Saturday, June 10, 2017

CUP OF COLD WATER

Maybe this is a bad illustration, so feel free to critique it; but glean my aim behind it. When a young child draws a picture or painting for there parent. The parent loves the picture and the child, yet it is not because the picture has professional aspects found in Rembrandt, van Gogh, da Vinci, Monet, Michelangleo, etc. The parent loves the child even if the child had not drawn a picture, the parent loves the child because the child is his.

Christians are adopted by Father through the grace and love of Jesus whom He sent in grace and love. Christians belong to God, we are His children, we are made in His image, and now bear the aroma of Christ. Because He first loved us, we love Him; We enjoy "drawing pictures" for Him. He "accepts our pictures" through Christ despite how poor, simple, and worthless they are in themselves. We need not fear or be anxious that others have better pictures or better skills, God loves us.

We need not worry that the world has zero interest in our labors and efforts, they certainly will not; but we are not "drawing pictures" for the world, we are drawing them for God. So I aim to encourage all Christians in this manner-- take today to draw pictures for your Heavenly Father.

This may mean witness to someone, visiting someone who is in the hospital, nursing home, or shut-in; it may mean making a blog entry, video devotional, or sending an encouraging email. It could be watching someone's kids for them while they are out of town or facing an emergency.

The world did not care what Noah was doing, but Noah did not care what the world thought. Noah was doing his labor to honor God, because He knew God was trustworthy. I need to remember how rejected Elijah, Elisha and all the prophets were; We know how God assured Ezekiel that men would reject him, but Ezekiel was not living to please men or gain their affirmation or feedback (in essence). The same is said by Paul in Galatians 1. There were assuredly wealthy kings, rulers, and men in Jesus' day, yet God does not involve them in the feeding of the 5,000; rather, He involved a little boy with just a basket of food. If God has given you a basket of food, and He has, don't despise it. Don't think you need to own 10 restaurants to "make an impact."

Wikipedia is saying McDonalds has over 36,000 locations world-wide, such stores like this and Walmart may donate millions to charitable endeavors, yet you look at your monthly budget and only have $20 to apply to Christian ministry (and I don't mean only giving money to a group, though that is one way to bless someone. I mean personal using that money in an endeavor which you are directly engaged in serving or witnessing etc.) -- even so God remembers the cup of cold water given to His disciples in His name. There is over 7 hours of daylight left today....go out and give a cup of cold water.