Good Morning!
Hebrews 13:21; “equip you with everything good
that you may do his
will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus
Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
The
Boy Scouts have the motto of “Be Prepared.”
That can serve as a good motto for most of us but are we prepared for
most of life? It is amazing how many
different ways you can use a screwdriver.
It can serve as a pry bar, as a chisel, as a punch, it will even turn
screws in and out. There are lots of
things that can serve as a hammer; a rock or even you shoe will work in a
pinch. Yet, if you want to attempt any
Do-it-yourself, fix-it type projects; you really should have the basic tools.
You will probably need a hammer, a couple
of screwdrivers, maybe a cordless drill with assorted drivers and bits, a
level, a pair of pliers, and a tape measure.
That would be a good start. With those tools you could do many small
fix-it projects. The important thing is
to be equipped for the project that you undertake. If you are really prepared; you can deal with
the contingencies of life.
The same is true of our spiritual
life. We need to be equipped with the
basic toolbox. God sends His Spirit to
us and, through his grace, gives us the necessary tools to live our life. He gives us the tools to fight the devil by
staying close to our Heavenly Father. He
gives us his Word to hear his words of forgiveness. He gives us his body and blood in the bread
and the wine so that we can taste and savor his forgiveness. He gives us prayer to speak to him with our
worries and fears. He gives us his
Spirit to comfort us, and he gives us our fellow redeemed brothers and sister
to give us consolation. He gives us the
worship services where we can join together with our brothers and sisters to
share in these gifts as one body.
When we stay close to God, by using the
tools he gives us, it is more difficult for the devil to win. He will still attack, and we will still have
bouts of self-condemnation, but these bouts do not have to control our
lives. God’s grace will pull us through;
we need to trust this. This is how God
helps us and guides us through the challenges of this life.
So be sure to keep your spiritual toolbox
ready at all times. Be sure and use it
often. Pray daily, at all times and in
all situations. If you make prayer your
habit, it will be the first thing you rely on in trouble. Read and commit God’s Words to your memory;
that way when troubles occur the Spirit can remind you of those words. Stay connected to your fellow redeemed
brothers and sisters. Do this in
worship, in communion, in your daily life; they are who God will use when you
need his consolation. Keep your toolbox
handy; you never know when you will need it.
Gracious Lord, you provide for our daily needs. You give us what we need to support this
life. Teach us to use it and to rely on
it. Be with those who are in need of
your grace at this time. Strengthen them
with your mercy. In Jesus’ precious name
we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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