By Chris WittsFriday 9 Oct 2015Morning Devotions with Chris WittsDevotionsReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Stephen Grellet was a French-born Quaker who died in the U.S. in 1855. Grellet would be unknown to the world today except for a short prayer he wrote, which lives on: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now and not delay it. For I shall not pass this way again.”
Maybe that’s why Mother Teresa said “if you can’t feed 100 people, feed one”. “I have come to love the darkness.” “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
You may be the only Christian that your friends know, and God can use you to make an impact on others, and He specializes in doing things like that. We need to be open and obedient to His leading.
A young man used to pick up the regular arguments with God. “O, God,” he used to say, “you call yourself the Creator of this world; you better know what a mess you have made in creating it this way: Poverty, hunger, inequalities, injustices of all kinds, ethnic conflicts, riots … and what not !”
God didn’t answer him for quite some time; the young man did not stop complaining, either. He was at his wit’s end; one day, and he asked God impatiently. “God, are you deaf? Don’t you hear my queries, at all? Why don’t you do something about making this world a better place?” This time around God did answer. He said, “My son, I agree with all that you say about the world; but remember, I created you with the power to make a difference! Stop complaining and start working! You can make a difference.”
“Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. “- Max Lucado
If this morning you feel you’re a nobody with no special talent, remember what God’s Word says to you. Join with the Psalmist in Psalm 139:14 “I praise You because You made me in an amazing & wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well”. You do have a purpose to fulfil, and can make a difference. Let Jesus Christ into your life, and discover what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 1:11 “It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we’re living for”. (The Message)