Gracious God, in this life with which you are so familiar, grant them peace in all they face. Amen.
Our text for Sunday and the theme from the movie ask the question, how are you making the most of your time while alive? Our text for today comes from Colossians 4:5 that says, "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time." The concern in that passage is how we act around those who are not from our church or fellowship circles. To act wisely is certainly to act in ways that are welcoming and inviting. We know it is very easy to act nice and kind to those we know and we know to be nice and kind to us; but what about the ones that God sends to visit our church in search of a home or in search of meaning and purpose for their lives?
Do we get angered because they may be sitting in our place or do we act standoffish because they don't act or dress or talk like us?
We as Christians should be known as the people of God. If God is love, as God's word declares, why aren't we?
PRAYER: Loving God, give me a heart like Yours. Let me love all, especially those who make me uncomfortable or even those who make me angry or nervous. I pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Colossians 4:5 5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.
PRAYER REQUESTS: For a young man, Randy Mesquias, who underwent emergency surgery last evening to remove his appendix at Harlingen Medical Center.
PRAYER REQUESTS: For a young man, Randy Mesquias, who underwent emergency surgery last evening to remove his appendix at Harlingen Medical Center.
Some of you may know that on New Year's Eve here in Harlingen, at a local grocery store where many of us shop, a man shot to death his girlfriend. He had abducted her from McAllen, driven to Brownsville, here to the HEB where he killed Maura Marroquin, then drove to Weslaco and drove a stolen vehicle into the Wal-Mart where he shot himself. Sadly, some of our church members were at the HEB and were traumatized by what they saw and heard. This includes an 11 year-old girl, two others who had just purchased their groceries, feared getting trampled by the mad exodus of shoppers, left their groceries at the checkout stand and then were denied access back in the store, as it had become a crime scene. Pray for the Marroquin family as well as the family of the shooter.
STUDY GUIDE FOR TODAY: Paul in Colossians 4:5 stresses something similar to what he shared in Sunday’s passage. Please find that and see what that adds to your life.
