Prepared for Eternity

The mission statement of our church is from the founding principles of St. Paul’s, now almost 200 years old:

“It is our wish that here old and young will be edified, encouraged, animated and prepared for eternity.”

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ll have picked up the fact that I am big on discovering and using our spiritual gifts. I came across a quote this morning in my daily devotional that explains how doing this prepares us for eternity.

“We are taught to believe of the Blessed, that they ‘serve Him day and night in His temple’, that ‘His servants shall serve Him.’ And this must be with powers and endowments developed in harmony with higher worlds, so that all the tastes, the desires, the affections, the artistic powers, the intellectual gifts, which belong to each individual, each with his own special capacities, trained and developed and exercised in spiritual modes of life will be suited to that higher world, where they dwell in the presence of the Almighty God, and the ‘Lamb who is in the midst of them.’ The activities of a condition of life such as we cannot yet conceive, we shall enter upon, if fitted for it, trained for it, by the exercise of our gifts during our life in this world; we shall be like weapons in the Hand of God, ready for what service He may will.

Thomas Thelluson Carter (1801-1901)

Wow! Isn’t it amazing that serving God here on earth not only helps others, it prepares us for an eternity of service with Him. Don’t be like the servant who buried his talents. Take a risk and use your gifts. You’ll reap everlasting benefits. Are you ready?