You have a part!

I like this devotional by A. B. Simpson. As I was reading it my thoughts went back to the early programs that the God's Love Outreach Ministry were presenting to nursing homes for shut-ins. In the early beginning of this ministry, a group of 6-8 of God's children, were going as a supporting group to help in any way to bring the message of His love and grace. Next month on the 17th of April this ministry will be presenting in celebration it's 1000th program.

Are the same 6-8 people still helping as in the beginning? No, and probably many would say they just can't see or understand what their role is. Of course for me, it was my calling. God put this on my heart. So I guess I would be considered as Mr. Simpson wrote "the machine". For I am the one in the forefront delivering His message. Does that mean that those others had a less important part of what God wanted them to do? No. It was just as important.

I will always remember back to one of the 1000 programs that the ministry was presenting. A friend of mine was one of the 6-8 who went to help. As a song was being sung I looked out at the residents and he was there holding a hand of a young woman who was in a bed chair and they were singing together. Though I was standing in front my friend was the one, through his love for Christ, ministering to this young woman.

Maybe he thought he had a small part, a rivet holding the machine in place, but to God because of my friends obedience, my friend was doing just what God wanted him to do!

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"How ye ought to walk and please God" (I. Thess. iv. 1).

[A devotional by A. B. Simpson]

[How many dear Christians are in the place that the Lord has appointed them, and yet the devil is harassing their lives with a vague sense of not quite pleasing the Lord. Could they just settle down in the place that God has assigned them and fill it sweetly and lovingly for Him there would be more joy in their hearts and more power in their lives. God wants us all in various places, and the secret of accomplishing the most for Him is to recognize our places from Him and our service in it as pleasing Him. In the great factory and machine there is a place for the smallest screw and rivet as well as the great driving wheel and piston, and so God has His little screws whose business is simply to stay where He puts them and to believe that He wants them there and is making the most of their lives in the little spaces that they fill for Him.

There is something all can do,
Tho' you're neither wise nor strong;
You can be a helper true,
You can stand when friends are few,
Some lone heart has need of you,
You can help along.]

Your Purpose

You have a job to do for God,
something you were designed to do.
So many people go through life
never understanding what theirs is too.

The work that He has for us,
to many may seem simple or small.
But to God, our Father above,
important work for one and all.

See the more you focus on Jesus,
you'll understand the work He begun,
for He always said, "Father not my will,
but let Your will be done!"

Friends, you will never understand your purpose,
that God created you to be,
until you can look in the mirror
and say to yourself, "It's not about me!"

E. P. Shagott
3/9/10

From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott