Cornerstone

Eccl. 1:1-11; Matt:28:18-20

Maintenance and mission are both necessary in order to minister effectively. When maintenance is emphasized while neglecting mission, it loses its purpose and becomes little more than a bore and a chore. When mission is emphasized at the expense of maintenance, its accomplishment is neutralized. Maintenance and mission are both necessary and important. Maintenance may not be very exciting, but it shows that we care. Mission is exciting but easily forgotten because of the sense of urgency that maintenance declares.

This is a tension that we experience in our calling. We have a mission to accomplish but in order to accomplish the mission we must maintain the vehicle and trappings necessary to accomplish the mission. Often our emphasis on one or the other gets out of balance and we are less effective in our work as a result.

If it seems that your ministry is ineffective you can still ignite a spark of renewed flame in your work. But to see this happen you must do some self-evaluation. How is the balance in your life AND work between maintenance and mission? Are you so caught up in the necessary things involved in your work that you have forgotten the purpose for it all? The proper balance can bring new life and new excitement to your work. You can come to the place where you can ‘t wait to get to the work because of what you are sure God is going to do through you.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Heb. 11:1-13 (13)

Have you ever been to a foreign country? The only countries that I have been in beside the United States of America include Canada, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma). I had the same experience in all of these foreign countries.

Although my visits to these foreign countries were brief and beneficial, I had an inner longing to return to my home in the United States of America. It was there that I felt the tension disperse from my body. I reminded myself that I had freedoms and privileges that even other free countries envy. This also reminded me that although I love my country and at home here . . . in a real sense I am not at home. I am only a pilgrim, a stranger passing through. My citizenship is in heaven. One day a King came to visit and saw that I was an orphan, helpless and alone. In love, pity and mercy He adopted me and made me His son. At that time He gave me citizenship in His country. Since that time I have been trying to learn to be like His only begotten Son because I want to be well prepared to enter the Pearly White city and enjoy my citizenship in heaven forever!

Dr. Gayle Woods