10 August 2013 - service with a smile

10 August 2013 - service with a smile

Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.

We don't often feel like every grace is abundant for us.  We sometimes feel that this grace or that grace is present.  But they seem to come and go.  There never seems to be the abundance described here.  They never seem to be abundant enough for us to rely on them.  We learn not to take chances, assuming they will be there to help us.  They are sufficiently rare that they take us by surprise.

God can make all grace not just present but abundant for us.  But he does so to empower us to do every good works.  As a consequence we have all we need.  But having all we need isn't the main point.  He wants to "increase the harvest of your righteousness."  We may not even be fully aware that we are farming righteousness, not only in ourselves, but in all with whom we interact.

Jesus wants us to have hearts like his heart.  That is his ultimate gift to us.  More than any other blessings, he wants to empower us to love selflessly with his own love.

Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.

Jesus is on the cross.  Let us be with him here, hidden in his wounds. Here with him we offer all that we are in love.  Sometimes we do it simply by sharing a smile with a stranger and thereby sharing the gospel.  Sometimes we are called to do it by winning the martyr's crown through testimony and suffering.  Jesus stands risen.  Let us stand with him here in his glory. Here in his indestructible life we find the power and the hope that let us get beyond ourselves.  His death destroys all obstacles to selflessness.  His resurrection is our power to love as we are meant to love.

Like the man described in today's psalm we have nothing to fear.  The cross and resurrection have paved the way.  The peace of the Kingdom of God is now available to us, unshaken by worldly circumstance.

An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.

Let us be rid of all hesitation "for God loves a cheerful giver."