GRACE: God's Riches At Christ's Expense

I heard a preacher on Sunday discussing 'the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God' from Isaiah, which on the surface has nothing to do with grace, but that's the part I took with me that day.

He explained that we are in the time of 'the year of the Lord's favour', the time between Christ's coming and his second coming when healings and miracles can occur and Grace is in abundance.

He spoke of a man he had spoken to on a train, that had commented on a flock of sheep who had marks on their back, given to them by their owner. The man  had commented that each sheep couldn't see the mark on their own back or head but could see the marks on the others. The preacher likened this to Grace: we often see the growth and Grace in other people's lives but not our own. This is so true of many things in life, we often see the great or positive in other people's lives but rarely our own. It got me to thinking how lowly I think of myself sometimes and how silly this is.

I don't actively seek compliments but its always nice to receive them! But I'm always surprised at them especially in a church setting. I always see things that I can do to change or improve things but blunder my way through and often believe I make a pigs ear of it all. I end up thinking I shouldn't have bothered in the first place, but still I persevere in the belief that I'll be good at one of the things I put my mind to!

I decided long ago that I should pray more about any decision I make, any job I want to start, any venture I want to take on but the cold hard truth is, God nevers seems to tell me what He wants me to do. I wait until I can't wait any longer then I jump in! And most of the time, though I have made mistakes, God has honoured many of my ventures, helped me to grow within them and I hope helped others.

Now I have decided to change churches and can see all the things I could do to help at this new church but what on earth would I be good at?! I could help with children's work - there's a huge range of children and young adults that go - being a teacher that might come more naturally and I have done this before. I could start training as a street pastor, as the church are quite keen for this (but that would be scary!) or start 18-30s types activities as the youth/young adult work stops at 25 :(

I always seem to plunge right in, but would love God to guide me on this. I would love to be able to see my own mark on my back and how God works and moves in my life more and more. A new house, a new year, a new church - a fantastic new stage :)