Love others by being Present and by Giving Practical Help

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “ ‘Give me your son,’ Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.” (1 Kings 17:19)
      Passage: Romans 12:15, Matthew 14:13-16

        I like the story I once heard of a little girl who went down the street to play with a neighborhood friend. When she came home, she told her parents that they didn’t play, because her friend was too sad because her  grandmother had died. Her parents asked her, “What did you say?” The girl replied, “Nothing. I just sat down and cried with her.” Many people avoid going to see someone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, because they don’t know what to say. In those times, you really don’t need to say anything. Your presence is a ministry that says “I care”.
       When someone is going through the process of grief, the ministry of presence is one of the most powerful things you can do. Then, if you can, look for ways to give practical help while the person is processing. When Elijah took the dead son from the arms of his mother, he was giving practical help to give her some relief from the burden she was bearing. A meal, yard work, running an errand and other things are simple, practical, but powerful ways of loving people when they are going through the hard time of a loss. Both presence and practical service speak far stronger than any words you might say.  

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)