Day 123

Sorrowing and Serving

Read: 1 Chronicles 7-9

Mention is made in the midst of the genealogies that Ephraim lost two sons and people came to comfort him. We are reminded that, although we have here a long list of names, all of them were human beings with the same kinds of joys and sorrows that we have. The world today is full of billions of people who are having similar experiences. We become so absorbed in our own concerns and those of a small group of people around us that we forget that. We need to become less self-centered. We need to have compassion for sorrowing people. There are so many human needs. We cannot do everything but we can help a few people. If everyone who claims to be a Christian would do that, what a different world this would be!

The genealogies come to an end with a focus on the priests and Levites. Each had his task. Some seem rather menial, for they had to make the bread to be placed in the Holy place of the tabernacle. But is any task really menial if it is done for the Lord? A monk in the Middle Ages, Brother Lawrence, wrote that he felt as close to God when washing pots and pans in the monastery kitchen as when he partook of the sacrament. May we be glad to perform any small service in the work of Christ’s church!

PRAYER
Father, give me joy in doing whatever I can do in sharing in the work of the ministry of Christ. Amen.