[Dailydevo] Daily Devotion Thursday October 27, 2005

[Barry Ludwig]

Daily Devotions Thursday October 27, 2005

This week's devotions are offered by Karen Ludwig. They focus on the theme
of being neighborly. Who are these neighbors and what is to be done with
them!

 

Being Neighborly Part 4

 We are always looking for the abridged version, the short form of a
procedure, the quickest way to a destination. Well, here it is defined when
it comes to neighborliness- The top two of the commandments: 

 

Mark 12: 28-34

"One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and
seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the
first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our
God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'
The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no
other commandment greater than these." Then the scribe said to him, "You are
right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there
is no other'; and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as
oneself,'-- this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You
are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any
question."

 

Looks like the abridged version is a tough read! Love my neighbor, all those
who are included as neighbors, as myself????  Maybe we want to go back to
the long version because then we can hide our behaviors a bit more.

 

How do we love someone as our self?  Very CARE fully. In a total health,
i.e. holistic manner. Take care of their physical well being: by encouraging
them when they are trying to stop a negative habit (smoking, drinking,
eating too much)or by taking someone to a doctor's appointment, by sharing
financial resources with a place like Habitat so they can have affordable
housing.  Take care of their emotional well being: sit down and listen and
come back again when someone is in need of a sympathetic ear. Take care of
their spiritual well being: take someone to church, pray for those in need
and lift up their burdens to the Lord. That's just a start-

Lord help us to be Care full this week to our self and to our neighbors.

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://zlc-aa.org/pipermail/dailydevo_zlc-aa.org/attachments/20051027/b67077ab/attachment.htm