Be a Blessing

south ridge church

Sep 21

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.

The first four chapters of Daniel have shown that Daniel was an extremely humble man who had a strong desire for the name of God be known to everybody - including the king.

But Daniel didn't just bless those who persecuted him. He went further by being a blessing to those who persecuted him. We don't see Daniel pray God's blessing on Nebuchadnezzar and then walk away. What we see is Daniel making himself available to serve the king. We see Daniel sharing the interpretation of the king's dreams. We even see Daniel's love for the king when he said "I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you!" (Daniel 4:19)

As you enter into your day, consider what it would look like for you to be a blessing in the lives of others today. Not just pray a short prayer of blessing over others, but to open up and allow God to work through you in a profound way - to be a blessing to all you interact with throughout the day.

READING & PRAYERS:

ROMANS 12:9-21 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: How may God be inviting you to be a blessing in the lives of others today?

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: As you pray today, spend an equal amount of time listening to God as you spend talking to God. Perhaps listen even longer. Consider making this a part of your daily practices so you can discern God's voice more clearly.

Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess it's difficult for me to live with a desire to pray a blessing over others, especially those who look, think, live, believe, and/or behave very differently than myself. Today's reading makes this even more difficult - to be a blessing to all others. May the path that Jesus forged be made clear, and may I walk it with confidence today so that I can be a blessing to all I interact with. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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