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We should never postpone enjoying our days simply because there are
setbacks in our path. We must stand firm in the difficult times and make
a decision to enjoy each day to its fullest. The Lord Jesus forewarned
that in the world we will have tribulation, but then went on to reassure
us to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world for us. The Lord
commands us not to worry about anything, but rather rest in God and allow
His perfect peace to take rule in our minds and hearts. Be encouraged to
have the attitude of trust and allow God's providence to lead your life on
to the best path as He sees fit. Always remember that the Lord loves you
and wishes for your best interest at all times. (John 16:33) (Isaiah 26:3-4)
I hope you are encouraged by today's message to rest in the Lord at all
times and know that He will never leave you nor forsake you.
FIND JOY IN THE ORDINARY
We played every game we knew. We ran up and down the hall. We played “find
me” behind the couch. We bounced the beach ball off each other's heads. We
wrestled, played tag, and danced. It was a big evening for Mom, Dad, and
little Jenna. We were having so much fun that we ignored the bedtime hour
and turned off the T.V. And if the storm hadn't hit, who knows how late we
would have played.
But then the storm hit. Rain pattered, then tapped, then slapped against
the windows. The winds roared in off the Atlantic and gushed through the
nearby mountains with such force that all the power went off. The adjacent
valley acted as a funnel, hosing wind on the city. We all went into the
bedroom and lay on the bed. In the darkness we listened to the divine
orchestra. Electricity danced in the sky like a conductor's baton summoning
the deep kettledrums of thunder.
I sensed it as we were lying on the bed. It blew over me mixed with the
sweet fragrance of fresh rain. My wife was lying silently at my side.
Jenna was using my stomach for her pillow. She, too, was quiet. Our second
child, only a month from birth, rested within the womb of her mother. They
must have sensed it, for no one spoke. It entered our presence as if
introduced by God himself. And no one dared stir for fear it would leave
prematurely.
What was it? An eternal instant.
An instant in time that had no time. A picture that froze in mid- frame,
demanding to be savored. A minute that refused to die after sixty seconds.
A moment that was lifted off the time line and amplified into a forever so
all the angels could witness its majesty.
An eternal instant.
A moment that reminds you of the treasures surrounding you. Your home.
Your peace of mind. Your health. A moment that tenderly rebukes you for
spending so much time on temporal preoccupations such as savings accounts,
houses, and punctuality. A moment that can bring a mist to the manliest of
eyes and perspective to the darkest life.
Eternal instants have dotted history.
It was an eternal instant when the Creator smiled and said, “It is good.”
It was a timeless moment when Abraham pleaded for mercy from the God of
mercy, “But if there are just ten faithful.” It was a moment without time
when Noah pushed open the rain-soaked hatch and breathed in the clean air.
And it was a moment in the “fullness of time” when a carpenter, some smelly
shepherds, and an exhausted, young mother stood in silent awe at the sight
of the infant in the manger.
Eternal instants.
You've had them. We all have. Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening
with your grandchild. Seeing her face in the glow of the candle. Putting
your arm into your husband's as you stroll through the golden leaves and
breathe the brisk autumn air. Listening to your six-year-old thank God for
everything from goldfish to Grandma.
Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay.
The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living. Eternal
instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the
future is nothing to fear.
The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it. Put
your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to cut it
short. Don't interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity. You are, in a
very special way, on holy ground.
By Max Lucado
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Psalm 34:1-4 “I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall
continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the
humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and
let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and
delivered me from all my fears.”
Isaiah 40:28-29 “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the
everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth
not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding. He
giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth
strength.”
Psalm 34:17-19 “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth
them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a
broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the
afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Psalm 103:1-5 “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless
His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who
redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy
youth is renewed like the eagle's.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: WISDOM OF THE SOUL
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem182.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: SAND OR GRAVEL?
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony101.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
