PASTORS' DAILY DEVOTIONAL
Aug
09

Use My Voice

Tim Savage

Scripture
41So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” John 11
Observation
In front of the group gathered to mourn the death of Lazarus, Jesus spoke out loud to His Father. Jesus then explains that He spoke out loud for the benefit of the others. As God’s Son, Jesus needed only to wish for Lazarus’ resurrection and it would have been done. Because of His intimate relationship with God, He didn’t need to use His voice, He didn’t even need to be there in person, just the briefest thought and God would have provided the miracle. He travelled to Judea and performed the miracle in person for the benefit of those who witnessed it.
Application
I must live in a way that “speaks” to those around me. I met a guy yesterday who is the head tennis coach for a local high school here in Hawaii. He has come to New Hope for some time and told me that he loves to play tennis with his older friends in their 60s and 70s, not because the tennis is all that great, but because he likes to be a witness to them as they grow older. Same thing for his high school team, he wants to be a role model of a Godly man to the younger ones. He doesn’t need to play with that older group, but he chooses to because, like Jesus, sometimes you need to let your voice be heard for the benefit of others. I don’t need to prove my love for God by screaming scriptures on a street corner, but for the sake of others I must visibly show my faith and devotion to Him as model of a true Christ follower. It may be a prayer before a potluck with my son’s tennis team or by putting church before recreation activities with friends or the integrity I bring to my business relationships, these are all ways that I can “speak out loud” to those around me.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, May I make the most out of the opportunities that You put before me. May I draw people to You because of how I live my life. Give me courage to use my voice so that others may hear You. In Jesus name, Amen

Devotions for August 09

Jeremiah 3,4
John 11

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