We want Christianity to be practical and relevant to everyday life. This is a good desire. Our faith should shape the way we live. Here, I hope to show that the most practical things we can do as Christians are very ordinary, often neglected, and sometimes so obvious that we forget them. Here are eight practical things to do as a Christian every week:
1. Further Meditation on the Sunday Sermon
On Sunday, our pastor speaks to us about Jesus’ cross and glory, life and death, our sin and salvation, faith and love, hope and assurance, grace and peace, mercy and wrath, and obedience and suffering. We hear that God has justified us by faith in Jesus Christ. It is easy to forget these words of life. Monday begins, and we can start to act as if what we heard on Sunday is no longer true. Further meditation on the Sunday sermon helps to ground our identity and actions in the whole story of God’s salvation—from the beginning of the week to the very end.
2. Daily Prayer
Daily prayer is communion with God and his church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, we ask for our ordinary needs and also participate in the life Jesus gives to us.
3. Daily Bible Reading
Daily Bible reading keeps us grounded in the story of God’s salvation being worked out in history. Daily Bible reading reinforces what we hear on Sunday and makes us eager to learn more.
4. Family Devotion and Teaching Your Children
Our faith is worth sharing, especially with the people that God has entrusted to our care. Teaching our children is a way to carry our Christianity into our homes, making it an everyday part of life.
5. Showing Hospitality to Members of Your Church and Your Neighbors
Jesus Christ has given us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, and kindness, among other things (Gal. 5:22). Through the Spirit, we have the opportunity to share God’s love with others through giving our time, offering our food, and using our words.
6. Remembering the Needs of the Saints
In a sin-shattered world, real needs are everywhere. As we are able, God desires us to aid others—especially Christians. We can spend time with the elderly and sick in our congregations, give money to those who experience economic hardship and pray for the needs of every member. The church’s deacons are another good resource to consult in order to become more aware of the particular needs in your own church.
7. Showing Generosity in Your Community
There are many good ways to spend your time doing good in your community. As Christians, we show mercy and generosity in our community to demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways. Mercy and generosity go together with sharing the faith.
8. Working Faithfully to God’s Glory
God has made us for good works. This includes our daily tasks, no matter how insignificant they seem. These good works could be your day job, grocery shopping for your family, changing dirty diapers, or washing the dishes. Done in faith, these ordinary activities present opportunities for doing good works unto God’s glory. Many of us have jobs and families, all of which demand much of our time. That is okay. We need to be honest with our bodily limitations. Consider your ordinary work as much a part of the Christian life as anything else people call holy.
