Those are the words of the Apostle Paul, but you may not be familiar with the reference. That's 1 Corinthians 16:13 & 14 - from the very end of Paul's first letter to Christ followers in Corinth. It's a strong and loaded letter, written to call out problems in the Corinthian church, to offer some solutions, and to challenge believers about living for Christ in a corrupt culture. And it's a long letter - 16 chapters in our English translations. 16:13 & 14 is sort of Paul's last words...summary words, like those a mom might say in an email to a child away at college: "Be aware of your surroundings, stay committed to Christ, you're capable of earing your degree, and remember to wash your sheets once in awhile!" Like a mom blurting out final comments at the end of a phone call or at the end of an email, Paul's words are a final blurb to sum up his letter. I share them with you today because I've been in a lot of conversations this week where I've been asked to give advice and feedback. I've tried to be an encourager. I've tried to be hopeful with several of you. There's a lot of anxious people in our world right now; Covid isn't going away, tensions are high in homes, the energy sector's still hurting, the the nation to the south of us is a mess, and winter's coming (sorry!). What do we need right now? Maybe a summary blast of encouragement like 1 Corinthians 16: 13 & 14. Here's my paraphrase: "Be watchful. Be wary. Be wise. Find confidence and hope in your faith. When you're anxious, find courage and strength in the knowledge that you are the child of a God who knows you and loves you. And in every moment of decision, a great question to ask is this: What does love require of me?" I'm praying for our church, community and world. Thank you for being part of a vibrant community of faith. Please keep looking after yourself and each other. I hope you'll be with us online or in-person this weekend as we worship together and experience Part 2 of the series "Living Life Backward: The Book of Ecclesiastes." Greg courage faith love