7/15 Our Heavenly Father, deliver us from our own often selfish thoughts and concerns. Help us to see the needs of others – to speak an encouraging word, to do a kind deed, to lend a patient ear AND to do so with humility and compassion. Amen
To be delivered from something is not the same thing as having pizza or Amazon Prime delivery service.
Delivery service means, “I want it, now!”
To be delivered means, “Uh, I really am in a fix. I can’t fight, claw or buy my way out of this mess. I need help.”
To be delivered from selfish thoughts and concerns usually looks sort of like the gun enthusiast’ “pried from my cold dead hands” bumper sticker. And yes, that is how hard we hold onto selfish thoughts and concerns.
So if first we have to be delivered in order to see the needs of others, then there is a lot of painful work ahead. All good preparatory work for training in compassion.
As I understand my deliverer, it is a service Jesus took on with humility. Yes, He comes with Power and Might.
I just need to understand it is time to pay for the delivery service. I do want it now.
Now!
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