Philippians 3:14 “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize….”
Entering some sewing projects in the annual County (parish) Fair last month and winning prizes was exciting; however, those prizes cannot be compared to the heavenly prize I press on to gain! As I thank the Lord for the talent He gave me, I ask Him to help me stay focused on THE prize!
Sewing always makes me happy and I enjoy sharing my “creations” with others. It causes me to think of Dorcas in Acts 9:36-43, and all the sewing she did for the widows and orphans in Joppa, fulfilling the definition of pure religion that James gives us in 1:27. In the following chapter, he added in verse 26 that “faith without works is dead.” Dorcas was steadfast, each day showing her love so that it was not just a job or a duty, but an act of faith and love.
Dorcas found opportunity to help others because obviously, she looked for it and was ready to offer her services, along with compassion and the good news of Jesus. God had given Dorcas a talent to sew and she used it to serve others. Many of us who enjoy this talent use it to make garments or quilts for our family members. It is a wonderful feeling to pass along items we have made as a family legacy. But if, in addition to that, we give clothing to the needy, it is an even better feeling to know we are serving the Lord by sharing with others.
It is very easy to ignore or bypass the poor and needy, but Jesus said to give to them (Mark 10:21) and He said His mission was to give the Good News to them in Luke 4:18.
Many groups doing good works around the world today incorporate Dorcas’ name in their title. Our congregation’s sewing group calls itself “The Dorcas Group,” and we send the new clothes we sew to missions in faraway countries in Africa and Europe. That is good, but we also make and donate blankets, quilts, and baby clothing to local hospitals and children’s homes. Dorcas got involved with local people she could get to know personally. That is a goal we have set for ourselves also.
Hebrews 6:10 is a verse that motivates our sewing group. We have it posted on the wall of our sewing room. “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”
It is not easy to always think of others before we go after our own selfish wants. The Holy Spirit helps us with that when we ask Him. Paul urges us in Galatians 6:9 to “not grow weary in doing good” so we can reap rewards if we do not give up.
The key to serving God and others is love. We must remember the love we had for God when we were new Christians. As we mature, that love should grow, and sharing should become easier. Remember the joy of our salvation David wrote about in Psalm 51:12? He asked God to help him restore that joy. That is part of my prayer every morning. “Lord, remind me of the joy of my salvation. That joy gives me strength. Help me let that joy radiate from my face all day today!”
One of our mottos for our congregation is “Love God — Love Others.” It is at the top of the bulletin every week! It is on my husband’s grave marker — “Loved God, loved others.” It is on mine! So I better get with it! I need to increase my compassion along with my faith and love. I want to remember to love others as Jesus does.
May God help us always serve Him and serve others with faith, love and joy.
-Joyce Broyles lives in Jennings, LA and worship with Christ’s Church of Jennings