God and People

   
   As I stood by the bed of an old friend who had died, and had the privilege of being with his family afterwards; and as I began to process the fact that a beloved family member could have been killed in the accident in which they were involved the very next morning… I became very quiet in my spirit. (Psalm 131:2 – "…I have stilled and quieted my soul…")  I realized, anew, that all the "stuff," that we worry about, and on which we expend so much time and energy… really doesn't matter.         


   At the end of the day, or the end of a life, all that really matters is relationships: our relationship with God, and our relationships with people.    
      
   At the end of the day, or the end of a life, as we're lying in that Hospice bed, or as we're standing next to the one in that bed; all the irritations and resentments and judgements and hurt and unforgiveness fade away. We want to "go out" on a love note. We want to forgive, and be forgiven. We want to feel nothing but love and gratitude to those surrounding us. We want to feel those same emotions towards the one in that bed, as well. And we realize that our relationship with God is the most important relationship of all.      


      At the end of the day…  Moses said as much to the people he was called to shepherd when he said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength." (Deuteronomy 6:4, NIV)            


       The love relationship with God is not meant to be a half-hearted, or only occasional one.We are to love God with all our hearts. The New Oxford American dictionary defines the heart  as "the center of a person's thoughts and emotions…"    
  
      If we are to love God with all our hearts, then we are to love Him as the center of our thoughts and emotions! Does He take up the center of our thoughts? Do we spend more time thinking about, praying to, listening to, and worshiping Him more than anyone or anything else? Have we answered, or are we answering His invitation to get to know Him better? Are we intimate with Him?        


    At VBay UMC, we've been re-visiting "The Presence Based Church." We know that, as we continue to grow, (all glory to God for His great work), it is essential that we keep our eyes on Jesus. We know that nothing else matters more than seeking more of God's presence in our lives, our families, our church and our community. With more of His presence comes more of His power (healing, salvation, deliverance), and more of the fruits of His Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, self-control. Want some of that? Seek more of Him. How do we do that? Worship – private and together. Prayer – (Communicating with God.) We will offer a class with Marty Smith (beloved Kenyan missionary and woman after God's own heart) in February, on how to pray. Through these two essentials, we grow in relationship with the most important person in our life – God! 


Happy seeking! 
Pastor Bec!