Devotion

Be Devoted
By Glynnis Whitwer
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."
Romans 12:10 (NIV)

Devotion:
She walked into church on a dreary Sunday morning, her heart as dark as the gathering storm. She'd gotten into a fight with her husband just before leaving home, and in an angry, regrettable moment, stormed off without him. She found herself sitting alone, thinking she didn't belong there.

He'd gotten laid off at work on Friday. No notice. No final paycheck. Just a "get your things and get going" announcement. He hadn't told anyone yet; it was just too embarrassing. What was he going to do? How would he pay his rent? Were his employers right? Maybe he just couldn't cut it. He'd come to church that day because there was nowhere else to go.

Look around you at any church service and you'll see normal looking people. Their lives must be great, you think. They walk in with a smile and out with a smile. All the while, many of them are dying by increments on the inside. Despair, fear, anger, questions. Is this all there is? Does anybody care? Will someone love ME?

Our churches are filled with hurting people, carelessly tossed aside by someone during the week. Their hearts and minds reverberate with echoes of angry; words spoken to them and unkind actions done to them. They walk into our churches and small groups with a filament of hope and a last-ditch prayer. What will they find?

Jesus saw beneath the surface of the plastic smiles, and stopped what He was doing to show people honor and respect. It wasn't Jesus' well-manicured conversations that did it; He didn't seem to be a master of small talk. Reading about Jesus' interactions with people, we find He got to the heart of the matter very quickly. Jesus' compassion must have radiated from Him because it didn't take long for people to open their pain-filled hearts. When they did, Jesus introduced God's healing love.

What does this mean for us? Can we really love others like Jesus did? Can our churches and small groups reflect the life-altering community of God's intent? Can we really make a difference to the "walking wounded" sitting next to us in church every week?

I think one of the ways we can get past surface relationships with others is found in Paul's letter to the Romans, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." This passage calls us past the neighbor level, past the acquaintance level, past the "just friends" level, and up to familial devotion. It calls us to look at those around us and consider how we can honor them with our time and attention, as we would our brother or sister.

This isn't easy in our busy lives. Yet this Scripture holds the promise of the creation of a loving family of believers here on earth - a family that values and honors each other. That sounds like a place I want to spend the rest of my life creating. I guess I'll need to spend a little more time with the woman or man sitting next to me this Sunday. What will YOU do? We already know what Jesus did.....

Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You for loving me just as I am. But I need help to love my Christian brothers and sisters just like they are. Help me to love like You love. Examine me and show me areas that need Your attention. I long to have the heart of Christ for others. In Jesus name, Amen.

I Have Moved!

I have moved and wanted to give you my new address. You see, I have moved from Beggars' Alley located on Poverty Lane, at the corner of Bleak and Busted Circle . As of today, I have a brand new home. My new address is: Living Well Drive, in the Abundance Subdivision, located at the corner of Blessings Street and thankful Peak.

You get there by taking the Praising Him Interstate, which runs North, South, East and West. No Longer will I allow myself to travel on Begging Peter to pay off Paul Route, because it's located at a dead-end intersection called: I Don't Have, which crosses Borrowers' Junction.

I no longer hang out at Failures' Place near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Mall. I've moved on to an upscale community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to Succeed...look at me!!

Please know that each day that HE awakens me, I am thankful to be a product of my new environment. All of my clothes are MASTER TAILOR-MADE. I am dressed in life's finest. Let me introduce you to all of my new neighbors: CONCEIVE IT & BELIEVE IT, ACT ON IT, HAVE FAITH, BE PERSISTENT, AND ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO ACHIEVE.

Life is good because GOD IS GOOD!!!!! HAVE YOU MOVED TOO????? If not, I pray that you will be moving soon!!!!!!!!

BE BLESSED & HAVE A PROSPEROUS DAY!!!