(This pic is from a great post entitled “In Leadership There Are No Excuses, Only Choices” – check it out.)
Father, there’s something about a new day. It brings a fresh perspective, connotations of unexplored territory, and unblemished state of mind, a clean page of my journal. You are all about fresh starts, regardless of who we are and of what we’ve done. It doesn’t even have to be a morning – any time, any day, anywhere! Thank You, Father! Bless this day, may I bring glory to Your name!
Hebrews 13:1-3 (<<click here)
Lord, these verses speak of love, and not just a verbal or mental acknowledgement. Real love takes action and as my study Bible* states, it “produces tangible actions,” Dictionary.com defines “tangible” as “capable of being touched or felt; having real substance.”
In certain circumstances it’s not difficult to show love. It can also be pretty easy to love those closest to me. But it’s not so easy when I’m called to love outside of my comfort zone.
Today’s passage speaks of “hospitality to strangers” and “those in prison” and “those being mistreated”. Just reading those words makes my brain exclaim, “when in the world would have time to work those things in? I could handle hospitality…but to strangers?” Thinking of loving prisoners and those being mistreated, makes me think, “I’m not trained to do those kinds of things and I most certainly don’t have time to be trained much less use that training!” …but those are just excuses…I can’t just cast these things aside…
Lord, I cannot escape what You said in Matthew 25:31-46,
31“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
41“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
Lord, help me… Help me to do what is pleasing to You…no excuses.
June 20th, Mon, 6:21 am
*New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible
