Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
On Thursday morning, Jan. 5, the Monticello Community Prayer Breakfast was hosted by Memorial Missionary Baptist Church.
Gary Wright, who first established the monthly, interdenominational event in 1994, thanked the Rev. James Duval and his congregation for being among the host churches for so many years. Longtime Memorial M.B. Church members Dr. George Pittman and Mary Madison gave the welcome. After blessing the meal, a generous breakfast of grits, eggs, sausage and biscuits was enjoyed by all.
As the program resumed, Mike Grisham of Gideon's International led a cappella singing of the hymn based on Psalm 103:1, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
A prayer of thanksgiving was offered up by retired minister Rev. Ron Cichon, and retired minister Rev. John Hicks led the prayer for the sick and distressed.
“Father, we just lift these names up,” said Hicks, “and others in our heart that need your healing touch. Help us be part of that healing touch as we reach out and make a difference in the lives of others, for your glory, sharing your power, your promise, your hope and your healing. Amen.”
The main message was delivered by Sarah Tharpe, a science teacher on the faculty of Aucilla Christian Academy.
Tharpe began by describing how as a kid she was very fascinated by her reflection. She especially remembers that when her family went to shopping malls, which were popular in her childhood, she encountered endless shiny surfaces where she could see herself as other people saw her. The eyes are amazing organs, and, being a science teacher now, Tharpe couldn't help but share some interesting facts about them, such as that they differentiate between 10 million colors and are second in complexity only to our brains.
“Another fact about eyes that you're not going to find in any science book,” added Tharpe, “is that our eyes are really good at picking out faults and weakness within ourselves and others. What we wear and say and do is always being watched and judged by others.”
After sharing some examples, Tharpe some read a Bible verse about how God sees things differently: “For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart” (Samuel 16:7).
Commenting on the verse, Tharpe said, “We are not here on Earth to care about what people say about us or how they judge us. We as Christians should be concerning ourselves only with what God thinks about our actions and our character.”
This is really hard to do, allowed Tharpe, recognizing the temptation to “lash out and reflect back to other the hurts they have given us.” She offered guidance for these situations from 1 Peter 2:23, which says, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to Him who judges justly.”
Tharpe added that the moments when a person is being judged by another person offer important opportunities for Christians to reflect God through their lives.
“When we turn away from the human response, that sometimes even our friends and family may tell us is justified for us to feel or act due to the damage we have been given by others, we allow God to step in.” Supporting this idea, Tharpe read from Luke 6:26 and Matthew 5:44, which say, “Bless those that curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.”
To encourage people to rely on God's strength rather than their own to get through trying times, Tharpe quoted from 2 Corinthians 12:10, which says, “For the sake of Christ, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
She pointed out that because people will often reflect back the attitude that others present, keeping a joyful outlook in difficult situations can be contagious in a good way. Verses she shared relating to this approach were Matthew 5:16, which says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” and Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
In conclusion, Tharpe said, “The light you choose to shine reflects your heart, and when you turn to God in times of hardship and turn away from the human response that the world says is right, the light that you are shining reflects not a sinner's heart but a heart that is striving for Christ. My hope is that everyone today and every day can use their lives, when good things happen, when bad things happen, or even when nothing exciting has happened at all, in such a way that anyone who looks at you only sees a reflection of Christ our Lord and says to themselves that is one joyful person. I want to catch what they have.”
The next Community Prayer Breakfast will be hosted by the Kiwanis Club on Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Jefferson Country Club, located at 748 Boston Hwy.
All in the community are invited to attend. The Monticello Community Prayer Breakfast is not affiliated with any church. It is a spiritual idea that continues to survive the challenges of today's society because of its community support and individual participation. For more information, contact Gary Wright at (850) 933-5567 or Lgwright39@embarqmail.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.