Happy Friday, everyone. I’m here in the LCC studio where I just got done filming the next round of our Monday devotions. I pray that they will be a blessing, as well as all of our LCC devotions will continue to be a blessing, to you and your journey as you continue to follow Jesus, and as we follow Jesus together as His people.

This week we’re still in the aftermath of not only Easter, but we’re also in the aftermath of the shooting that happened at Florida State University. And I couldn’t help but reflecting as we go into this weekend, the two contrasts. When the shooting occurred, that one act was like a ripple effect because it started in one place, but the ripples began to kind of just go out like a rock dropped in the middle of a pond. The ripples of impact just went from person to family to all kinds of other people in such a negative kind of ripple. And yet we get to Easter and we’re reminded of one act where another rock was dropped into the middle of a pond. That rock being Christ, and the ripples of Salvation began to extend and go and hit many, many people.

It just made me wonder about what we will choose to do with our weekend this weekend. Will our words and our actions be the kind of rock that creates dissension and division and hurts? Or, might we allow the Lord to be the rock in our lives this weekend, through which salvation is received as we go through this weekend?

I want to share with you this verse as I contemplate on this and as you think about this going into your weekend. This is from Romans 5:18-19. It says, “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification in life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience, the many were made sinners. So by the one man’s obedience, the many will be made righteous.”

I pray that you will allow that love to fill your heart today, to wash over your heart, and to really flow through your heart and through your lives into those around you.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, we pray for all those who have been impacted, not only those in the Florida State University incident, but people who’ve been impacted by death, disease, loss of job, all kinds of hurt and pain. The ripples can just continue to go out from there.

And yet we also recognize that even in the midst of that, You step into that same pond, that pond of sin. You stepped into that pond of sin, and You were the rock that created a new round of concentric ripples. It was the ripples of love, forgiveness, peace, mercy, and salvation. May that same ripple effect be the one that is seen and heard from us this weekend. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.