First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge

The LORD, he is God. It is he that made us, and not we ourselves. It is he that made us, and we are his. It’s quite a blow to learn that I actually cannot become anything I want to be. It’s shocking to come face to face with the truth that I do not create my own life. It can even be infuriating at first to learn the truth that I am not my own. I do not exist just for me. But I am something much more. I am a beloved child created by the LORD I AM. I don’t have to make my whole life. I can drop the burden of trying to manufacture my own happiness. I can be relieved of learning by trial and stupid, destructive error the way to life. I can stop feeling so alone and crushed and hopeless. I am not my own. Hallelujah! I am the LORD’s. His name is in my heart. And, as Isaiah said, my name is graven in his hands (Is. 49: 16). He bears me as his own and marks me as belonging to him. We are in relationship together.

We Are His!
Gerrit Dawson

If you show up, if you worship, if you go to the stay-retreat, if you join a small group, give your tithe, serve on a team, bring your kids to youth group, if you do all of these really mundane, ordinary things that we might just label, “participating in the life of Christ’s body,” then something amazing is going to happen to you- you are going to grow deeper in Christ.