Equipping God’s People...How You Can Help

Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good. (CEB)

2 Timothy 3:16

In yesterday’s reflection, I shared the core purpose of the Daily Reflections. In the words of Psalm 19:7-8, these devotional writings are meant to revive our very being, to make us wise, to gladden our hearts, and to give light so we might walk faithfully along God’s path.

A passage from Paul’s second letter to Timothy speaks similarly of the function of the Bible: “Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). In context, Paul was referring to what we call the Old Testament. But all of the inspired writings of Scripture, including the New Testament, are useful to teach us, to show us our mistakes, to correct us, and to train us, so that we might be equipped to serve God in every part of life.

The Daily Reflections are intended, first of all, to help you grow in your relationship with the living God. In the context of this relationship, they will equip you for living each day. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that I hope these Reflections will help you discover and live out your high calling to serve God in every part of life, including but not limited to your work.

The success of the Daily Reflections depends, not only on me and my team of writers, editors, and technical experts. It depends, most of all, upon God, whose Spirit inspired the biblical writers and helps us to hear God’s Word through the biblical writings. But, to a significant extent, the success of the Daily Reflections depends also on you.

You Can Help the Daily Reflections Fulfill Their Purpose

Of course, the most vital way you can help fulfill the purpose of the Daily Reflections is by using them to grow in your relationship with God and to be equipped for every good work. But, if you find the Reflections to be a valuable resource, you can help them succeed in other ways too.

You can introduce others to the Daily Reflections by “liking” and “tweeting.” Many of our 16,000 plus subscribers have come to us through word of mouth (or word of email) recommendations, as someone tells a friend about the Reflections. Our technical folk have made sharing the Reflections more convenient than ever. In the right column of each emailed reflection, you’ll see links that enable you to share the content via Facebook (“Like”) or Twitter (“Tweet”). Clicking on these links will take you to the online version of the reflection at TheHighCalling.org where you can share the content through Facebook and Twitter (or, if you wish, add a comment). While you’re at TheHighCalling.org, let me encourage you to check out the wonderful materials on this site.

You can also introduce others to the Daily Reflections through email. By clicking on the “Send to a Friend” link, you can easily email a reflection to a friend or family member. By the way, you can also send me an email by using the “Send a note to Mark” link. I love hearing from my readers this way.

You may be able to use the Reflections in your church, Bible study, small group, family, blog, etc. I have heard from many Christian leaders who use the Daily Reflections in their ministries. Some churches regularly encourage members to subscribe to the Reflections. Some pastors use the Reflections as devotional material for their staff development. A youth leader has the girls in her small group subscribe to the Reflections so they can talk about the Reflections in their weekly meeting. Many bloggers reproduce reflections that have been especially meaningful to them. And so forth and so on. We at TheHighCalling.org are pleased when the Reflections are used in these ways and many others. Our passion is to help as many people as possible grow as disciples of Jesus through using the Daily Reflections. (Owing to the generosity of our supporters, we are able to offer the Reflections free of charge. A couple of times a year, we give people the opportunity to contribute to this ministry, but this is completely optional.)

Finally, you can also help by praying for me and the rest of us who write and edit the Reflections, that we will be faithful to God's Word at every turn.

I am continually thankful for the privilege of writing the reflections and for working in an organization that values this endeavor enough to make it part of my job. It is one way that Foundations for Laity Renewal, the parent organization of The High Calling and Laity Lodge, fulfills our core purpose: To serve God by creating opportunities for people to encounter God for the transformation of daily life, work, and our world.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Can you think of anyone in your life who might benefit from knowing about the Daily Reflections? Are you a leader of a group that might be able to use the Reflections?

PRAYER: Gracious God, how I thank you for your Scripture, for the way in which it teaches me, corrects me, and trains me as your disciple. Help me, I pray, to be a faithful student of your Word. Help me to think about it, reflect upon it, absorb it, and live it out each day.

May the Daily Reflections continue to be useful in the lives of readers. And may the community of readers grow in this next year, by your grace and through the efforts of your people.

All praise be to you, O God, our redeemer, teacher, equipper, and encourager. Amen.