THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

July 28, 2021

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you fulfill (obey) the law of Christ."

For the past few weeks, I have heard of so many people who are hurting and in need, that it breaks my heart. COVID, other illnesses, surgeries, serious family crisis, important decisions that need to be made, and so many other issues that so many friends and family, as well as friends and acquaintances of family members, are dealing with right now. It often feels as if every day, I hear another story of someone who is hurting or sick.

How do we bear one another's burdens? It's often easy to say, "I'll pray for you," then go on our way. But do we really, really pray for them, or is it just a mindless response because we don't know what else to say? Do we intend to pray, but then get busy with our daily activities and forget?

My pastor preached a sermon about this scripture a while back. She said something that has stuck with me, She said, "When you bear one another's burdens, you pray for that person as if their burden was your own." We pray for them as we would want them to pray for us, if our roles were reversed and we were the ones who were going through what they are.

What does the second part of the verse mean, "And so fulfill (obey) the law of Christ"?

Matthew 22:37-40 says, "Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.'"

So when we bear one another's burdens, we are loving them as ourself. By doing this, we are obeying the law of Christ.

Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing out of selfishness or conceit, but with humility consider others as more important than yourselves, looking out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others."

In John 13:34-35, Jesus is speaking and says, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples; if you have love for one another."

"But if someone has material possessions and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Children, let us not love with word or talk, but in deed and truth!" (1 John 3:17-18)

One more scripture, found in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up -- just as you in fact are doing."

Too many people are hurting and carrying burdens and in need, for us to not take it seriously and respond as Jesus would desire. We need to make prayer for them a priority, not just an after-thought or a quick, "God, be with them and help them," then go on our way. We still need to look out for our own needs and interests, but we also care for others and look out for their interests as well. We don't just talk and say that we love others and care, but we show it with our actions. We encourage and build each other up. We love one another, just as Jesus has loved us. When we do these things, then all will know that we are disciples of Jesus. We won't have to say, "I'm a christian," but it will be obvious by the love that we have for other people.

Hearing all of the needs that so many people are dealing with right now may feel overwhelming and heart-breaking at times, but one thing I know: we can take those burdens to the Lord and know that He will respond.

Sometimes when someone is dealing with heartbreak or hurt or sickness or pain or important decisions, they become stressed and are dealing with so much that they have a difficult time hearing God or laying their burdens down. Yes they need to depend on the Lord and ask for help, healing, or whatever their need may be; but as their brothers and sisters in Christ, we can help them bear their burden. We can pray, love, respond, and ask God to show us how we can best encourage and help.

Sometimes our responsibility may be to spend time on our knees praying and interceding on their behalf. Other times, the Holy Spirit may speak to our heart and ask us to do something tangible for them.

I've often heard people comment, "I want to do something to help, but feel so helpless." We don't always view prayer as being something important that we can do for them. But really, isn't that the best thing that we could do for others? Pray and trust God to intervene and do what may seem impossible. Trust Him to do what we can't do ourself. That's big!

Let's not become weary in praying and loving others. But let's bear one another burdens; whether we are the one who is the giver or recipient; because in life, we will always be on one side or the other.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

I know we've written about showing love for others before. And I'm confident we will again. That's because it is so important. There are entire books written about how to show love. There are entire chapters in the Bible focused on how to show love. That is because it is big, and extremely important.

But it isn't always easy. For one thing, some people make it very hard to show love to them. We may have to bite our tongues and fight back the urge to scream at someone first, then show love for them.

But also, showing love may take different forms in different situations. We can't just say "bless you; I'll pray for you" to each person who is hurting. Eventually, it stops meaning anything. And we can't just bake cookies for everyone who needs comfort. After all, their struggle might be with their weight.

Simply put, in each situation, please step back, and focus on what they need (not what they want, or even what is easy to offer). Truly showing love isn't about giving, doing, or saying anything. It is about putting someone's real needs above our own wants. If they need someone to listen to them, that needs to become more important than taking that nap we want.

I know, it takes a little sacrifice. And that isn't always easy. But that's also what makes it meaningful.

ON THE MENEWE:

Super Easy Crock Pot Taco Chicken

If the chicken is frozen, this is all you do. If is is fresh or thawed, add in about a cup of water.

Dump all ingredients in crockpot. Cover and cook all day (6-8 hours).

Shred and use for tacos, nachos, in a quesadilla, for enchiladas, or a salad..... the possibilities are endless!

Note: You can make 2-3 pounds at a time to eat several days during the week for different recipes. Adjust taco seasoning and salsa to match the amount of meat cooked.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

My 7 year old niece recently wanted her daddy to play baby dolls with her. She said, "Hold this baby, because she is the newest. Then she said, "Hold this one because she is my favorite." She paused and said, "Oh.... I wished my other babies hadn't heard me say that!"

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought it would be like and learn to find joy in the story you are actually living. - Rachel Marie Martin

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org