Lenten Devotional - Day 35

Scripture: Isaiah 50:1-4

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” (Isa. 50:4)

  A couple years ago, I was sitting in my truck with a former Sunday school student. She had wanted to talk to me privately. As she began talking she rolled up her sleeve to show me a needle mark in her arm.

  “How do I stop using?” she asked.

  I had no idea what to say. Nothing in my seminary training had prepared me to counsel someone addicted to heroin. And so, I asked some questions and listened to the story of her life and why heroin seemed like an easy answer to some deeply rooted problems. I tried to refer her to professionals. But I knew she wouldn’t go.

  She had come to me thinking that I had the tongue of a teacher. That I might have the wisdom of God with me in the Bible on the backseat. Magic words that I could pull out for such tough times.

  But all I had were a bunch of jumbled words and a silent prayer that the Holy Spirit would help her to make something of them. That the Spirit would allow her to somehow feel sustained by my words.

  As Presbyterians, we are all about the Word of God and the words we write and speak about God in our sermons and books. But so often it is the embodied word that offers comfort to those who are suffering. It’s the hug or the eye contact or the act of listening. It’s showing that we do care.

  My friend ministers to homeless people every week and has had more experience with addiction and poverty issues. She says that sometimes the only thing we can do is show up and love people in the name of Jesus Christ. Rather than use our tongues and words, our ministry tools are our ears as we listen compassionately. So, that even if we don’t have the tongue of a teacher, we can reflect the heart of Jesus Christ. He didn’t shy away from the troubled people in his world. Instead he showed up, listened to them, touched them and healed them. He shared the love and forgiveness of God with them and encouraged his disciples to do the same.

Sue Washburn, Contributor

Remember in Prayer: Help to lead us to the right people and the right place where we can assist others to begin recovery.

Click Here PDF - Day 35 Devotion