Our church is a very very laid back church, which is heavily based on showing God's love. Getting up and doing it. I have been looking for an area that I thought I would be able to fit in well with. (okay it took me three years to kick my butt in gear into doing this! But I'm so glad I did)The store is in the next town over and provides food and clothes to whomever needs them. I am going to try to volunteer two Saturdays a month.
One of the things that stuck out that I learned last night is that although it feels good to do good...All of us feel good when we do good...the difference to make sure I am putting forth is that I am doing it FOR God. That we are his hands and feet. That we are extensions of Him. BUT...WE cannot save anyone. Jesus is the only Savior. He can use us. But we are not saviors.
The King will reply "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these of brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40
He then had us serve each other, and instead of the symbolic washing of the feet {{thank goodness we didn't}} he had us wash each other's hands. I didn't know a single person there, but when it was my turn, I felt so loved and cared for.
We then prayed while still holding hands in the basin before we switched and it was my turn to wash someone hands...We prayed that these hands would do good works for God and that they would help. It was beautiful.
"So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful"
1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Just simple everyday helping has proved to work. The pastor told a very funny story of how every year after the town's annual "River Days" the church agrees to sweep the streets from one end of the town to the other. It is very late at night, early morning when they do this, and as he was sweeping off the steps of a bar, a {{very inebriated}} lady came out and asked him what he was doing. He told her, and she asked how much they were paying him to do that!?!? He said "for free!"She said "Jesus Christ!"
And he said..."that why!"
They sat on those steps and talked, and she became a Christian.
So who knows!
"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"
Psalm 133:1
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