Daily Devotional corner, your go-to spot for a splash of spiritual refreshment. Every day, we pick a piece from the good book and toss in some real-world reflections to brighten your path. Whether you're kicking off your morning or just taking a breather, these bits of insight have got your back. Drop by every day for a dose of inspiration and a touch of soulful connection. Let's navigate life's ups and downs together!
525,600 Minutes
Everything you can see with your eyes, will die.
Every title you can earn, one day will be earned by another.
Every bit of glory you receive from other humans will turn to nothing.
Live for that which is eternal.
Jesus died for you; will you live for him?
It’s the only thing Eternal, God and people!
For many years the musical Rent was the most popular show on Broadway.
It followed the lives of young artists struggling to make it in NYC in the days when the AIDS crisis was claiming many young lives.
My favorite song from the musical is of course, one that encourages you to count your minutes so you will make the minutes count, it’s called: "Seasons of Love."
"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.
How do you measure, measure a year?
Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan.
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
How do you measure a year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love."
The song reminds us that lives are measured in days, and days are measured in moments, and moments add up to something when they're offered in love to the people around us.
Do you live on mission?
Are you building your life in marble?
Are you living for what is eternal and working in the temporary things around your eternal agenda?
Living on mission is about recognizing those moments; seizing them, making the most of them, because they matter!
A diaper changed or not changed. It matters, doesn't it?
A tree planted, or not planted. It matters, doesn't it?
A meal served, or missed, matters to someone who's hungry.
A phone call made, or unmade, a text of encouragement matters to the person who's waiting for it.
An act of kindness done, or undone, matters to the person who needs help.
Love your neighbor is how you love God.
Who is your neighbor?
Anyone who needs help. (Thanks Pastor Joe, for that definition)
A word spoken or left unsaid.
A smile offered or withheld.
Money given or held back.
An invitation to church ventured or stifled.
A conversation begun, or never had.
These things matter.
They look small and insignificant, but they are the stuff of eternity because they deal with the eternal, God and people.
There's a person on the other end of these transactions.
There's a relationship that's either nurtured or stifled.
A life or a community that's being enriched or diminished.
These everyday tasks are central to our mission as Christians.
Some time ago we had a Bible study with some of our neighbors.
Three couples who live on our street: from different church backgrounds and different places on their journey.
Renee and I were the only non-Roman Catholic couple present!
Did you know that 65 percent of Corpus identifies as Roman-Catholic?
Did you know that only close to 25 percent of Corpus attends church on a regular basis, some studies show 20 percent? (So low!)
For one couple it was the first time they had ever read the Bible for themselves and talked about it.
It was a bit scary to extend that invitation, and a bit awkward at first.
But we ended up having a great time.
It was great to see Scripture come alive for them, and their fresh eyes helped me to see things I hadn't really seen before.
Our conversations and relationships went to places they never have before.
It was a great experience.
It never would have happened without 11 years of living on the same street in Corpus Christi, Texas!
Talking at the end of the driveway, waiting together for the school bus, driving each other's kids to practice, walking home from open school nights, telling my neighbor their dog got out again, trick-or-treating, graduation parties, watering their plants in the summer when they are on vacation, keeping an eye on each other's houses—all the everyday activities that go along with having a home and raising a family and living in a neighborhood.
After 11 years of "everyday matters," we found the courage to offer a Bible study, and they found the courage to say "Yes."
That's five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, 11 times!
That's a lot of ordinary moments, but they add up to something when you lean into them, when you live them with love.
In Christ's Love,
Rev. John Roberts