Are you someone who never misses Sunday service? Do you regularly listen to praise and worship music? Do you gather with other Christians? Do you make prayer and reading the Word of God a priority? Each of these things are great ways to fill us with the love of God and the fellowship of the family of Christ; to make us “fat” in our knowledge of the Lord. But what would it look like if we “thinned” out? What would it look like if we took that fellowship, love and knowledge and gave it to the world around us?
Second Corinthians 9:13 says, “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them AND WITH EVERYONE ELSE” (emphasis mine).
And 1 Thes 2:8 (AMP) states, “Having such a deep affection for you, we were delighted to share with you not only God’s good news but also our own lives, because you had become so very dear to us”.
Losing a little of the “fat” we have acquired as followers of Christ to a starving world will lead others to “praise God”. Imagine the pleasure our Heavenly Father receives when another lost soul hears about His love. Think about His great joy as we stretch ourselves beyond our small group of believers to reach into a world full of pain and suffering. God says we are to “share with you not only God’s good news but also our own lives”. This may not be easy or comfortable, but by His grace we are equipped to reach the lost. We are to be a visible extension of His love to the ends of the earth. We are called to share the good news of the Gospel of Christ.
I am ready to become a “thinner Christian”. I’m ready to give to those who have not yet received. I am ready to lose some of the “fat” I have acquired through hearing God’s Word preached, through fellowship with other believers and through prayer and study.
How about you?
“Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me to Your family. Thank You for equipping me with Your love and an ever-increasing knowledge of Your Word. Thank You for the fellowship of believers and the gift of Christian friends and family. I ask You to strengthen and encourage me this day as I step outside of my tiny comfort zone into Your world. Help me today to take even one small step of faith to reach the lost around me. May I say and do all things according to Your will and to bring glory to Your Name. Amen.”
WITHDRAW weekly devotional
Author Kami R. Lobner
“Writing has always been a gift to me from God. There is no better avenue for me to communicate the true depths of my inner most thoughts and feelings. I was encouraged by my family and friends to write…anything…but to just write. So, I prayed about what to write and felt a calling to write daily devotionals. God has used my gift to put on paper what His Scripture means to me; my hope is that what I write hits a chord with those who choose to read the devotionals. I often include a short prayer in the devotionals I write. These prayers are meant to encourage and perhaps challenge us to pursue God’s Presence through scripture reading, meditating on God’s Word, bible studies and fellowship with other believers.
God has been good to me and to my family. I sincerely hope something God led me to put on paper provokes a thought in you or perhaps is that “little thing” you were needing to hear. None of these writings are from me, but from God and His gentle guidance to put thought and prayer on paper.
May God truly bless you!”
