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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion January 25, 2006 ROADBLOCK |
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Frontline Devotion for Wednesday, January 25, 2006 by Penny Risen
Setting off on a vacation should be a free and easy occasion. It should be filled with hopes of sunny skies and warm waves, or anticipation of crisp breezes and powder-dusted slopes. What can sour the sweetest dreams of a well earned, relaxing getaway?
A traffic jam --- Backed up, bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks snaking endlessly along an interstate highway can wipe that “I’m finally on vacation“ smile from anyone’s face.
When our family drives South for the beach, we have to make it past an encounter with a huge highway interchange --- a nightmare of tangled exits, ramps and lane switches designed to frazzle any traveler’s nerves --- called the “Mixing Bowl.” If we can make it through the backed-up Mixing Bowl with a bit of good humor intact, we know our remaining hours together will be smoother. We won’t be crabbing at each other all the way to our shore rental. This summer escape is important to family sanity, and we’ve tried to devise ways to sit out this traffic mess gracefully. We pack favorite food, audio books on CDs, and once we even launched into a goofy and creative “rap battle” that had us laughing all the way to North Carolina. We make an effort to get past the roadblock together with a minimum of complaining.
The apostle Paul tries to keep his flock from self-destruction on a new path to faith in the Lord Jesus. Trying to put an end to squabbling and division, Paul asks in Romans:
“Don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way
that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path ….
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living
a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ
with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too.
Let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
(New Living Translation Bible)
We all stumble in the effort to make our lives a smooth journey. We rely on our faith to help us through trials like illness or sorrow. But do we try hard enough to keep harmony in our families or friendships when day-to-day things just don’t go our way? Our weaknesses, vices and faults are roadblocks to a fulfilled Christian life, and we seek God’s grace and strength to help us mend and change. But how tolerant are we when someone else falls short and needs a hand to lift them up?
The support of other believers and their kindness toward us can mean so much, Paul tells us. Building each other up is a far better way to grow as a church, than tearing down someone else for the ways the might have slighted us or our way of doing things.
Jesus was sent to make the way straight toward salvation for all who are faced with temptations and self doubts. He takes our side, removes the roadblocks of sin, and lifts us into the Light when the path becomes too dark or confused. All good things come from God and we must be prepared to share these. He gave us our time, our gifts, and blesses us with His care and loving kindness. We also must do our best to guide others past spiritual or emotional snarls and to bring them safely home.
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, thank you for guiding my way as a loving Father. Help me to recognize when I’m heading in the wrong direction. Remind me to patiently offer my hand to others who are lost, instead of criticizing or ignoring them. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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