I felt good today...strong even.
I've been working on my sermon for Sunday. It's on the biblical concept that we are all called to be in ministry.
That doesn't mean that you are expected to run out and quit your job and start going to seminary. But, no matter what your job is, you should be serving others on a regular basis using your gifts, abilities, passions, and prior experiences.
Although many people do this by serving in their churches, they are missing the boat if they are not also serving outside of their churches.
Most people immediately equate this with "volunteering". And volunteering is a wonderful way to be in service to others. But you can also be in ministry by raising your children to know and love God, having a conversation with your neighbor in which the Holy Spirit prompts you to share the Gospel, or even writing a blog. :)
Each of us should have a personal ministry where we intentionally reach out to others based on our specific and unique set of gifts. This isn't always through our words, but through our actions. In fact, Francis of Assisi is famously quoted as saying:
Keep in mind that God created you with inborn gifts and talents, blessed you with others who helped you develop specific abilities, and guided you through the experiences in your life that have led you to this point right now. You are the only person in the world who is that specific combination that defines who you are.
And God has a specific plan that involves YOU. You are the only person who can reach certain other people in this world. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit is calling you to your task.
Are you listening?
Even more importantly...
are you answering?
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