Making a Return

~~~ 1 Samuel 1:1-8 ~~~ Psalm 116 ~~~ Mark 1:14-20 ~~~

How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?

To me psalm 116 holds some of the most beautiful 

verses in the book psalms.

It seems fitting that today as we begin ordinary time we find 

Jesus choosing his first disciples...ordinary men.

God sees potential in the common man.

God sees potential in each of us as well...

God can form us into someone special for his kingdom.

When Jesus was ready to spread the good news he needed men to help him.

Notice that he did not go home and choose his childhood buddies.

He did not pick people who already knew who he was.

He did not pick well educated men.

He did not pick men who were eloquent speakers.

Jesus chose these men because of who they were not, 

not because of who they were.

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

We are barely two weeks into the new year 

and God is reminding us that we too are being called.

We are being called to give a living testimony

 through our daily life for the gospel 

message of love and salvation.

We cannot be satisfied with just having

 the gospel message for ourselves.

We have been given our gift of faith so that

 we may lead others to Jesus.

God loved us first so that we may go out to love 

others in the same way.

It is through the sharing of his love 

that we become true disciples in today's world.

There is no need to coerce our neighbor into coming to God;

we but need to show them by how we live 

our life and how we treat others.

 Actions will always speak louder than words.

Jesus spoke with his actions on many occasions in scripture.

Sometimes the less sophisticated a person is the better 

they are at spreading the good news. 

Jesus does not ask us to analyze the message;

he simply asks us to believe and share.

You have no excuses not to respond.

Blessings come in knowing that God chooses you 

to be his disciple of love.

You are to cast his net of love out into the world.

This is how we make a return to God

 for all that he has done for us...

we agree to lead others to him.