Sunday, November 4, 2018

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from The United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States Daily Devotional For Sunday, 4 November 2018 "Despite Mistakes" by Wade Webster (Texas)


The Upper Room Daily Devotional from The United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States Daily Devotional
For Sunday, 4 November 2018 "Despite Mistakes" by Wade Webster (Texas)
(Image: Pixabay)
Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 (NRSV))A friend of mine bought a house to renovate. After he replaced the trim on the walls, I came in to paint the rooms. The first thing I had to do was to put caulk in all the cracks. Since Dan knew how many cracks he had left, he was impressed with how the job looked after I smoothed the caulk into place — and even more excited after he saw each painted wall.
At one point I was half finished with a wall when I took a break to rest my back. Because many of the cracks were not yet caulked, I thought, I sure hope Dan doesn’t walk in right now; he’d probably fire me! Then I thought about my own life: recently divorced, too many credit cards used to their limit, a bankruptcy in my past. God should fire me.
Then I remembered that God didn’t fire Moses, even after he killed a man. In fact, one day God chose Moses to lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land. God used Moses, a murderer, for divine work — and God can use each of us too.
Our past mistakes don’t have to prevent us from serving God. The future has yet to be written, and God can call any one of us to accomplish divine work.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, thank you for calling us to divine work despite our mistakes. Use us to build your kingdom for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
TODAY'S READING: Exodus 3:7-15
Exodus 3:
7 Adonai said, “I have seen how my people are being oppressed in Egypt and heard their cry for release from their slavemasters, because I know their pain. 8 I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that country to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the place of the Kena‘ani, Hitti, Emori, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi. 9 Yes, the cry of the people of Isra’el has come to me, and I have seen how terribly the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Therefore, now, come; and I will send you to Pharaoh; so that you can lead my people, the descendants of Isra’el, out of Egypt.”
11 Moshe said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people of Isra’el out of Egypt?” 12 He replied, “I will surely be with you. Your sign that I have sent you will be that when you have led the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”13 Moshe said to God, “Look, when I appear before the people of Isra’el and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you’; and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?” 14 God said to Moshe, “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh [I am/will be what I am/will be],” and added, “Here is what to say to the people of Isra’el: ‘Ehyeh [I Am or I Will Be] has sent me to you.’” 15 God said further to Moshe, “Say this to the people of Isra’el: ‘Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai], the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya‘akov, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered generation after generation.
(Complete Jewish Bible).
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: 
God gives second chances.
PRAYER FOCUS: To be open to God’s leading
READ MORE: More From Wade Webster
More From Wade Webster BY WADE WEBSTER (TEXAS)
RELATED DEVOTIONALS: DESPITE MISTAKES

A writer's life can be very lonesome at times, especially for someone recently divorced with no children. When that's the case it's extremely important to remain involved in life any way I can. My physical family members live over a thousand miles away from me, so my church family is just that... family.
Volunteer opportunities abound at church. I help with watching toddlers as needed. At 57 years old, I get my grandpa fix that way. The kids appreciate my time with them, too. I've recently gotten involved with Kairos Prison Ministries as well. This is a team of volunteers that goes into maximum security prisons to display the love of God and reach lost souls for Christ. These, and other avenues of service, keep me sane and alive.
These forms of outreach aren't for everyone, but there are many kinds of service are available for everyone. All we have to do is look for them. If you know of a need in your church or community, don't wait for someone else to tell you how to help. We can all step up and do our best to get it done. We can all find the need, then the solution, and let others know about it. You may be the person God created to make a difference in someone else's life.
You don't need to consider yourself a leader to lead, you just have to have a heart of service and a desire to care for others. God will use us because the greatest ability God is looking for is our availability.
Have a great day.
You can read more from Wade at: http://wadewebster.com
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