God and Us

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Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

This is a reading I plan on using at my first speaking engagement next month at an area nursing home. Please pray for me. 

God is faithful. He is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. He goes before us into difficult places. He stands beside us when we have to hear harsh news and decisions. You know, the distasteful things of life. He was present when my doctor told me of our new-born son’s birth-defect and what would be done to help him.

God provides for us. He gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. He provides us with food, shelter, clothes, and friends.

God protects us. He keeps us safe from harm. A few years ago, the house directly across the street from us caught fire. He kept the wind from bringing the flames across our street and into our yard. We had our car sitting next to our house. It would have been a bigger disaster if that fire had moved over to our yard.

God loves us. He loved us before we were born, before we were even formed. He loves each of us as if there were only one of us. He loves us because He made us.

God always listens. He is our best friend. He is always available when we need to talk. We feel we have to rush as we talk to Him. 

The LORD in Our Weakness

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But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

Paul was afflicted with a recurring malady. He never identified it. We know he asked God three times to remove it. He says in the context of our focus verse that this “thorn in my flesh was given to me to keep me from being conceited.”

God chooses to tell Paul that His favor and love is enough for Paul. Paul can endure this condition because God’s power can be seen, and maybe even felt by Paul and those to whom he ministers.

In searching for the focus verse for this posting, I found this passage. I also was trying to prepare for what I call a “Brainstorming” meeting with some friends to help me compose a list of groups I can contact for speaking.

Why this verse stood out to me is simple. My allergy to gluten sometimes shows up in the most inconvenient times. Yesterday, I took a friend out to lunch for her birthday. The young woman who served us at the Chinese cafeteria told me they didn’t use wheat flour in their egg rolls. I believed her. The egg roll was good.

God took care of me as I presented my plan and my desire this afternoon, I will trust Him to take care of this condition as I go through my life.

Dear Father God: Thank You for loving me guiding me. I gave You this meeting and I give you all that will come out of it. I trust You for the precautions I have to take in order to serve You. I give You the praise. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. AMEN

Strength in Times of Darkness

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Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

Habakkuk paints a bleak picture of what his world would look like after a severe drought. It’s pretty sad to read his description. However, he doesn’t stop there.

He chooses to exclaim joy to the LORD, the God of his salvation who is his strength. In every time of personal crisis, if we take the time, we can find some small glimmer of joy and something praiseworthy on which we can concentrate. When we are able to do this, we can, with God’s help, surmount any obstacle the enemy puts before us.

When we seek God’s guidance, He gives us more strength than we can ever find on our own.  We may have times when nothing seems to be right. That’s when we need to really rely on the LORD for all things. When we feel empty inside, we need to ask God to get our bearings straight. He will provide a way through all the murkiness of this world.

Dear Lord: Thank You for providing for our safety, health, and comfort. Thank You for Your presence during times of stress, frustration, and doubt. Thank you for the strength to withstand all obstacles that the enemy puts in our way. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.