All in God's Grace
The gracious words spoken by the woman in my story still impact me. What person who has wronged me needs to hear my loving words of grace?
Jesus’ response to the adulteress challenges me. Is my conversation most often filled with gracious words or condemning words? Instead of ‘throwing stones,’ how can I use my words today to guide a person toward righteousness?
If I want the approval of the young, the old and almost everyone in between, I offer them ice cream!
I mean… who doesn’t like ice cream?
Think about this Scripture…
When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them (2 Corinthians 10:18 NLT).
What does it take for the Lord to commend me?
Coco, my pup, notifies me when it is time to retrieve the day’s mail. One day, after our trip to the mailbox, she watched curiously as I opened a package containing a small, yellowed classic--Lewis Smedes’ book on forgiveness. Its size betrayed its reputation.
A perfect day for a drive through the country, my friend and I set out to find bluebonnets. We had heard about some good places to look, so with the GPS set for success, we headed out.
Forty years had passed, A second census was ordered by the LORD (26:2), only this time it was for a new generation to enter the Promised Land (plus Caleb and Joshua, 26:65). The gravity of unbelief had been enormous.
When caught in uncomfortable and painful circumstances, it can feel like they last forever. We tend to pray, “God, if You hear me, fix the problem, fix the other person, get me out of the mess I’m in!” “Now, please.”
And so, with our eyes fixed on Jesus we have entered that race marked out for us (12:1-2). Make every effort is not lost on me. To race is to do just that—to expend all the energy you have till you reach the finish line. The Greek underscores your effort with godly fear—with the reverence of a minister or deacon (Strongs).
My Sunflower Vine vigorously twined up my garden trellis. I allowed a wild vine to grow nearby thinking they would just mature side-by-side. However, by the time I realized my mistake, the damage was done. The wild vine had choked my Sunflower Vine!
There is no doubt in my mind that Jonah had a greater than passing acquaintance with the LORD. After all, he was a prophet with whom God shared His mind. The Hebrew for know is “yada: to know by experience”.
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land (2:10). Whew, a bit of drama! In my mind’s eye I see Jonah shaking off the gastric juices of that big fish with a shudder. What a relief!
I love the little aside about the sailors. No way did they want to throw Jonah into the turbulent waters. They did their best to row back to land, but the sea grew even wilder than before (1:13).
The book of Haggai winds down dramatically with promise after promise from God, first of supernatural intervention: “I will shake…I will overturn…(I will) shatter…I will overthrow” (2:21-22). But when, wonders Zerubbabel—when?
