September 24, 2008
One
“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NIV)
Devotion:
What difference can one make? In a world of over 6 billion people, what can one do? In Jesus’ three years of ministry on this earth, thousands followed Him. Thousands needed Him. Out of the thousands Jesus ministered to, one mattered …
the one waiting at the pool of
the one leper who was healed.
the one woman at the well.
the one whose son died.
the one who touched the hem of His garment.
the one whose demon was cast out.
the one whose sight was restored.
One matters. One can also make a difference. One has power.
One mattered to us as a ministry when we received a plea through our prayer line. She was about to take her life. She felt she had nothing to live for, no reason, and no hope. We heard her cry, the soul-reaching, heart-breaking cry of one.
At Proverbs 31 Ministries, the cry of one stops our “normal” work day noise and we gather together to pray. As we joined hands and prayed for the cry of this one, the room was filled with God’s presence and His love for this one. He answered our prayer for one and, with praise and thanksgiving, she cried out again:
“Lord, Jesus, I give you praise and humble thanks. I was in extreme distress. I screamed out in pain into cyberspace, overwhelmed and gripped in an attack. I was caught in a suicide space falling and planned to die. I was trapped and could not escape this. I was terrified and ashamed, caught in a deep undercurrent of self destructive feelings. There was no way out. The pressures were too much. Then I received an answer to my cries. Help, love and concern flooded into this dark space, people who cared and stayed with me, passing all kinds of lifelines, they prayed for me. Thank you Lord for these dear and true daughters of Yours.”
As daughters of Christ, His chosen ones, it is our delightful purpose to reflect Jesus, the One and only, to one at a time.
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think of Jesus sending us into the world to preach the good news. But it doesn't have to be. When we reach out to just one person in Jesus' name, we change the world.
Did you know that you are one of 250,000 subscribers to our Encouragement for Today devotion? Just think if every one receiving this devotion reached out in Jesus' name today to pray for a hurting soul, help a neighbor, bless a co-worker, encourage a child, mentor a friend, or come alongside a ministry and partner together to reach just one. What a difference we could make!
Dear Lord, In this world one seems insignificant but with You one is very powerful. It is my desire to be one who reflects and pleases You in everything I do, everyday of my life. Forgive me when I fall short. Help me see the world through the lenses of Your eyes and respond to what I see with the actions of Your hands and Your feet, with the words of Your mouth and the thoughts of Your mind. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Click here to find out how you can partner with Proverbs 31 Ministries to make a difference through the power of one.
Do You Know Jesus, the One and only?
Application Steps:
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Become a Proverbs 31 Ministries’ prayer partner and join us as we pray for the ones that cry out to us through our prayer line every day.
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Pray about partnering with Proverbs 31 Ministries. Later today, our Executive Director will share the financial needs of the ministry and invite you to join us by giving one dollar, for all the ones this ministry reaches with the love of Christ.
Reflections:
What can I do differently to reflect God more clearly to those around me?
What keeps me from choosing to give to one?
What is God teaching me through today’s devotion?
Power Verses:
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (NIV)
James 1:22, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (NASB)
© 2008 Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Wednesday, 24 September 2008.
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