I love those "light bulb" moments when I get it! Today in reading Philippians 1 verse 19, I realized the importance of the prayers of others. Sometimes I feel like people ask me to pray because they are too lazy or don't believe God hears them. Sometimes I feel guilty asking people to pray for me for whatever reason I feel guilty.
A conversation last night with someone who is praying for their brother who is struggling with depression reinforced today's verse. Sometimes we pray for people because they don't know to be praying for themselves. Sometimes we pray to strengthen their prayers. Sometimes we pray for others because God just wants us to, and lays them on our hearts.
Paul mentions his constant prayers for those in Philippi and notes his faith in how God will answer their prayers for him in prison. If Paul welcomed and embraced the prayers of others for himself, I need to shed myself of the guilt I sometimes feel. And as God lays others on my heart, I know He's laying me on someone else's heart in the same way.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
It has been an amazing week (and it's only Thursday!) Last week was quite a low one for me. For only the 3rd time that I can recall in my life, I had to leave work because I couldn't function. But then God blessed me with this week!
A friend shared the impact the Good Samaritan story had on her over the weekend, and low and behold, I got a call at the church office, and got to be the Good Samaritan! I was privileged to meet a lovely couple, down on their luck, and do a good deed for them. How simple the request, how wonderful the feeling of helping out these strangers.
I had to attend a luncheon I wasn't necessarily looking forward to, one of those obligatory things. But again, how blessed to meet the people I did. The ideas for ministry for our church that I was given were truly from God. And the enthusiasm I left with was contagious.
Sharing with my pastor the joys of the day, he shared how God had blessed him in what could have been an unpleasant task. But we got to experience the way God blesses us when we just do the simple obedient things He asks of us. We were so blessed and excited, we had to stop and just thank God for His goodness, and the privilege to meet the people we did that day.
As I prepare my house for Thanksgiving dinner, I rejoice in the week, and in the way I can invite my family, friends, and strangers to celebrate the holiday together. Thank you Lord, for friends who would rather share their meal with strangers than family. Thank for children who expect to see strange faces at a holiday table, and choose to be part of it all. Thank you for people who I don't know very well, to invite and share some time with. Thank you for Your provision to be able to do all this.
A friend shared the impact the Good Samaritan story had on her over the weekend, and low and behold, I got a call at the church office, and got to be the Good Samaritan! I was privileged to meet a lovely couple, down on their luck, and do a good deed for them. How simple the request, how wonderful the feeling of helping out these strangers.
I had to attend a luncheon I wasn't necessarily looking forward to, one of those obligatory things. But again, how blessed to meet the people I did. The ideas for ministry for our church that I was given were truly from God. And the enthusiasm I left with was contagious.
Sharing with my pastor the joys of the day, he shared how God had blessed him in what could have been an unpleasant task. But we got to experience the way God blesses us when we just do the simple obedient things He asks of us. We were so blessed and excited, we had to stop and just thank God for His goodness, and the privilege to meet the people we did that day.
As I prepare my house for Thanksgiving dinner, I rejoice in the week, and in the way I can invite my family, friends, and strangers to celebrate the holiday together. Thank you Lord, for friends who would rather share their meal with strangers than family. Thank for children who expect to see strange faces at a holiday table, and choose to be part of it all. Thank you for people who I don't know very well, to invite and share some time with. Thank you for Your provision to be able to do all this.
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