Daily Devotional
The Daily Devotional from The Upper Room in Nashville Tennessee United States for Saturday, 20 January 2018 "Robin’s Nest" by Colin D. Harbach (Cumbria, England) - Acts of the Apostles 2:41-42
You and I may be mutually encouraged
by each other’s faith. (Romans 1:12 (NIV))
Pamela met me at the chapel door, her face bright with eagerness as she showed me the shoebox in her hands. It was full of dried grass and moss and some shreds of paper. “I’ve made a nest,” she said. “A robin will come to live in it!”
How could I explain to a young child so full of faith that a robin will usually build its own nest and might prefer a round one?
Reflecting on this experience led me to another important truth. Pamela could offer all the materials for a nest, but the robin had to build it herself. Like Pamela building the nest for the robin, we may also find ourselves wanting to build other people’s faith for them. But we forget that our Christian experiences are unique because each is between us and our Lord. However, our lives are bound together in fellowship and built on the same materials of faith and love. Today’s verse reminds us to share our faith and the love of Christ with one another as we each build our own relationship with God.
***
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear Father, you have given us this life in Christ to enjoy and to share. Help us to support one another as we build our relationships with you. Amen.
***
TODAY'S READING: Acts of the Apostles 2:41-42
Pamela met me at the chapel door, her face bright with eagerness as she showed me the shoebox in her hands. It was full of dried grass and moss and some shreds of paper. “I’ve made a nest,” she said. “A robin will come to live in it!”
How could I explain to a young child so full of faith that a robin will usually build its own nest and might prefer a round one?
Reflecting on this experience led me to another important truth. Pamela could offer all the materials for a nest, but the robin had to build it herself. Like Pamela building the nest for the robin, we may also find ourselves wanting to build other people’s faith for them. But we forget that our Christian experiences are unique because each is between us and our Lord. However, our lives are bound together in fellowship and built on the same materials of faith and love. Today’s verse reminds us to share our faith and the love of Christ with one another as we each build our own relationship with God.
***
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear Father, you have given us this life in Christ to enjoy and to share. Help us to support one another as we build our relationships with you. Amen.
***
TODAY'S READING: Acts of the Apostles 2:41-42
Acts 2:41 So those who accepted what he said were immersed, and there were added to the group that day about three thousand people.
42 They continued faithfully in the teaching of the emissaries, in fellowship, in breaking bread and in the prayers.
42 They continued faithfully in the teaching of the emissaries, in fellowship, in breaking bread and in the prayers.
***
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
How am I building my own relationship with Christ?
***
PRAYER FOCUS:
New Christians
***
READ MORE:
My meditation today reflects on how our experiences of faith and love help us develop a deeper relationship with God. It leaves us with the thoughtful question, How am I building MY relationship with Jesus?
Since writing that I have been answering the question for myself. Together with my wife, Pamela we have discovered how the Jesus friendship is built by life-events — joy and adversity, sorrow and pain — each one a lesson to bring us closer to Christ. We have learned anew how traveling along the way of the cross for and with others brings us very close to the heart of God. It has been our privilege to share pain with Christ and let him swamp the hurt with joy.
This year we were still coming to terms with the tragic death of our second daughter when Pamela suffered a serious stroke with complications, and our whole lifestyle changed overnight. Living in the moment, acquiring new caring skills, moving house — these have all been challenges to our faith. We have experienced what can only be seen as miracles of healing along with God's guidance and provision. It is easy to take basic blessings for granted, but we have been reminded of the embrace of our own family, even at a physical distance, plus the overwhelming support which comes from the loving fellowship of our wide Christian family.
Overall the letter L has figured largely in our spiritual journey. L has been for learning and that has been a wonderful experience bringing us closer to our Lord, teaching us more of him. But the letter L has also been our encouragement as we have developed a sort of motto or mantra together: Loving, Laughing and Leaning on the Lord. I commend it as a deeply rewarding Christian way of life.
irregular blog! at: www.friendshipfiles.com
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
How am I building my own relationship with Christ?
***
PRAYER FOCUS:
New Christians
***
READ MORE:
My meditation today reflects on how our experiences of faith and love help us develop a deeper relationship with God. It leaves us with the thoughtful question, How am I building MY relationship with Jesus?
Since writing that I have been answering the question for myself. Together with my wife, Pamela we have discovered how the Jesus friendship is built by life-events — joy and adversity, sorrow and pain — each one a lesson to bring us closer to Christ. We have learned anew how traveling along the way of the cross for and with others brings us very close to the heart of God. It has been our privilege to share pain with Christ and let him swamp the hurt with joy.
This year we were still coming to terms with the tragic death of our second daughter when Pamela suffered a serious stroke with complications, and our whole lifestyle changed overnight. Living in the moment, acquiring new caring skills, moving house — these have all been challenges to our faith. We have experienced what can only be seen as miracles of healing along with God's guidance and provision. It is easy to take basic blessings for granted, but we have been reminded of the embrace of our own family, even at a physical distance, plus the overwhelming support which comes from the loving fellowship of our wide Christian family.
Overall the letter L has figured largely in our spiritual journey. L has been for learning and that has been a wonderful experience bringing us closer to our Lord, teaching us more of him. But the letter L has also been our encouragement as we have developed a sort of motto or mantra together: Loving, Laughing and Leaning on the Lord. I commend it as a deeply rewarding Christian way of life.
irregular blog! at: www.friendshipfiles.com
***
The Upper Room
1908 Grand Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States
---
No comments:
Post a Comment