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Writer's picturePastor Linda Settles

We Exalt Thee

Friends, are you a holiday jumper? Jumping from holiday to holiday to find a little joy? Media doesn’t help with that, does it? It seems that there’s always a holiday being promoted. Last year I don’t think that we got past Halloween before Christmas was being advertised, jumping right over Thanksgiving!


There’s always some sale centered around a holiday, too. The New Year is time to shop for all things bedroom – mattresses, linen. After all, we have to start the year with good sleep. Then we jump to Valentine’s Day, soon after there’s the Cadbury Easter bunny staring us in the face, and before you know it we’re planning for Halloween and you know what comes after that! Whew! I’m tired just thinking about it.


What if we shifted gears a little? What if instead of looking for the next holiday, what if we saw every day as a “holy day,” holy unto the Lord. What would life be like if we lived, breathed, and moved on the unction of the Holy Spirit?


“In him we live and move and have our being”

Acts 17:28.


When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Do you reach for your phone first? Or turn on the radio (does anyone still have one of those?) or the tv? What if we put God first, exalt the Lord, right there at the start of our day, before we even get out of the bed? How? Repeat after me:


“Thank You, God, for this new day.”


“Lord, I thank You whether the sun is shining or not, because I know that You are with me.”


“God, please lead me today. Let me see You in the faces and places that I encounter today.”


Each and every day is a precious gift from God. It is a holy day. One that we’ll never see again. Why not dedicate it to the Lord?


John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, once described a Methodist in this way: “God is the joy of his heart, and the desire of his soul; which is constantly crying out – ‘Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that I desire beside thee! My God and my all! Though art the strength of my heart and my portion forever!’” May that be our cry morning and night – You, God, are my strength, my portion forever! May we exalt our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at all times and in all ways because this is what I know to be true – as much as I love a good cup of coffee – the best part of waking up is the joy of the Lord in my cup! We exalt Thee, O Lord!


Join me this Sunday as we start a sermon series based on our vision for 2022: Exalting God, Encouraging All, Empowering New Generations! This Sunday we begin with We Exalt Thee. Join us in-house at 10:00am, or you can also join us online. For online worship go to www.umcgt.org.


Month of Service – thank you to ALL who participated in our MLK month of service! I hope you know what a blessing you are to so many who need a touch from God.


Thank you for your generosity in 2021! By now you should have received your contribution statement for the year. It is only because of your heartfelt giving that our brothers and sisters in need are being fed, clothed, and blessed in so many ways. As Jesus said: “when you’ve done it to the least of these, you have done it to Me” (paraphrased from Matthew 25:40). Again, thank you for the gifts you have made to the church. I am so proud to be your pastor and excited to partner in the mission of God with you!


Blessings,

Pastor Linda

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