BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS

Even to your old age, I am He,

and even to gray hairs I will

carry you. I have made, and

I will bear; even I will carry

and deliver you.

Isaiah 46:4

So blessed in God's Word every time I pick it up and read in it. His promises are so appropriate no matter the circumstances but especially thinking today about age. I didn't realize a couple of months ago that I would see myself with the number 85 behind my name. That's a lot of years, some of which I know I wasted in not always walking in God's will. Despite it, He has loved, forgiven and chosen me to be where I am in the great now.

I've experienced a lot of birthdays. Some of them weren't pleasant bu t most were. I didn't have a lot of parties like many folks have for their children in these days. Gifts might have been at times no more than a color book, crayons and maybe a small stuffed animal. Yet, it was great.

In November, 1999 our church was having a revival and on the particular Sunday was the last service. I found myself almost consumed with listening to the evangelist as he spoke and things began stirring in me I had never sensed before. Although that church is different now, I would be able to show you where I was sitting, the aisle I stepped into and the bright sun shining through the clear glass window accepting Jesus as my Savior. I had no family there but knew this was something I had to do and did.

That in my life was the greatest birthday any living person can experience no matter their age. That birthday gift will take me to Heaven where birthdays will never be necessary or missed.

Thank You Father for guiding in my life through Your Spirit and for Jesus who made my spiritual birthday gift a reality. In His name....Amen

 

MERCY, MERCY

The LORD is merciful and

gracious, slow to anger,

and abounding in mercy.

Psalm 103:8

You and I should be so very grateful forthe mercy of God in our lives. We are told that for our wrong-doing, justice is getting what we deserve. However, we also know that mercy is not getting what we deserve from God regarding our personal sin. You and I often don't even consider the everyday sins we might commit. To God, sin is sin....big or little. Because of Jesus' sacrifice we not only have salvation but the mercy of God. We must never take advantage of God's precious mercy. Just some things about this mercy in Psalm 103:

God's mercy can't be measured (11). It is too high and deep to be measured.

God's removal of our sin also can't be measured....east to west (12)

God's pity for each of His children is even more than what earthly fathers are capable of (13)

I am especially so grateful that God knows me inside and out. He knows my physical being, remembering that in the end, I am mere dust. (14)

Verse 17 is almost a grand finale verse:

But the mercy of the LORD is

from everlasting to everlasting,

on those who fear Him, and His

righteousness to children's children.

I praise You Father for Your merciful patience with me. In my weakness, You provide Your merciful care and patience. Thank You for Jesus' mercy and Your Spirit's teaching and leadership. In gratitude....Amen

 

OUR GOOD LISTENER

For I know the thoughts that I

think toward you, says the Lord,

thoughts of peace and not of evil,

to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and

go and pray to Me, and I will

listen to you,

Jeremiah 29:11,12

God's people were taken into captivity and we see Jeremiah at this particular time being a spokesman for them. The people as well as Jeremiah were ready to be finished with captivity and ready to go back home. God indicated to them the years they would spend in captivity, but they were more than anxious for it to be at an end.

In chapter 29, Jeremiah went to God in prayer and prayed a wonderful prayer on behalf of the people. After he had poured out his heart to God, God responded to him. God spoke right to the point, some of which is found in the above verses. For some reason, I have really liked this chapter in Jeremiah with interaction between him and God. I can't imagine Jeremiah's frustration and yet God's response was so loving and assuring even though Jeremiah still had no resolution to the situation.

There is something I often look for in my Scripture reading when God speaks. So often, He will begin a sentence or phrase with the two words I WILL. I don't know about anyone else but there are times when people have assured me that they would do something on my behalf and didn't come through. I also have to consider the times I have come up short in the same way with someone in need. Those two words indicate a promise whether we consider that to be true or not. When God says He will do something, it's as good as done.

I think also that we have often found ourselves in our own personal times of captivity. I realize we haven't been carried off to Babylon for 70 years but our captivities can seem a lifetime when not resolved. Captivity for us is any negative situation we find ourselves in that seems to have no answers or finish line. For some folks, captivity might be a health situation, financial disaster, loss that crosses any number of areas and on it goes. There are times we feel as helpless as Jeremiah and the people of that day.

When in that kind of fix, what do we do in the middle of all the impossibilities? Jeremiah prayed a wonderful prayer that was very respectful and we see God's answer. God hadn't forgotten His people. He was thinking about them, looking forward to good things. We may not feel in our circumstance that God ever gives us a thought. How wrong can we be. He also assured Jeremiah that He listens to every prayer. No matter what we find ourselves enduring, God is present...thinking about us, seeing our future with good things and listening to our every prayer. We are such a blessed people.

Thank You Father for Your loving attention toward us in both good and difficult times. May we be people of prayer, all the time knowing You are the best listener ever. Thank You for Your personal attention toward each of us. In Jesus precious name...Amen

 

LITTLE IS MUCH

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits.

Psalm 103:2

It didn't seem like much at the moment, but it was one of those wonder moments that would have meant nothing to anyone but me. Recently, I had to go have lab work done in anticipation of my six month checkup with my doctor the end of the week. I ventured out on Wednesday morning hoping to get it all finished while still hoping to make it to our Wednesday morning Bible study at church.

My timing was questionable at best because of the flood of others who show up for such tests first thing in the morning. I could just see it....parking lot with no close up spaces except for out in the boonies of the lot. The waiting line for registration I imagined to be at least twenty people which would be the usual. It was just the facts of what I had seen in time past.

I was right about the parking lot. It was really full and there was no way I'd find a handicap spot. I went ahead and pulled up into that area with the blue squares on the concrete of the parking spaces. So I did a quick cruise anyway and almost hit a pickup as it decided to pull out in front of me, leaving me a wonderful parking space...I was thrilled and quickly thanked my Lord for His favor. I went on into the registration area and there were only three people in front of me in the line. That was nothing short of a miracle. I was in and out in a jiffy. Before leaving, I took a casual look to see what the line up for service looked like. I counted 25 people and growing. If I had arrived just a little later, it could have been a mess.

In my car I was almost in tears of joy. It was all God's timing and doing and I was rejoicing. It would have all been very small in the eyes of others. There's an old song I have loved for years entitled..”.Little is Much When God is in it.” We need to brush out the cobwebs of our spiritual memories and remember those seemingly little ways God has cared for us not just in the big ways but in the smallest of ways. When God is in the small things, they suddenly take on very huge meaning. Oh how He loves you and me!

I praise You Father, for all the little things You bring my way that bless me and often aid me in ways I need. You are always looking out for me and I'm so grateful. Your little things in my life seem to grow into giant proportions and I'm so very grateful for Your love in my life...In Jesus' precious name.....Amen