JUNE DEVOTIONS FOR MONEY LEADERSHIP
Sometimes receiving does not come without pain. Have you ever had a painful experience in receiving? What do you remember about the pain? What do you remember about the joy that followed?
In John 16:21, Jesus uses the example of childbirth as a real life experience where the pain of receiving is overcome by the joy that follows. He tells others the woman “no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy.” The context of this example is Jesus explaining to the disciples his departure to the Father and his return, “and again a little while, and you will see me” (John 16:17). If you had been there with the disciples, how would you have understood Jesus’ words? Do you feel the joy of receiving Jesus each day?These examples tell us that sometimes the joy of receiving does not come without pain. Sometimes the joy of receiving after the pain may not be immediate. However, Jesus promises to be with us.Prayer: O God of abundance, help me to see that all receiving is not without pain. Give me the strength to endure anguish that I may discover the joy you have in store for me. May I always know that Jesus is with me, and that your will is for joy in my life. Amen.
The Money Leadership devotion for this month, developed by the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission Unit of the ELCA, is particularly poignant for our current economic times. Even though there is plenty of pain to go around, it is important for us to stick together, to not be judgmental of ourselves or others…..to remember to worship faithfully, whether or not we can afford to bring an offering and to accept help from others when it is needed. All of us are affected by what is happening in the world today, from stock loss, to job loss, to increased prices and greater instability in our lives… in so many different ways, there is a renewed need to embrace the steadfast and never changing love of God into our hearts and into our lives…..what better place to do this than the Church??? – Pastor Kathy