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TITLE: Your Business Is
DATE: February 7, 2019 TEXT: Rom 12: 4-8 – ESV - For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Two years before I was born, (1946) Truett Cathy, owner of Chick-fil-A, decided his restaurant would be closed on Sundays to give his employees a chance to rest and worship. His son, Dan, has continued the practice. Of course, rules have their exceptions.
But I have to confess I was touched to hear about a 14-year-old from Alabama who has autism and cerebral-palsy. With limited speech, Elijah Sprague had not been expected to see his first birthday. He has surprised the experts. Now, to celebrate this year’s birthday, Elijah had one wish…. He wanted to work the drive thru window at the local Chick-fil-A. The store’s manager and owner agreed that was a birthday wish which ought to become reality. And so it came to pass that on a Sunday afternoon near his birthday Elijah was seated at Chic-fil-A’s window serving the customers. True, the menu had been limited to cookies and the price was reduced to “Free”, but that didn’t spoil the mood for Elijah or the 40+ cars that he served that day. That’s 40+ cars driven by people who looked a lot like Elijah’s neighbors and friends and family. Explaining these kind of events, the daughter of Chic-fil-A’s founder says, they don’t operate as if they’re in the “chicken business.” Rather, they think of themselves as being “in the people business.” You know, when Jesus walked this earth, many people thought He was in the “healing” business. There were some who thought He was in the “feeding-thousands-with-some-bread-and-fish-business. There were those who imagined Him to be in the “Teaching business”;and more than one considered Him to be in the “Political unrest” business. The truth was Jesus was in the “Saving Souls From The Fires of Hell By Carrying the Sins Of And Substituting Himself For Sinners” business. It was a unique position created for Him and completed by Him. And now the risen Redeemer asks His people to get involved in the business of serving Him. Which is how I got into the “I’m-Writing-Devotions-for-Jesus-business” and you are in the __________________________________________________. Business. Sorry, I couldn’t hear that. Guess you are going to have to fill in that blank yourself. THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are many different things which ask for my time, my heart, my interest and my involvement. Grant that I, more than anything else, may let people know I am in the Being-A-Good-Disciple-Of-Jesus business. In His Name I pray. Amen. Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by By Leah MarieAnn Klett, on January 15, 2019 for Christian Post. Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: https://www.christianpost.com/living/chick-fil-a-opens-sunday-to-fulfill-birthday-wish-of-boy-with-autism-cerebral-palsy.html The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann, one of my long-ago confirmands. He is singing with three brothers. This song comes from the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html
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