October 18

Jeremiah 31:27-32:44, 1 Timothy 3:1-16, Psalm 88:1-18, Proverbs 25:20-22 

Pray: Father, may we be grateful for our lot, and compassionate toward all those who are suffering every kind of distress at this time. May we hold nothing back, and hasten to be ministers of prayer and mercy, like the Disciples of Christ… who went about doing good works in times of need.

Read: The Psalm today is a cry out to God for help in the writer’s time of need. When reading this psalm you get the sense of the deep and ongoing anguish that is being felt and the deepest desire for God to intervene and take the pain away. I am astounded each day that even in the darkest of times and the direst of situations that I know that God understands even my deepest of pain and misery. Even when we hurt, God is able to say “Me too”. God sent His own Son to earth to live and eventually die so that we may be able to live. God knows our hurt, our pain, our needs, and our desires. God needs those who believe in Him to have faith that our circumstances are temporary and that God is right there in the pain with us.  When we hurt, God hurts. When we are filled with joy, God is filled with joy. Whatever emotion you feel, God is right there with you… saying “Me too”.

Edify: Paul gives us the characteristics of a leader in the church today. A mighty task it is to be a leader because to lead in the church is to lead the bride of Christ. In mentoring Timothy, Paul wants him to understand that it is a high calling to be a leader within the body of Christ. There are many who want a position or a title and don’t really care about the weight that leadership carries. A spirit of discernment is critical when it comes to choosing a leader. The heart and motives of any potential new leader must be examined. It is of utmost importance for a leader to lead well and only those whose hearts are in the right place will be able to do that. 

Practice: Consider your leadership. Why do you lead? Where do you lead? Leadership doesn’t have to be out in front of a large group of people, you could lead your children. Are you leading them well? You could lead at work. Are you leading in such a way that you are demonstrating the love of Christ? Examine your own heart and discern your motives… are they pure and holy or are they self-serving?