Shalom, welcome to October 2^nd


><//>--------------------Thought for the Day

What makes for effective sharing in a discussion about our Faith? It is not a fine speech with a fine choice of words and an impressive delivery. Often a few simple words direct from the heart are more effective than the most polished speech. There is always a temptation to speak beyond our own experience, in order to make a good impression. This is never effective. What does not come from the heart does not reach the heart. What comes from personal experience and a sincere desire to help the other person reaches the heart.

Do I speak for effect or with a deep desire to help?


><//>--------------------Meditation for the Day

True Meekness

How easy it is to lead and guide when you are responsive to My wish! The hurts of life come only when you, or those about whom you care, endeavor to go your, or their, own way and resist the pressure of My Hand.

   But in willing My Will there must be gladness. Delight to do that Will.

   ”The meek shall inherit the earth,” I said. That is, control others, and the material forces of the earth.

   But this exalted state of possession is the result of a yielded will. That was My meaning of the word meek.

   So live, So yield, So conquer.


><//>--------------------Prayer for the Day

Father, we pray that we may have a yielded will. We pray that our will may be attuned. Amen


A Disciple's Reflections: Divine Providence is God's Hand

When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethpage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'" They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.
Mark 11:1-6

Beloved, it would be good for us to take notice of God's providential will that we may begin to see the hand of God at work and begin to work with Him as He moves.  In this manner we can follow God instead of expecting God to follow us.

In the text above we see the preparation for Jesus' entry into Jerusalem  This reminds me of the confusion experienced by that great Biblical theologian, Forrest Gump. When confronted with the death of his beloved Jenny, Forrest was torn between the life views of his mother and Lt. Dan.

Lt. Dan believed that all of life was predestined – that all of life was fate. To live is to play out your destiny. Mrs. Gump believed that life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get. To live is to experience life as it unfolds. Ultimately Forrest decided they were both right.

Sometime that morning, the owner of a young colt, which had never been ridden, tied it up outside of his house. Little did he know that his colt would play a role in the unfolding of God's plan of redemption for the world. The arrival of the Prince of Peace described in Zechariah 9 made mention of the triumphant king riding on a colt – but who could have imagined Jesus as that king?

There's an old saying, "The devil is in the details." The truth is, God is in the details too. In the little twists of time, in the strange interplay of planning and coincidence, God is present. In the little decisions we make, in the timing of the events of our lives, God is there. In each seemingly insignificant turn of our lives, God is nudging us toward wholeness.

The disciples do what Jesus asks. They walk into town, find the colt he had promised would be there, responded to the one who questioned their taking it, and brought it back to Jesus. They undoubtedly had no idea what they were doing. They wouldn't have recalled the prophecy from Zechariah and they didn't need to. They did what they had been asked to do... and God used their obedience in working out Jesus' destiny.

Do we see God working in the seemingly trivial details of our lives? Do we see the myriad ways that God can be glorified in the lives of others when we do our part, when we live faithfully in each moment?  Do we practice acceptance when our lives or circumstances don't turn out just as we would have them.

More than not we are going through the moments of our lives like the proverbial bull in a china shop.  We do all we can to bring about the life we want, all the while pushing aside the life God is working for us. 

In my own case, I am living a life I would never have chosen for myself.  I live one day at a time keeping our Messiah first in my thinking doing what is before me each day.  I simply trust in the Lord to see to it that this life goes where He wants it to go for God's glory.

Allow me to offer some wonderful news.  Anytime we've had enough arraigning our own lives we can repent and replace the reins of our lives back into the hand of God, and He will make wonderful good from the mess we have made of it all.  Praise His wonderful Name.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, in the grand design of life it is hard to see the part we play. Yet we trust that your purposes are being worked out even among us. Keep us mindful today of the ways that you work to bring us life even in the littlest details of our lives. In Jesus' name.
Amen.


We Exalt You, Oh Lord!

"You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you."
– Psalm 118:28 (NIV)

Webster's Dictionary says that to exalt is to raise in rank, honor, power, character, or quality. And the Scriptures tell us that this is what we should do regularly with God. The problem with us humans is that we have this tendency to exalt all the wrong things, most notably our own selves. Generally, we have very high opinions of our own value to ourselves and to others. Sadly, we find ourselves all too often exalting worldly things while giving little, if any, thought to the rank, honor, power, character and qualities of God. And yet, He makes His mercy new everyday to us!

No matter what we face in our lives, no matter how much we ignore God, or run from His will, He is our God, and we will give Him thanks. We will exalt you oh, Lord. 

Funny thing, in my case, is that most of the people who know me think that I am strong (a rock of Gibraltar type), but the truth is, I could not live my life outside of a relationship with a living, loving God. The Lord is my strength and my salvation. My life is blessed because God has intervened in an otherwise hopeless situation; a situation for anyone who would try this life on their own. 

Be encouraged by the fact that no matter what comes our way today, God will never leave us nor forsake us. Exalt Him and He will deliver us from whatever troubles us!

"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him."
– Exodus 15:2 (NIV)


Your Comments

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Please have a blessed day, be hopeful, be encouraged, and know you are not alone.

“God Calling” compiled by A. J. Russell.
"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" Hazelton – adapted.
Kerry Nelson writes Divine Providence Is God's Hand.
Greg Candelaria writes I Exalt You, Oh Lord!
Barry Gray writes A Disciple’s Reflections.