Wednesday, October 30, 2013

By: Rachelle Hitt Bilbo

Is it Really THAT Important?

Lamentations 3:22-23 The faithful love of The Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.

A churchgoer once wrote a letter to the editor of his local newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting their time by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

In addition to church, there are so many things that we do in life that may SEEM insignificant when reflecting on that moment later in life. However, the truth is that every investment of our time or of our resources is instrumental in getting us or those God has entrusted us with through THAT particular moment.

Today's verse reveals that God's mercies are NEW every morning. Each day, when we seek Him, He has just what we need to not only "get by" but to prosper in Him.

Know that your efforts...your prayers...your commitment to Him are never in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:8 declares, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of The Lord, knowing that in The Lord your labor is not in vain."

It's THAT dedication that causes you to be an overcomer, a conqueror through Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, I know that food may be essential to my physical nourishment, but Your Word and presence are even more important to my survival. Thank You for the examples of overcoming men and women throughout the Bible and for providing scriptures that truly inspire and remind me of Your promises each day.

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.