Follow the Maker's Instructions
Show video clip of ‘Dog Music’
There are things that we are good at and things we aren’t. Examples of things people are good at and not good at – running & ice skating. Sometimes we say someone was made to be a runner, a singer, a doctor. If we have a real talent someone will tell us to go and take lessons, go and get trained.
We are all different, we are all going to be good and different things but we all have one thing in common. We are all made in the image of God, we are all trying to follow Christ. At the end of the Service of Baptism I will say to the newly baptised:
You have received the light of Christ, walk in this light all the days of your life. Shine as a light in the world, to the glory of God the Father
We have a little poster at home that says, ‘To get the best results, follow the maker’s instructions.’ That is where our Old Testament Lesson comes in, the giving of the commandments.
In the Book Exodus we hear of God bringing his people out of slavery in Egypt and then on Mount Sinai the people are told ‘You are my people’ – this is the best way for you to live. Keep a place for God in your lives for worship, for service. Respect one another – so don’t cheat one another, don’t lie to one another, don’t steal, don’t kill.
Then alongside all of this we have the teachings and example of Jesus. To go back to the dog – he wasn’t very good at playing the piano or singing but I’m sure he was good at lots of other things. All of us have a particular talent, something we are good at – celebrate that and develop that.
All of us are made in God’s image, made for God’s service – to get the best results, let us all ‘Follow the maker’s instructions’ that we can do our best for God and for one another.