I have an old self, a former way of life, that is corrupted by deceitful desires that seem to cling to me like that old shriveled up leaf clinging to the tree. It takes super-natural help from the Holy Spirit to push off the old self… to make it let go.
The Lord is merciful and gives me my basic needs when I ask.
But how often do I ask for the salvation for another or the gift of the Holy Spirit?
I don’t ask enough.
I found that convicting.
Ah, providence—God’s providence is everywhere in the story of Joseph: “God both possesses and exercises absolute power over the works of his hands.”* As Kelly Minter writes: “Is it possible that what appears to be nothing but a tangle of other people’s agendas will somehow be the very ball of yarn God will use to weave one of the most redemptive masterpieces in human history?”**
Yes, when the time is right God is always faithful to His promises. Joseph’s perspective, and ours, is limited to what we can see. God has the big picture. Only in hindsight do we see as He sees.
I call such moments “aha” moments—when biblical truths begin to connect with one another revealing the overarching plan of God from creation to His return. Such moments arrive as a gentle wave of delight as I embrace such glorious truths.
Each Sunday I check my calendar for the coming week and count the mornings I do not need to set my alarm. Waking up to the natural light of day rather than waking to an alarm ranks near the top of my list of small pleasures.
The darkness that arrives at night hides the beauty of the surrounding landscape, the power of the hawk’s flight, the intricacies of a spider’s web, and the delicate green moss growing on the North side of the Oak tree. When I turn out the lights inside my home, darkness also hides my favorite birthday photo—six smiling grandgirls embracing me. All this beauty remains hidden until the morning light again reveals its presence.
Jesus spoke of “ears trained to hear” when speaking to the crowds of John the Baptist—the one the prophets had predicted would come to prepare the way for the Messiah. Those who had trained their hearts to hear spiritual truth accepted what Jesus said. Others failed to understand. Their ears could not hear.
Rather than silver and gold, I pray that my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will seek a godly reputation for their lives. I also pray that memories of my life might render similar joyful tales that my mother’s life left behind!
It is easy to fall into the rhythm of thinking I have control over my future. When things go
in a different direction,I need to realize that God may have something better in store.
Penelope J. Stokes said it this way, “It is not success that demonstrates the power of
God, but perseverance.”
Help us Father when face trials to stay the course. Having a heart of perseverance
knowing You are right there with us through it all.
When faced with uncertainty, what is my natural response toward God? To be honest,
trust is not always the first thing that comes to mind. I frantically try and fix the situation
myself. Yet, I realize over time that there are no “dead ends” with God. He just needs
me to be still, and let Him handle the situation.
The enemy is a liar!
I had allowed Satan’s lies to overwhelm my thoughts to the point of having a panic
attack. So much so, that I had my husband drive me to the ER because I knew
something was terribly wrong. After running several tests the doctor came in and
chuckled, “There is nothing wrong with your heart, in fact, your heart is better than
mine!”
Paul is using this analogy to explain to the church that the good news of Christ should be shared, not hidden or veiled. However, the enemy “has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Have you wandered down a path that is leading you away from righteousness or away from an intimate relationship with Jesus? Turn. Realign your life to Jesus, who stands ready to welcome you.
The gracious words spoken by the woman in my story still impact me. What person who has wronged me needs to hear my loving words of grace?
Jesus’ response to the adulteress challenges me. Is my conversation most often filled with gracious words or condemning words? Instead of ‘throwing stones,’ how can I use my words today to guide a person toward righteousness?
These walls of bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, withdrawal... may have given you a false sense of security, peace, or even justice. Yet, these walls have no place in the lives of believers. Have you tried to tear down a divisive wall in your own strength? Perhaps you’ve discovered that a well-fortified, long-standing wall is extremely difficult to remove.
