~ Missed Opportunites ~

[Lani]

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:8-15
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.



Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none: and whoever has food must do likewise. Luke 3:11 (NRSV)


Recently I sorted through my parents' belongings. In the attic I found duplicate sets of household items - kitchen utensils, furniture, electronics, and linens. These items had been stored through many hot summers and cold winters, rendering most unusable. Accumulated over the years when family members passed away, they had been stored as keepsakes. They also reflected a need to save for a "rainy day," born of my father's being raised in poverty before and during the Great Depression years. These items would have been eagerly received by less fortunate people had they been offered. Certainly, my parents intended no harm by storing the excess items. Nonetheless, they missed opportunities to enrich the lives of others.

I learned from my attic experience to focus on God's expectation that we attend to the need, those without the basics of life, and to be satisfied with fewer material possessions. We love our brothers and sisters by looking to their interests, not to only our own.


Prayer: Dear God, help us to be realistic about our needs and to remember that meeting the needs of others is our responsibility also. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day:Those who have "Lost Everything"

Thought for the Day: Go through your house and identify "extra" items that could help others. Then donate them.

Story shared by: J. McKnight (NC)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional 6/26/11

[Christnundrconstruxn]

Hi Sis,
I wanted to add that you are SOOO right in more ways than one,
The one you explain and yes I too am guilty of this even though I am a giving person
But the one that came to mind when I read this....our spiritual walk sometimes we get so caught up in our own needs and wants we forget the ones out there we should be praying for guidance,health or money problems and yes their spiritual walk to be answered because they are a lot worse off than us but we are too concerned with filling up our "storehouse" so to speak, I don't always remember to pray like I should but one thing I have been working on is when I pray at least some of the times I don't pray for my own needs even if I feel like I should I will pray only for those around me weather it is my Oasis family, my blood given family or my church family and other friends.
I figure He knows my needs and sometimes I need to trust that he knows them and will take care of them without me asking BUT we should ALWAYS lift others up in prayer.
Sorry I'll get down off the soap box now
with much love and all of Gods blessings
Cuc

[Christnundrconstruxn]

Hey Sis
I found this too
2Chronicles 31:2-10
I think if we all took care of each other like they did in these times we wouldn't have such thing as starvation ANYWHERE
we would put an end to it.