MORNING MANNA 6-25-24
FACING THE FUTURE
“ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”Phil.1:21
This the same text that I used recently when I wrote about “A Work to do”. I hope I didn’t leave the impression that I have mastered the matter. I haven’t. I don’t always perfectly practice what I preach although I try. I’m still learning and will be till the day I die.
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned comes from the example of Paul. He was writing this letter from prison. He was in a place where a lesser man might have felt that his life was over, that there was nothing left to live for. But Paul viewed it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle (read vs.12-20). That amazes me.
When your great desire is to serve God and you reach the place that you no longer can do what you’ve been doing to serve the Lord it can get discouraging. Sometimes you start feeling useless. You can also feel that others think you could do more if you just tried harder. Fact is, sooner or later life changes and what God plans for us and expects from us changes, but as long as we are alive God has a purpose for us.
When you read the story of Paul you realize that serving God can take different forms. You don’t have to preach like Paul, sing like David, or pray like Elijah to serve God. There is a work for all to do. If you are bedridden you can still pray, if you can’t preach you can pass out tracts, if you can’t be a missionary on a foreign field you can witness to your neighbor, etc. As long as we have life there is something we can do. Simply being an example of godliness preaches a powerful sermon.
God help us to have the attitude of Paul when he said, ,”For to me to live is Christ”.- HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
Humble, Tx
