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| Volume 21 Number 5 May 2019 | Page 13 |
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| Volume 21 Number 5 May 2019 | Page 13 |
Cliff Holmes
I woke up early today, anticipating all I had to do before day’s end.
I have responsibilities to fulfill today.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy, or
I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today, I can feel sad that I don’t have more money, or
I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my
purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today, I can grumble about my health, or
I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today, I can lament over all that I didn’t have when I was growing up, or
I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today, I can cry because roses have thorns, or
I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today, I can mourn my lack of friends, or
I can excitedly embark upon a quest of being friendly.
Today, I can whine because I have to go to work, or
I can shout with joy because God
has given me the power to “create” wealth.
Today, I can murmur because I have to do housework, or
I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter
for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.
Here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me.
I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Have a really Great Day—unless you have other plans?
It’s Not about Me
Derek Broome
When I was a kid, there was a cartoon that came on television about two lab mice which would try every night to take over the world. Every night, they would fail, but that would not slow down their determination. They wanted to take over the world. As individuals, we sometimes want to be in complete control. We want certain things done, and we want them done our way. However, do we not realize that this kind of selfish and self-centered mindset leads us toward a life filled with sin?
In Genesis 3, we read about Adam and Eve sinning in the Garden. Eve, being tempted by the serpent, saw the fruit of the tree was good for food and that it could make her wise, and she took, ate, and gave it to her husband. Adam, likewise, took and ate as well. Adam and Eve sinned before God because they disobeyed God and instead, they did what they wanted to do. Sin happens when we as human beings decide to do things that we know God has forbidden and when we decide not to do things that we know God has commanded. Selfishness is sin, and it leads us toward more sin in the future.
Before time began, God knew that He was going to send His Son to die on the cross for mankind. He knew mankind would sin and, that at times, we would be selfish and self-centered. It is amazing to see how God’s plan for salvation interacts with man’s desire to always be in control. Salvation in the Bible is not found through works alone. No matter how many great things we do in this life, we cannot work our way to Heaven. There is not some checklist that we can complete in order to earn Heaven. Salvation is given by the grace and mercy of our God. By faith and obedience, we can come in contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ in the watery grave of baptism. There is nothing special about the water, but we are saved by faith and grace. As Christians, we are called to work for God. We are to teach His Word to all the world and to be His workers here on earth. We work because of our faith in God and the commands He has set before us. We work because we love God and we know that He loves us with the rest of mankind. Being selfish and self-centered will not only lead us toward a life of sin, but it may possibly keep somebody else from ever learning about salvation through Jesus Christ. We need to remember as we approach each day that it is not about us. Our lives are about faithfully serving God daily and letting the world know about the God we serve.