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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Sunday, July 7, 2003 "Spread, Not Spare" |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, July 7, 2003 by Pastor Dave Sonnenberg
Welcome back from the 4th of July weekend. Hope it was a safe and happy time for all of you. Now, blessings as you get back to work or get back from vacation.
Our family was out in the boiling hot weather yesterday afternoon for several hours. I put the kids to bed around 8 and went downstairs to relax, just as the thunderstorms rolled in. Shortly thereafter, one of the kids came down because they were scared of the thunder. I went up and sat next to them. Before I knew what hit me, it was 7:30 this morning.
As I woke up, my oldest was reading her kids Bible to me. It's a book that I've read to her for several years, but now she's old enough to read it to me. As I was trying to wake up, she'd spell out a word she didn't know and I'd tell her what it was. (I was too tired to put my glasses on) She got to the stories of Jesus' resurrection appearances and it got interesting. She quoted Jesus as saying to his followers, "Go and spare the news of my kingdom to all you meet". I asked her to spell "spare" and she replied, "spread". I corrected her and told her that "spare" means not telling while "spread" means sharing Jesus' ways with others. By this point, I was wide awake as I knew she'd taught me a good lesson to begin the day.
The lesson came in handy as I went downstairs to send this email and the cable was out. I couldn't get on-line. I tried one thing and it didn't' work. I tried another and it didn't work. I restarted the computer and it didn't work. I kicked the chair. The kids were yelling while they were playing and it was starting to get under my skin. I started getting mad at them and it hit me- "sparing" the Kingdom of God occurs when I take out my frustration on others over trivial things. Perhaps spreading the kingdom can mean when I "spare" the world of my frustration, which in turn can "spread" the good news.
Maybe we all can learn a little from that. We can spread God's ways when we let external events that don't matter go, thus sparing others of our frustration. We spread the good news when we show others that some things really don't matter that much.
Enough said. The world needs you to "spare" it of some things in favor of "spreading" the things of God. "Spare the world of some of your frustration and instead spread some of God's joy this day.
Blessings.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.