Philippians 2:14–16
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
What Of Today’s Verse…
Stars. They’ve always been a source of constant hope for God’s people. "Your descendants will be like the stars," God told Abraham. "When I see the stars, what is man that you are mindful of him?" the Psalms ask. The Wisemen from the East followed a star to Jesus. Luke reminds us that Jesus was a bright star come to us from heaven to shine God’s light to those in darkness. And now, we’re stars. God’s points of light in the dark sky of the universe. So let’s make today a day where our light shines God’s glory to a dark world around us.
Let Us Pray:
Almighty God, the incredible expanse of your universe, with its billions of stars, exceeds my limited comprehension. But I thank you for calling me to be a light in the dark world around me and I pledge to shine your light today in the lives of all those I can. Through the name of the Bright and Morning Star I pray. Amen
Words of Wisdom
Shortcuts…
If you seek only the reward, even if somehow you are able to get it, it has no meaning. Seek instead to be worthy of the reward, and whether you "get" it or not, you will have it.
What good is the reward without the effort and the accomplishment? What meaning does it have? It’s far better to deserve a reward which you do not win, than to win a reward you don’t deserve.
Anything that is precious and valuable — whether it is a diamond, an idea, a luxury automobile, a personal relationship, or a growing business — derives its value from the effort put forth to create or obtain it. To have the value without the effort is impossible, because the effort is the value. To desire the reward without the accomplishment, is to miss the point entirely.
Yet so often we seek shortcuts, instant jackpots that will make everything better overnight. That is such a terrible waste, because the time, the hopes, the expectations we invest in the pursuit of "something for nothing" bring very little fulfilment.
If you try to reach your destination without making the journey, you’ll get nowhere. Instead, get on with the journey, and the destination will grow closer by the minute.
