Blessed Sunday to you all!

What an amazing day! In this double life of worship I lead, I was blessed to participate in three meaningful worship services today. The first one was at Rush Creek Christian. The youth led the worship all wearing red aprons reading IHOG; International House of God. I was greeted with the question, “Party of one?” upon entrance to the sanctuary and was escorted to my seat. Eucharist was enacted today with pancakes with the theme of the worship being “The House.”

Later in the day 26 couples renewed their wedding vows at Advent Lutheran Church during a marriage worship service. The years of marriage ran from 5 years to 51 years. The service included a lovely string trio, a duet sung by Bruce and me, and Eucharist. Geni and Travis were participants in the service and stood with us as we restated our vows before God. It was a precious moment. In the days when many marriages seem disposable, our children seem very firm in their plans to only marry one time and make it for life. I pray they are both married under the blanket of God’s grace and are blessed to marry people of faith whom they will love and cherish with that same love being reciprocated.

Prayer: “Father, do a deep work in my life today. May I move past the surface and experience Your life deep within my soul. I thank You for the great work of salvation that You have worked in me. I am forever saved! May I take what You have put in me and release it in an appealing manner that draws others into an overwhelming desire to possess the same relationship with You. Amen.”

Philippians 2: 12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

When two people get married they make promises to each other, but they say those promises to each other before God. When we make those promises before God they become vows. Many young people today do not understand that occurrence. Making a vow before God is the strongest promise we can make and one that should be unbreakable. It is a promise of faith before our creator to remain faithful in this intimate relationship during this earthly life. Marriage is the closest relationship we (as humans) have. We liken it to our relationship to God. When we stand before God and make these vows, God promises to be within our marriage. God is in our marriage, but God expects us to work out our marriage. It is God’s will that marriages work. Will they all work? No. But effort must be made to make marriage work through willingness to learn together.

Our salvation is the same. God gave us salvation through the crucified Christ. God is in us through Christ but it is our job to work out our salvation. We work out our salvation through prayer, study of the Word, being around others who have also received salvation and learning together how to live the godly life. The most important part of working out our salvation is presenting the gospel of Christ to others. Just as God is in our marriages and helping to model a godly marriage, God is in our salvation helping us to work out our salvation by helping us to be bold in sharing the gospel message of truth, forgiveness, love and grace with others. What an extraordinary journey of faith we have before us!

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes and many layers tomorrow. Drive safely! Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.