Each week for this season our devotions will be centered around the practice of PRAYER. Like the disciples we too have the opportunity to ask Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.” We encourage you to read all prayers and Psalms out loud – let the words of Scripture fill your prayers!
Devotional Thought // Pastor Isaac
On Sunday, Donia preached through just a few words from Romans 12:13:
“Contribute to the needs of the saints…
Here is a brief refresher on what she focused on:
We must contribute our humility
We must contribute our time
We must contribute our money
Last February, the infamous Ice Storm hit us. You probably can recall the terribly frightening sounds of trees cracking and massive limbs falling. It was a perilous night.
And the clean up was brutal.
When I drove around Salem the following morning, it looked like a war zone. Hundreds and thousands of trees had fallen. I was overwhelmed by the amount of work that was ahead of our community.
I love to think and prognosticate and I recall speculating that it would be a year before the debris would be cleaned up. I was wrong. I was wrong because I had miscalculated the capacity of our community.
When people pull together and work hard, a lot can happen.
I was privileged to be a part of that effort. I got good at cutting down small trees, chopping them up and hauling the debris to the waste sites around Salem. Many in our church joined the effort as well. It is amazing how much work got done! Today I have to look really hard to find evidence of that storm! Wow!
My left arm was injured (overuse) during all of that work. To this day, there is a ligament in my upper forearm that isn’t healed. Often this injury bothers me, but as I write this out, I am glad for the reminder that I contributed to the needs that were presented.
Our contributions will always require something of us. There is no way around it. The Christian life is sacrificial. As Jesus’ apprentices, we look to him—he is our model. He is the “Way.”
Jesus made a massive contribution to us by giving his life for us. I am learning to give mine away like he did.
Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the needs in our church. I see the need for more leaders, more ministry, more discipleship…and I begin to think that it is impossible.
But, then I remember that it is not just a few of us who will contribute to the needs of the saints. All of us have humility, time and money to offer. And when we each do our bit, amazing progress is made.
In some ways these last couple of years have been terribly frightening. The storm of the pandemic has left debris all around. It can feel overwhelming. It is overwhelming. But, we are not alone.
We’ve been given each other.
Let’s all “Contribute to the needs of the saints!”
Psalm 45
1 My heart overflows with a noble song;
I will sing my words to the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 You are fairer than the children of men;
full of grace are your lips, because God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword upon your thigh, most mighty one,
according to your honor and majesty.
4 In your majesty be victorious; ride out for the sake of truth, to bear witness to righteousness,
and your right hand shall show you marvelous things.
5 Your arrows are very sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies,
and the peoples shall be subdued under you.
6 Your throne, O God, endures for ever;
the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.
7 You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
8 All your garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia;
out of the ivory palaces, stringed instruments have made you glad.
9 Kings’ daughters are among your honorable women;
at your right hand stands the queen in a vesture of gold, wrought with many colors.
10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider; incline your ear;
forget your own people, and your father’s house.
11 So shall the King have pleasure in your beauty;
since he is your Lord, honor him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre shall bring you gifts;
the rich also among the peoples shall seek your favor.
13 The King’s daughter is all glorious within the palace;
her clothing is of wrought gold.
14 She shall be brought to the king in embroidered raiment;
the virgins who are her companions shall bring her to you.
15 With joy and gladness shall they bring her,
and shall enter into the King’s palace.
16 Instead of your fathers, you shall have sons,
whom you shall make princes in all the land.
17 I will make your Name to be remembered from one generation to another;
therefore the peoples shall praise you, world without end.
Closing Prayer
Grant us, O Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who can do no good thing apart from you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.