Nov 10th: Extraordinary Service, with Rev. Dr. Steven Koski.
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Rev. Dr. Steven Koski
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Extraordinary Service with Rev. Dr. Steven Koski. Series: Ordinary People With Extraordinary Hearts A Spacious Christianity, First Presbyterian Church of Bend, Oregon. Scripture: Genesis 12.2;Matthew 16.24.
Join us this Sunday to explore living a life of greater generosity and purpose. Hear an inspiring message on finding your ‘ikigai’ – the reason to wake up each morning. Connect with us online or in-person, all are welcome!
From Scarcity to Generosity: Living with Open Hands
Are you more generous today than you were a year ago? Are you investing more of yourself in God’s purposes? Are you risking more for the sake of love? These questions aren’t just about what we do with our money, time, or resources—they challenge us to consider the posture of our hearts.
Are we living with hands clenched tightly in fear, or with open hands, trusting in the abundance of God?
Life Flourishes Through Generosity
Pope Francis once said:
“Rivers do not drink their own water. Trees do not eat their own fruit. The sun does not shine on itself, and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature.”
Generosity isn’t just a nice idea—it’s woven into the fabric of creation itself. We’re designed to give of ourselves, to live in service to one another. Research confirms this: people who practice generosity are happier, healthier, and more spiritually fulfilled.
Scripture puts it simply: “We are blessed to be a blessing.” Generosity is a spiritual practice, just as vital as prayer or studying the Bible. It’s through our acts of love and giving that God’s own generosity is made visible in the world.
A Life of Purpose
When asked what they would do differently, 1,000 people over the age of 90 shared remarkable wisdom:
- Live less cautiously. Take more risks. Helen Keller famously said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Our faith, too, is meant to be an adventure—a journey into the risky way of love.
- Focus on relationships. People on their deathbeds don’t talk about achievements or possessions. They talk about who they loved and who loved them.
- Build a better world. The most common answer? “I would spend less energy building a world for myself and more energy building a world where others might flourish.”
This wisdom echoes Jesus’ words: “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” True joy comes not from self-preservation but from pouring ourselves out for others.
Finding Your “Why”
In Okinawa, Japan, where people live long, fulfilling lives, there’s a word that shapes their existence: ikigai. It means “the reason you wake up in the morning.”
One 102-year-old woman said her ikigai is holding her great-great-granddaughter and singing to her, helping her find the song in her own heart. “When I hold her and sing,” she said, “my heart bursts with joy.”
We all need a reason to get up in the morning. It’s not just about what we do—it’s about why we do it. As Frederick Buechner put it:
“The place God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
God’s call is both inward and outward. It’s about discovering what makes your heart sing and asking how those gifts can meet the world’s deepest needs.
A Story of Generous Purpose
I’ll never forget Jean Dillard, a beloved member of our church who, near the end of her life, found herself bedridden and unable to participate in church life the way she once had. Feeling despondent, she shared that what she missed most was encouraging others and supporting the youth in our congregation.
So, I suggested she write notes of encouragement. She began writing one note a day to a young person, letting them know they were loved and prayed for. When she couldn’t physically write anymore, she dictated the notes to someone else.
Those notes became her ministry, and they brought her so much joy. Shortly before she passed, she told me, “I love knowing that God still has a purpose for me.”
One of those notes reached my son during a particularly tough time in his life. I remember him saying, “This woman doesn’t even know me, but she believes in me and says God loves me. That’s pretty cool.”
Jean’s deep gladness—encouraging others—met a young person’s deep need. And when that happens, something of God’s love is made real in the world.
Living with Open Hands
Our culture often encourages us to live with clenched fists, holding onto what we have out of fear or self-preservation. But the true joy of life comes when we live with open hands—offering our time, gifts, and love freely, without expectation.
The question isn’t “What do I need to achieve?” but “How can I live generously, bringing joy and meaning to others?”
What’s your ikigai? What is the unique way God is calling you to be a blessing in the world?
A Challenge to Us All
Let’s take the wisdom of the ages to heart:
- Live less cautiously. Take risks for love.
- Focus on relationships. Love well.
- Build a better world. Use your gifts to make a lasting impact.
God is calling each of us to move from fear to faith, from scarcity to abundance, from clenched fists to open hands. When we live generously, we bring something of God’s extravagant love into the world—and in doing so, we find life in its truest, most joyful form.
May it be so.
With grace and hope,
Steven
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