Morning Devotional:
I recently learned that someone I knew from church passed away. I met her years ago and while I didn’t get to know her as well as I would have liked, she was a gem and when we did get to spend time together, she was a lot of fun. We got to travel to Israel together several years ago and had such a blast doing so. I will remember her for her sweet demeanor, her love of the Lord, and for one of the best object lessons I ever received about God’s grace.
This friend of mine was the person who usually prepared the communion elements at the church I used to attend. One Sunday morning she was carrying the trays of communion wine up to the front of the sanctuary prior to the start of the service and accidentally dropped the entire stack of trays on the carpeted floor, spilling wine and grape juice all over the sanctuary carpet. It was a mess! I and a couple of others rushed to her aid, helping to clean up the mess before the service began. She was so worried that the stain in the carpet wouldn’t come out but the janitor kept reassuring her that it would be okay, he could get it out. And he did later on that day.
Our pastor turned the example of the spilled wine on the sanctuary carpet into a perfect teaching about the spilled blood that Jesus shed on the cross for you and me, and because my friend believed with her whole heart that Jesus sacrificed his life for hers on that cross and rose again to cleanse her of her sins, she is rejoicing with Him today in glory. Her rewards can be yours, too, if you believe in Him and trust in Him as Savior and Lord today. Your mess can be all taken care of.
– Beth
Burning Question:
It’s Memorial Day – Ryan and Beth share their thoughts about sacrifice and gratitude.
Bible Quiz:
Question: Who said, “Surely this was a righteous man?”
Answer: The centurion at the crucifixion (Luke 23:47)
Storytime:
Just one More Thing: