Today is my birthday, my 60th birthday. I am so excited to step into this new decade. As I think back, there are so many things that I question, things I regret, things I cherish, things that bring me joy, and things that put me into deep darkness. However, I now realize how God was with me every step of the way. At times, he would say, “Please, no, child.” At times, he would say, “Thank you.” At times, he would say, “I am proud of you.” At times, he was embarrassed. At times, he cried, but in every situation and circumstance, he still loved me. It has taken me years of soul searching to find myself and to realize that being who I was and who I am is OK.
Brother Bryan’s sermons always strike a chord with me. Yesterday, he discussed what can sustain us during tough times. He gave us 3 points.
- IT IS GOD’S NATURE TO LOVE. God is actively working for the benefit of those who love Him. Knowing that God’s nature is love should change the way we react and question.
1 John 3:1
New International Version
3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 4:10-16
New International Version
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
- JESUS IS OUR GOOD SHEPHERD. Our shepherd takes care of us, His sheep. He sacrifices for His sheep. The shepherd laid down His life for us on the cross.
Psalms 23 NIV
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
3. GOD IS GOOD. We may not be on the easy road, but whatever road you are walking, God is with you. He is working things out for the good. All we must do is go to Him. He is always present for us. He sees us and hears us.
Romans 8:28 New International Version
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
One of my favorite songs is Different by Micah Tyler. In the Chorus, Tyler says,
I wanna be different -I wanna be changed – ‘Til all of me is gone – And all that remains – Is a fire so bright – The whole world can see – That there’s something different – So come and be different
The year of 60, a time when I thank God for the lessons learned from the past and praise Him for what He has in store for the future. A time to be different; A time to be changed. A time of more of Him and less of me. A time to total surrender all decisions to Christ. A time to have a peace that surpasses all understanding. A time where I follow the good shepherd. A time to have patience and wait on Gods timing. A time to step away from the hustle and bustle of the world and pray. A time to be still and know that He is God. A time to have no fear in what Christ is telling me to do. A time to know when the door has been closed and when one has opened. A time to react like Jesus would in every situation with love. A time to build a hedge of protection around me, my family, and my home.
In a nutshell it is the serenity prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
To do that, I must go back to the three points that Bryan made.
God is love, He is our shepherd, and He is good no matter what the day brings.
When we rely on biblical truth, walk by faith, and focus on God’s goodness, we will be different.
Be the difference by being different. Be what God says you are and not what the world says you are.
Walk with me through the year of 60 and be the difference.
1.Show up for JESUS – Start your day in the Word.
2. Show up for OTHERS – Serve others, whether they are like you or not, whether they annoy you or are difficult to understand. That is what Jesus did; He showed up for everyone.
3. Show up for YOU – You need to fill your cup before you can help fill others’ cups.
WE WILL FIND JOY WHEN WE SHOW UP FOR JESUS, OTHERS, AND OURSELVES.
As Father Mike says, “You pray for me, and I will pray for you.”
And as Tara Leigh says He’s where the joy is.
Have a great week, I will say to you what I tell my grandkids, Cupcake loves you and so does Jesus.
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