The Upper Room Devotion for Tuesday, June 25, 2024, was written by Kim Robinson of Oregon.
Scripture
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. 4 Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods. 5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted.
Psalm 40:1-5 NRSV
Author's Thoughts
Going into the clinic for a routine blood test was a biannual activity for me. this particular morning, I was sitting with a prayer list, silently lifting up people's requests as I waited to be called. Then God interrupted me. No, Interrupted is the wrong word. My mind and heart were flooded with light and the riches of God's love. While I had been praying, I had been watching various patients come in and had unconsciously been making assumptions - Judgments - about their personal habits. In fact, I'm pretty sure some part of me was thinking, They wouldn't be in such bad shape if they...
God's perspective shattered all my silent judgments as I became aware of the tremendous affection and concern God felt for each person. The concerns each person carried were also God's concerns. This experience gave new meaning to Proverbs 16:11. I have prayed ever since to see and to love others through God's loving concern and wisdom, rather than according to my own skewed scales of judgement.
Pastor Anthony's Thoughts
Friends,
It is easy to pass judgement on others whose lives appear fragmented and chaotic. We often make baseless or stereotypical assumptions about others character and ignore information that contradicts our pre-judgements. Luke 6:37 states: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven..." It is a mark of spiritual maturity when we are able to bridle our judgmental attitudes and behaviors, so that we might see others as God sees them. May we all endeavor to view others through God's lenses of grace, compassion, and love.
Author's Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for knowing all our burdens and for caring deeply for each of us. Teach us to show compassion to everyone we meet. Amen.
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