Missionary Renegade: The Upper Room Daily Devotional from The United Methodist Church of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 10 January 2018 "A Faithful Steward"by Sarah Lyons (Kansas)

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from The United Methodist Church of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 10 January 2018 "A Faithful Steward"by Sarah Lyons (Kansas) - 1 Peter 4:8-11

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from The United Methodist Church of Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 10 January 2018 "A Faithful Steward"by Sarah Lyons (Kansas) - 1 Peter 4:8-11

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2018

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have  received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:9-10 (NIV))

I have the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom to my six kids. This allows me to spend time with them during the day, greet them after school, teach them, and watch them grow. One of the downsides to being a stay-at-home mom is that my days are full of mundane tasks: washing dishes, doing laundry, sweeping the floor, changing diapers, and picking up toys. These things are not exciting or fun, but they need to be done.

One day as I was matching socks, today’s quoted verse came to mind. Do I grumble? Is my work really blessing others if I have a bad attitude? Sometimes it seems that no one else cares about the chores I do, but then I realize as I sit alone matching piles of socks and folding tiny clothes that God sees me. God knows my heart and attitude. God knows if I am working as a joyful servant or just trying to cross things off my to-do list.

God notices all of us even in the mundane and seemingly pointless tasks of our daily lives. When we take the opportunity to serve others with love, we are faithful stewards of God’s grace — no matter the task at hand.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Dear God, help us to serve others joyfully as we go about our daily tasks. Thank you for allowing us to be stewards of your grace. Amen.
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TODAY'S READING: 1 Peter 4:8-11

1 Peter 4:8 More than anything, keep loving each other actively; because love covers many sins.[1 Peter 4:8 Proverbs 10:12] 9 Welcome one another into your homes without grumbling. 10 As each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God’s many-sided grace — 11 if someone speaks, let him speak God’s words; if someone serves, let him do so out of strength that God supplies; so that in everything God may be glorified through Yeshua the Messiah — to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
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