Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Today's Frontline Devotion

Christ is with You

February 4, 2010

A daily
Spiritual
Growth Opportunity

Frontline Devotion for Thursday, February 4, 2010 by Pastor Dave Sonnenberg
Reprinted from July 27, 2006

Today, I’d like to share a story that I found very meaningful.  It occurred several years ago when I was taking my son, Drew, on a few errands. We ended up at Einstein Bagels after the errands- a little reward for his patience. I’m drinking coffee and he’s munching on a bagel with cream cheese smeared all over his face. I’m kind of daydreaming and thinking about all the work I had to do; when all of a sudden I realized this little girl (about 3 years old) is speaking to him in Spanish. The two are giggling with one another and waving to each other. She comes over and gives him a little cookie and kisses him on the cheek. She points at me and says to him in Spanish, “your daddy loves you. Bye little boy.”

A little girl speaking a different language discipleized me- came into my life for a brief moment and blessed me. She will never know it, but she was an instrument of God who reminded me of my role as a parent, who reminded me to stop day dreaming and focus on Drew, who reminded me that this diversity is indeed a great blessing.

As you go about your daily life, know that Christ is with you and will be trying to get through to you. Count on it. So, don’t limit yourself to looking for Christ in only “churchy people.” Count on it coming from anywhere, for God will use anyone as his instrument. When we embrace that, we also can embrace the charge that Jesus gives- “as you go, discipleize”- show people God’s ways in all you say and do.
One of the worst distinctions that Christians make is when we talk in terms of secular and sacred. For a Christian disciple, our call is to go into the world and make every encounter a holy one. That’s not easy, but that’s our task as disciples. That doesn’t mean every conversation is marked with the quoting of scripture. But, what it does mean is that our interactions are continually informed, inspired, and evaluated by Jesus life. When we fail in relations, we seek Christ’s forgiveness and wisdom to change. When we have positive relations, we seek Christ’s wisdom to continue growing.