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We must always keep in mind that God loves us with an everlasting love. We
are very dear to Him and even though the Lord may seem far away when
troubles come near to us, we must realize that He is still right there
watching over us. We sometimes need to go through struggles so that we can
become strengthened from the inside out. It is in the tough times of life
that our character takes shape and makes us strong enough to handle the
hardships that will come our way throughout life. If the Lord saved us at
the beginning of every hardship, then we would not be able to handle any
problems that come with life and living. Take courage and know that the
Lord is right beside you when hardships come your way, but still He wants
you to grow and learn so that you can be better equipped to handle life's
trials that are sure to come your way. (Galatians 2:20) (Psalm 139:1-10)
I hope this message encourages your heart to see that God is with you and
cheering you on for victory. He knows the strength that you possess
within, but still He will be there to lift you up when you're not strong
enough to lift yourself.
HATCHING LIFE
You should have seen my Shayna holding that egg and hearing it PEEP! I had
no idea that they could peep even before they hatch! The mother hen had sat
on the nest for 21 days. Her first baby hatched and as soon as it was fluff
dried, decided to jump down to see what all the clucking was about. Mama
Hen had to go protect her first born, so we got the job of egg-sitting!
She held a little brown egg and felt the chick bumping around inside. She's
3 years old and everything is exciting for her, especially new babies! The
thumping in that egg reminds me so much of the wonderful thumping going on
while carrying Shayna 3 years ago! We put the eggs in a box with a light to
try to keep it warm enough.
We were careful to not jostle them around and marked the top of each one
with a heart. But this one got a heart with a crack through it because I
knew it would be the one to watch for cracking soon! We had to leave our
little nest to go to the next town to visit my parents and my sweet Grandma
who has been ill. We didn't get home until 10:00 and found there were two
tiny cracks in the shell. I told the kids it probably wouldn't hatch until
morning but I stayed up just in case.
It was quiet until after midnight when I'd hear a tiny tap now and then. It
would peck and push for a few minutes then sleep for 20 or 30 and start
pushing again. Finally at 2:00 a.m, I knew it was time and tried to get the
kids up to see it but could only pull Dallin, who is seven, out of his bed.
He and I knelt down on the floor looking into the little shoe box with a
warming light, and we watched that little thing push and push.
I told Dallin how important it is that we not help the little chick to
break free of its shell. I told him how he needs all that time of pushing
and pecking and struggling so that he would have strength enough to make it
through the night. We talked about how that struggle would make him strong,
like when we exercise.
It was amazing to be watching this all happen as if on stage with a
spotlight. I told Dallin that it was kind of funny to be watching, but the
chick had no idea we were there. About that time, there was one more push,
and the egg broke in two and our sweet little pink, wet chick toppled right
out! It still wasn't free though. It was on its back and its little
umbilical cord was still holding him to the back side of the egg.
I really wanted to help that tiny, fragile baby to get rid of its
entanglements. Then the thought came to me that our Heavenly Father watches
over us just like we were watching this little drama playing out before us.
I told Dallin that our Heavenly Father sees us just like this, going
through struggles. Sometimes He seems to help us quickly, but many times He
knows that the struggle is necessary for us to get stronger or to learn
things that we'll need to know later in life, things that will help us. So
even though we may not be aware that He is watching us and even rooting for
us to be successful, He doesn't interfere.
He knows us and what our potential is, just like we know that the little
chick can make it out of that egg and will soon be growing and scratching
and catching bugs and be a big chicken that will lay eggs of her own or a
rooster who will wake us all up every morning. Our Heavenly Father knows
what we will grow up to be and that the things that seem to be hard for us
to do or to understand is an important part of life. He is always there
watching, wanting to help us, but having the wisdom to know when to step in
and when to let us get stronger through the struggle.
Even though I thought I was teaching Dallin an important principle, the
Holy Spirit testified to my soul that it was true, and that it was truly a
lesson for both of us!
Well, she's all fluffy now and peeping and thinks we are her mommies.
She'll tuck under any hand that comes near her and get quiet, then wiggle
her head through our fingers. I tried to get the hen to take her in, but
she didn't think this little chick belonged to her. So the chick is ours to
raise until she can defend herself in the chicken coop.
A new life begun, an indelible memory made with Dallin, and an eternal
truth seared into my soul!
By Shelly Duke
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Isaiah 49:13-16 “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth
into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted His people, and will
have mercy upon His afflicted. But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me,
and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that
she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may
forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the
palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me.”
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it
might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I
am weak, then am I strong.”
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.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: GOD KNOWS
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem15.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony157.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
