https://www.facebook.com/groups/muchgrace/

(Romans 12:1) "So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

A mother established a rota of work in her home for her children. When it became time for her middle child to either fill or empty the dishwasher, the girl would become extremely angry, and the family would all suffer a sudden period of uncontrolled and silly anger. As such, they would always find the remains of a smashed plate or a cup on the floor. The child would deliberately do this, hoping that her parents would get frustrated with her behaviour and scrub her from the rota … ! Her Mother held firm however, telling her that for every plate or cup she broke, they would simply go and supply another. In effect, she would never be scrubbed from the rota, and she’d better get used to working as her responsibilities would only get more challenging as she got older!

You might laugh at this, but we are under the same direction and obligation from our Heavenly Father. In striving to grow more Christ-like, we too are encouraged to submit to His direction and work our role in the body of Christ by considering our GOD-given abilities, the needs of the Church, and our willful and continuing commitment to spiritual growth. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will use our talents to serve GOD and fulfil the needs of the Church by serving those around us in His love.

NB—Like the young girl, we can pretend that we are unsuitable, deny our calling, or even try to absolve ourselves of our responsibilities by naming others as far more suitable to the task—but Our Heavenly Father isn’t so easily fooled!

Keep in mind Jesus’s words (Matthew 25:40) whenever you want to skulk or hide away from your calling, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it [or didn't do it] to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’"

GOD, who created all our hearts, says, “Let me hold you close, my child, and I will show you how to break free and live! Do your part and trust in Me enough to honour Me.” 

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve those who are sick amongst us—Sebastian, Nathaniel, Amy, Franca, Daniela, Kristina, Paul, Roger, Alastair, Ian, Alex, Alexander, Lynette, James, Keiron, Samantha, Jay, Liliana, Maria, Susanna, and those you bring to our minds right now… Please grant your healing power to those who minister to all the sick among us so they may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen