First Baptist Church St. Simons Island

Opportunities to Share God’s Love are Everywhere

Opportunities to Share God’s Love are Everywhere

Optional Scripture: Romans 13:11-14 (lectionary text)

Christmas is a wonderful time of year! We spend time with family and enjoy giving gifts to those we love. God loved us and gave us the greatest gift of all – His Son Jesus.

Christmas is also a time of loneliness and hopelessness for many people around the world. There are many people suffering in our world with illness, hunger, financial problems, loss of homes, and tragedies from natural disasters. Many people are losing faith and hope.

As Christians, we should try to give the gifts of love and hope to those in need. We can demonstrate the love of Jesus through our efforts to help others. We can also share the Good News of Jesus and bring a greater sense of Hope into their lives. This gift of hope can truly change lives.

We have many opportunities to help others and to give hope to the hopeless in our own area. We can prepare meals and deliver them for the Hearts and Hands Ministry. What a blessing to receive a warm, sweet smile and gentle, soft-spoken “thanks” from an elderly arthritic shut-in! We can give gifts to children when parents cannot afford to buy them. What a blessing to see the excitement and joy in the eyes of a 4 year old at Head Start when our Sunday School class brings gifts of love and hope! We can help with the Boys and Girls Club where there are needs. What a blessing to receive a big hug from a little 5 year old because you gave her your love and your time!We can help prepare meals and serve them to the hungry people at Manna House in Brunswick. What a blessing to hear the many thanks and to see smiles and hope just because you shared your love and time to help feed them!

Sharing scriptures of Hope may also be encouraging to those we help:

Romans 15:13 “ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you
trust in Him, so you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Isaiah 40:31 “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk
and not be faint.”

I pray that we will continually seek ways to bless others and bring the Light of Christ to them. With God’s Power working through us, our gifts of Hope can change lives!