Tuesday September 16th, 2014 Ephesians 2:4-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing? (verse 8a)
Tuesday mornings I open up my Bible, reflect on the readings for Sunday, and look through the commentaries in preparation for my message. As I start typing I feel anxious, hoping to deliver a message that will have everyone thinking, “This is the best sermon I ever heard, Pastor.”
The humour in all this is when I think I have prepared an awesome message, I find that most people don’t feel connected to the message. When I think I could have spent more time on preparing the message, or it sounded flat, people are coming to me after the service saying how much the message connected with them.
How often do we put pressure on ourselves when doing God’s work? How often do we forget that God is there helping us love others through the Holy Spirit?
Paul reassures us that it is by God’s mercy that we are able to do God’s work. “This is not your own doing: it is the gift of God.” So whether you are writing a sermon, or visiting a dying friend, or sharing the good news over coffee, relax and remember that this is not your message, but God’s.
Gracious God, help us relax and see that you are doing wonderful things through us. Amen. — WHB
Contributed by Relax! It’s Not About You
Tuesday mornings I open up my Bible, reflect on the readings for Sunday, and look through the commentaries in preparation for my message. As I start typing I feel anxious, hoping to deliver a message that will have everyone thinking, "This is the best sermon I ever heard, Pastor."
The humour in all this is when I think I have prepared an awesome message, I find that most people don't feel connected to the message. When I think I could have spent more time on preparing the message, or it sounded flat, people are coming to me after the service saying how much the message connected with them.
How often do we put pressure on ourselves when doing God's work? How often do we forget that God is there helping us love others through the Holy Spirit?
Paul reassures us that it is by God's mercy that we are able to do God's work. "This is not your own doing: it is the gift of God." So whether you are writing a sermon, or visiting a dying friend, or sharing the good news over coffee, relax and remember that this is not your message, but God's.
