March 28th, 2022
This devotion was originally published in The Upper Room.
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I am sending [my dear brother and minister in the Lord] to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts. (Ephesians 6:22)
I am a music leader for a Christian camp that serves adults with developmental disabilities. We plan worship services that incorporate musical arrangements of scripture with motions so that our nonverbal participants can better relate to God’s word. At first I wondered if teaching scripture this way resonated with the campers.
Then one day, while walking through the center of camp, I saw a camper named Josh walking toward me. He was humming to himself. When he saw me his face lit up, and he made the hand motions of the song we had sung that morning. In that moment, joy bubbled up inside me and with tears in my eyes I joined in with his song. We hugged, and he went on his way.
Scripture is not always accessible to people. That’s why it is so important to me that we find ways to share scripture in many forms so that we can let God’s words do the work of loving and reaching hearts. This experience gave me gratitude for the gift God has given me that enables me to tie music to scripture as a mnemonic device for all.
When we struggle to know if what we do in Christ’s name is effective or if it even matters, we can ask God and trust that we will know — if not now, then in heaven.
- Laurie Hess Manzer (New York, USA)
Today's Prayer
Dear God, help us to share your word with everyone around us, especially those who don’t often have the opportunity to access it. Amen.
_________________________
I am sending [my dear brother and minister in the Lord] to you for this very purpose, to let you know how we are, and to encourage your hearts. (Ephesians 6:22)
I am a music leader for a Christian camp that serves adults with developmental disabilities. We plan worship services that incorporate musical arrangements of scripture with motions so that our nonverbal participants can better relate to God’s word. At first I wondered if teaching scripture this way resonated with the campers.
Then one day, while walking through the center of camp, I saw a camper named Josh walking toward me. He was humming to himself. When he saw me his face lit up, and he made the hand motions of the song we had sung that morning. In that moment, joy bubbled up inside me and with tears in my eyes I joined in with his song. We hugged, and he went on his way.
Scripture is not always accessible to people. That’s why it is so important to me that we find ways to share scripture in many forms so that we can let God’s words do the work of loving and reaching hearts. This experience gave me gratitude for the gift God has given me that enables me to tie music to scripture as a mnemonic device for all.
When we struggle to know if what we do in Christ’s name is effective or if it even matters, we can ask God and trust that we will know — if not now, then in heaven.
- Laurie Hess Manzer (New York, USA)
Today's Prayer
Dear God, help us to share your word with everyone around us, especially those who don’t often have the opportunity to access it. Amen.
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