Today is Monday, November 8th, 2010; Karen's Korner #1941
Sometimes when we go to church, the discussion and items on the bulletin are just another bunch of stuff to add to our 'to do' list, which could already be too long.
"Bake a cake." "Take on a new job." "Write a check."
Our week ago Sunday's sermon centered on "His Love" for us. We have to be reminded because sometimes we forget. Psalm 145:7 says to "celebrate God's goodness".
Pastor Warren asked us, "Have we forgotten who we are? Have we forgotten whose we are? Have we forgotten what we have?"
We need to remember how much we are loved by Him. We need to remember that we are God's chosen people. We possess so many things we probably can't count them all: love for one another; love for ourselves; peace; patience; kindness; gentleness; His grace and mercy. When we are loved, we can return that love to God.
Then he asked us, "But what about the masks we wear? Do we smile and say to one another, when we are asked, 'How are you?' Do we reply, 'I am fine', but go on our miserable way?"
Maybe it is time to begin removing our masks. Love requires transparency. We need to hide less from others. But we don't want other people to see exactly who we are; we don't want God to see exactly who we are.
We were encouraged to tell God of our misery or shortcomings: to remove the mask. "God knows already anyway. He wants us to reveal our real selves. We are loved regardless."
Romans 8:38: "Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the LOVE of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The sermon went on to tell us that if we can risk letting God know, we should be able to risk letting other members of our church family know about us and 'remove those masks'.
"We must learn to forgive one another," said our minister. "We ought to not bear grudges between one another. Instead, we should offer love to one another, even those who don't deserve it. Because we are the body of Christ......and He offered, and offers, His love for us......and we don't deserve it." Church should become a refuge from the storms of life.
As we go to church weekly to worship, we must be reminded that we are the family of God. We must be able to open up to one another. To celebrate. To take in His Love for us. To share our love for one another.
And then when we get the list: 'to help......to furnish.......to give'; it won't be one more thing on our 'to do' list , it will be something in which we become involved, because of love........
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for reminding us how much You love us, because we know we are miserable, self-centered people. We need Your love to make us into the people You always knew we could be. Help us to pull off our masks to You and to others. Lead us to worship You weekly at a local church. Help us to love others.....and ourselves; they, like we, are hurting and wounded. But because of You, we walk in love and victory. In Jesus' Name, who made Your Love for us possible. Amen.
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