My wife and I have reached that age that when birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas come around, we no longer need or want…stuff. One might think that the older you get, the more you know what to get a loved one. Shouldn’t you understand what they would want by now?  Truthfully, I’ve always been a terrible gift giver. I can never come to the right decision. So, particularly around our anniversary, Debbie and I try to plan a vacation. We try to check off items (er, places) on our bucket list(s). We are creating memories, not accumulating trinkets that just sit in a drawer or on a shelf.

I believe the same way regarding our Christian faith. The world was changed not by wealth and treasures, but by the day-to-day encounters the disciples and early witnesses were a part of. Being with Jesus. Could there have been any better experience? All of the stories that became part of The Greatest Story. To experience everything God has to offer is the greatest gift. Oh – sorry – the greatest gift was and is Jesus. Come to think of it, I was right. Jesus is everything God has to offer. New life. 

Our churches, if we aren’t careful, get caught up in material and maintenance at the expense of experience and presence. We can’t completely set aside our innate drive to achieve and produce. Too much Martha, not enough Mary (I’m still looking for male counterparts). When we invest in our relationships, the rewards are heavenly. Our aging and dying relatives don’t need more stuff; they just need us.

Inhabit us, Lord Jesus, with your abiding presence. Your unconditional love saves us in this world of needing more yet possessing nothing of lasting value. You show us that to have nothing is to possess everything. May we experience the relationship with you that our hearts and souls yearn for. Amen.

Pastor Art