[Membersandfriends] Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Mon Sep 20 22:02:04 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Tuesday, September 21, 2004

_________________________

The Gift that Lasts All Year

Limited Offer of 2 Subscriptions for the Price of 1!

Deepen the faith of those you love with year-long gift subscriptions to any of The Upper Room's all-ages family of magazines. Take advantage of this special holiday offer, and your gift is worth twice as much.  Learn more and order online: http://www.upperroom.org/about/2for1.asp?ep_id=225
_________________________

GIVING OURSELVES
_________________________

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (NRSV)

You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

_________________________

We were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.  So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.
-- 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (NRSV)
_________________________

NIKKI makes her own greeting cards.  She selects just the right colors and papers.  Then she draws, snips, glues, writes, and - voila! - a greeting card and a personal work of art.  When I receive a birthday card from Nikki, I know that she has given something of herself.

Giving of self is a practice we also see in scripture.  Paul compares his ministry in Thessalonica to that of a nurse tenderly caring for a child, an image that describes great devotion and commitment.  Paul and his companions, Timothy and Silvanus, cared for the fledgling church so much that they were willing to give of themselves; and they challenged the followers of Christ to give themselves to one another.

Paul's challenge remains valid today.  Giving "our own selves" does not always require huge, radical changes.  We can start small, one person at a time, one day at a time.  We can spend time with an elderly neighbor, help a single mother with her children, or work an hour a month in a food pantry.  Simple gifts make a difference.

Prayer:  Loving God, teach us to reach out to others with the gift of ourselves.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Who needs the gifts I have to offer today?

-- Anita V. Greening (Kansas, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those nurturing fledgling churches

_________________________

RELATED READING ...

In AS IF THE HEART MATTERED, author Gregory S. Clapper unfolds a vision of the Christian journey by addressing the themes of repentance, faith, and holiness.  This Upper Room book moves beyond the Wesleyan tradition to examine how these themes can find an enduring home in the lives of believers.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12603

PLEASE SHARE THIS MINISTRY with a friend. Invite them to sign up for the free E-Mail Devotional by visiting: http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/email/.

_________________________

QUESTIONS?  If you reply to this e-mail, you'll receive an automated message answering our readers' most frequently asked questions.  If your question remains unanswered, please write to us at the special "help" e-mail address you'll find in the automated message.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.upperroom.org/unsubscribe/

TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS: Visit the My Account page: http://www.upperroom.org/myaccount/. Log in, using your current e-mail address and password. Once logged in your account, click on the "Edit Personal Information" link. Edit your e-mail address and any other information, and click "Update" to complete the change.

FORGOTTEN YOUR PASSWORD? Visit the My Account page: http://www.upperroom.org/myaccount/. Click on "Forgot My Password." Enter your e-mail address, and if there is a password associated with it, the password will be e-mailed to you immediately.
_________________________

The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.