing is that we end up depriving those people from the provision that they need.  They need our love and our time.  We know it but the sinful nature that still lingers in us and around us keeps trying to pull us down.  We lose sight of what our real needs are and who supplies our needs.

    From the very beginning God has supplied our needs.  Read the story of creation in Genesis 1.  Notice how God lists what he creates.  Why not just say, “God did it all”?  Because we see clearly what God has done.  We read the complete listing of what God has provided for us.  He created and then gave it to us.  Even before we ask, even before the need is there, God provides for us.  We even see in this passage God’s love for us.  We are in his image.  His love is so great for us that even after we sinned, actually even before man sinned; God had a plan for rescue.  Even before the foundation of the earth was laid God had a plan to save you.

   So we see, we don’t really have to worry about what God will provide for us, because he will.  What we need to do is to let go of the “stuff” that we clutter our lives with.  Part of “dominion” is to take care of all of creation.  People are part of creation and not just a part but the very special part; the part that is called “very good” we need to take very good care of those people that God puts into our life.  We need to care for them first, even if it means we have to take second sometimes.  They are God’s gifts to us; for us to cherish and love.

Father of love and mercy, you give us the things we need to support this body and life.  Guard us with your Spirit and lead us into a contented life of love for you and those whom you give us.  Be with those who are struggling with the battles of want and greed.  Bring them safely home.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret