What I GAINED from someone STEALING my IPOD TOUCH!!!!

I know, what a weird title for a devotional, right? Let me explain...

Just recently, I came into the world of the IPOD Touch. What a cool tech tool/toy! Simply put, it is a IPHONE that you cannot talk on, but everything else an IPHONE does the IPOD TOUCH can do.

Anyway, just recently I had it stolen. I don’t know if you have ever had anything stolen from you, but this really bothered me. I mean, REALLY bothered. The moment I realized it was GONE, I quickly became irritated, franticly trying to figure out who had done such a thing. It is funny, the more I became frustrated, the smaller my world became, until this entirely consumed my morning. Seriously, who would steal from me.

But on Sunday, while I was preparing to take a shower, God began to speak to me about the entire STOLEN IPOD TOUCH. I begin to hear the following question in my heart;

“So, John, when are you going to let me in on this part of your life?”

‘Oh, right God! Why didn’t I think of you? You probably know where it is?”

Then I heard the following reply in my spirit...

“No John, this is much more about you than it is a STOLEN IPOD!”

“What? Come on God...how can it be about me?”

Later on, I found myself in Matthew 5: 43-44. This is what it says:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor^[ and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies^[ and pray for those who persecute you,

Wow oh wow, here came the conviction. So, I took the advice of Jesus and begin to pray for this person. For the person that had stolen my IPOD TOUCH. To be honest, at first I didn’t want to at all. But as I continued to pray, my heart begin to soften towards the person that had stolen it. I began to look upon this person, whoever it is, with compassion. Maybe they needed the money. Maybe that are in trouble.

So what did the prayer look like? Something like this;

God, you know that I really liked the IPOD Touch, and you totally know who has it. Right now, I pray for that person. I pray that he/she may find you as they look at the iPOD touch. When they see the scriptures and the pictures, may you show them Your love. God I do not know why they needed to steal it, but they did. If they are in some type of money problem, may you straighten it out. God, forgive me for having a hard heart towards this person!

I know some of you reading this may think it is impossible, but remember the words of Paul as he is chained to the guard... “I can do all things through Christ...who strengthens me.”

A late add...

As I was sitting in our 2.42 Community last night, God begin to reveal more to me about this passage. And I want to leave you with this thought...

Maybe just maybe, this sermon on the mount is not a bunch of good ideas but a key to an inner peace of living a life of a Christ-follower! If we learn to have an inner peace in our journey, then and only then we will be able to reflect a truer image of the PRINCE of PEACE we serve!

Love you all!

John