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We must always remember that God loves us and holds us close to His heart.
No matter our shortfalls or iniquities, the Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. His love reaches from everlasting
to everlasting cleansing us of our unrighteousness and clothing us in His
purity. Never believe the lie that God does not love you or that you are
beyond redemption. Corrie Ten-Boom once said, “There is no pit so deep
that God’s love is not deeper still.” His mercy can reach you right where
you are and can make you a new creation in Him. Cast your cares upon the
Lord and ask Him to take all that is impure from your life. He is sure to
hear your heartfelt prayer and replace every pain with His peace and
assurance that all is well. (Psalm 103:8) (2 Corinthians 5:17) (1 Peter 5:7)
I hope this message encourages your heart to know that God loves you no
matter who you are or what you have done. He is your Creator and loves
you with an everlasting love. Believe that and receive it into your heart
because this truth is an Eternal one.
MY SPECIAL VALENTINE
It wasn't until I heard Skipper's deep, guttural bark, Chrissie and
Scruffy's excited yapping, and the three geese honking--triggering the
disappearance of the three preschoolers out the door that I realized what
time it was. Licking my fingers, then wiping my hands on my apron, I
hustled the cake into the cupboard, and the dishes into the sink.
“I wonder if Dean will keep our secret,” I said to myself as I rinsed the
evidence off the dishes. But I hadn't long to wonder as the children burst
through the door, dropping their lunch kits onto the counter, all trying
to talk at once.
“I didn't tell, Mommy.” I heard the piercing announcement through the din
of eight other youthful voices. I smiled at the four-year-old, and stood
watching the excitement of the children.
“I got twenty-eight valentines,” piped six-year-old Dennis. To him
Valentine's Day was a new experience, and clutching them all in his hand
at once, he came toward me.
“And I got thirty,” him announced eight-year-old Dale.
“Look!” I cut in, “Let's all get changed out of our school clothes; then we
can all share the valentines. In fact, let's save them 'til after supper.
I have a surprise for you.”
“Mommy's got a cake,” piped up three-year-old Dougie. But his announcement
fell on deaf ears as the excited children scrambled into their bedrooms to
change their clothes.
It was then I noticed David, also eight, standing still by the door,
clutching a Valentine--a favorite, I presumed. His usually smiling, moon-
shaped face had a peculiar look on it, but before I could question him, he
walked by me to his bedroom to change. I didn't think any more about it
until suppertime. I handed the children plastic bags to put their
Valentines in.
And now, as the children gathered at the table for the evening meal, the
excited pitch of their voices had risen to a crescendo. Daddy wouldn't be
home for this special supper, as he was on the bridge crew with the
Department of Highways, and was away repairing a washed out bridge.
With the meal cleared away, and all the children in their pajamas and
housecoats, a habit we adopted on chilly winter evenings, we all gathered
around the large dining room table. I had told the children at supper that
my surprise was: we were going to have a valentine party, and that we would
save our dessert until then. The excited children clutched their plastic
bags in their hands and assumed their usual mealtime places. I brought out
some candy I had saved for the occasion, and set the large heart-shaped
cake in the middle of the table.
Now it was time for us all to share the valentines the kiddies had gotten
from their friends at school. They pulled the cards from the plastic bags
and set them on the table in front of them. It was then I noticed that
David had only one card in front of him. My heart nearly broke, but now
was not the time for questioning. There would be time for that later.
When it was David's turn to share his valentine, that strange look
reappeared on his face. He turned the card over, and his usual smile
returned to his face as he read, “To David, My Special Valentine. From
your Teacher, Miss Waters.” The card was not anything out of the ordinary.
It was just one of the run-of-the-mill valentine cards, but to David it
was special. After he read it he hugged it to his heart. It was the only
one he had received.
There was nothing wrong with David. That is not why he did not have
friends, nor why he did not receive any valentines. He was not shunned by
his peers because he was a trouble-maker. He was not shunned because he
was extra stupid or extra smart. It was not because of any obnoxious
behavior, nor because he was a smart alec. No. It was just because he was
a Native Indian. Our children were all foster children, and they were all
mixed-blood, Native Indian children. All except for David. He was a pure
Native Indian from the Indian reservation in Atlin, British Columbia.
My heart was breaking just now, breaking for a sweet little boy who was
shunned by his peers because he was different. I went over beside him,
looked at his valentine, and said, “Oh David, that is SO special. Let's
put it on the fridge so that we can look at it every day, for as long as
you want.”
I decided that the best thing to do was to make a big thing out of what he
had, rather than showing him pity because of how much less he had than the
others. And the three little ones saved the day. In unison they said,
“Let's have the cake now.”
Relieved that the crisis was over. I gave David a big hug, and told him
that he could pass out the valentines we all had made for each other. And
David was equal again. He was amongst his friends and his family, where
there was no prejudice, just a lot of love.
** NOTE: This story happened in the sixties. The attitude toward Native
Indians (or First Nations, as they have chosen to be called now), has
changed in the past 30 years. Also, now there is a much more ethnical
mixture in the present-day schools, than there was when this took place.
By Helen Dowd
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have
loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I
drawn thee.”
Romans 10:9-13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture
saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. For there is no
difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: THY WORD, OH LORD
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem147.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: A PRISONER FREED AT LAST
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony87.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
