Morning Devotional

Morning Devotional
April 1, 2004
"Carrying Christ"
by Don Emmitte


Home

For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! You welcome those who cheerfully do good, who follow godly ways. But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so your anger is heavy on us. How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:4-6 NLT).

Today is April Fool’s Day. I thought about centering the devotional on that theme, but there will be enough of that sort of thing from other sources. So, I found the following illustration to use as a springboard for a thought about being foolish:

The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. "I’ll show myself to them," he thought. But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind. "Throw your garments down," he said crossly. "Don’t you know who I am?" They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. "Miserable heathens!" he muttered to himself. "I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me." But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place. "The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!" he shouted. "Yesterday, you threw palm branches!" Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother. "Foolish child," she said gently. "Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?" ¹

It is foolish to think we are something we are not. Just like the donkey that carried Jesus in Jerusalem, we are most fulfilled when we are in the service of Jesus Christ. Without him, all our best efforts are like "filthy rags" and amount to nothing. When we lift up Christ, however, we are no longer ordinary people, but key players in God’s plan to redeem the word. Even the simplest of tasks, the smallest of ministries, is a great gift when centered in Christ. Regardless of what you may be called upon to do in Christ’s name, do it knowing that it will be a great blessing to someone. Look for an opportunity to carry Jesus into the lives of others today. It may be a kind word, a small gesture of encouragement, or merely a smile that carries the message of Christ to others today, however, doesn’t miss the chance to give that gift!