Devotion for 9 October

A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin for today.  Today we resume the sermon series on “Foundations, back to the basics of faith”.  Our discussion theme today is on missions as a foundational part of our faith. The theme and content of the devotion is from Concordia’s Preaching Project.

OT Reading: 2 Kings 7:8-9 (English Standard Version)

8 And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them.

9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household.”

Devotion: Share the Good News

The lepers were in dire straits because Israel was under siege by the Syrians and starving. They decided that the way to survive would be to go to the Syrian camp after dark and try to find food. What they found was that the Syrians had suddenly abandoned their positions and there was food and loot for the taking. After making one run at it they went for another but thought better of it and figured the Israelites need to know. They just had to share the good news about the end of the siege and lots of food to stop the famine. Well we Christians have good news too about God’s salvation for all. In fact today we find three good reasons to do this: 1-it is inexhaustible, God’s good news will never run out; 2-people matter- The lepers share the good news of the Syrian camp so their friends won’t die physically.  We need to share the good news of the gospel so our friends won’t die spiritually; and 3-It is fun to share- Yes, it can be scary to share, but it can also be fun!  Because no matter how scary it may be, when someone gets it, there’s nothing better!

We pray: Lord help me find an opportunity to share the good news. Amen