Graceline – From your Pastor

May Graceline Article

May is a busy month. The garden has been planted and we are going to be actively getting the irrigation system installed and other maintenance items until the giveaway season starts. Of course, May 12^th is Mother’s Day – we can’t forget our mothers! They deserve a day of recognition and much more. But let’s not forget about Christ’s ascension on Thursday, May 9^th. Even before that on Sunday the 5^th we will be trying out a new backup system for the organ called SOS, the Substitute Organist System. This allows us to play all the music for a worship service through the organ, liturgy and hymns, without an organist present. The system uses an iPad to control the organ and is pretty neat. Also on that Sunday, a representative of Eickhof is spending the Sunday School hour talking about columbaria and answering our questions.

The season of Easter ends with Pentecost on May 19th, a day remembering the giving of the Holy Spirit to the believers gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 2). Holy Trinity Sunday follows on May 26^th. Will we be using the Athanasian Creed that Sunday? I’ll keep you guessing on that one. Shooting for Grace has their first event of the year scheduled for Saturday the 18^th, where we be brushing up on our marksmanship. I’m sure there are many other things going on also, our personal routines plus doctor appointments, etc., that are not part of the church calendar. The point is that most of us are busy, very busy, and we are TIRED! We face choices daily of what to do and what not to do. We only have so much time.

And that is true. We only have so much time. God has set the length of our days from before we were born. Jeremiah writes, ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV) and “The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.” (Psalm 37:18-19 NIV) No one knows how many days they get – only God does. But it is according to His perfect plan. The point is we only have so much time. We need to make the most of it.

Making the most of it. What does that even look like? I can’t tell you what that specifically looks like for you, but I can tell you that if things are cutting into your time for worship and Bible study, you should be concerned. Paul says in Ephesians 5:15, “¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” To the people in Colossae Paul writes, “⁵Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” (Colossians 4:5) And there is a reason why keeping the Sabbath Day holy is the third commandment. It is that important.

I urge you to take a moment and reflect. What’s important in your life? Where is God on that list? If He is not at the top, I urge you to reconsider. Make Him the priority and the rest will fall in place. After all, we only have so much time here on earth. Make sure your eternity is spent with Him.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! God’s richest blessings to you!

Pastor Al

Our mission: “Bringing People to Christ by Bringing Christ to People”