Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
October 27, 2023
John 10:14-18
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that don’t belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one shepherd. 17 “This is why the Father loves me: I give up my life so that I can take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I give it up because I want to. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.”
Good Morning. The Good Shepherd tends his flock!
It is hard to willingly give something up, especially something that you consider valuable or that you have worked hard to get. As a teenager, I can think of a pair of boots that I just had to have. They were beyond the cost of things my parents would have agreed to, so I saved my money, and after skrimping and doing some extra chores, I had the money needed. On the next trip to the mall, I proudly walked into the store and purchased my boots.
I couldn’t wait to wear them and show them off to my friends. One of the girls who was outside my circle of friends was the first to notice my fancy boots. She commented that they were nice, but I could see that she really loved them. For perhaps the first time, I noticed that her shoes were worn and didn’t fit her very well. She came from a large family, and I guessed she received hand-me-downs from her siblings.
When we went to P.E., I noticed that not only were her shoes worn, but a hole starting to form on the sole of one of the shoes. As I removed my boots to put on my gym shoes, I realized that she needed the boots more than I did. I placed the boots with her clothes and went into the gym. After class, we returned to the locker room, and she looked quizzically at me. I gestured for her to put them on. She sheepishly did so, and her whole being glowed. We entered the gym that day as acquaintances but left as friends. No one ever knew how she got such a wonderful pair of boots.
Through the Holy Spirit within me, God opened my eyes to see the needs of one standing right before me. I willingly gave the boots to someone who needed them so much more. It wasn’t just the need for shoes, but the need for acceptance and a relationship. No one took the boots from me or even suggested that I give them away. Through my giving of myself, we were both blessed.
Creator God, We love you! We often don’t see the needs of others, even when they are standing before us. Help us invite the Holy Spirit to work and mold us into your servants. Thank you for loving us. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Listen for God’s voice today!
Give and you shall receive! Pastor Liz
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