Friday 13 Sep 2013

Friday Reading: Isaiah 55:6-7

Key Verse: Isaiah 55:6
6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Devotion:
Do you ever think about why so many people leave their worship until they get to church? Do you ever wonder why people will congregate at a building just so that they can worship? God is everywhere! That means that we are able to seek Him everywhere and to call Him from anywhere and to worship Him wherever we are! Yes it is wonderful to be able to be in a big congregation where you can feel so uplifted by so many people singing praises to God, but we need to call on Him always and everywhere, constantly.

For those people who do not yet know God, that one time that they actually go out to church, or that one meeting with a caring Christian may well be the only chance they get to hear about the love that Christ has for them. They will find it very difficult to hear anything whilst they are swamped by the world and its evil ways; so that moment may be the moment that God wants you to stand up and show them what praising God is all about!

I love to wear T-Shirts with Christian logos and words on them just so that people will look and wonder. I will always show them a loving smile; and in some countries that is considered to be showing you are a fool, but hey, that’s not my problem! Showing others what God means to you should be part of your life and not something you do behind closed doors or shut away in a building somewhere. When I am taking a service I love to be able to leave the doors open so that people will feel welcome and want to come in, even if they are late (not always possible in the UK where it can get a bit cold)

We need to be there, encouraging people, bringing them in and showing them that God loves them. We need to be constantly aware that others will feel wary of our ways. We need to make sure we do not treat them like criminals or sinners – even though they may well be. Treat them as God’s children and allow them to know that God loves them and wants them to turn away from their old ways. We certainly do not have the right to tell them off, but we do have the right to show them God’s ways and bring them in.

Points to Ponder:
How do you treat non-Christians?

How did God treat you before you believed in Him?