Category: Month

Posted on

The Gift of Salvation

Merry Christmas to one and all.

The house is quiet except for the little boy I hear talking softly in his bed. I’m not sure what time he woke up but he has been talking to himself since I got up, or maybe he’s talking to Jesus.

I know that first Christmas night was probably filled with activity. Shepherds coming and going, a baby to nurse and then so much for Mary to go over in her mind.

What an occurrence! God became flesh and came to live on earth with us.

I guess I could have entitled this The Gift of Self Sacrifice for that’s what Jesus did. He left heaven, He left all that was comfortable and majestic to become a child. He has been at the creation of the world, the parting of the Red Sea, He had given the tablets of stone to Moses and now here He was, a small baby dependent on human parents to provide for his every need.

How odd – he had always been the provider and protector. He had always been self-sufficient and now He required the watchful care of a young woman and her betrothed.

“The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us.” John 1:14 ERV

He gave us the splendor of his heavenly home to live here on earth and it was all for us.

“You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that he gave up his heavenly riches for you. He gave up everything so that you could be richly blessed.” II Corinthians 8:9 CEV

He set aside all that He had a God so that he could prove that as a human we could be victorious in life if we committed to following God’s word.

“We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. 15 Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:14-16 CEV

Christ gave up everything so that we could gain everything.

“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.

19 What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20 We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21 Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21 CEV

As you open gifts this morning, open the greatest gift you have to offer, open your heart to Christ. We can’t be good enough to earn salvation, it’s a free gift. If you’ve never prayed before pray this morning and thank God that Jesus came in human form to restore relationship between Him and us. Tell him you accept His wonderful gift and ask Him to make you new. He will do it gladly.

Merry Christmas – welcome to new life in Christ.

Posted on

The Gift of the Invitation

Christmas is a time when there seems to be worldwide celebration. It’s not just an American, British, Chinese, Japanese, Asian or European holiday – it belongs to all of us. Just like Jesus!

Remember the words of the angels:

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord was shining around them. The shepherds were very afraid. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid. I have some very good news for you—news that will make everyone happy.” Luke 2:9-10 ERV

The message was to ALL people – A-L-L or as in the verse above to everyone. So that means you and I are in that grouping. No one has been left out. Good news to all! I love that, God’s gift was exclusively inclusive.

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 ERV

God’s love extends to everyone in the world. Some Christmas parties are only for those who belong to a certain company or club; others are for a particular group of neighbors or friends. Some have special printed invitations that are proof that you have been invited and deserve admittance but God offers an ALL invitation.

“Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help.” Acts 2:21 ERV

“The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” II Peter 3:9 ERV

I encourage you today to RSVP to the invitation you been given. There will be a great celebration and all of heaven is waiting for your acceptance.

“Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep.”

7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to.” Luke 15:6-7 CEV

God’s plan for us is to have a good and joyful life. The angels said the news that brought would bring great joy. Jesus said he came to give us a full and abundant life.

“10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

God has given you the invitation, I encourage you to accept the Gift and receive the abundant life that He desires you to have!

Have a joy-filled Christmas.

Posted on

The Gift of Obedience

Yesterday Dave and I hoped in the car and headed up to Chandler to have a family dinner and Christmas celebration with our daughters and their families. When we started out from home it was 34 and it took about 3 hours to get there. We did make a couple stops and traffic was heavy but not a bad trip at all. There have been other Christmases when we have traveled over snow covered passes on icy roads.

So I got to thinking about Mary and Joseph and the trip they made from Nazareth to Bethlehem, 155 kilometers or approximately 96 miles. This trip would have taken many days, walking or riding a donkey as is so often depicted.

“So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea. It was known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. 5 Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to marry him. (She was now pregnant.) 6 While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. 7 She gave birth to her first son. She wrapped him up well and laid him in a box where cattle are fed. She put him there because the guest room was full.” Luke 2:4-7

If they were able to keep a steady pace of say, 20 miles per day, it would have taken at least 5 days, nights sleeping on the ground, cooking food over an open fire. I do love to camp, sleeping in a tent – being around a campfire under the stars but breaking camp each morning and setting up again each evening would be a bit tedious and then add to that the discomfort of being 9 months pregnant. Even the latest camping gear from Cabela’s wouldn’t make this an easy trip.

Amazing! You ladies know what it’s like in that last month – how about that last week. Not a time that you feel like going on a camping trip.

Dave and I used to travel a lot and it’s always nice to get to the hotel after 12 hours on the road, get something warm to eat and crawl into a nice bed. Aahhhhh! But when Mary and Joseph got to their destination their accommodations weren’t quite as welcoming.

Those of us who have had livestock know that even when we clean the stalls each day; removing the manure, putting down clean bedding, it still isn’t a place that we would like to give birth. No, it wouldn’t make it on my top 10 list. And Joseph was Mary’s delivery team – he was the midwife! Just the two of them bringing God’s Son into this earthly home.

Wow! “Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are.” I John 3:1

God loved us so much that He sent His Son so that we could become His children. AMAZING!! But what if Mary had ignored the angel when he came to her and said she had been chosen to carry the Messiah. What if Joseph had not chosen to stay with Mary as her husband. What if they had not traveled to Bethlehem but had sent someone else to be their representatives.

What great love Mary and Joseph had for God and for each other to go through this difficult journey and less than “perfect” birthing experience and still they glorified God and gave Him thanks for His wondrous gift. Their obedience changed history.

Is your Christmas this year difficult? Not exactly what you had planned; when our hearts are open God can, and does, fill them with His wonderful love and gives us a reason to give thanks.

Posted on

The Gift of Consistency

I’m so glad that God is “User Friendly”.

Yes, I was finally able to get on my computer the other morning after the update was complete but then I had to plug in passwords, click through all the tutorial promptings to finally arrive at the sites that I use and enjoy. Updating computer software and changing programs – ugh! And I just realized that I will be going through it all again in a few days. Our computer is 4 years old and our son-in-law Stephen will be bringing me a new computer when he comes down at Christmas. Yikes!

But God…
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

He’s consistent and He’s current. What God stood for in 33AD He still supports today! No need to get a new system – no need to learn a new program! The same passwords, codes and keyboard shortcuts that worked then, work now!!! I’ve heard folks say, “you never know what God is going to do” but if you read His word and get to know Him you’ll have a real good idea. You might not know the exact path He’ll take in providing you your answer but you can rest assured that whatever He does it will be based on His gracious and loving character.

“God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind.” Numbers 23:19 CEV

“Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out.” Jeremiah 33:3 CEV

The sun still rises in the East and sets in the West. The tides still ebb and flow. The stars and the moon follow the same path through the sky. The seasons still change and God’s love never changes.

“My dear brothers and sisters, don’t be fooled about this. 17 Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. 18 God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.” James 1:16-18 ERV

The King James version says that in God there is no variableness or shadow of turning! Thank you Lord, you are always the same!!! Great is Your faithfulness!!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

The gift of God’s love that you received last year, last week, yesterday – will be the same today, tomorrow and next year!

Enjoy the gift!

Posted on

The Gift of Generosity

Giving and Receiving!

These two actions account for most of the stress during the Christmas season. “I have to make sure I’m getting them something they REALLY want… I don’t have the $ to get them what they want most.”

“What if they get me something I don’t REALLY want. How do I seem gracious and not disappointed?”

Oh yes, I’ve gotten those gifts that you want to “re-gift” or had the thought, it probably would have been better if they hadn’t gotten me anything at all. Wrong on my part and I will be the first to admit it. I needed a gracious heart to receive because they gave out of love.

But I want to focus on what I’m giving this year and not what I’m getting. The Lord has blessed us so much that the thing I find I desire to give most is more of me. My desire is to have a generous heart – it truly is a gift.
“Lord show me how to live less for myself and more for others. Let me hear your voice more clearly so that I am obedient when you ask me to reach out to help others. More willing to sacrifice my own desires to see others obtain theirs. But most of all to be your hands and feet to those around me. ”

Dave and I have a friend who lived a life of generosity. His first question in any situation was what can I give – how can I express my love in a tangible way. He believed in honoring people, making them feel special. After being around him for a while the generosity he displayed became contagious and we found ourselves looking for ways to give. Sometimes what we gave was nothing more than a smile or a kind word but at other times it has been finances, a meal, clothes, gifts for children and even a car of two. But what we learned is it isn’t the size of the gift, it’s the heart attitude.

“Each one of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You should not give if it makes you unhappy or if you feel forced to give. God loves those who are happy to give. 8 And God can give you more blessings than you need, and you will always have plenty of everything. You will have enough to give to every good work. 9 As the Scriptures say,

“He gives generously to the poor;
his goodness will continue forever.”

10 God is the one who gives seed to those who plant, and he gives bread for food. And God will give you spiritual seed and make that seed grow. He will produce a great harvest from your goodness. 11 God will make you rich in every way so that you can always give freely. And your giving through us will make people give thanks to God.” II Corinthians 9:7-11 ERV

Giving is an outreach of God’s heart. It was God the Father who gave the first gift on that Christmas Day. He gave from his heart; He gave his Son! The bigger blessing is in the giving than in the receiving. That’s what God the Father did, He gave His only begotten Son, so that we might have relationship with Him. He gave what He treasured most because of His love for us.

It’s good to give from the heart but this year I desire to give my heart with greater abandon, all of me, to the One who gave all for me!

Posted on

The Gift of Waiting

This morning when I got up I wasn’t sure what I would be sharing with you. What gift would I give you today? And then I opened my laptop…

Yesterday I had been prompted to do an update so I scheduled it for the middle if the night. I didn’t want to have to wait for all the loading and restarts that I knew would be required. So the best plan was for it to occur while I was sleeping.

That’s not what happened. When I checked my laptop this morning there was a message that it failed to restart. That was an hour ago and it’s still working on updates. “This may take a while” is what the screens says. Waiting…

Not to worry I thought when I first saw the message on the screen, I just have more time to pray. I did that, still unsure of what to share with you and then just jumped out at me.

Waiting is a gift!

I’m waiting for the updates because it will make my computer run better. I wait when I’m baking my banana bread and cinnamon rolls because the taste better fully cooked.

I waited for the closing date when we purchased our house because we wanted all the paperwork to be done right. I wait for an event and the excitement builds as the date gets closer.

I waited to deliver my babies because full term is better than premature.

I wait for a visit with friends. We actually count how many more sleeps till we’re together.

Waiting is a gift! Waiting on the Lord strengthens us.

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

Waiting gives us time to prepare. Waiting lets us grow. Waiting allows what we’re waiting on to fully develop.

I’m not sure what you’re waiting on today. Maybe it’s your family to arrive or the opening of gifts. You could be waiting on a medical report or a new job. Possibly you’re waiting for renewed relationships.

Wait and don’t get weary!

“So don’t lose the courage that you had in the past. Your courage will be rewarded richly.36 You must be patient. After you have done what God wants, you will get what he promised you.” Hebrews 10:35-36 ERV

Wait with anticipation like a child waiting for Christmas morning.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him.
He is good to those who look for him.” Lamentations 3:25 ERV

Waiting is a good gift!

(By the way, I’m still waiting on the computer to update over an hour now. Yes, waiting is good.)

 

Posted on

The Gift of Compassion

The last few years I have shared my thoughts on the need for genuine love and compassion on Facebook. We have been called to be the light to the world and Jesus told his disciples that the world would know that we belong to Him because of the way we love one another. What better time to be that light and example of love than at Christmas. This is a great time of year to most but to some it only reinforces their feelings of loneliness.

I look for examples of God’s word being lived out all around me and a few years ago I found it in the theme of a Disney movie, Frozen. I’ve only seen it once but I came away with a clear message of reaching out to those who are hurting. Look at the words to one of the songs – those of you with small children or grandchildren probably know it by heart.

“Do you want to build a snowman?…
Come on, let’s go and play!
I never see you anymore
Come out the door
It’s like you’ve gone away

We used to be best buddies
And now we’re not
I wish you would tell me why!

Do you want to build a snowman?
It doesn’t have to be a snowman

Ok, bye.”

As I’ve said in my devotionals on many occasions we need to be aware of people who are hurting. For whatever reason the holidays seem to accentuate feelings of loneliness. I know, I’ve been there. But there’s really only one answer to a lonely heart.

It’s not a good therapist, it’s not a new love, it’s not change of scenery or job, or a puppy or food or alcohol. It’s not even building a snowman. It’s finding personal relationship with the One who loves you unconditionally.

“Praise the Lord because he is good. Sing praises to our God. It is good and pleasant to praise him…3 He heals their broken hearts and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147: 1 & 3 ERV

Jesus is here to provide the comfort and consolation we so desperately need.

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 CEV

Sometimes hurting people hide behind big smiles and laughter, some hide behind rude and obnoxious behavior and others just hide. When Jesus started his ministry it was said that He was moved with compassion. Compassion is that deep life-changing love. And since God has put His love in us we should shine brightly with his compassion in reaching out to other.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 CEB

“When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them and healed those who were sick.” Matthew 14:14 CEB

“Moved with compassion [for his suffering], Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Mark 1:41 AMP

“When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34 CEB

I’m asking you today to look for hurting people – ask them to come build a snowman or share a cup of coffee, a cinnamon roll…share your time, your love, your forgiveness and compassion.

By so doing you will have shared Jesus and He is the one who heals the broken hearted!

“When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.” 37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink?..40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:35-40 CEV

Find a way to give the gift of compassion today!

Posted on

The Gift of Potential

Have you ever noticed how God seems to take the unqualified, the uneducated, the common and uses them to accomplish great things? He took Noah, as an old man and made him into a master ship maker. David was just a boy watching sheep and he became a giant slayer. Moses had a speech impediment and he spoke before the pharaoh and delivered the Israelites from Egypt. Peter was a fisherman and he became one of the foundational pillars of Christianity.

“My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn’t think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame.

28 What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important. 29 God did all this to keep anyone from bragging to him. 30 You are God’s children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and holy.” I Corinthians 1:26-30 CEV

When our kids were little we taught them a song. Had it on cassette tape and would play it over and again while we traveled up and down the road. It was a song that reinforced the potential that we’ve been given by God.

“I am a promise,
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital “P”;
I can be anything, anything God wants me to be…

You are a promise!
You are a possibility!
You are a promise with a capital “P”!
You are a great big bundle of potentiality!…

So keep on list’ning, you’ll hear God’s voice,
And keep on tryin’, He’ll help you make the right choices —
You’re a promise to be anything He wants you to be!
I’m a promise to be anything God wants me to be!
You’re a promise to be anything, anything He wants you to be!”

We taught our kids that God has designed each one of us perfectly and that He has a plan and a purpose for our lives. That is so true! But it’s not just a concept that we wanted our kids to embrace, it’s one that we must never forget! At times, we are overwhelmed by what we see around us and amazed that God still has so much in store for us, we just have to listen and follow His plan.

I will continue to pursue the course and plan that God has for me. It’s a gift that is designed specifically for me. Something that might be similar to what He has designed for someone else but this plan has my name on it; it has been custom-built just for me by the Father and I won’t give up until I know that I have accomplished all He has in mind.

He has placed His power within me and it’s my prerogative to release that power or thwart it. Like the electrical switch in my kitchen – I can turn the light on or work in the dark. But when I allow God’s power to work the results are far above anything I could ask for. I see it this way, the Lord is the power source and my potential is the light bulb. It can be small and insignificant like a night light or it can be as brilliant as a flood light. But whatever the wattage, it’s His power that causes the illumination.

“ God once said, “Let light shine out of the darkness!”[a] And this is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts to let us know that his own divine greatness is seen in the face of Christ. 7 We have this treasure from God, but we are only like clay jars that hold the treasure. This is to show that the amazing power we have is from God, not from us.” II Corinthians 4:6-7 ERV

Open the gift of your God given potential today!

“So I bow in prayer before the Father. 15 Every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name from him. 16 I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.
20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21 To him be glory in the church and in IChrist Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21 CEV

Posted on

The Gift of a Quiet Night

Oh, I love the desert sky after a rain! We had rain last night from about 1 am to 2:30 am. Sometimes it was hard and wind driven and at others it was gently falling. When I got up and took Glory out in the backyard, the sky was clear, the air was brisk & fresh and the stars were are bright as diamonds.

Kind of made me wonder what it was like for the shepherds so long ago. It was just a regular night. I’m sure some shepherds were standing watch while the others were sleeping. The sheep were bedded down and all was quiet. I love the quiet – And then bam, heaven’s messenger showed up and the whole course of history was changed.

“That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. 9 All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy.” Luke 2:8-10 CEV

That night the Lord’s message was bold and demonstrative but it was delivered out in the fields, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and it impacted the lives of those who heard it. These men had been given a responsibility, a duty. They cared for sheep and if anything happened to the sheep they lost their livelihood. They were so compelled by the Lord’s message that they left all to find this child. They were more concerned about the message than they were about the sheep.

“The angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this great event the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they went running and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the feeding box. 17 When they saw the baby, they told what the angels said about this child. 18 Everyone was surprised when they heard what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary continued to think about these things, trying to understand them.” Luke 2:15-19 ERV

You know God is still speaking today but sometimes there is just too much noise to hear Him. Too much activity, too many projects, our “to-do” list is too long and we are distracted from hearing His voice. Reminds me of Elijah, the prophet, who was running from King Ahab. He feared for his life and he cried out to God for answers.

“11 Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go, stand in front of me on the mountain. I, the Lord, will pass by you.”[a] Then a very strong wind blew. The wind caused the mountains to break apart. It broke large rocks in front of the Lord. But that wind was not the Lord. After that wind, there was an earthquake. But that earthquake was not the Lord. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire. But that fire was not the Lord. After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle voice.[b]

13 When Elijah heard the voice, he used his coat to cover his face and went to the entrance to the cave and stood there.” I Kings 19:11-13 ERV

It’s important that we slow down and unplug from the noise of our worlds. Each of us have different distractions and responsibilities. You don’t have to blocked out a huge amount of time, start with 15 minutes. Take time to pray “Lord, speak to my heart. I want to hear your voice.” And then read a few verses of Scripture and see what He has to say to you personally.

I appreciate that you take the time to read my devotional each day but I would much rather that you spend one on one time with the Lord. It’s one thing for someone to tell you how good a piece of pie is but it’s better to experience it personally. If you know what I mean.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him. 26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save them.” Lamentations 3:25-26 ERV

Enjoy the gift of quiet that you have been given and listen for the still small voice.

Posted on

The Gift of Memory

My Christmas tree is probably like yours; decorated with ornaments that have been collected over the years. I love angel ornaments!

Each year as I hang different “angels” on the tree I remember fondly the friends that have given them to me. And as they are hung in a special place I pray for that dear friend or family member.

I was thinking this morning, if each ornament were a picture my tree would be filled with images of those I hold dear all year long! You know God has done that – He has drawn our picture in the palm of His hands.

“But the Lord says,
“Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you.

16 I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes…” Isaiah 49:15-16 ERV

He not only holds us in His heart but He keeps our pictures close so He can always be looking at us! See He is a loving father. If heaven had a mantel all our pictures would be on it and He would be glad to show them off to the angels.

When our children were still at home I made three new Christmas ornaments each year, one for each child and when they grew up and left home each of them received a box of ornaments. I’m not sure if they still have those, to be honest some weren’t very good, but there was a memory attached with each one.

But the thing about God’s memory is what He chooses to forget. He is omniscient so He knows all things, things from the beginning and the events of the future. He knows it all. However, He allows himself the opportunity to forget.

“Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel:

“I will write my laws
on their hearts and minds.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.

34 “No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me, ordinary people and rulers alike. I will forgive their sins and forget the evil things they have done.” Jeremiah 31:33 & 34 CEV

How can He do this? Why does He choose to forget? God can do this because he’s God and the answer to the why is because he is love! We’re told in I Corinthians 13, the love chapter, that love thinks the best of a person at all times and that love doesn’t hold on to things that someone has done wrong. That is a perfect description of God the Father. His memory is filled with the good we’ve done and He has removed our sin as far as the east is from the west.

So I ask you to exercise your memory today. Follow God’s example and wipe from it those times that you’ve been wronged and chose to think the best. Remember with a heart of love today and take time to thank the Lord for the way He sees you. Smile, he’s drawn your picture on his hands.

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress