Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Mid-Week Message - Blessed to Be Someone

"Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love is sick.'"  John 11:1-3 (NIV)

Stop and think.  How many times do you tell another person that you will pray for them?  I would imagine it is fairly often because that is what we do out of compassion for our friends and family.  Now, how often do you actually follow through?  I'm not trying to be nosy or cast any doubt on anyone.  It's just that I know from experience that we say it, then get busy and forget.  What I have had to train myself to do is to pray immediately otherwise my mind will wander and before I know it, the next day has come and I will realize that I have missed crucial hours when I could have been lifting needs up to the Father.

This hit home with me this week as I was having my quiet time and reading my daily devotionals.  The act of prayer is a gift and a vitally important one.  I can't count how many times I have encountered a friend with a need and said these words, "I wish I could do more but all I can do is pray."  All I can do?  We have the privilege of being able to go straight to the Master Himself!  We don't have to be priests, rabbis or preachers.  We don't have to have any special degree or have any special skills.  We are children of the Most High God, co-heirs with Christ.  We simply have to be willing to go before them and talk to them about what the problem is.  That's it.  No fanfare.  No waiting for an appointment.  They are available at all times to each of us.  It is a right that we have that Jesus died for.  

Look carefully at the verse above.  What do you notice?  Look specifically at the last sentence.  "So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love is sick.'"  Read it again.  Do you see it now?  I can't even count how many times I have read this and didn't notice.  In order to "send word", someone had to go to Jesus.  Who was it?  We have no idea.  What we do know is that it was someone that was willing to carry the news that Lazarus was sick and needed His help.  That someone performed the most important task, that of delivering the need to the Master. If you read more of the story you will see that Jesus stopped and listened, exactly what He does when we go to Him.

I would love to have the resources to physically meet the needs I encounter.  Unlimited funds would go a long way with being able to help a lot of hurting people in one way or the other.  However, unless He blesses me with them in the future, that is simply not possible.  I am always available to listen and will do my best to exercise my personal spiritual gift, which is encouragement.  I will lend my shoulder to cry on and I will share whatever I have that might be needed.  But the most important thing I, or anyone else, can do for another is talk to Jesus on their behalf.  "Lord, there is a problem that needs your help."  Someone did that for Lazarus.  We can all be someone too.  God bless you!

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