I Know You: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

I know your love and faith

We are all hungry for recognition. Go ahead and admit it. When we do something well or help somebody out, we expect and long for an “Attagirl!” or “You’re so awesome!” Most of the really great works of faith, however, are done with few witnesses, or maybe none at all. Who sees the hours spent with a cerebral palsy patient? Who sees you when you shovel the sidewalk of the elderly widow next door, when you do the taxes of your brother-in-law who is hopeless with numbers? When you get groceries for someone who’s homebound? When you tutor a child struggling in school? When you spend an hour on the phone with a suicidal friend?

God does. You may assume that he sees it all and that every time you help someone else on his or her journey, the face of God lights up. He told the Christians at Thyatira, “I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first” (Revelation 2:19).

When Jesus left the earth, he sent his Spirit to power us up for our promotion. He basically gave us his job--to proclaim the good news of the gospel and to back up the integrity of the message with a life that makes our talk believable. Don’t worry if your service to other people sometimes seems unseen and unappreciated. The One you care about most is absolutely thrilled with what you’re doing.