11-22-2024

Good Morning All,

   Mark 8:34-35; “And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” 

    It is always kind of interesting when we watch as the truth of the Scriptures plays out in the lives of even unbelievers.  They never want to admit it, but we know that the Bible applies to everyone, whether they want it to or not.

    Sociologists, Psychologists, and anthropologists all agree that humans are social creatures.  The Bible tells us that when in Genesis we read where “it is not good for man to be alone.”  As we look at this we also see where we truly get our happiness. 

     Most of us would agree that the saddest people in the world are those who are totally self-centered and completely engrossed in themselves.  They look only at their own needs, at only their own wants with no concerns about others.  We often call them a “Prima Dona.”

    It is really sad to watch because being this self-centered is a cancer of the soul.  It eats away at your heart and makes your heart hard as stone.  It tends to isolate the person from family and friends.  Above all, it goes against God’s will and thus separates one from God as well.  Jesus came to reconcile us back to God; God then sends us forth to reconcile with our neighbors.  It is when we serve our neighbors that we find our true earthly contentment.

    Think of a time when you open presents, we are often more excited about giving the gifts than receiving them.  We anticipate the person’s reaction and sometimes we are more excited by this than we are about receiving a gift or even more excited than the person who is getting the gift.  We find joy when our vision is outward (looking to others) rather than inward (self-centered). 

     This is how we are designed.  This is living a life the way God designed for us to live.  We are designed to care for our neighbor.  We are designed to live a life that is outward looking.  We find our contentment and our happiness in helping those around us.  This sharing of God’s love and his grace is what fulfills us and completes us.  It is where our life on earth finds contentment.

Dear Father in heaven, too often we look to our own selfish interests and fail to love those around us.  Lead our hearts to know that our joy is found when we forget ourselves and follow you.  Lead us to know that our purpose is to love those around us and to share the love that is you with them as well.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret