Originally published in the January 30, 2007 issue of The Evangel.
by Dr. Frank Lewis, Senior Pastor
We enjoyed four wonderful Sundays in January with great crowds, a variety of music, sermons and study times on the letters of John, and lots of first-of-the-year activity. Our student intramural basketball league finds the church Rec Center buzzing with activity. Children are preparing for Bible Drill, and our committees have received training and orientation and are ready for a great year of service.
I want to encourage members and friends of First Baptist Nashville to take advantage of our new Cycling Club. We meet on Monday and Thursday nights at the Rec Center for a conditioning class led by Tim Coble. All levels of bicycle riders are invited. We ride on trainers for now (going nowhere fast!) but are planning a spring ride as soon as warmer weather arrives. Come and join us for a fun way to raise your heart rate and possibly shed some pounds you may have added over the holidays. For more information, contact Tim Coble at tcoble3@comcast.net.
Here’s a prayer that someone sent me last week. Might be good for each of us to pray it.
Gracious God, help us remember that the lady who cut us off in traffic last night is a mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the disheveled looking homeless man begging for money in the same spot every day was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and because of that is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.
Gracious God, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
Blessings!
