MEDITATION:
This meditation was by Tom Lemler, a contemporary pastor, author, and director of Impact Prayer Ministry. This is an excerpt from his work “Serving Through Friendship.”
What would you give to help a friend? What wouldn’t you be willing to give? Are you sure? What do you see as the purpose of your friendships? Do you live as if your friendships are primarily for your benefit or theirs? What would they say? How willingly do you give of yourself to those you serve? What things do you feel you are sacrificing to serve in the way that you do? Are you happy about doing so?
While most of us can probably quote the scripture, “It is more blessed to give than receive”, we tend to have a difficult time putting it into practice on a regular basis. We may give, but we often miss the “blessed” part because we aren’t really giving anything that costs us in a sacrificial way. Serving well requires that we give of ourselves in so many sacrificial ways. We must give of our time, our resources, our strength, our comfort, our emotions, our “whatever it takes”. Serving through friendship will require that we lay down ourselves to help another. As you pray, ask God to help you see an accurate view of your current friendships. Pray that you would grow in being a friend that lives sacrificially. Pray that your serving others would reflect a Christ-like attitude of sacrificial friendship.
PRAYER:
Written by Polycarp (69-155), a Christian bishop of Smyrna and Apostolic Father, who was the leading 2nd century Christian figure in Roman Asia. Tradition has it that he was personally discipled by the apostle John.
Thank you, Father, for loving me with all Your heart, all Your soul, and all Your mind. Inspire me this week to love You more with all of mine. Thank You, Jesus, for Your faithful and sacrificial friendship. Help me this week to be a faithful and sacrificial friend like You. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for listening to my many thoughts and words and dreams. Still my soul this week to listen much more carefully to Yours. Amen.
Pathways Press.com 
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