A Challenge

It started here at Ann's blog with this: The Daily Draft. If you take a look at it, you'll see the Definites a top the page and there under is this word Relationship with a ______________ after for you to fill in a name. And of course it too started here, a verse in Philippians in Chapter 2 verses 3 and 4.

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; ⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."



That short book about humbling joy. And how to have joy is to have Christ and to look to Him. And to look to Christ is to humble ones self as Christ did for us.... even unto death.  Pastor Kyle said it right Sunday morning that the Word of God is never neutral. It opens you up right wide like no other book can or will.

It is a hopefully convicting work to think of who the Lord really is and who I really worship during the week and how, oh how I often am so worried about my cares of this world that I forget to look up and around. First, to the Lord and then the interests of others. Oh, how often I look to myself first, others next and Him last. And how many times I have missed opportunities because of the business of the day and our life and our home and...and...and a million other cares.

And they are cares aren't they? I mean we do have things to take care of ourselves don't we? I mean if we just went around caring for others and never our own cares who would care for our cares?! So here he is our God, a reasonable God, really. Who says, yes care about your cares and do, please DO take care of them well, but don't merely care for your cares but also care for the cares of those around you. As if to also say, if you're only caring for your own cares...you are only doing what is required. (ouch!) This convicts me.....

So here is a challenge to myself and to you as you are caring for your cares this week (don't worry it's simple):

Lift your eyes up and ask the Lord who you can help care for this week.

Just ask. Write down that person(s) name down where you will see it. A lot. 

Then pray.

Every time your eyes look upon that name...

every. single. time. Just pray.

 

 

Because He will help you think of a person or persons, I promise He will if you just ask. Really, I could rattle off a list of 30 people, at least, that need prayer. Lots. Of. It.  And I'm guessing that you could too.  So that person. You know the one. The one you are thinking of right now as I'm typing this next word out, that one. Start there. And who knows this might lead to you doing something kind as well as the kindness of interceding on their behalf. Sending a card or e-mail. Telling them you are praying all this week for them....just for them, and not just all the other cares you care about. Asking them what specifically you could be praying about. Maybe there is something that you can physically do for them.

 

It's as if we are saying that what that person has...what they are dealing with. I see it. I might not understand, but I see it and I'm praying. And no, it might not be a cure for cancer ( it could be though), but it might just be what that person needs most from you and....for you...for them.

 

 

 

To step outside our own pressing needs and into someone elses' is what "regarding someone else more important than yourselves" looks like.

 

It's putting mere words into action....

 

 

Soooo....are you in.....???

  

 

671. This God, he does not leave us to ourselves. He has given us this Word as our guide. Thank you!

672. sleeping in. all of us. much needed sleeping in.

673. sleep overs and homesickness

674. the gift of motherhood

675. our 4th trying to put peanut butter on his bread...himself

676. reading about humility and being humbled

677. taking pictures

678. remembering that there is a cost in a gift and that cost is what makes it a gift

679. leaves changing, bringing in beautiful Fall

680. my Love, he listens well