True Concerns for Others (Heb. 13:3)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 07-25-03

 

                                                                                                                       

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  True concerns for others

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 13:3

 

            Message of the verse:  “3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.”  (NASB)  “Don’t forget about those in prison.  Suffer with them as though you were there yourself.  Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies.”  (NLT)

            This verse instructs us to minister to those who are hurting, especially those who are in prison.  We as believers in this country are not as yet being put into prison for our beliefs in Jesus Christ, but there may come a day in the near future that we will.  In the mean time we are to be in prayer for those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering and dying for the cause of Christ every day.  I have been told that there are on the average 400 people day who give up their lives for the cause of Christ, and many more who are suffering great persecution and pain too.  Because we are in the body and know how the body can cause us pain we should be praying and aiding when possible those who are suffering for the cause of Christ and also for our brothers and sisters who are in pain.  I believe that this is called compassion, and to have real compassion it is good to have gone through the same problems ourselves so that we know what the others are truly going through.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I think of ways to put shoe leather on this verse I think about praying for those who will loose their life each day for the cause of Christ and those who are suffering for the cause of Christ.  I can also have compassion for our neighbors next door and the circumstance that they find themselves in.  I have been through a troubled marriage that has ended in divorce and know what pain one can have when gone through trouble in a marriage so I can help and pray over this for them.  I have also had back pain so I can understand what Jimmy is gone through know.  I feel the pain that Wade is going through, but have never really faced the exact circumstance that he is facing now, but I can certainly pray for him and Cara and also Tracy that God will be pleased to show His mighty hand in all of their pain.

 

The Word of God has given a challenge to my heart to be more compassionate to family and friends as they go through different storms in life.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to pray for all of those involved in storms, and to put some shoe leather on the verse that I have studied and help when I can those who are suffering or going through storms.