Trinity United Methodist Church Daily Scripture Email Devotion for Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Trinity United Methodist Church Daily Scripture Email Devotion for Wednesday, 22 October 2014
To everyone to whom much has been given, much shall be required.  Luke  12:48            
As churchgoers, we often talk about what we  believe  as  Christians.  This is an important part of our faith, there is a second  discussion that is equally important.  As you examine your own life and  religious journey, I challenge you to ask not just what you believe as a  Christian, but what does it mean to LIVE as a Christian?  What are we  called to do with our life to carry out the mission of the Church?  The  answer is not uniform - We each have our own stories,  gifts,   treasures, and callings. If we allow God to guide us to use those  things in spirit of love and care, not for our own benefit or rewards,  but in true Christian service to others, we will not only realize what  it means to LIVE as a Christian, but we will feel God’s grace in a  transformative and profound way .  
For  me, this clear Godly calling has most recently come to me in the work I  have been allowed to do with SWAG (Southwest Advocacy Group).  One day,  I was dropping off clothes that my kid’s class had collected at the  SWAG Family Resource Center.  When I walked in the doors of the  community center, there was a tutoring program underway, where I saw  people of all walks of life and races and ages working together to help  kids get their homework done.  Although the homework was important, what  drew me in wasn’t the educational component, but the connection that  was being made between the people in the center.  Before I knew what had  happened, not only was I working with the kids on a regular basis, but  was on the board and in charge of building a health clinic that the  neighborhood desperately needed.   
My  time at SWAG has not only given me the opportunity to give back some of  the many blessings that have been bestowed upon me, it has let me get  to know and love some of Gainesville’s low-income and most underserved  residents.  More importantly, it has reminded me that we are ALL God’s  children, and we owe it to each other to know and love one another as  brothers and sisters in Christ.  We cannot rest until all of our  neighbors, regardless of economic status or background, come together to  make sure that every member of our community feels loved, supported,  and safe in their daily journeys.   
I  do not know what your calling may be, but I hope that you will take  this opportunity to think about the many blessings in your life, and  listen for God’s call as how you can put your faith into action in your  daily live s.(Dorothy Thomas)
We still need a few more devotionals for the DSE; please send to Tammy at tkarafa@trinitygnv.org
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