“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”
John 1:11 NIV
Lee Lelpi is a retired firefighter, a New York City firefighter. He gave twenty-six years to the city. But on September 11, 2001, he gave much more. He gave his son. Jonathan Lelpi was a fireman as well. When the Twin Towers fell, he was there.
Firefighters are a loyal clan. When one perishes in the line of duty, the body is left where it is until a firefighter who knows the person can come and quite literally pick it up. Lee made the discovery of his son’s body his personal mission. He dug daily with dozens of others at the sixteen-acre graveyard. On Tuesday, December 11, three months after the disaster, his son was found. And Lee was there to carry him out.
The father didn’t quit. Why? Because his love for his son was greater than the pain of the search. Can’t the same be said about Christ? Why didn’t he quit? Because the love for his children was greater than the pain of the journey.
From: Max Lucado
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Blessing of Gratitude
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Early Light Devotional, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Encouragement, Youth Devotionals
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Early Light Devotional, Instant Daily Devotion, Spiritual Encouragement, Youth Devotionals
READ | Colossians 2:6-7
Believers have the amazing privilege of praying to their heavenly Father. But it may come as a surprise to some that bringing requests to God is just one aspect of our communication with Him. Another important part of prayer—which, sadly, is often overlooked—is thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).
In fact, the Father wants His children’s lives to be characterized by gratefulness. His Word tells us that an appreciative attitude should be evident in our worship (Ps. 95:2-7; Col. 3:16), giving (2 Cor. 9:12), relationships (Phil. 1:1-3), and even the way we approach spiritual battles (1 Cor. 15:55-57). In other words, thankfulness to the Lord should permeate everything we do (Rom. 14:6). In the Scriptures, the Lord mandates our gratitude (1 Thess. 5:18), which some people find perplexing. But He knows how a grateful attitude affects our hearts. Thanking Him . . .
• Keeps us aware of His presence.
• Focuses us on Jesus Christ; pride diminishes when we remember life is about Him.
• Drives us to look for His purpose in our challenging situations.
• Reminds us of His goodness, which leads to hope and submission to His will, even when we don’t understand the reason for our pain.
• Encourages continued dependence on Him. • Replaces anxiety with peace and joy.
When we maintain an attitude of thanksgiving in both happy and difficult seasons, our lives will feel purposeful and fulfilling. But more importantly, God will be glorified. Ask Him to bring blessings to mind so you can say “Thank You.”
From: InTouch - Early Light Devotionals
Believers have the amazing privilege of praying to their heavenly Father. But it may come as a surprise to some that bringing requests to God is just one aspect of our communication with Him. Another important part of prayer—which, sadly, is often overlooked—is thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).
In fact, the Father wants His children’s lives to be characterized by gratefulness. His Word tells us that an appreciative attitude should be evident in our worship (Ps. 95:2-7; Col. 3:16), giving (2 Cor. 9:12), relationships (Phil. 1:1-3), and even the way we approach spiritual battles (1 Cor. 15:55-57). In other words, thankfulness to the Lord should permeate everything we do (Rom. 14:6). In the Scriptures, the Lord mandates our gratitude (1 Thess. 5:18), which some people find perplexing. But He knows how a grateful attitude affects our hearts. Thanking Him . . .
• Keeps us aware of His presence.
• Focuses us on Jesus Christ; pride diminishes when we remember life is about Him.
• Drives us to look for His purpose in our challenging situations.
• Reminds us of His goodness, which leads to hope and submission to His will, even when we don’t understand the reason for our pain.
• Encourages continued dependence on Him. • Replaces anxiety with peace and joy.
When we maintain an attitude of thanksgiving in both happy and difficult seasons, our lives will feel purposeful and fulfilling. But more importantly, God will be glorified. Ask Him to bring blessings to mind so you can say “Thank You.”
From: InTouch - Early Light Devotionals
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