What's that in Your Hand?

IT IS AN HONOR & MY PRIVELEGE TO BE HERE TODAY AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR LOCAL UNIT OF UNITED METHODIST WOMEN. YOUR UNIT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DISTRIC, CONFERENCE, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF WOMEN UNITED FOR MISSION. YOUR DEDICATION TO GOD SHOWS IN ALL YOU DO. YOUR UNIT IS A LIGHT TO THIS CONGREGATION & TO THE COMMUNITY TO SHOW GOD'S LOVE AND CARE FOR ALL PEOPLE.

THE WOMEN OF THE METHODIST CHURCH FIRST ORGANIZED FOR MISSION IN 1869, IN BOSTON, WHEN A SMALL (6) GROUP HEARD OF THE NEED FOR FEMALE MISSIONARIES IN INDIA. THEY WERE STIRRED TO THEIR DEPTHS BY WHAT THEY SAW AS A MISSION BEING LAID ON THEIR HEARTS. THEY FORMED THE WOMEN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THEY DEEMED 2 CENTS A WEEK AND A PRAYER TO BE AN AMOUNT THAT WOULD ALLOW ALL WOMEN OF THE CHURCH TO PARTICIPATE. THEY DECIDED TO GIVE SACRIFICALLY TO SEND MISS ISABELLA THOBURN, A TEACHER, AND DR. CLARA SWAIN WHO SAIDED FOR INDIA 8 MONTHS LATER. SIXTEEN YEARS LATER, MISS THOBURN CHARTERED THE FIRST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE IN ASIA SO THAT THE SIX GIRLS SHE STARTED WITH COULD CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. FOUR YEARS AFTER ARRIVING DR. SWAIN OPENED A HOSPITAL, THE FIRST HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN ASIA. IT IS THE ONLY HOSPITAL IN INDIA TODAY THAT WILL TREAT "BURNED BRIDES." THAT IS ACCIDENTS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO WOMEN WHO DO NOT WISH TO MARRY THE MAN HER FAMILY HAS ARRANGED FOR HER. BOTH OF THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE NOW NAMED FOR THEIR FOUNDERS & STILL RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM UMW.

WITH ABOUT ONE MILLION MEMBERS THE UNITED METHODIST WOMEN IS THE LARGEST ORGANIZATION OF PROTESTANT WOMEN. WE SUPPORT MISSION PERSONNEL AND OVER 400 MISSION PROJECTS IN NEARLY 120 COUNTRIES. EACH YEAR WE RAISE $25 MILLION FOR WORK WITH WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND YOUTH, LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. OUR MISSION GIVING IS DIVIDED EQUALLY FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS. FOR MORE THAN 138 YEARS OUR WORK HAS LITERALLY SAVED AND SERVED THE LIVES OF MILLIONS AND BROUGHT SALVATION TO THOSE WHO HAD NOT KNOWN THE LOVING GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST. WOMEN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN GLOBAL MISSION THOUGH CONFINED TO THEIR HOME OR LOCAL AREA. THEY HAVE TAKEN TO HEART THE IMPERATIVE FOUND IN ECCESIATES 9:10: "WHATEVER YOUR HAND FINDS TO DO, DO IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT."

WE WONDER HW WE CAN LIVE IN RESPONSE TO THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. TODAY I'D LIKE FOR US TO THINK TOGETHER ABOUT LIVING A LIFE OF FAITHFUL SERVICE DAY BY DAY.

WHEN WE LOOK TO JESUS' LIFE WE SEE THAT HE RESPONDED TO WHAT WAS IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF HIM. WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A NEED HE TRIED TO MEET IT. WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A CONFLICT, HE TRIED TO RESOLVE IT. WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A PAIN, HE TRIED TO HEAL IT. HE DEALT WITH REALITIES AS THEY WERE PRESENTED TO HIM. SOME ARE GIFTED TO HELP IN WAYS THAT WE CANNOT. BUT ALL ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE GOD AND TO LOVE OTHERS, OSWALD CHAMBERS WRITES: "WE MUST NOT MEASURE OUR SPIRITUAL CAPACITY BY EDUCATION OR BY INTELLECT. OUR CAPACITY IN SPIRITUAL THINGS IS MEASURED BY THE PROMISES OF GOD. GOD WILL BE OUR STRENGTH, OUR HELPER, WHO WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US."

EVERYONE LOOK AT YOUR HANDS. THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT. WE KNOW ALL FINGERPRINTS ARE DIFFERENT. THEY CAN BE USED FOR GOOD OR ILL, TO GREET OR TO SLAP, TO CARESS OR CHASTEN. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM ANYONE ELSE.

WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND? IN I SAMUEL 10:6-7 (SAMUEL IS ANOINTING SAUL AS THEIR FIRST KING) WE READ: THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL COME UPON YOU IN POWER AND YOU WILL PRPHESY WITH THEM & YOU WILL BE CHANGED INTO A DIFFERENT PERSON. ONCE THESE SIGNS ARE FULFILLED, DO WHATEVER YOUR HAND FINDS TO DO FOR GOD IS WITH YOU.

IS IT SOME FLOUR? I KINGS 17 TELLS THE STORY OF THE PROPHET ELIJAH IS IN ZAREPHATH, AN AREA OUTSIDE OF THE JEWISH LAND, THERE IS A DROUGHT AND HE IS HUNGRY, HE SEES WOMAN GETTING WOOD FOR A FIRE AND ASKS HER FOR FOOD. SHE IS PREPARING THE LAST BREAD SHE HAS FOR HERSELF AND HER SON, BUT AGREES TO SHARE. AFTER THAT HER FLOUR BIN STAYS FULL UNTIL THE DROUGHT IS OVER.

IS IT SOME LIGHT BULBS? A YOUNG MAN HAD DIED AND ONE DAY HIS FRIEND SHOWS UP AND TELLS THE YOUNG WIDOW THAT HE NOTICED HER PORCH LIGHT WAS OUT AND CAME TO CHANGE ALL HER BULBS. HE GAVE HER YOUNG SON A PIGGY BACK RIDE BEFORE HE LEFT.

IS IT A BICYCLE PART? A 9 YEAR OLD BOY WAS LATE GETTING HOME FROM SCHOOL AND HIS FATHER WAS WORRIED. HE ASKED WHY HE WAS LATE AND HE SAID ON THE WAY HOME HIS FRIEND JAKE'S BIKE HAD BROKEN DOWN. THE FATHER SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW HE COULD FIX BIKES. THE BOY SAID HE COULDN'T BUT HE COULD SIT AND CRY WITH JAKE.

IS IT A NEEDLE? IN ACTS WE READ OF A LADY NAMED DORCAS WHO LIVED IN JOPPA AND GREW SICK AND DIED. THE APOSTLE PETER WAS IN THE AREA AND HER FRIENDS TOLD PETER HOW DORCAS DID KIND DEEDS & HELPED THE POOR. THEY ALSO SHOWED HIM CLOTHES THAT DORCAS HAD MADE THEM. PETER RAISED HER FROM THE DEAD.

IS IT AN EGG? THOSE WOMEN IN BOSTON WHO SENT THE FIRST MISSIONARIES PLEDGED EGGS LAID ON SUNDAYS AND FOR THOSE WITH FEWER RESOURCES ON THE FIFTH SUNDAYS. THEY ALSO SAID LET US WALK THE STREETS OF BOSTON IN CALICO DRESSES AND SAVE THE EXPENSE OF MORE COSTLY APPAREL.

IS IT A DISH TOWEL, A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, A CHILD'S HAND? SPURGEON SAYS: YOUR TALENTS MAY BE FEW BUT YOU CAN STILL BE THE MEANS OF DRAWING TO CHRIST SOMEONE WHO WILL BECOME EMINENT IN GRACE & SERVICE. YOU MAY SAY ONLY A WORD TO A CHILD & IN THAT CHILD THERE MAY BE A SLUMBERING NOBLE HEART WHICH WILL STIR THE CHRISIAN CHURCH IN FUTURE YEARS.

WHAT WAS IN JESUS' HAND? IT WAS A WATER JUG WHEN HE TURNED WATER INTO WINE AT A WEDDING. LATER ON AT A WELL IN SAMARIA HE PROMISED HER LIVING WATER. IT WAS A BOY'S LUNCH OF BREAD AND FISH THAT FED 5000. (WHEN THE BOY GOT HOME, HE RAN AND SAID MAMA, MAMA, GUESS WHAT ME AND JESUS DID TODAY.) IT WAS A MUD PIE WHICH HE USED TO HEAL A BLIND MAN. iT WAS A COIN AS HE SAID RENDER UNTO CAESAR THAT WHICH IS CAESAR AND UNTO GOD THAT WHICH IS GOD'S. IT WAS A WHIP AS HE DROVE OUT THE MONEY CHANGERS FROM THE HOUSE OF PRAYER. IT WAS A TOWEL AS HE WASHED THE DISCIPLE'S FEET. IT WAS BREAD AND WINE AS HE SAID DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. FINALLY, IT WAS A CROSS AS HE MADE HIS WAY TO CALVARY.

TO QUOTE SPURGEON AGAIN; "THERE IS NO OTHER TIME IN WHICH YOU WILL LIVE. THE PAST IS GONE, THE FUTURE HAS NOT ARRIVED, AND YOU HAVE ONLY THE PRESENT. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOUR EXPERIENCES HAVE MATURED BEFORE SERVING GOD. ENDEAVOR TO PRODUCE FRUIT NOW & BE CAREFUL TO DO IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT. DO IT PROMPTLY. DO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO TOMORROW. NO ONE EVER SERVED GOD BY DOING THINGS TOMORROW. IF WE HONOR CHRIST & ARE BLESSED, IT IS WITH THE THINGS WE DO TODAY.

IN COLOSSIANS 3:17 WE READ: "AND WHATEVER YOU DO, WHETHER IN WORD OR DEED, DO IT ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH HIM." AND SKIPPING DOWN TO VERSES 23 & 24: "WHATEVER YOU DO, WORK AT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AS WORKING FOR THE LORD AND NOT FOR MEN, SINCE YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE FROM THE LORD AS A REWARD. IT IS THE LORD CHRIST YOU ARE SERVING.

LET US CLOSE WITH PRAYER: TEACH ME, MY GOD AND KING, IN ALL THINGS THEE TO SEE; AND WHAT I DO IN ANYTHING, TO DO IT AS TO THEE. A SERVANT WITH THIS CLAUSE MAKES DRUDGERY DIVINE; WHO SWEEPS THE ROOM AS FOR THY LAWS, MAKES THAT THE THE ACTION FINE. AMEN.

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