The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States “HINDERERS” for Saturday, 20 August 2016 with Scripture: Mark 2:1 After a while, Yeshua returned to K’far-Nachum. The word spread that he was back, 2 and so many people gathered around the house that there was no longer any room, not even in front of the door. While he was preaching the message to them, 3 four men came to him carrying a paralyzed man. 4 They could not get near Yeshua because of the crowd, so they stripped the roof over the place where he was, made an opening, and lowered the stretcher with the paralytic lying on it. 5 Seeing their trust, Yeshua said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”-------
When they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and . . . they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.[Mark 2:4 (NRSV)]
When Jesus was in Capernaum, four men knew somebody who needed him so they set out to get their friend to him. When they got to the house, they couldn’t get in because of the crowd of onlookers.
In this story, I see three groups of people. There was the man who couldn’t walk. There were helpers — the men who were trying to get their friend to Jesus. And there were hinderers — the crowd. Those in the crowd did not mean to hinder the paralytic from meeting Jesus; many of them did not even realize they were preventing his approach.
How many times have we been like that crowd? The hungry need food. Prisoners need someone to visit them. My church needs volunteers. The list goes on. What am I doing? I often realize, too late, that I have even been hindering the process. I have learned that it takes our whole selves to be helpers and faithful workers for Christ. It takes our eyes and ears to recognize the needs around us; our hands and feet to get the job done; our hearts to recognize when we are being hinderers and to move us to compassion to provide care for those in need.Read more from the author, here.
"Why I Write"
I enjoy writing. I don't think I'm very good at it, but it calms me and it’s one of those activities that provides me flow (something you do that causes you to lose track of time). I began writing short devotionals because I didn’t want to forget some of the truths God had allowed me to see in my everyday life. Then, I could go back and look at those devotionals and remember God’s message to me for that time.I recently listened to a pastor’s message which centered around “seeing the invisible." He used many scriptures during his sermon, but one scripture in particular spoke to me. What I thought of, though, when I heard that scripture had nothing to do with what the pastor was saying. The scripture is 2 Corinthians 4:16 which reads, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” I thought of the words to an old song “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”* My heart became lighter. It was like God was saying to me, “don’t worry about the future; the best is yet to be; and every day with me is truly sweeter than yesterday.” How much worry, insecurity, and fear would be alleviated if we woke up each morning truly believing and looking for ways in which God renews our souls. That brief moment in a pastor’s message about a totally different subject was for me one of those times when I knew God was speaking to me. Times like that are what I want to record when I write, so I can revisit them often. It blesses me to share those moments with others.[Lynda Prevatt]
*Words by Robert C. Loveless
Music by Wendell P. Loveless
© 1936 by Percy B. Crawford
“Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”
Chorus:
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Every morning' I will worship, every evenin' I'll adore
'Cause every day with You is sweeter,
Sweeter than the day before.
Verse 1:
What a privilege to know You
Like I know You
To be loved like You love me
What an honor to worship
Truly worship
From this heart that You have freed
From the rising of the sun
To the setting of the same
Chorus:
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Every morning' I will worship, every evenin' I'll adore
'Cause every day with You is sweeter,
Sweeter than the day before.
Verse 2:
What a wonder to live life
Really live life
Overcoming anything
What a reason to lift up
Freely lift up
Every day my everything
From the rising of the sun
To the setting up the same
Chorus:
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Every morning' I will worship, every evenin' I'll adore
'Cause every day with You is sweeter,
Sweeter than the day before.
Bridge:
(2x)
Every day, every day with You Lord
(Every day, every day with You Lord)
Every day, sweeter than the day before
(Every day, sweeter than the day before)
Every day, every day with You Lord
(Every day, every day with You Lord)
Every day, sweeter than the day before
(Every day, sweeter than the day before)
Chorus:
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Everyday with You, Lord
Is swee - ter than the day be - - fore
Every morning' I will worship, every evenin' I'll adore
'Cause every day with You is sweeter,
Sweeter than the day before.
Thought for the Day: I can be a helper or a hinderer. What will I be today?
Prayer: Dear Lord, make us instruments for your work. Help us to recognize the needs of others and serve you faithfully. Amen.
Prayer focus: OUTREACH MINISTRIES IN MY CHURCH
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