Hard to believe, but tomorrow will mark the midway point of the summer months, if by "summer" we mean June, July and August.  I bring that up simply to remind us that time flies whether we're having fun or not, whether we're intentional about how we use the precious gift of time, or whether we waste it.  Each Saturday I've been challenging us to prepare ourselves for corporate worship on Sunday.  That's because I believe unless we approach our lives with intentionality, we will end up wasting them.  With each passing year, I become more and more aware of how important time is.  It may well be life's most important  "non-renewable resource." 

As you review the first half of summer, how have you used it to enjoy God's grace and extend His glory?  How have you used it to build relationships with those close to you, and with those who are far from God?  How have you used it to enjoy God's creation and be renewed in body, mind and spirit?  How have you used it to grow in your relationship with Jesus on your own, with those closest to you, and with the larger body of Jesus Christ either at New Life, or in the places you've been on the Sundays of summer? Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."  What important words!  At the end of each day, each week, each season of life, one of the best things we can do is pause to reflect, to examine, to ask ourselves, "What did I do today to enjoy God's grace and extend His glory?"

If you're like me, when you ask that question or other reflective questions, you automatically become more intentional about the way you use the precious gift of time.  One glaring truth I've realized over the years as I've examined the way I've used my time:  I seldom regret the things I've done as much as the things I've left undone.  Yes, I sin and regret those actions, but far more often I fail to do the things that will build my relationships with God, family and friends, and those who are far from God.  The easiest way to avoid looking back with regret, is to take some time each day to plan and examine our lives---plan what we will do, and examine what we have done.  Then we can make adjustments that will bring us more and more into alignment with our God-given purpose in life.

In light of the call to plan and examine, what will you do today to be ready to worship God with brothers and sisters and potential brothers and sisters tomorrow in a large group setting (or tonight if you will be occupied with something tomorrow morning that will keep you from corporate worship tomorrow)?  I don't ask that because we have some legalistic requirement to be in corporate worship every week, but rather because corporate worship is an activity that glorifies God and draws us together with those we love and care about, and is thus an activity that falls in the category of one we will regret missing when we examine our lives in light of God's purpose.  I look forward to worshiping with those of you who will be at New Life tomorrow.  I missed you last Sunday, even though our family had the opportunity to worship with 2,500 people last Sunday in Cincinnati, while we were there to attend a relative's wedding.  There really is no place like home, and no place I'd rather worship than with our church family at New Life!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, thanks so much for Your faithfulness!  Thank You for designing us for relationship with You and others.  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live in such a way as to enjoy Your grace and extend Your glory every day of our lives, starting with today!  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.