Sunday Devotional......8/7/16

Good morning!

I am writing this greeting on Saturday afternoon for Sunday. It was a sunny day today and humid. We did all the things I mentioned. We are not going the cookout that I mentioned. The 15 year old son or the people who invited us broke his leg in two places playing wiffle ball.

After we finished our daytime plans, we came home and sat outside near the pool. It was so hot and we started hearing thunder and saw thunder clouds forming to the north. They came closer and closer and we came inside. It is now pouring "cats and dogs" so to speak. Wish I could bottle it up and bring it back to Cali with me.

Have a pleasant Sunday.
God bless..
Corinne

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The Devotional component in the Sunday Writings of Women's Focus Ministries is titled, "SHOW AND TELL" and was written by Jan Andersen.  The theme of this devotional is how we as Christians need to show and tell about God to the rest of the world.  The theme verse is "You are the light of the world" from Matthew 5:14

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  Today's Devotional   

"SHOW AND TELL"

written by

Jan Andersen

Here it is, the beginning of August, and many students are already returning to school.  Hard to believe.  I remember school not starting until September, after Labor Day, but then I am dating myself, aren't I?!  In early elementary school years, there is an activity called "Show and Tell."  Young children learn to speak in front of a group of their peers by bringing something to class to show to their fellow students and tell them about it.  It is one thing to just tell about something, but to actually show it brings more interest from the hearers.

Witness our faith is much like "Show and Tell" in school.  It would be one thing to just tell others about God's love, but showing it by our actions is much more meaningful.  God cares about us and everything that happens to us.  He supplies us with all that we need, even if it is not all that we want.  When we show love to others by caring about them and helping them, we are witnessing God's love to them.  But anyone can be kind to others, even if they are not Christian.  So it is important to include the "telling" with the "showing" in a gentle and loving way.  When other people thank us for our kindness, we can simply say something about doing it to the glory of God, or because God has given us so much we want to share that love, and so forth.

Another "Show and Tell" witness is to abide by God's commands.  If we tell people we believe in God and then go out and lie, cheat, or steal, etc. without remorse, what does that tell them?  Either we believe in a God who condones sinfulness, or we don't really believe in God at all.  However, if we live a life trying to follow the 10 commandments and all that is intended by them, then we show others that we take our faith seriously.  A non-believer can also live a good and moral life, so the "telling" is most important.  We can find ways to mention God when speaking with others, especially to explain that we don't do what is "right" to earn God's favor or a place in heaven.  Our salvation was already paid for by Christ on the cross.  We do it to show God how grateful we are for that free gift of salvation and to be a good witness.  Even though we can't do it perfectly, or when we continue to fall into the same traps over and over again, we can share with others how forgiving God is in spite of our failures, short-comings, mess-ups and flaws.

Finally, it is good to continue to show and tell others about God when life throws difficulties our way.  Non-believers may be able to pick themselves up again over and over, but for them it is just "bad karma" or "bad luck" etc.  As a Christian we understand that God is a loving and merciful God, but humans are the ones who screwed up this world in the first place when Adam and Eve disobeyed him in the Garden of Eden.  We continue to make a mess of things in this world because we are genetically sinful human beings.  God allows us to have free will to reject his love and salvation, and Satan continues to trip us up with his crafty ways.  Yet God continues to offer us his loving forgiveness, as well as his strength to carry on.  As we witness to others about his love even in the midst of troubles, we shine his light into this dark world. 

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)  [Jesus said:] "You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for your loving kindness and merciful forgiveness through your Son, Jesus.  May we be good witnesses to others as we show and tell them about you.  Help us to shine your light in this world by loving them, being a good example to them, and praising your name in good and bad times.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Prayers are lifted up daily for 

you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff

of Women's Focus Ministries.

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