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| A Flower's Lesson (Matthew 5:16) |
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,A Flower's LessonIn the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.--Matthew 5:16When my son and his family returned from visiting his in-laws in Kansas City after Christmas, they brought with them a white poinsettia. It now sits in our eating area and sadly, it looks a little worse right now than it did when it first arrived in our home. However, despite the pokes, the prods and pulls of two little granddaughters and assorted other little children, the ill-fated plant has only managed to suffer just a few lost stems. Even with a few missing leaves, the poor plant has a lesson to share…So I decided to make a closer inspection of this holiday plant to see just what made it so eye-catching. Leaving the abused plant's flowers (or what was left of them) intact, I discovered that the bright white "petals" were actually leaves. The flower of the plant is actually at the center of these brightly colored leaves. It's the leaves that are closest to the flower at the center that show off the brightest white. Likewise, the closer we are to having Christ as the center of our lives and the stronger relationship with Him, the brighter we'll shine. That brings us to the next observation. Why should we shine? It certainly isn't supposed to be to gain attention for our own accomplishments. Rather, it is to point people to God so that He will be praised for our good deeds. I love the story of a certain disciple named Tabitha (See Acts 9:36-42 ). She always performed good works and was active in ministering to the needs of the poor. It just so happened that Peter was in a nearby town when Tabitha died from an illness she had been fighting. The local disciples sent for Peter in the hopes that he could help. Upon his arrival he was welcomed by a group of weeping widows. They were showcasing all the garments that Tabitha had made while she was with them. Why? What did they expect to happen? They clearly hoped for a miracle. And a miracle is exactly what they got when God raised Tabitha back to life. She may have been a little worse for wear -- like our plant, perhaps -- but still pointing people to God. How about you? Have you suffered a few pokes, prods, and pulls from life lately? Is Christ the center of your life? Is your relationship with Him personal, dynamic and growing? If not, get back into His Word. He yearns to talk with you. REFLECTIONConnect with a widow or widower in your church and see if there is yard work that you or your family can do.PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of January 25, 2009FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALINGRuth Smith [Mother of Scott Smith] Undergoing cancer treatmentElaine Carlson [Aunt of Caron Fausel] Suffering from heart problems and complications from pneumonia Arnold Ott [Father of Diane Rowan]recovering at home from 3 painful broken ribs after a fall Lisa Pfeidler [Daughter of Mim Hawkinson] Recovering from broken hip CHURCH NEEDSThe congregational Voter’s MeetingTHOSE LEAVING OUR CONGREGATIONToday we wish farewell and God’s speed to Patrick and Sheila Flanagan and their children, Logan, Brayden, Connor and Ariana. They are moving this week to North Carolina with a job opportunity.Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.--2 Peter 1:2-4 In Christ, Paul E. Nickel Director of Christian Education Our Savior Lutheran Church |