Always With Us

Matt. 28:20b, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." New Living Translation

After my fourth round of chemotherapy I had a CT scan and a PET scan. Having these scans is an intimidating experience. I was lying on my back on a metal bed which was fed into one scary machine and through another even more frightening machine. No one else was in the room during the procedure, and I felt helpless and alone. The operator of the machines was in an adjoining room. He could see me and could hear me because there was a microphone built into the machines.

This situation reminded me of prayer. Life has some intimidating circumstances. Sometimes we find ourselves in places that frighten us. We feel helpless and all alone. But God, like the operator of the machines, is not only present, but He is also in control. Even if we can't see Him, He always sees us and can hear us when we cry out for help.

The Christmas message of Emmanuel--God With Us--comes to bless us in such situations because God is always with us wherever we are. He has given us His promise that He will never leave us and will never forsake us. I was never really alone in the room with the machines. God Himself was there.

Dear God, thank You for always being with us wherever we are. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

Why can't our children get along?

Why do they fight and fuss?

Where do they learn to do this wrong?

Surely not from us!

How to Know God's Will

Phil. 2:13, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

Eph. 5:17b, "......understand what the Lord's will is."

In the Scriptures God has shown us His will on a variety of subjects. Neither He nor His Word ever changes. There are other ways by which we may discern God's will, but everything God tells us to do will be in harmony with His Word. He will never contradict Himself.

While Scripture speaks on many subjects, there are specific situations we may face that the Bible doesn't address, such as which job should I take, which church should I join, should I move to a different city, etc. In such situations we need to hear God's voice from other sources. Let me recommend three.

First, if a path is part of God's will, He will open the doors to that path, and perhaps He will close doors to other paths. Hannah Whital Smith in her book The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life wrote, "It is never a sign of Divine leading when the Christian insists on opening his own way and riding roughshod over all opposing things. If the Lord goes before us, He will open the door for us, and we shall not need to batter down doors for ourselves."

Second, there should be an inner peace, a settled feeling, if we are walking in the center of God's will. If this peace is lacking, we need to keep searching for the right path.

Third, when we pray we are opening the way for God to enlighten our judgment, our common sense. When we have prayed about a decision, then we can get off our knees and do the thing that seems most logical to us as long as it is not opposed to Scripture, we have an inner peace about it, and God opens the way for whatever we have decided to do.

God is very interested in our following His will for our lives. If we have missed His will but are willing and trying to do whatever He wants, then it is up to Him to change our course. He may close doors or give us an inner sense of restlessness or dissatisfaction, but if we are willing to be led, He can certainly be trusted to lead us.

In summary, God's will for us will be in accord with Scripture. There will be an inner peace. God will open the doors. If we have prayed about our decisions and these other factors are in harmony, then we can do what seems best to our spiritually enlightened common sense and know that God is guiding us.

Father, thank You that You are not only willing but desirous of guiding our paths. May we stay in the center of Your will for each of our lives. Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

This time of year I dream of spring

And all the flowers it will bring--

Of daffodils and soft green grass.

Seems it will never come to pass.

Life's Little Frustrations

At first the snow was fluffy and nice.

Then it turned to dirty, gray ice.

We could hardly wait for it to snow.

Now we are eager to see it go!

Showing Love in Communication

I Peter 3:8, "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."

I knew better, but I still allowed myself to be persuaded against my better judgment. My good friends, Rex and Mary Pou, had a gentle, well trained bull dog named Boots. When Boots Pou died at a ripe old age, my friends were very sad about their loss. Another friend of the Pous convinced me that we should surprise Rex and Mary with a puppy, which we did. The puppy was neither gentle nor well trained. He did all the things puppies usually do, including messing in the house, chewing on the furniture, and crying at night. After the puppy had spent a week in the Pou household, Rex and Mary found him a new home.

If we had communicated about a puppy to our friends before getting them one, we could have saved us all trouble and expense. We didn't know the Pous didn't want a puppy because we didn't ask. We just did what we thought was best for them We failed to communicate, and because of that we were ignorant of the thoughts, desires, and needs of our friends.

My husband John loved radios. I am not a radio listener. I am a reader, and my passion is books. One year shortly after we were married, John bought me a birthday present and presented it to me with such excitement I could hardly wait to open it. It was a radio. I was not the least bit excited. If we really want to minister to people we need to take the time and effort to listen and learn about their needs and desires rather than assuming they are the same as ours. Good communication is the oil in the gears of human relationships, making life with others much smoother and happier. Communicating well is a major way for us to show sincere love.

Father, help me to take the time and effort to see into the hearts and needs and desires of those I love so I can minister to them most effectively. Amen.