LHM Daily Devotion - September 7, 2017 "Watershed"

Have you ever heard of a "watershed moment?"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Watershed"

September 7, 2017

...there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him.

~ Luke 5:12a-13 (ESV)

Have you ever heard of a "watershed moment?"

A watershed moment is an event which is of such intensity and importance to us that we never forget it. It is an event which forever changes how we think of ourselves, or somebody else.

Over the years I have visited with 70, 80 and 90 year old grandparents who can still vividly recall the childhood day when Dad implied they were stupid. Actually, he didn't imply it, he said it. "You're stupid." From that moment on they thought of themselves that way. They remember the time the teacher handed back their test papers and, as she placed theirs on the desk, she whispered, "You had the lowest grade in the class. You're going to have to try harder."

These watershed moments were recalled with almost crystal-like clarity.

From a nursing home or living room these seniors can describe every detail of that day. And, I believe if I had the time to come to the home of every Daily Devotioner, every one of you could share one or more such watershed moments of your own.

Indeed, you already remember such an event, don't you? Was it when you were young and everybody in your class was invited to the birthday party and you weren't? Was it the day the boss passed you up for a promotion; or the day your spouse gave you an especially cruel verbal cut; or the day the bank teller looked down her nose and gave you a cold stare?

I can't guess what your "watershed moments" were, but you know.

If you can remember those watershed moments, I would like you to take a second look at the watershed moment in our text above.

It tells of a man with a particularly unappealing and loathsome disease who came to Jesus. He had a simple appeal, "If you want, You can make me clean." To anyone who heard it, it was an outrageous request. To Jesus, it was an heartfelt appeal coming from a desperate and lonely man. Faster than I can say it Jesus replied, "I want to make you well" and He touched the man.

Yes, Jesus touched the man... and the man was well. And that is a watershed moment.

And it is your watershed moment, too.

No matter how badly you feel about yourself; no matter what others have told you, Jesus wants it to be different. Jesus came to save the world, but He also came to save you; to rescue you; to forgive you. Today, your repentant heart can say, "Jesus, if you want, you can help me." Then listen carefully as He assures, "At the cross and the empty tomb, I already did."

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for a Savior Who died to free me from my sins I shall always be eternally grateful. When the world wishes to hurt me, let me hear the loving and comforting words of my Redeemer. In His Name I pray. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

CPTLN Devocional de 07 de Setiembre de 2017

Alimento Diario

Tener fe

07 de Setiembre 2017

Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna.

~ Juan 3:16, RVC

Hoy voy a hablar sobre las abuelas.

¿Sabía usted que una de las tareas de las abuelas es tener siempre en su cartera fotos de sus nietos?

Hace poco conocí a una abuela que realmente se deleitaba en hablar de sus nietos. Debo reconocer que sus nietos son preciosos y muy bien educados, y así se lo hice saber, diciéndole: "Tiene unos nietos encantadores. ¿Cuántos años tienen?"

Sin titubear ni un segundo, la abuela me contestó: "El doctor tiene cinco, y el embajador tiene tres".

No me sorprendería para nada que el día de mañana esos niños hagan realidad las esperanzas de esa abuela. No son muchos los niños que crecen teniendo a alguien que tenga tanta confianza en ellos como esta abuela.

¿No sería maravilloso si todos tuviéramos a alguien así? ¿No es cierto que nos esforzamos más cuando sabemos que hay alguien que cree en nosotros? ¿No es cierto que cuando alguien espera mucho de nosotros, hacemos lo mejor que podemos para no defraudarle?

Lo reconozcamos o no, todos desearíamos que alguien nos cuidara como una abuela. La buena noticia es que, aun cuando no todos contemos con el cuidado de una abuela, sí podemos contar con el cuidado de nuestro Salvador, quien vino a este mundo para transformarnos y hacernos aptos para servirle.

Jesucristo confía en que haremos lo mejor por servir a los demás, por dar testimonio de nuestra fe y por servir a nuestro Padre en el cielo. Él confía en que vamos a vivir cada uno de nuestros días en agradecimiento por lo que él ha hecho por nosotros.

La mayoría de nosotros no somos ni seremos embajadores o doctores, pero todos y cada uno de nosotros podemos ser fieles seguidores de Jesús.

ORACIÓN: Querido Señor, gracias por rescatarme del poder del mal y de la muerte eterna, y por confiar en que sea tu testigo. Ayúdame para que viva de acuerdo a tu voluntad, alabándote por las maravillosas cosas que has hecho por mí. En el hombre de Jesús. Amén.

De una devoción escrita originalmente para "By the Way"

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.                           

The Daily Readings for WEDNESDAY, September 6, 2017

Opening Sentence

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.

~ Psalm 43:3

Confession and Forgiveness

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: cleanse us from all our offenses, and deliver us from proud thoughts and vain desires, that with reverent and humble hearts we may draw near to you, confessing our faults, confiding in your grace, and finding in you our refuge and strength; through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

Morning Prayer

Heavenly Lord, you have brought me to the beginning of a new day. As the world is renewed fresh and clean, so I ask you to renew my heart with your strength and purpose. Forgive me the errors of yesterday and bless me to walk closer in your way today. This is the day I begin my life anew; shine through me so that every person I meet may feel your presence in my soul. Take my hand, precious Lord, for I cannot make it by myself. Through Christ I pray and live, Amen.

Today's Readings

The First Reading is taken from 1 Kings 9:24-10:13

But Pharaoh's daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her; then he built the Millo. Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being on the altar that he built for the LORD, offering incense before the LORD. So he completed the house.
[Solomon’s Commercial Activity] King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. They went to Ophir, and imported from there four hundred twenty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.
[Visit of the Queen of Sheba] When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon (fame due to the name of the LORD), she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. When the queen of Sheba had observed all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his valets, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. So she said to the king, "The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. Not even half had been told me; your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard. Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness." Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again did spices come in such quantity as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a great quantity of almug wood and precious stones. From the almug wood the king made supports for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, lyres also and harps for the singers; no such almug wood has come or been seen to this day. Meanwhile King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, as well as what he gave her out of Solomon's royal bounty. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.

The Second Reading is taken from James 3:1-12

[Taming the Tongue] Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

The Holy Gospel is written in Mark 15:1-11

[Jesus before Pilate] As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "You say so." Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you." But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
[Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified] Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 38 Domine, ne in furore
1   O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not punish me in your wrath.
2   For your arrows have already pierced me, and your hand presses hard upon me.
3   There is no health in my flesh, because of your indignation; there is no soundness in my body, because of my sin.
4   For my iniquities overwhelm me; like a heavy burden they are too much for me to bear.
5   My wounds stink and fester by reason of my foolishness.
6   I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; I go about in mourning all the day long.
7   My loins are filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.
8   I am utterly numb and crushed; I wail, because of the groaning of my heart.
9   O Lord, you know all my desires, and my sighing is not hidden from you.
10   My heart is pounding, my strength has failed me, and the brightness of my eyes is gone from me.
11   My friends and companions draw back from my affliction; my neighbors stand afar off.
12   Those who seek after my life lay snares for me; those who strive to hurt me speak of my ruin and plot treachery all the day long.
13   But I am like the deaf who do not hear, like those who are mute and who do not open their mouth.
14   I have become like one who does not hear and from whose mouth comes no defense.
15   For in you, O LORD, have I fixed my hope; you will answer me, O Lord my God.
16   For I said, "Do not let them rejoice at my expense, those who gloat over me when my foot slips."
17   Truly, I am on the verge of falling, and my pain is always with me.
18   I will confess my iniquity and be sorry for my sin.
19   Those who are my enemies without cause are mighty, and many in number are those who wrongfully hate me.
20   Those who repay evil for good slander me, because I follow the course that is right.
21   O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.
22   Make haste to help me, O Lord of my salvation.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 119:25-32 Daleth Adhæsit pavimento
25    My soul cleaves to the dust; give me life according to your word.
26   I have confessed my ways, and you answered me; instruct me in your statutes.
27   Make me understand the way of your commandments, that I may meditate on your marvelous works.
28   My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
29   Take from me the way of lying; let me find grace through your law.
30   I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set your judgments before me.
31   I hold fast to your decrees; O LORD, let me not be put to shame.
32   I will run the way of your commandments, for you have set my heart at liberty.

Psalm 119:33-40 He Legem pone
33   Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.
34   Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; I shall keep it with all my heart.
35   Make me go in the path of your commandments, for that is my desire.
36   Incline my heart to your decrees and not to unjust gain.
37   Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; give me life in your ways.
38   Fulfill your promise to your servant, which you make to those who fear you.
39   Turn away the reproach which I dread, because your judgments are good.
40   Behold, I long for your commandments; in your righteousness preserve my life.

Psalm 119:41-48 Waw Et veniat super me
41   Let your loving-kindness come to me, O LORD, and your salvation, according to your promise.
42   Then shall I have a word for those who taunt me, because I trust in your words.
43   Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth, for my hope is in your judgments.
44   I shall continue to keep your law; I shall keep it for ever and ever.
45   I will walk at liberty, because I study your commandments.
46   I will tell of your decrees before kings and will not be ashamed.
47   I delight in your commandments, which I have always loved.
48   I will lift up my hands to your commandments, and I will meditate on your statutes.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

O God and Lord of the Powers, and maker of all creation, who, because of your clemency and incomparable mercy, sent your only-begotten son and our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind, and with his venerable cross tore asunder the record of our sins, and thereby conquered the rulers and powers of darkness: Receive from me, a sinful person, O merciful Master, these prayers of gratitude and supplication, and deliver me from every destructive and gloomy transgression, and from all visible and invisible enemies who seek to injure me.

Nail down my flesh with fear of you. And do not let not my heart be inclined to words or thoughts of evil, but pierce my soul with your love, that always contemplating you, being enlightened by you, and discerning you, the unapproachable and everlasting Light, I may unceasingly confess my misdoings and show my gratitude to you: The eternal Father, with your only-begotten Son, and with your all-holy, gracious, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

~ Prayer of St. Basil the Great

A Collect for Grace

O Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hold On
The Hooker Family

Alleluia! Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!

Closing Prayer

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip us with every good thing that we may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

~ Hebrews 13:20-21

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Prayer of the Day for WEDNESDAY, September 6, 2017

O God and Lord of the Powers, and maker of all creation, who, because of your clemency and incomparable mercy, sent your only-begotten son and our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind, and with his venerable cross tore asunder the record of our sins, and thereby conquered the rulers and powers of darkness: Receive from me, a sinful person, O merciful Master, these prayers of gratitude and supplication, and deliver me from every destructive and gloomy transgression, and from all visible and invisible enemies who seek to injure me.

Nail down my flesh with fear of you. And do not let not my heart be inclined to words or thoughts of evil, but pierce my soul with your love, that always contemplating you, being enlightened by you, and discerning you, the unapproachable and everlasting Light, I may unceasingly confess my misdoings and show my gratitude to you: The eternal Father, with your only-begotten Son, and with your all-holy, gracious, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

~ Prayer of St. Basil the Great

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, September 6, 2017

John 14:23 (NIV) Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Read all of John 14

Listen to John 14

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - Pulling The Covers Over Your Head

“For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

~ Revelation 7:17 (AMPC)

Corrie Ten Boom stated: “Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy. Will You carry this too, Lord Jesus?”

There are many instances in a person's life that life just does not make sense. Often, during those times, the weight of that particular situation grows too heavy. Then out of nowhere you are blindsided, and yet another weight is added. You want to just hide, and you wish you could go to bed, pull the covers up over your head, and allow the tears to flow. The reassurance a person receives from God's promises of peace, joy, and hope need to be rekindled as they have escaped you.

Because God is a faithful God, He will not leave you comfortless, desolate, or helpless. He will not abandon you in the deep sunless valley. In His perfect timing, He will stretch forth His hand to touch you with just the right message to strengthen your heart. It may be through the love of a family member, or an encouraging telephone call from a friend. Perhaps you will receive a letter that is filled with various rich and wonderful promises of His joy, peace and hope. Soak up those assurances into your heart and soul, because they are like a light shining in a dark place.

Helen Steiner Rice wrote a poem titled: “Anxious Prayers”. A few lines are: “When we are deeply disturbed by a problem...and our minds are filled with doubt...And we struggle to find a solution...but there seems to be no way out...You have to believe in God's promise...that He comes not too soon or too late...For whether God answers promptly...or delays in answering your prayer...You must have faith to believe Him...and to know in your heart He'll be there...”.

You cannot avoid heavy and difficult circumstances in your life that do not make sense. But, you do not need to spin your wheels to have it all figured out. Trust the Shepherd to carry the burden(s). He will guide you, and will feed you. You will be able to “lie down (peacefully) in (fresh, tender) green pastures; (and) He (will) lead (you) beside the still and restful waters.”.

So, peek out from under the covers because a fabulous and sunny day awaits you. You have found “the springs of the waters of life”. The Shepherd wiped away all those tears from your eyes, and He stands beside you giving you His peace, joy, and hope.

Lord, thank You for always being there for us even during the difficult times. Amen.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Devotion shared by Ann Brock.
There are many instances in a person's life that life just does not make sense...

Un Dia a la Vez - Oración por buenas decisiones

El que va por buen camino teme al Señor; el que va por mal camino lo desprecia.

~ Proverbios 14:2, NVI

Señor, te queremos dar muchas gracias por tu Palabra. Gracias por dejar entre nosotros ese Manual de Instrucciones que está lleno de recomendaciones y de consejos para que se apliquen a la vida de cada uno de tus hijos.

En estos días reflexionamos acerca de la sabiduría y la necedad y vimos que las dos pueden afectar nuestra vida para bien o para mal.

Por eso, hoy queremos decirte que necesitamos tu ayuda. Queremos que nos bendigas con una nueva porción de sabiduría, de modo que seamos capaces de hacer tu voluntad y andar como es debido en tus caminos todos los días de nuestra vida.

También te pedimos, mi Dios, que nos ayudes a ser equilibrados y no llegar a los extremos del legalismo ni del libertinaje. Sabemos que los extremos son malos.

Gracias por este nuevo día. Lo dejamos en tus manos y confiamos plenamente en ti.

En el nombre de Jesús oramos, amén y amén.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - REAL LIFE FORGIVENESS

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

~ Luke 6:37 (NIV)

Alexander Puerta has seen more than his share of tragedy. Raised on a small farm in Urabá region of northern Colombia, he was 17 when his father was murdered by an angry neighbor.

At 19, Alex nearly died of malaria. He called on a Christian evangelist to pray for him and experienced a miraculous recovery. That convinced him to accept Christ. He soon became a fervent evangelist himself and took a job at the Rancho Amelia banana plantation in Urabá.

A guerrilla army operating in the area mistakenly believed Rancho Amelia harbored a paramilitary squad. One morning in September 1995, they ambushed a bus carrying plantation employees, tied them up and threw them face down into a gully. The guerrillas then opened fire with machine guns on the helpless workers.

In the midst of the shooting, a bullet struck Alex Puerta at the base of his left eye, fractured his skull from the inside and exited, destroying his right eye and cheekbone. Amazingly, Alex did not lose consciousness, despite the excruciating pain and nearly suffocating in his own blood.

“The guerrillas came down the rows to find those who were still moving, finishing them off with a machete blow to the neck,” he recalls. “They reached me and I told them that Christ loved them. ‘This one’s alive!’ they said, and hit me twice very hard. They broke two teeth and cut off an ear lobe, but the machete did not penetrate my neck. Then they left.

“At that moment I heard a voice say, ‘Fight for your life.’ I felt such a strength and vitality that I succeeded in breaking my bonds. It hurt, but God gave me strength. When help arrived, they found me sitting up.” Alex was the only victim to survive the massacre. Twenty-five of his Rancho Amelia co-workers, including several women, lay dead in the gully.

Survival has been difficult. Alex underwent five surgeries to rebuild his shattered face. Doctors told him that he would never see again. He remembers the long months of convalescence with nothing to do but sit at home with only the family dog.

Today Alex serves as a voluntary chaplain of Prison Fellowship, preaching in chapel services at the Bellavista National Penitentiary and counseling inmates. Some of the prisoners with whom he has shared the gospel are former guerrillas. At least one, he has learned, was involved in the massacre at Rancho Amelia.

Alex let it be known that he has forgiven each of the assailants who blinded him and killed his friends. “If one decides to follow Jesus, the foundation is forgiveness,” he says. “Without it, there is no real Christian life.”

Recently, Alex accepted an invitation from Open Doors to become a regular trainer for Standing Strong Through the Storm seminars offered throughout Colombia. Feedback from seminar participants indicates that Alex is particularly effective in teaching about forgiveness.

RESPONSE: Today I will obey the Lord and forgive everyone who has hurt me.

PRAYER: Pray for Alex as he teaches SSTS seminars in Colombia. Pray his students will also forgive.

Girlfriends in God - September 06, 2017

Got Gaps?

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

I am not normally a fan of boxing, but there is one boxing movie that I love – the first Rocky Balboa movie. Yep! It’s a winner.

One particular part of the movie really grabbed my attention. Over the years, it has produced layers of spiritual truths in my life. I know that’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Stay with me.

Here’s the story. Rocky barely made enough money to buy food and pay the rent on his truly disgusting and roach-infested apartment. Rocky’s job was to retrieve money for a loan shark. Translation? He was a muscle man and probably broke various body parts to collect past due loans for his boss, Gazzo.

But in his spare time, Rocky boxed. His good friend Paulie, a meat-packing-plant worker, let him practice his punches on the carcasses hanging in the freezers. Disgusting!

When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visited Philadelphia, his managers wanted to set up an exhibition match between Creed and a struggling boxer, touting the fight as a chance for a "nobody" to become a "somebody." The match was supposed to be easily won by Creed, but someone forgot to tell Rocky, who saw the fight as his only shot at the big time. The fight lasted 15 rounds, and even though Rocky lost, sportscasters and the spectators went wild as the announcer shouted, “This was the greatest exhibition of guts and stamina in the history of the ring!”

Now that is dedication and commitment and perseverance … but not the truth I am going for. The truth that really hit me was tucked in a seemingly unimportant conversation between Rocky and Paulie. For me, it was the heart of the film.

Paulie’s shy and quiet sister, Adrian, worked in a local pet store where Rocky went almost every day. He said it was to buy food for his pet turtles. Seriously? He really went to see Adrian.

At first, Adrian shrugged off Rocky’s attempts to impress her and adamantly rejected his invitations to go out. Paulie could not understand what Rocky saw in his sister.

Paulie: [talking about Adrian] You like her?
Rocky: Sure, I like her.
Paulie: What's the attraction?
Rocky: I dunno. She fills gaps.
Paulie: What's 'gaps'?
Rocky: I dunno. She's got gaps. I got gaps. Together we got no gaps.

We were created to need each other – to fill in each other’s gaps – a truth that resonates in every relationship.

One of the main factors leading to my first major struggle with clinical depression was the profound absence of replenishing friendships in my life.

My pride kept me from admitting that I wasn’t Superwoman and really didn’t need anyone else. My insecurity held me back from reaching out to new friends and cultivating old ones. To admit my need of a friend seemed like a weakness instead of the precious gift that it is.

I refused to take the risk of being hurt, rejected, or misunderstood. I did not have time to invest in building intimate friendships because I was too busy doing the work of God.

And when the darkness hit, I felt isolated and alone. There were a lot of gaps in my life.

Friendship took on an entirely different meaning in my life from that point on. Friends are a great source of strength and encouragement in my life today.

Friends fast and pray for me, holding me accountable and confronting me when they see my priorities askew. I have one friend who will not hesitate to look me dead in the eye and say, “Stop it!” when my schedule is out of control. Oh, how I love that woman!

Friends make me stop and take time for fun. Friends have taught me to be transparent. Have I been hurt along the way? Yes. Have there been times when I have been misunderstood? Sure. Have the friendships been worth the price? Absolutely!

We need to celebrate the fact that we have gaps, others have gaps, but together … we got no gaps.

Amen!

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You today … gaps and all. I know how much I need You, but today, I admit how much I need others. Teach me how to be real and transparent. Help me learn how to tear down the walls in my life and throw away the masks I tend to wear. I want to be honest. I want to be a woman of emotional integrity who honors You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

• If you need encouragement, think of two people with whom you can share that need and make a plan to do so.
• Look for people in your life to encourage.
• Write a note of thanks to someone who has encouraged you.

More from the Girlfriends

Friends make life a lot more fun and a lot more rewarding. Yet, many of us struggle to find true friendship and don't know what it means to be a real friend. I Need a Friend is a six-week-study based on the lives of Ruth and Naomi. This study offers nine steps we can take to experience the vibrant relationships for which we were created. Check it out!

Check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website. And be sure to connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.

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