MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Today is Monday and as usual on Monday, I begin to think about what I want to accomplish this week. I pray each morning before I get out of bed that God will give me opportunities to serve; however, even when He does, I don't always recognize them. I wrote this devotion one morning after we had been to church. I have returned to it many times as a reminder to myself to do God' s work when He offers it. I may not get a second opportunity to serve that person. My prayer for all who read this is that you would seize the opportunity to serve the first time you meet it and not pass it by for another time.


Read Matthew 25:34-40 “Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” (James 1:4 NIV)
     On our way to church this morning we turn the corner , and  I notice her surrounded by what appears to be all her worldly possessions. The gentle Florida breeze ruffles her gray hair and she moves her wheelchair to the edge of the sidewalk as a pedestrian passes. “Oh my, how sad!” I murmur as we drive on to our regular place of worship. I sing; I pray. I participate in the Communion and read God’s word. But her face intrudes into my personal worship. I resolve that on the way home, we will stop and offer her some comfort and help.
      We drive our same path home. She is gone. My opportunity to do something is gone. I have been so busy “playing Christian” that I have bypassed someone who needed love—God’s love. Jesus’ said “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me” (Matt: 25:40) I had not “done” anything for the “least” of God’s children. “Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”(James 1:4) Today I had sinned again.
PRAYER: O Lord forgive me. Help me to practice the true religion of giving love and aid to those less fortunate than I. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY When God creates an opportunity we must act. It may not return.




My newest devotion book
Available now on
Amazon.com

STRESS FRACTURE

Recently doctors diagnosed my foot pain as stress fracture.

For those who are not familiar with the term (and I wasn’t) they described it as two small bones in my foot much like two wires that continue to move back and forth until they break because of the stress placed upon them. Each time after this diagnosis I wore an ugly black boot until these bones healed. Each doctor was too kind to mention “old” bones. J

I am walking for exercise again, but today I began with a mile.  Not my usual three miles, but it is a beginning and I will continue with that for a week or two, evaluate my body’s response and move on to more distance.  Perhaps I will soon be back to my normal distance.

As I didn’t recognize my fracture until it began to be painful, we sometimes don’t recognize how our mental and spiritual well-being is stressing until we break. We skip our Bible reading and morning devotion because we have a committee meeting at the church. Our designated Prayer time is lost as it is time to drive the children to Youth group. We want to spend more personal time with God but we have so many things we need to accomplish in each day.
None of this is detrimental for us, but it can be unfavorable to our spiritual life which then affects our physical and mental well-being. When we fall apart and so many of us do, it is then we need to put on the “black boot” to slow down and ease the stress of our lives.

I write this morning as one who has been there. Take time to be holy (defined as set apart).  Stress can be controlled. God tells us “Be still and know”.  I will continue to walk, but perhaps my body is telling me to slow down as God may also be telling me to slow down.

 

Do you have stress fractures?  Physically?  Mentally?  Spiritually?