All in Encouragement
Man was not created to walk alone. God created each of us to walk with Him. He also designed us to walk with others. In Genesis 1 God declared all He created to be good. But then God identified something as not good. God said, It is not good for the man to be alone… (Genesis 2:18).
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (mek-KAH-dish-KIM) is a long, tongue-twisty name for an incredibly important truth.
So far, it has been a week of a big God. Today, we will look at a small moment and the God who was in it.
Throughout history, people believed that a Supreme Being brought the physical universe into existence and continued to act upon it. In the mid-1800’s, with the introduction of evolutionary theory, a new worldview emerged. It centered around a universe that not only thought itself up, but continued to keep itself running. Today the creation vs. evolution debate is still alive and well.
What is that old saying? “You never have a second chance to make a first impression.”
You are at a large party where most of the faces are unfamiliar. However, everyone is wearing a stick-on name tag—always helpful among strangers. A nice lady comes over and introduces herself and, as you catch a quick glance at her name tag, you notice: “Hi! My Name is Mary and I am generous.” What? You look around and notice, “Hi! My Name is Jim and I am kind and understanding.” And “Hi! My Name is Alice and I am Intelligent and Wise.” And so on…
Down I fell, flat on my face! I was running downhill with my dog when suddenly she darted ahead. I hung onto the leash trying to slow her down. Instead, her momentum pulled me down until I was face down in the dirt.
“What is that smell?” my husband asked as we entered the resort where we were vacationing. “Whatever it is, I want it!” he exclaimed.
I listen to Christian music throughout the day, so it’s no surprise that’s how I hear God speak many times.
Have you ever let dirty dishes sit for a day or so? Really, it doesn’t have to be that long. Maybe just a few hours.
Kimberly and I met when we were both about 23 years old. We both worked in corporate communication for a large bank.
I am taking a large group of teenagers from Texas to Austria in the coming months. I am already working hard in planning and preparation. I have promised to go with them, to be ready to handle the details of our travel as well as the unforeseen encounters. And I’ve promised to bring them home safely. It is a sobering task.
“Why are you so afraid?” Just as Jesus asked this of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, I wonder how many times God has posed that question to me, but I haven’t heard it over the thunder of my frets and worries and hand-wringing.
My sweet husband regularly asks me, “What do you need from me right now?” Often, this serves as a needed reminder of his presence and willingness to help. Sometimes it is the springboard I need to ask for help. And occasionally, it is irritating as I think he should know what I need after 34 years of being married to me!
I was bogged down in my daily Bible reading. After I trudged through Exodus, past the victory of the plagues, the miracle of the manna and quail and the water from a rock, I sat mired in the details of the Tent of Meeting….the place where God planned to meet and fellowship with His people.
The time has come for Paul to sign off on this his final letter. The race has been tough; but through it all he can humbly say, I have kept the faith. The finish line is in sight.
About a month ago my daughter cracked one of the bones in her foot while tumbling. Though it was painful physically, it was even more painful due to the timing. She had just made the volleyball team for her school. She was so excited to play, and her competitive nature made it hard for her to slow down.
Once my daughter and a friend of hers got into a little disagreement. As I asked the girls what the problem was, each girl began telling her side of the story . . . simultaneously. When they realized that neither was backing down, each girl spoke louder and louder. My son was standing right beside me, and his observation was, "That's too many words!" I laughed and had to agree.
“Do you make decisions easily?” That question stared me in the face and caused me to pause. I had not stumbled over any of the other questions on the personality assessment. The rest just seemed so easy and the answers quite obvious. So why this one?
