Our seven grandchildren range in age from twelve to twenty-five. Sometimes it's hard to believe they have grown up so quickly, and we have added that many years to our age since the first one was born. When birthdays and Christmas come around we no longer go shopping for a gift we hope they will like; we take the easy way out and buy gift cards or send cash. They all enjoy that and mostly remember to say thanks, although we have been known to hint to their parents that appreciation is not only appropriate but very necessary.
So it was surprising when I awoke in the middle of the night two weeks after Christmas and, as sometimes happens, my mind found a myriad of thoughts to keep me from going back to sleep, one such thought being which grandchild had remembered to say thanks for the gift we sent and which one had not been heard from. I remembered hearing from the oldest grandchild and the youngest, but what about the others? No word from them, time to prod Mom and Dad.
I believe there's a faith connection in everything we do or think and so my nocturnal ruminations on the grandchildren led me to question my own gratitude to our heavenly Father for all that he has given, and daily gives, to me. My scripture reading later than morning led me to Psalm 136 v.1 "O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever." I began to wonder, do I have to be prodded to thank Him for everything He bestows upon me day by day? How can I express my thanks to Him? Definitely through prayer and praise but what service can I give that shows my love and thanks in a tangible way?
It's like a television program I enjoy called "Crosswords" where the host says to the contestant, "This is a question only you can answer". Indeed, how true. It is a question only each one of us can answer.
The light of God surrounds me,
The love of God enfolds me,
The power of God protects me,
Wherever I am, God is.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven for His mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 136 v.26
Jean Dean
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Devotional 1-18-08
My faith has always been very personal to me and its hard for me to talk about very personal things. Some people do such a beautiful, natural job of sharing their faith. I wanted to be able to do that-the words just wouldn't come. I felt I was letting God down, letting myself down. So I prayed (and am still praying) for God to use me, to give me the courage, and the faith, and the knowledge that I needed to speak up for Him. I had been writing devotionals for sometime before I realized that maybe this was Gods answer to my prayer-allowing me to share my faith with many without saying a word!
God answers our prayers in ways we do not expect (almost always in my experience!). I had never thought of myself as a writer. Those 500 word essays that were due every Friday for my freshman English class were like a black cloud hanging over my head all week. But, I really enjoyed my first devotional book, and sitting in church the next year when the forms appeared in the bulletin a voice in my head kept saying "You can do this Margaret" and it kept it up until I filled out the form. Gods been helping me write ever since!
First Corinthians 1:1-9 tells us that every Christian has a job to do, a role to take, or a contribution to make and all are important. Be available, and God will use your talents-even some you may not realize you have!
The hymn "Here I Am Lord" asks 'whom shall I send?'. The refrain answers:
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
Margaret Williams
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Devotional 1-11-08
Matthew 3:13-17 ; Mark 1:9-11
Reuben -- Hebrew -- means "behold, a son"
Reuben had stood at the edge of the river
Witness to what had begun as something ordinary
One man, approaching another
Greeting each other as friends.
He hadn’t been able to hear what was being said,
But finally, the one named John,
The one who had at first seemed resistant,
Smiled ruefully,
And had baptized the one named Jesus.
Suddenly, the ordinary had become miraculous.
After the baptism
Jesus lifted his head
And looked toward the sky.
The heavens parted,
The voice of God reverberated
Across the water.
It echoed with a fullness
That shook Reuben
Down to his soul.
God had said,
“You are my son.
I love you;
With you I am well pleased.”
A glow of happiness lit Jesus’ face
A light that was so extraordinary,
So full of pleasure,
That it could light the world.
Water and tears slid off his face together
And his smile was astonishing.
Laughter sprang from his lips
And filled the air with his joy.
Reuben carried all of this home with him.
He felt transformed.
Changed.
Remade.
Life would never be the same again.
He had always – all his life – believed in God,
But now he had heard His voice
And seen His son.
And nothing would ever be the same.
He walked onto his farm
And stood at the edge of a field.
He saw his son working.
Since his son had become a man
They had not been close.
Some days they barely spoke.
Reuben was bursting with this news.
How could he explain it to his child?
How could he describe the voice of God?
The look on the face of the son?
Reuben realized that he had never seen
His own son with such joy on his face.
He walked across the field,
Laid a hand on his son’s shoulder,
And said,
“You are my son.
I love you;
With you I am well pleased.”
Surprise, and then disbelief,
Crossed his son’s face.
Finally, all was replaced with wonder.
A glow of happiness lit his face
A light that was so extraordinary,
So full of pleasure,
That it could light the world.
Tears slid off their faces,
And their smiles were astonishing.
Laughter sprang from their lips
And filled the air with their joy.
Kim Matthews
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