Cornerstone

Luke 2:15

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
The baby God was sought by the humble. The high point in the lives of the shepherds up to this time probably was when they happened to see a caravan of some important Roman figure traveling through their territory under heavy Roman guard. They could only watch warily from the crags of the distant hills as the procession passed. They never would have considered coming close to see and speak to the dignitary.

Yes, this night caused their head to spin. They were already rehearsing the story they would tell as their families gathered around them in their humble abode. Who could believe it? The brilliance of the Angel . . . the thunderous melody as the heavenly choir said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (v. 14) left them quivering with excitement.
Now they were going to look for the baby God. He was the King of kings and the Lord of Lord. For a reason beyond their understanding they had been chosen to visit Him first. God seems to give honor to the humble. They expected nothing and yet they received a Christmas gift that out shines any that could be given.
Maybe it is true that it is closer to heaven when you are on your knees.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Eccl. 1:1-11; Matt:28:18-20

Maintenance and mission are both necessary in order to minister effectively. When maintenance is emphasized while neglecting mission, it loses its purpose and becomes little more than a bore and a chore. When mission is emphasized at the expense of maintenance, its accomplishment is neutralized. Maintenance and mission are both necessary and important. Maintenance may not be very exciting, but it shows that we care. Mission is exciting but easily forgotten because of the sense of urgency that maintenance declares.

This is a tension that we experience in our calling. We have a mission to accomplish but in order to accomplish the mission we must maintain the vehicle and trappings necessary to accomplish the mission. Often our emphasis on one or the other gets out of balance and we are less effective in our work as a result.

If it seems that your ministry is ineffective you can still ignite a spark of renewed flame in your work. But to see this happen you must do some self-evaluation. How is the balance in your life AND work between maintenance and mission? Are you so caught up in the necessary things involved in your work that you have forgotten the purpose for it all? The proper balance can bring new life and new excitement to your work. You can come to the place where you can ‘t wait to get to the work because of what you are sure God is going to do through you.

Dr. Gayle Woods