Do You Know?

Do you know God loves you? Do you know that His love is unconditional? No matter what we have done, or what we are going to do, God's love is greater and He is faithful to forgive those who ask for repentance.

Some people, by looking at their past circumstances, feel they are unloveable. They don't realize that God's heart is not like a human heart. He can love everyone at any given moment. No one is beyond His love. He doesn't have a minimum amount of blessings to distribute to a select few. He sends the same rain on the just as on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

God also paid the ultimate price to prove His love for us by allowing Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sins. Without this sacrifice there would be no hope of entering Heaven when we die. He became our substitute so that we can be free if we call upon His name.

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13

What more proof do you need that God love you?!

Right Place, Right Time

We never know what the Lord has planned for our day. Sometimes we go about our business not even thinking how we can be of help to others. Such was the case yesterday when I went to visit my optometrist for my annual eye exam.

I had arrived on time, but a telephone call kept the doctor from seeing me right away. When I did get escorted into the examination room, she began to share what was going on. My optometrist is a Christian, and she knows I am, too, so she told me about her phone call. The circumstance reminded me of something that had happened to me many years ago, so I was able to share my experience along with a Scripture that had helped me at the time.

The doctor was excited about what I had to say. She gave God the credit for having me in her office at just that time. She then went on to say, “It’s so nice to talk to a Christian!”

God has everything mapped out to the second. He knows where everyone will be at what time and what circumstances everyone will be exposed to. When we are willing, we become the instruments He can use to minister to others. I had no clue that I’d be sharing with someone that day. But I was more than willing to do so when the time came.

You never know when you’ll be in the right place at the right time to be used for God’s glory. Just be willing to step in when He opens the door.

Change of Plans

I've had several plans change lately: vacation destinations, a friend get-together, yesterday's work schedule. It seems that everywhere I turn, something is getting changed. All of the circumstances were beyond my control. All required flexibility on my part.

There is a passage in the Book of James that tells us not to make definite plans, "...whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow (James 4:14a)." Does this mean we don't schedule anything? No, it just means we shouldn't say with certainty that something is absolutely going to happen in a particular way.

The passage goes on to say, "Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that' (James 4:15)." If we know that God is in control, and that circumstances change according to His will, then we need to be flexible when something doesn't work out exactly how we'd like it to. Because God is sovereign, He knows what will happen in our lives. He might be saving us from a mishap or misunderstanding, or maybe He wants to bless our day in a special way .

It isn't easy to accept changes in our plans, but we will save ourselves a lot of frustration if we learn to take things in stride.

Are your plans changing too much? Trust God to work out your schedule for the best.

A Welcome Reunion

My writers' critique group got together the other day after a summer hiatus. It was a wonderful time of reconnecting and rejoicing in what the Lord has been doing in our lives these past few months.

It's amazing how rejuvenated I feel after I meet with those seven unique and talented ladies. There is just something that clicks when we get together; a chemistry that brings laughter, joy, support, encouragement, and love.

What draws us together? Is it our common love for the written word? Yes, that's part of it. But I think that the main cohesiveness comes from our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a special bond that makes us instant family.

I am glad our group has started up again for another 9 months of fellowship. I'm looking forward to each meeting!

Crane and Claw

Have you seen those arcade vending machines that have a claw to grab a stuffed animal or toy or candy when you move the crane in just the right direction? My kids love those, primarily because I'm pretty good at grabbing stuff. Anytime we go to an arcade or pass through a store that has those machines, the kids are sure to stick quarters into my hand so I can try to win a prize.

They jump for joy the moment those claws are working properly, are lined up in just the right spot, and descend to grasp that object with just the right amount of pressure to lift up and allow the item to be dumped into the retrieval bin.

Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Sometimes the machine isn't working right and the claw doesn't drop. Or the stuffed animal is tucked into a corner that the crane cannot reach. When that happens the kids get a solemn look of disappointment on their faces.

Thankfully, we don't have to make futile attempts to capture Jesus like a crane and claw machine. Once we accept Him as our Lord and Savior we have Him for life. We don't have to be disappointed with failed efforts. He will always be our prize.

Let Jesus be your Grand Prize. You, too, will be jumping for joy.

Weekend Reflection

"He shall be like a tree

Planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season,

Whose leaf also shall not wither;

And whatever he does shall prosper."

Psalm 1:3

Rest

My daughter stayed home from school the other day because of a sore throat. Although I told her to rest, she was too restless to do so. She watched TV and worked on homework for awhile. After lunch we had to go pick up one of her brothers from school, and as we were waiting she looked more and more tired. She really needed her rest if she wanted to get better.

Too many times we push ourselves to the limit, not realizing we are doing ourselves a disservice if we don’t stop and take a break for awhile. Resting, especially when we are sick, helps settle our body so it can work on recovery. It calms us and allows us to reenergize.

My daughter is young, so she isn’t consumed with all the extra activities we think we “need” to accomplish, even when we aren’t feeling our best. But because she is young, her rest is just as important, because she has less resistance to all that’s thrown her way. I made her rest in the afternoon so she could start working on getting better. When she finally did fall asleep, she slept for several hours.

Make sure you give yourself a chance to rest when your body calls for it. Your health will thank you.