Monday’s Devotion: Holy Geography

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

We were blessed to be in a training event on evangelism this weekend with several other partner churches.  It’s difficult to talk about reaching people with whom to share the Gospel without quoting this scripture. The explanation of the territories followed the conventional teachings. Jerusalem is very near, within the church and nearby community. Judea widens the circle and the “ends of the earth” involves world evangelism. With the internet the “ends of the earth” is closer than ever.  What about Samaria?  It refers not so much to a location as to a group of people.  The Jews and the Samaritans did not get along; there was mistrust and animosity between the groups.  In this world the people whom we are uncomfortable around or flat out don’t like are our Samaria.  To be a witness of Christ doesn’t always mean sharing the Gospel, evangelizing or preaching.  Sometimes, it means reflecting the personality and behavior of Jesus to others, even our Samaritans.  Who is your Samaritan?  Do you behave differently around them than you do others?  What kind of witness are you with them?  Just asking.

Precious Lord, when our human frailties make it difficult to love our neighbor as Christ calls us to we ask that you intervene. Help us to show Christ to all people, even our Samaritans with both our words and actions.  We ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Friday’s Devotion: Stick-to-itiveness

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (MSG) So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

I have a stamp collection that dates to my childhood.  Over the years I added to it and my sons added to it.  While we always hope to discover something of great value, for the most part the value for me is just the enjoyment I get from looking at all the old and varied stamps.  When we purchase stamps they have a defined cost but their true value lies in what they do.  They deliver the goods.  In order to do that they must stick to the letter or package throughout the mailing process. If they let go, the letter may not arrive at its destination. We sometimes get discouraged but as our scripture says, while on the outside things seem bleak, on the inside God is making a new life.  Hold tight, trust God and look for things to get better. Our loving Father wants the best for us.

Gracious God, we ask your blessing on this day. Please continue to lift us up when we are discouraged so that we may give you the praise for our deliverance. Amen.

Thursday’s Devotion: Expecting the Unexpected

Mark 6:48-49  He saw his disciples struggling. They were trying to row forward, but the wind was blowing against them. Very early in the morning, he came to them, walking on the lake. He intended to pass by them.  When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost and they screamed.

Sunday afternoon as I backed out of my carport to return to the church for a meeting I suddenly heard a child’s voice.  A little boy, maybe 5 or 6 years old was jumping around in my driveway!  There are never children in my driveway unless Skye who lives next door comes down with her parents. The boy ran back up the hill to Skye’s house.  I thought that had he been a few feet over I could have easily hit him.  I wasn’t expecting a child or anything to be behind my car.  Several days later as I picked up branches knocked down by the prior night’s strong winds I spotted an orange object at the base of my tree. It was an outdoor Christmas tree light bulb.  How did it get there in April?  We don’t have any like that and it hadn’t been there before.  The next day I returned home to find a chewed up Styrofoam takeout box (not ours) in my living room. I determined that this was going to be a week to expect the unexpected.  Over the years I have observed that the people who are the most likely to have a discernible experience with the divine are those who expect that to happen.  We often don’t see what we are not looking for.  Just as Jesus came toward the disciples by walking on the water, God comes to us in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. Turning on our radio enables us to hear the music, likewise experiencing God often depends on being tuned to Him.  Pray and wait expectantly for an answer.

Gracious and holy God.  We are often amazed that you, the Creator of the universe would speak to us in such personal ways.  Help us to stay attuned to your presence in our lives.  We ask in the name of the One who came and ministered and died and rose again in unexpected ways. Amen.

Wednesday’s Devotion: Sometimes Freedom Leads to Slavery

Jeremiah 34:17  Therefore, the Lord proclaims: Since you have defied me by not setting your fellow citizens free, I’m setting you free, declares the Lord, free to die by the sword, disease, and famine!

Galatians 5:13  [ Life by the Spirit ] You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

2 Peter 2:19  They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

In a time of sharing with some friends recently the subject of people wanting to be free (especially children) of the rules of authority came up.  I’ve observed that children go through several stages of breaking free.  When they are a toddler they start recognizing that they are a separate being from their parents and they begin to learn to say the word “no.”  As teens or pre-teens sometimes they begin to push the envelope to see how much autonomy they can have.  But freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. All of these scriptures address this in some way. Our conversation also turned to free will – the freedom God gives us to act as we will and how much of the bad things that happen come  from people abusing that freedom.  If God controlled the world like a huge cosmic puppet show there might not be any people being killed by drunk drivers, but we would not be a free people either.  I want God to take control of my life and help me live up to his standards, but I’m glad that I am free to ask for that or not.  Like Jesus we can say to God, “Not my will, but yours be done” or we can open ourselves up to becoming slaves of our desires and bad habits.  It’s our choice. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:23,
 [ The Believer’s Freedom ] “’I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive.”  As I write this the Newsboys song “I Am Free” is running through my mind.  Here’s a link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR7bBEBIC9g

Gracious God, you created us with the freedom to love or hate, follow you or reject you, ignore others or help them, live or die. Help us to use that freedom wisely. Amen.

Tuesday’s Devotion – Watch Your Step!

Jeremiah 31:21  “Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take.”

There is a house on one of my walking routes that has a set of double French doors coming off a second story room.  Perhaps it’s a bedroom.  Whatever it may be, the doors lead to nowhere.  There’s no porch or deck to step out onto. Should a sleepwalker open them it could be disastrous!  How many of us choose to walk through doors that lead to nowhere?  When we find ourselves doing that, we can be assured that God did not lead us there. Take note of the highway, the road that you take.

Dear Lord, you have given us free will to choose our own paths.  We pray that you would direct our steps and keep us from falling.  We want our roads to lead to the good things you offer us and we ask that you hear this prayer offered in your Son’s name.  Amen.

Monday’s Devotion: Branded!

Psalm 39:5-7  You have made my days a mere handbreadth;  the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom  in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth    without knowing whose it will finally be. “But now, Lord, what do I look for?    My hope is in you.”

Since I was a young girl I’ve been interested in fashion.  I like nice things of good quality. While I was in the nail salon last Friday I started noticing all the designer purses of the other clients.  I identified bags by Louis Vuitton, Coach, Burberry, and Chanel.  These bags are designed to show off their brands; to let people know that the carriers have money and good taste.  Or maybe they have no money and want to be pretentious or maybe like me they like nice things and think these brands guarantee good quality.  The point is would I rather be identified by the marks on my purses or by the marks of a true Christian? The two things are not necessarily mutually exclusive, however the Bible warns against vanity. Seek first the kingdom of God we are told. I try to do that; still don’t be surprised if you see me with a nice purse or two!

Dear God in Heaven, help us to set our priorities so that your kingdom comes first in our lives.  We ask you for guidance as we seek balance between personal luxury and care for others. We ask in the name of you Son who gave up everything, even his life for our sake.  Amen.

Friday’s Devotion: God’s in the Game with Us!

James 5:11 (GW) We consider those who endure to be blessed. You have heard about Job’s endurance. You saw that the Lord ended Job’s suffering because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Baseball season has started.  I know because I got caught in pre-game traffic earlier this week. There’s always a lot of talk about the lineup, especially the pitching line-up.  The pitcher influences the outcome of the game maybe more than any other team member.  ESPN has a good website that gives stats and predictors by year.  Last season we only had one pitcher in the top ten candidates for the Cy Young award. So far this season we have none.  Cy Young so I understand was a great pitcher. Back in his day, pitchers pitched the entire game.  Now pitchers are specialized.  We have closers, relief pitchers.  Boy, sometimes in my days I’d like a relief pitcher to come in!
However, that’s not always possible.  We must stay on the mound and persevere as we face and work our way through challenges. I try to remember to stop and pray for strength and energy. God answers those prayers.  It’s available to all of us if we trust God and go to God for help.  In a way, maybe God is our relief pitcher!

Creator God, as the hymn goes, we need you every hour. Day by day we look to your for protection, healing, strength and direction. Please be with us today and bring us energy and joy for the day.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Thursday’s Devotion: Leaving for the Far Shore

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

I’m never surprised anymore when someone produces a wise saying.  On Idol last night Steven Tyler advised one contestant, “If you want to get to the other side you have to lose sight of this shore.”  The judges are encouraging the singers to let go, to sing with emotion and vulnerability.  When they think too much about the performance, the song suffers.  Their advice is also good for people beyond that environment.  How many of us have dreams and aspirations but let fear hold us back?  How many times do you want to act silly or tell a joke or do something fun that’s entirely new but don’t because it might mean losing a little control?  Have you ever wanted to say “amen” in worship or raise your hands or clap but didn’t want to embarrass yourself?  Are you stuck in a job or relationship that’s dragging you down, but fear change? God wants us to live life to the fullest but we let fear restrict our exploration of life. Have you given up on trying for the other shore?  Be strong and courageous; the Lord will go with you.

Thank you, God for the gift of life. Help us to live it without fear. Show us better and fuller ways to experience each day.  We ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Wednesday’s Devotion: Children and Politics

Matthew 19:14  Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

This is on the order of truth is stranger than fiction.  A single American woman living in Israel had twins by in vitro fertilization using donor sperm and eggs.  The donors’ identity is kept anonymous.  Recently the mother took the twins now 2 ½ years old to the American Embassy to register them. Now, the U.S. State Department is refusing to grant citizenship to her children because she’s unable to prove that the donors are American citizens. There would be no problem if she had adopted children but there is no law that grants citizenship to children produced by in vitro when the biological parents are not citizens.  “You can have a child that is a child without a country,’’ family law attorney Paul Talbert told NBC News. “They are not granted U.S. citizenship because there is no biological connection, and the laws of that foreign country may say they don’t recognize this child as their citizen, either, and the law really needs to address this.’’  U.S. State Department officials say they are sympathetic to the family’s situation but are following the law. It’s sad when children get caught up in the politics of a country or the politics of divorce.  No matter what happens in this earthly sphere, though we can rejoice that the Kingdom of God has no borders. Our citizenship first lies in this kingdom and only second in the country in which we live.

Loving God, We pray for children everywhere who are caught up in situations which they did not create and over which they have no control. Help us to love children as Jesus loved them.  We ask in His name. Amen.

Tuesday’s Devotion: Shine on Me

John 1: 6-9 (NIV) There was a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light: he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

I had a discussion Sunday with someone about our inability to talk about the Divine without using figures of speech.  Scripture describes Jesus as the light of the world come to save a people sitting in darkness.  What does light do?  It reveals both the good and the bad.  It shows us our flaws.  Light also makes the scary things of the dark seem less frightening and it illuminates our path, making our way easier.  John was not the light; neither are we.  The Church is not the light.  Instead we emulate the light of Christ as we try to live like him. A mirror in a dark room shows no reflection.  In order for us to reflect Christ, we must first get close enough to him ourselves. Deuteronomy 4:29 says that we will find God if we look for God with all our heart and our soul.  Our motivation is not just to show the light to others, it is to have that light work in our lives for our benefit, too.

Lord, help us to see your light and to draw near that we may walk in the light.  Help us to carry the light of Christ to the dark corners of our world that all may have the same blessings we receive from knowing and accepting him as Lord and Savior.
We ask in his name. Amen.

Monday’s Devotion: God and Multiplication

2 Kings 4:1-7  The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”  Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”  Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”  She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.  When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”   But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.  She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

Yesterday morning I watched the first bit of Dr. David Jeremiah before I left for the church. He was in some arena that seated many thousands of people.  I wonder about those huge congregations sometimes.  It must be exciting to stand and sing to the glory to God with tens of thousands of other Christians.  There’s energy in numbers.  However I also thought about our smaller congregation and thought how happy I am that our energy comes from the power of the Holy Spirit that is so evident in and around Hapeville FUMC.  We have love and laughter and genuine worship and study, too.  God can take our small offerings of prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness and multiply it. If we are faithful with a little, God will be faithful with much. 

Dear Lord, Often we think we have less than others; less for ourselves and less to offer others.  Yet we know you created the world from nothing and that Jesus like this woman took a little food and made much. We ask you to continue to help us make the most of what we have.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Friday’s Devotion: Photography and Storytelling USED

Modified and used 10-11-21

Isaiah 28:5  In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.

This morning I saw a TV segment about a photographer who gets very close to the wildlife of Africa.  His pictures were beautiful. I thought that one of the reasons was because his subject matter was striking. I’m not discounting his skills but I know from my journey to the Holy Land that some of my pictures were amazing – not because I knew what I was doing with a camera but because the subject matter was itself amazing. After someone complimented me on my Easter sermon, I thought how could it not be exciting?  The subject matter is beautiful and exciting.  I am merely telling the story. Like a photographer, I try to put the subject in the best light, to find the best angles and to make something that reveals the qualities of the subject to those with whom I can share it.  We who love Jesus can all do that.  Isaiah 52:7 says,  “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Heavenly God, We ask you to help us tell your beautiful amazing story to others. And we ask you to continue to help us become part of the story ourselves.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Thursday’s Devotion: What Not to Wear

Colossians 3:12-14  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Yesterday our scripture told us to clothe ourselves in Christ.  Today we get a new outfit from the writer of Colossians.  I do love clothes and shows about fashion.  On “What Not to Wear” the hostess goes through an individual’s closet and throws away all the dorky clothes. Then she teaches the woman how to dress smartly.  Colossians also has its version of What Not to Wear. It includes sexual immorality, impurity, greed, anger, malice towards others, lying and obscene language. I know putting together the perfect spiritual wardrobe is easier said than done.  I put on Jesus yesterday morning but changed clothes about midday when I got tired and frustrated at the time it was taking to make progress with the tasks at hand. We like our comfortable dorky clothes.  Change brings challenges but just like the guest on the TV show – we’ll achieve beauty if we listen to good advice and then act on it.

Blessed God, help us dress ourselves in goodness and to cast away the unattractive garments that are self-serving and unbecoming. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wednesday’s Devotion: Nothing to Wear?

Galatians 3:27 (CEV)  And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes.
Romans 13:14  Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires.

Monday was my day to make the semi-annual great closet swap.  Turtlenecks, sweaters, and winter suits got packed away or moved to the guestroom closet.  Shorts, tees and summer dresses replaced them. Since I no longer wear a size “large” I have a big pile of clothes to donate to charity.  I’m sure more will be added as I try on summer outfits.  The upshot is that I feel like I don’t have anything to wear!  I see a shopping trip in my future.  I have always liked these scriptures that talk about putting on Christ.  It doesn’t how fancy our clothes or jewelry is if our attitude is not also beautiful. I’m going to try for the next few days as I get dressed to first consciously ask Christ to come and be my guide and inspiration for the day.  Putting on Christ first might make my clothes fit better, but it will certainly make my day fit better and make me a better person to those around me.

Thank you God for providing for our needs today.  Bless us and be with us as we make our way through the hours. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tuesday’s Devotion: Like a Magnet

John 6:44 (CEB)  No one can come to me unless they are drawn to me by the Father who sent me.

Joe and I ate at Après Diem last week on his birthday. During the meal we got tickled because when we would place our knife on our plate it would start moving. We finally figured out that the silverware was magnetic and the knives and forks were being drawn together. Magnetic silverware was a first for us.  If anyone knows more about this, please fill us in!  In John, Jesus says that God draws people toward him. We call this divine grace that draws us even before we know God, prevenient grace.  Not everyone I know was blessed to have been raised in the church and they may not still know the blessings that come from being part of a great church family. Yet that doesn’t mean they don’t have God in their lives. It may not be to the fullest, but it is a start. We don’t have to introduce people to God.  God is already there.  We just need to help them recognize the value of developing that relationship. 

Thank you Lord for drawing us to you even before we ourselves know you.  Help us to sense your presence in our lives and in the lives of others.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Monday’s Devotion: The Story Continues

Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Wow!  Holy Week is finally over.  I feel like I’ve run a week-long marathon. I love Holy Week, it’s such a special time for Christians but experiencing Holy Week as a pastor is a whole different ball game than experiencing it as a church member.  This year I was so blessed to be able to work my recent experiences in the Holy Land into my Good Friday and Easter Sunday sermons.  Those sermons were meaningful to me and I think to those who heard them because of that eye-witness account.  Last night on top of all the normal Holy Week activities, we launched our new Hispanic worship service.  Efrain Diaz,  our assistant pastor for Hispanic ministries preached on Thomas and on seeing and believing vs. believing without seeing.  It helped me to see the places Jesus had been.  I didn’t see Jesus like the disciples did either pre or post resurrection.  However I see Jesus in the lives of other people as I see them living out their role as the Body of Christ – the risen and glorified Christ.  Yesterday I approached the Easter story and the story of Christ’s life as the “Never-Ending Story.”  We are participants in that story. And because of Christ, our story will be never-ending, too.  Praise God.

Thank you Lord, for eternal life and for offering us a Kingdom life.  We ask that you be with us during this week and especially be with pastors and church staffs as they move forward from this meaningful and busy time.  We ask in the name of the one who sits at your right hand. Amen.

Friday’s Devotion: The Flesh is Weak

Matthew 26:40-41 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?  Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  

I’ve heard the last part of this scripture quoted before and for some reason I associated it with Paul instead of Jesus.  I guess because Paul wrote about his struggles with the flesh and I don’t associate weakness with Jesus.  After all, Jesus resisted the temptation in the wilderness.  Yet in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that if possible the cup that he was facing would be taken from him.  This endears Jesus to me even more.  It helps me realize that even the Holy Son of God really did struggle with those very human emotions.  I know that many times we resolve to behave in a way that we know would be pleasing to God, but somehow even though we truly want to do that, we feel we may have failed to do so.  We let unkind words or resentments slip in.  We refuse to forgive, or avoid people who could use our help.  We don’t share our resources and miss opportunities to introduce people to God.  Jesus died on Good Friday not so that we could continue to be selfish, unkind, bitter, resentful or downright sinful.  Jesus died so we could find strength not just in the knowledge that forgiveness and salvation would be possible but in the power of the Holy Spirit to help us turn around and do better.  Yet Jesus still understands, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Lord God, help us each day to be kinder, more giving and less resentful of our circumstances or of others.  May the great love poured out in the blood of Jesus on the cross inhabit our very beings and bring us closer to you.  We ask in His precious name. Amen.

Wednesday’s Devotion: Precious yet Fragile

Matthew 20:17-19  Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

During the season of Lent we removed the brass cross and candlesticks from the altar table and replaced them with wooden ones. Unlike our oil-filled candles the wax ones burned down.  Sunday a member who was preparing the altar for Holy Communion told me she didn’t put new candles in because she felt the burned down candles represented the shortening of Jesus’ time left on earth. I am so happy when people make connections like that.  It means that they are finding a real link between the bible and what is going on in this day and in their life.  On Good Friday we will try to imagine what it would have been like for Jesus to face the knowledge that his death was near.  Today a friend and neighbor is in ICU in critical condition.  A few days ago no one would have ever thought it would be this way.  Life is fragile, our candles are always burning down and although we can slow or speed the course, we know the final outcome.  Thanks be to our creator God that because of his Son, when these flames go out, a new bright one will shine in heaven. 

Blessed Lord, we ask your comfort as we pray for a loved one.  Help us to see the frailty of our own life and make the most of all the time we have, both for our own enjoyment and the growth of the Kingdom.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tuesday’s Devotion: Voices of the Heart

Luke 2:33-35  The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

One day last week as I walked around the ball fields I noticed the bark was partially off a tree, exposing the inner part of the trunk. It brought me back to Simeon’s prophesy about the thoughts of hearts being revealed and Matthew 15:18 …”But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.”  I try hard to continue to move towards Christian perfection but sometimes it seems like I take two steps forward and one step back. I work to speak kindly to people but controlling one’s tongue is different than controlling one’s heart.  I think that only comes when we live in Christ and Christ lives in us.  I don’t know about others but I measure myself, not by my words or actions but by where I sense my heart is.  To quote one of my good friends, “Progress, not perfection.”  I am making progress.

Come into our hearts, Lord Jesus, we need you every hour. Amen.

Monday’s Devotion: Changing Reactions

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Yesterday after the Jeans and Jazz service many who filed out the door shook my hand and said, “I enjoyed your message.”  That seems to be a common response.  Pastors often wonder if they really did or are just offering empty platitudes.  As I walked up front to collect my things our Jazz drummer’s girlfriend approached me.  She also said, “I really enjoyed your sermon.” Then she said, “Here’s what I got out of it.” I love to hear those words!

I had talked about God wanting us to know that all our concerns were important, that God really did understand and could relate to our sense of powerlessness over things that sometime face us.  I said that we can’t make ourselves well, we can’t make our loved ones well, we can’t make someone love us or hire us or treat us fairly. We have no control sometimes over events, only our reaction to them.  The young woman said that she was really trying to work on controlling her reactions to circumstances.  I thought a moment and shared that as I have become closer to God, my natural reactions to trying circumstances have changed. I am more at peace and feel the help of the Holy Spirit when I face challenges. I can’t always expect God to solve my problems, but I do trust him to love me through them.

Thank you Lord, for being with us when we cannot change our circumstances.  Please continue to uplift and comfort and guide us in all things.  We ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.