Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
April 12, 2024
Matthew 25:31-40
31 “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left. 34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’
Good Morning! Make me a servant, humble and meek!
As my grandchildren age, I see such beauty within them. At Kenneth’s 18th birthday party last month, his cousins talked about what it means to be 18 in terms of what you can and can’t do. They laughed at the thought of getting married at 18, and I was whisked back in time. Lowell had asked me to marry him, and we were planning our wedding at that age.
I thought about how young we really were and how little we knew of worldly ways. We grew up in rural Indiana where everyone looked after one another, but then we moved into the city, and we didn’t know our neighbors or community members very well. Honestly, we did some “stupid” things in those early years, but by the grace of God and the kindness of strangers and family members, we lived through the messes and mistakes that we made. We were among the least of these of which Jesus spoke.
As we grew older and a little wiser, we worked to repay the kindnesses we had been shown by helping others. Lowell was the first one to offer to jump a dead car battery, and we gave food, clothing, and shelter to those in need. In our lives, we seem to move in and out of our roles in society.
Those who are needy can become those who meet the needs of others. Famous people who go home and work to improve the lives of those who struggle are examples of this. Jesus says that when we give to the least of these (the outcasts, the poor, the downtrodden), we are serving Him.
Gracious God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. By your grace, we have those who look after us when we are in need. Help us to be that person when we see the needs of others. We thank you! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Allow Christ to love someone through you.
Offer Christ to those you meet! Pastor Liz