Did You Know that in Drawing Close to Outcasts You Draw Closer to God?
Good Morning Friends,
Ok you probably have experienced growing closer to God as you seek the help of Christ in the forgiveness of your sins. You have probably experienced Jesus in prayer and praises. And you probably have become more knowledgeable in reading and trusting and applying His Word…even inspired. But, Did You Know that in Drawing Close to Outcasts You Draw Closer to God?
Scripture:
41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.
Matthew 5:41 (NRSV)
8When Jesus* had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; 2and there was a leper* who came to him and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.’ 3He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately his leprosy* was cleansed. 4Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’
Matthew 8:1-4 (NRSV)
40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:40 (NRSV)
10Brothers and sisters,* my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened.
Romans 10:1-2 (NRSV)
16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 (NRSV)
Message: Jesus did not want to be known as a miracle worker. He had something much more important in mind…the salvation of humanity…his family by adoption. And now it is our pleasure and joy to draw near to God. Mother Teresa knew how it worked best. It starts with silence and its fruit of prayer and then prayer’s fruit of faith that challenges us to engage others and then faith’s fruit of love changes everything, for if we let it bear the fruit of service and service’s fruit of peace we have walked with Jesus. The process is the path of salvation and it is born out in a special way with the poor and vulnerable…with lepers. Think of what Jesus did. Think of what Mother Teresa did. There is a spiritual DNA that is transferred in reaching out to outcasts. You see Jesus lived with outcasts, prostitutes and tax collectors as family. And he taught us to carry the burden of the most outcast with a cheerful attitude. On our walk with Jesus, He teaches us to go the second mile… to turn the other cheek…to swallow pride and abandon self-interest… to be slow to anger and quick to forgive. On the journey He compels us to live by grace in the face of the unfair and sometimes unfamiliar. He requires us to be cheerfully generous to help the marginalized on the way. Friends sometimes helping requires we get our hands dirty. We are to realize that the grace we receive is not just for our benefit but also so that we might help others. The beauty is that when we draw close to God’s own, God grows closer to us.
Pray we walk in the life giving relationship of Jesus. Pray we realize his preference for the poor and vulnerable and outcastes has a purpose. Pray we choose the simple path of love. Pray that we humble ourselves before God, so that He doesn’t have to do it for us. Pray we realize that God gives grace to the willing humble. Pray we take some lessons in our laments that bring us closer to God. Pray for each other so that we might live together whole and healed. Pray His Kingdom overcomes the world. Pray that grace draws us close to the needy and births in us a deliverance and healing that sets us free. Pray we go the distance and more.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 