LHM Daily Devotion - May 31, 2017 "Changed by the Christ"

I have more friends on Facebook than does my wife Pam.

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Changed by the Christ"

May 31, 2017

Colossians 1:21-22 - And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.

I have more friends on Facebook than does my wife Pam.

Now in some homes that might cause a problem. That trouble would begin if I went skipping around the house singing, "I've got more Facebook friends than you do."

My taunts would lose steam if Pam were to reply, "That's true, dear, and I can think of two reasons why that might be:

1. "First, I don't have a Facebook page." 
2. "Second, you wouldn't know half of your 'friends' if you met them on the street."

Although it's shocking to some, Pam gets along just fine without a Facebook page or presence.

She's a rarity. Far more common are the folks who judge the success of their lives on the number and quality of Facebook friends they have. You know how it works: while a big total number of friends is important, having your share of successful people, wealthy people, well-known people, A-list people, all give you extra status. And a lack of such noteworthy individuals takes points off your status.

So, what is a person to do if he doesn't know someone who is rich, famous, and good-looking?

Simple, you go to Japan and contact a company called Real Appeal. When you arrive the company will place a catalogue n front of you. In that catalogue are all kinds of people who are attractive or give the appearance of wealth. You pick a photo and make an appointment with that individual. At the agreed-on time, the both of you will show up at the Real Appeal studios, and a photographer will spend two hours taking pictures of the two of you -- photos suitable for Facebook, photos that will make you look good, photos that will soon have other folks admiring you and inviting you to spend time with them.

The $70 it costs to get these pictures is a small price to pay to make you look good to your family and neighbors.

Unfortunately, there is no cheap shortcut that will make you look good to the Lord. There are a number of reasons for that. Not the least of those reasons is that while other people in your life may overlook some of your flaws and shortcomings, the Lord does not. Oh, don't get me wrong. The Triune God doesn't care if you are a snappy dresser, and He doesn't give a hoot if you can hobnob equally well with the Obamas and the Trumps.

The only question the Lord asks is this: "Are you perfect?" If the answer is "No," then you can't make it onto the Lord's list of friends. And that, Daly Devotioner is bad news for us all. It's bad news because all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23).

So, are we destined to remain spiritual outcasts? -- sinful souls rejected for all eternity? Not at all. So your eternity might be changed, the Heavenly Father sent His Son into this world to be one of us. So we might be forgiven, saved, and made a member of God's family, Jesus came and did everything for us we couldn't do. And now, with Holy Spirit-given faith, we are forgiven and accepted by the Lord.

THE PRAYER: My dear Lord, I give thanks for Jesus who singlehandedly has changed me and my eternity. May I share this change with others. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen

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