I WILL HOLD THE CHRIST-LIGHT FOR YOU

 

September 4, 2024

I pause, heavenly father, to commune with you. Help me to be still and know that you are God. Ease any tense muscles or strained nerves or wrought-up emotions. Let me be relaxed in body and calm in spirit so that I may be more responsive to your presence. Amen

Roy E. Dickerson in Daily Prayer Companion

 

Hebrews 10:24

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works”

 

Yesterday, we looked at the idea that motiving one another involves concentration on the person we are called to encourage and inspire. Discovering what drives and makes another individual do the things they do,  can help us in our calling to be motivators and to think of ways to fulfill this role in the lives of others for the glory of God.

Today, let us consider that motivating one another involves inspiration. Look again at Hebrews 10:24, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT). The word “motivate” (paroxusmos) is a strong word which literally means to sharpen and figuratively speaks of sharpening of one’s mind or to stimulate to do some action.

What does “motivate” look like in your life and mine?

To motivate is to support, encourage and inspire.  One translation of our verse says, “Let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works.”  Consider this concept within the framework of our planning experiences; promoting something means shining a spotlight on it. So, if we are placing the spotlight on acts of love and good works, we are wanting that person to demonstrate love and good works in some way. We are spotlighting their attention on something that we believe will bring joy and blessing to them, as well as, result in growth as God’s servant. To motivate is to promote.

No matter how you look at it, motivating one another is about inspiring each other to live for God by loving others and doing good deeds in Christ name. This, of course, is a response of gratitude for what Jeus has done for us. 

That is the wonderful experience of Christian Community, motivating, encouraging, inspiring, promoting each other to growth and maturity. Sometimes we are the “motivators,” and many times, if you are like me,  we need to be the ones that are inspired by our fellow believers toward “love and good works’!!

LET US PRAY

God, we approach you with open hearts, eager to be embraced by your love. May our hearts and minds overflow with your divine love, extending its reach to those we encounter. Teach us to be generous with our love so it may reach further than we can imagine. May we shine the Christ-Light of your love, illuminating the darkness. Amen.