Wednesday, August 28, 2019

8/26/19-8/29/19 Devo Two - Live. Pray. Love.

This is the second devotional for the week of August 26/29. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Three or four sentences would be good. Your comments give you devotion credit.

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Live. Pray. Love.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Romans 12:21

Influenced by parents who were strong believers in Jesus, track star Jesse Owens lived as a courageous man of faith. During the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Owens, one of the few African Americans on the US team, received four gold medals in the presence of hate-filled Nazis and their leader, Hitler. He also befriended fellow athlete Luz Long, a German. Surrounded by Nazi propaganda, Owens’s simple act of living out his faith impacted Luz’s life. Later, Long wrote to Owens: “That hour in Berlin when I first spoke to you, when you had your knee upon the ground, I knew you were in prayer . . . . I think I might believe in God.”

Owens demonstrated how believers can answer the apostle Paul’s charge to “hate what is evil” and be “devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:9–10). Though he could have responded to the evil around him with hate, Owens chose to live by faith and show love to a man who would later become his friend and eventually consider belief in God.

As God’s people commit to being “faithful in prayer” (v. 12), He empowers us to “live in harmony with one another” (v. 16).

When we depend on prayer, we can commit to living out our faith and loving all who are made in God’s image. As we cry out to God, He’ll help us break down barriers and build bridges of peace with our neighbors.

By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray

How can you build a bridge of peace between you and a neighbor? When have you seen your faithfulness in prayer bear fruit?
Heavenly Father, please strengthen us to come together in prayer, fully committed to loving others and living peacefully.
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 28, 2019 at 8:11 AM

    I absolutely love the story of Jesse Owens. This man, in the face of great adversity, went out and not only won with hate filled gazes upon him, but he lived by God and was able to befriend what should have been a bitter rival.
    It's amazing what God can do. And it's amazing that HE used the grand stage of the 1936 Olympics to display HIS love and ability to change hearts.

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  2. Holly RossSeptember 5, 2019 at 2:22 PM

    What a beautiful story. This story of love and no hate. Loving those around you when there is sadness and so much hate in the world. This story reminds me of the book about Louie Zamperini he was captured and brutally beaten. He was a prisoner in Japanese camps. After years of being captured he finally got released and lived into his 90's. He reached out to the man who ran the camps who was so cruel to him, and told him that he forgave him. WOW HOW POWERFUL. That much hate, and to be told that you are forgiven- what powerful words. In Christ there is forgiveness and it's so incredible. The Lord bridges those gaps and to see it unfold in front of you, is just amazing!!

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  3. Myra KaelinOctober 8, 2019 at 8:53 AM

    Bravery in the face of adversity is a lesson we can all learn, all the time. Mr. Owens displayed true courage in a circumstance that was not only disapproving, but likely also very dangerous. A wonderful example of how God can turn ugly into beauty.

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  4. Melissa GunterDecember 10, 2019 at 8:52 AM

    Powerful story and a good reminder of how our actions can not only impact us but also influence others. I am constantly reminded of how impressionable my grandson is, especially when he repeats stuff that I have said, like "what the heck?". :) cracks me up but also puts me in check!

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