Good
afternoon!
Abram was 75 when he first heard God’s voice and obeyed. It meant drastic changes in his life—leaving his friends and family, hometown and country—and allowing God to lead him to where He wanted him to be. God had a plan to use Abraham and all his descendants to be a blessing to “all the families of the earth.”
We read in Genesis 12:
“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”
Today I am reminded that being a person of faith means that God has blessed me with abundant life and that I am called to be a blessing to others. Funny, it often seems that when I seek to be a blessing to others that I myself am blessed!
I visited a friend at the assisted living center in town this morning because I heard she was feeling down. We talked for a little while about just ordinary every day things—family, weather, and so on—and then, briefly, we talked about how God knows how we feel—when we are lonely, sad, sick, or depressed. And He loves us. So when we are feeling bad, He sends people to us to encourage us and give us hope that we will feel better soon. Then we prayed for God to bless her with strength and energy to do some of the things she wanted to do—like go to a church women’s group on Thursday or to a family celebration on Sunday.
After I left, I realized that God had blessed me with an opportunity to remind someone else of God’s love and tender care for them. And when I obeyed, I was blessed with His reassuring peace that He loves me, too, no matter how I feel, and will send others to encourage me when I am in need.
Be like Abram, today, my friends! Have faith that if God is calling you to do something, there will be blessings when you obey and you will be a blessing to others as you seek to follow Him.
When God brings you an opportunity to reach out and be a blessing to someone else, don’t talk yourself out of it! You have plenty of time to share God’s love, no matter how busy you are.
And don’t tell yourself that you don’t know how to cheer someone up and that maybe they wouldn’t be happy to see you. God will give you the words to say and His Spirit that dwells within you will do the work of healing and lifting up!
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, give us the faith of Abraham to do what you call us to do. Stir us on when we hesitate to reach out to someone in need. Remind us that we are partners with you in your Kingdom work and that you will work through us, despite our doubts or lack of confidence. You can and will be faithful to use us for your loving purposes, if we have hearts to obey. In Christ we pray. Amen.
Abram was 75 when he first heard God’s voice and obeyed. It meant drastic changes in his life—leaving his friends and family, hometown and country—and allowing God to lead him to where He wanted him to be. God had a plan to use Abraham and all his descendants to be a blessing to “all the families of the earth.”
We read in Genesis 12:
“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”
Today I am reminded that being a person of faith means that God has blessed me with abundant life and that I am called to be a blessing to others. Funny, it often seems that when I seek to be a blessing to others that I myself am blessed!
I visited a friend at the assisted living center in town this morning because I heard she was feeling down. We talked for a little while about just ordinary every day things—family, weather, and so on—and then, briefly, we talked about how God knows how we feel—when we are lonely, sad, sick, or depressed. And He loves us. So when we are feeling bad, He sends people to us to encourage us and give us hope that we will feel better soon. Then we prayed for God to bless her with strength and energy to do some of the things she wanted to do—like go to a church women’s group on Thursday or to a family celebration on Sunday.
After I left, I realized that God had blessed me with an opportunity to remind someone else of God’s love and tender care for them. And when I obeyed, I was blessed with His reassuring peace that He loves me, too, no matter how I feel, and will send others to encourage me when I am in need.
Be like Abram, today, my friends! Have faith that if God is calling you to do something, there will be blessings when you obey and you will be a blessing to others as you seek to follow Him.
When God brings you an opportunity to reach out and be a blessing to someone else, don’t talk yourself out of it! You have plenty of time to share God’s love, no matter how busy you are.
And don’t tell yourself that you don’t know how to cheer someone up and that maybe they wouldn’t be happy to see you. God will give you the words to say and His Spirit that dwells within you will do the work of healing and lifting up!
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, give us the faith of Abraham to do what you call us to do. Stir us on when we hesitate to reach out to someone in need. Remind us that we are partners with you in your Kingdom work and that you will work through us, despite our doubts or lack of confidence. You can and will be faithful to use us for your loving purposes, if we have hearts to obey. In Christ we pray. Amen.
Pastor Karen
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