"I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." Genesis 12:2
What a wonderful promise the Lord gave to Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people and an ancestor of Jesus: "I will bless you, ... and you will be a blessing." God blesses us too that we may bless others.
Can we hear? Let's listen to others with a sympathetic ear. Can we speak? May we use the gift of speech in a constructive way -- to heal, enrich, and build up self-esteem. Has God blesses us in a material way? Let us share our possessions and be generous to the church. Do we have a skill in business, music, teaching, working with children and youth, or some other talent? May we use our God-given ability in the church and elsewhere to improve other lives. If we are healthy, we may assist the weak. If we are frail and sickly, we can benefit others by praying for them.
Have we in time of trouble and sorrow experienced the help of God and the love of people? Let us share the strength and support we have received, showing understanding to people who are troubled. Let us tell how God has sustained us in time of difficulty. Do we know Jesus as personal Savior and Friend? Let's pass on the good news. All of us have been blessed in some way. May we in turn be a blessing.
PRAYER: Father, You have been good to us for Jesus' sake. Empower us through Your Word and sacraments to touch other lives with Your goodness. Amen.
(Devotions from "The Abundant Life" copyright 1998, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time e-mailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Proverbs 25-26 Acts 4:23-37
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