Devotional – April 21, 2021
Pastor David’s devotional for April 21, 2021
I’m Thankful For You!
Philippians 1: 3-4
3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy.
I love our church. One reason I love our church is the great diversity that makes up our congregation. We have all sorts of people who make up the congregation of Desert Spring. We have people of different races and cultures, different genders and orientations, different ages and experiences, different customs and traditions, and different theologies and political affiliations. We have a wonderfully rich diversity of people within our congregation. While we are different in many ways, we are united in our love for each other and for God. And, from the posture of love, our differences enrich our lives. We are enriched because we are a people who can stretch each other, helping each other to grow in faithfulness and in our understanding of what it means to be a person of faith in this world. Certainly, I have grown in my faith and understanding because of you!
Today, as I pray, I am thinking of you, picturing you in my mind. I thank God for you, for the ways you have blessed my life, helping me to grow in faith and in my understanding of what it means to be a Christian in this world. As I picture you in my mind, a smile comes to my face. For, you have brought great joy to my life. In the words of St. Paul: I am thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it is always a prayer full of joy.
I invite you to join me today in giving thanks for the people who make up our church. Take a few minutes and think about the people you can picture in your mind, people you see when you are able to come to church. Some of the people you may know by name. Some of them you may not know by name, but you can picture them in your mind nonetheless. For both, say a prayer of thanksgiving, thanking God for these people and the ways they enrich our congregation. Then ask God to bless them.
If all of us take a few minutes to thank God for the people in our church, our unity will grow all the stronger as will our love and appreciation for one another.
God bless you and stay well. I hope to see you in church!
Pastor Dave
