Do you ever people watch? Have you ever found yourself sitting in a café, or in an airport, or bus station, etc. watching people going about their daily lives and routines? I do and I find myself gently praying for the people I see. If someone looks sad I pray that something will brighten his or her day. If they look happy, I thank God for the lighter moments in their lives. If they look like the weight of the world is on their shoulders, I pray that they will be able to cast their cares and worries on the Lord.
Everyone has a story – a life story! I have a story and you have a story. We are all books of life that are continuing to be written. Everyone’s story is unique and every story is different. In Psalm 139 verse 14 we are reminded of this uniqueness when the Psalmist writes “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Every single one of us is made by God and all our stories are different. I do find myself thinking about my story and what people might think when they ‘people watch’ me? What sort of story is my life telling? Confession time from the Rector – I know that my life is messy, I often get things wrong, and I often fall short of the standards which God has laid out for me (Romans 3:23). However, I also know that God is merciful and compassionate and forgives me when I do wrong (1st John 1:9). This is what is called Grace – Amazing Grace.
The verse that was on the back of our Peru 2017 shirts was Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…”. When other people look at us, even if only for a few seconds in a public place, will they see something which enlightens the eyes of their hearts to the Glory of God? In other words, do they see God in you and in me?
One final thought on ‘our story’. When life on this earth comes to an end for you and for me, it is not the end of our story. It is just the end of that particular chapter. The Bible promises us that even though our time on earth comes to an end there is a place far greater than earth where we can live forever. That place is Heaven, and there is a place in it for each of us. Jesus has made the way possible for each of us to get there, by asking Him to be Lord of your life and give Him full control of the pen which writes your story.
Everyone has a story – a life story! I have a story and you have a story. We are all books of life that are continuing to be written. Everyone’s story is unique and every story is different. In Psalm 139 verse 14 we are reminded of this uniqueness when the Psalmist writes “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Every single one of us is made by God and all our stories are different. I do find myself thinking about my story and what people might think when they ‘people watch’ me? What sort of story is my life telling? Confession time from the Rector – I know that my life is messy, I often get things wrong, and I often fall short of the standards which God has laid out for me (Romans 3:23). However, I also know that God is merciful and compassionate and forgives me when I do wrong (1st John 1:9). This is what is called Grace – Amazing Grace.
The verse that was on the back of our Peru 2017 shirts was Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…”. When other people look at us, even if only for a few seconds in a public place, will they see something which enlightens the eyes of their hearts to the Glory of God? In other words, do they see God in you and in me?
One final thought on ‘our story’. When life on this earth comes to an end for you and for me, it is not the end of our story. It is just the end of that particular chapter. The Bible promises us that even though our time on earth comes to an end there is a place far greater than earth where we can live forever. That place is Heaven, and there is a place in it for each of us. Jesus has made the way possible for each of us to get there, by asking Him to be Lord of your life and give Him full control of the pen which writes your story.