2-14-2023

Good Morning All,

     John 15:16; “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. “

    Sometimes this is a verse that we can struggle with.  Most of us like to think we play a role in what we do.  We like to think that our input has value.  When we go to the doctor, we like to think that what we want matters.  When we go to the store, we like to think that our opinion matters.  We like to think that what we do, think or say is important in the greater scheme of things.

    One of the difficult things for us to accept is that we don’t play a role in our salvation or conversion.  We like to think that there is something we must do to help.  Yet we should really take comfort in the fact that our salvation does not depend on us; that way we can’t mess it up.  Deep down, we all know that if our salvation was in any way dependent on what we had to do; we would fail miserably.

     Yet God takes care of all of it; all we need to do is receive the faith that He gives to us to grab onto the promise of our salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and the hope of life eternal with Him.  God gives us the desire to hold onto that promise.  God gives us the inclination to want to believe.  God gives it all to us wrapped up in the blessing of faith through the Holy Spirit.

     Often after this is clear to us, we ask the question; now what?  We don’t experience any earth-shattering changes.  We don’t sing any better than we did before.  We don’t suddenly become the greatest speaker, thinker or theologian in the world.  We don’t even experience a healthier life.  Now what?

      We need to remember that just as God has chosen us, He has also chosen what gifts to give to you.  We all have gifts or talents.  God gives us the skills and the opportunities to produce the fruit (good works) that he has for us to do.  Too often we think that if we can’t sing or preach or teach that we can’t do anything in the church.  There is nothing that is farther from the truth.  Everything you do can be used to serve the Lord.  If you are a hunter you can give to the sportsman against hunger.  If you are a handyman, you can help fix or weather proof a neighbor’s house.  You can give someone a ride; you can help watch the children of the young (and frazzled) mother down the street.  You can volunteer to read at a local pre-school.

     God gives us lots of opportunities to produce the fruit that he wants from us; all we have to do is trust his will and go forth and do whatever He gives you.  God’s peace will go with you as you share his love with all those around.  So as you go about this coming week, look for times when you can produce the fruit that God wants us to.

Dear Father, we give you thanks that you chose us.  Give us the courage and wisdom to produce the fruit which you desire for us.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret