"Open your eyes, Shelby. Open your eyes." a quote from M'Lynn-Steel Magnolias. Remember how frustrated and agonized she was trying to get her beloved daughter to open her eyes. I often think of that quote and wonder if God from above is shouting those words to us. "Open your EYES, Marisol! Open your eyes, Nicole! Open your eyes, Tatiana, Hector! Open your eyes, (insert your name)!"
Are our eyes really opened to God's truth? His word? Do we truly love our neighbor? Are we feeding His sheep? And the answer is no. I know I'm not. I want to but unintentionally I begin to make excuses why I haven't fed His sheep with the word and needs or loved His children. I wonder what our great and wonderful God thinks as He watches us go to church every Sunday and for some of us every Wednesday,Thursday, home bible study, or anytime the doors open. Do you think He's thinking, "man they have it all wrong." ? I do, I believe that's exactly what's he's thinking.
I worked for a church for over a year. In that year my week consisted of preparing for the coming Sunday. Every single week was meant for the preparation of the coming Sunday. I really thought we were doing a great thing, how wonderful of a job I had in preparing for the coming Sunday. But what was that coming Sunday all about? It was about the lights in the sanctuary, the right music, was the sermon going to move people to give more or move people to bring more people, how many people would come to the altar, how many souls will the church save on Sunday, do we have enough bulletins, will the bulletins offend anyone, how members and visitors attended, or is everything clean. Wow, nothing in our preparation was for God's true glory. It was all about us. So I believe as I walked out of my church a few months ago, my eyes were opened. God in all his majesty wants us outside of the buildings we call churches feeding His sheep.
As I pray I feel that my first ministry is my home and my family. Beyond my front door there is a whole world of possibilities to help the kingdom grow. I urge you my friends, to seek Him in his word and in your prayer to what He would have you do to feed His sheep. And let's go do it!!
Marisol
