The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "THE GREATEST OF THESE" for Sunday, 12 June 2016 with Scripture Acts 1:6-11

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "THE GREATEST OF THESE" for Sunday, 12 June 2016 with Scripture Acts 1:6 When they were together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore self-rule to Isra’el?” 7 He answered, “You don’t need to know the dates or the times; the Father has kept these under his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y’hudah and Shomron, indeed to the ends of the earth!”
9 After saying this, he was taken up before their eyes; and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 As they were staring into the sky after him, suddenly they saw two men dressed in white standing next to them. 11 The men said, “You Galileans! Why are you standing, staring into space? This Yeshua, who has been taken away from you into heaven, will come back to you in just the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

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Jesus said to his apostles, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.”[Acts 1:8 (NRSV)]
When I befriended a ninety-five-year-old woman in our community, I hoped to add joy to her days. I soon found that I had much to learn. In my frequent visits with her during the three years before her death, I learned that I had overestimated what I could bring to her and underestimated what she had to offer me. Early on, I felt a deep connection between us, even though we were different in age, race, socioeconomic status, and educational background. The greatest lesson I learned was that none of our differences prevented meaningful friendship.
Each time she welcomed me into her home, she maneuvered her power-operated wheelchair close enough to hold my hands. I loved spending time with her and learning from her deep spiritual insight.
“The Lord has brought us together,” she said. “The Holy Spirit has come upon us.”
Now, as I drive by her empty house, I hear her voice saying again, “We must read the word, and we must live the word.” I know that she has gone on to be with Christ. I can best honor our friendship by sharing the gifts she so graciously bestowed on me.
The Author: Dianne T. Evans (South Carolina, USA)
Thought for the Day: Today I will love others as God loves me.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for people who bring us closer to you. Give us the desire to be faithful to your word. Amen.
Prayer focus: TO SEEK WISDOM FROM SOMEONE DIFFERENT FROM ME

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