May God continue to richly bless their journey!
“Have You Heard the Word Ikigai?”
I hope you are staying safe and well in God’s grace.
The other day, as I was roaming around Barnes & Noble, one book caught my attention: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.
Ikigai literally means “what makes life worth living.” It speaks of a reason to get up each morning – a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
The authors traveled to places known for exceptional longevity and interviewed people about their lives. While there are many factors that contribute to a long and healthy life, one theme stood out: they had a sense of purpose – a reason to live each day.
One particular story has stayed with me. A father and son run a small sushi restaurant in Tokyo. The father has spent decades making sushi, and he and his son go every morning to the fish market to select the best fish for their restaurant. Their restaurant has received the highest recognition from Michelin, yet they have never been driven to expand into many locations or build a large business. They serve only ten guests at a time.
Their purpose seems to be more than making money. They enjoy working together, learning, pursuing excellence, building relationships with their customers, and simply doing what they love.
Though we may not agree with everything the authors say, the book gives us good food for thought:What on earth am I here for?And perhaps an even more important question for us as Christians:Have you discovered God’s purpose for your life?
In Genesis 2, we read:“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15)From the beginning, God gave humanity a calling – to cultivate and care for what God has entrusted to us. We are called to live not as owners, but as stewards.
When we understand our lives as a gift entrusted to us by God, we can discover a deeper sense of meaning, joy, and satisfaction in him.
October is our Stewardship Month. I believe this is a wonderful opportunity to pause and ask ourselves: Where am I now? What am I living for? What has God entrusted to me?
As I prayed about our stewardship sermons, I was reading through the Gospel of John. Then I realized something: John is filled with wonderful messages about how we are to live as stewards. I didn't need to look any further.
October 6 Surrender (John 6)
October 13 Service (John 7)
October 20 Generosity (John 8)
October 27 Dependence (John 9)
Stewardship is about our calling, our identity, and our purpose. In fact, stewardship is about all of life.My prayer is that this Stewardship Month will be meaningful and transformative for each of us as we respond to God’s grace with grateful hearts.
Please remember those recovering from recent surgeries: Irene Shaw, Teresa Fletcher, and David Beauchamp. Please also pray for Vilma Johnson’s family as they grieve.We are building a Prayer Team, starting small. We plan to have a prayer chain through mobile text messages. If you would like to join the team, please let me know. I would be grateful to have you praying with us.
I am also grateful that the recent storm caused no significant damage to our church family and that everyone is safe.If you were not able to join us in person this past Sunday, you can watch the worship service on YouTube.Our services are also broadcast on Channel 26 on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.You can also read this week’s message, “Dark Night of the Soul,” on my blog.
May the God of hope fill your hearts with all joy and peace as you trust in him!Have a blessed week ahead.
Love you all,
Pastor Victor
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