Seize the Moment – Day 1346
Soften Your Heart!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, November 23.
I am honored to preside over wedding ceremonies; they are fun-filled joyful occasions. Moreso, I’m privileged to conduct the premarital counseling in preparation for the big day. My greatest hope is to influence the couple for eternity through the marriage preparation process. With that said, I have a confession to make, I prefer to officiate funerals. Before you stop reading, hear me out. People are more open to God, and hearing about spiritual realities, when they are confronted with their own mortality by the pain of grief. While I feel honored to serve a family for whatever occasion they call upon me, I have found that people, in general, are far more receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ in times of sorrow, as compared to times of celebration. The Preacher explained this phenomenon in Ecclesiasts 7:2-5:
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools.
We are a culture that strives to emotionally insulate ourselves from pain and suffering, especially by avoiding death and dying. In doing so, we are hardening our hearts to the urgency of spiritual realities and decreasing our capacities to respond to God’s mercy and grace. Embrace grief; it opens a part of your soul that is normally closed off by the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.