June 10, 2008
After traveling with our family to visit my brother in south Texas, I came home with a refreshed spirit. Seeing family, sharing with the people that you care about most, and having a time to talk about life and taking time to laugh are important.
It reminds me that the New Testament is filled with instructions to the church to encourage one another, pray for one another, to love one another, to admonish one another, etc. Life is about relationships. The most important relationship in time and eternity is our relationship to the Living God. The other important relationship is with people, made in the image of God, made for His glory and appointed to serve Him.
Many people today have forgotten that life is NOT about us. It's about the One who created us, called us through the Gospel, redeemed us by His work (not ours) and now calls us to serve and glorify His name. When our relationship with Him is "in order", other relationships fall into place as well. The result of knowing and serving Him is we begin to focus on others and not ourselves. When I focus on myself it is likely that I will miss the joy God intends me to experience in life. The most fulfilled people I know are people willing to give themselves to the Sovereign Lord who made and redeemed them and who then look for ways to serve others.
Let's covenant together to look away from ourselves. (Gal. 2:20)