09/07: The Valve
Category: In His Grip
Posted by: Luann
Thanks for stopping by today! If you read the devo today on Encouragement For Today, and decided to pop over to get acquainted, welcome! We love sharing life with friends who 'get us' don't we? The girls and I over at Encouragement Cafe share life daily. Stop in for a latte with us!
Let me be honest, I am a flawed character. There is no sense trying to hide it, you'll find out soon enough. However, when I pick up God's Word I discover that I am not alone, and neither are you. Flawed characters are what God specializes in! Take a look at the crew He hand-picked to be His disciples!
First, let's realize that each one had already traveled down the road of life. Peter had a wife and a grueling job. Matthew went into the corporate world of tax collecting and may have been climbing the ladder of success. Each one was a character who brought with them baggage. Hot-tempered, greedy, doubters surrounded the Son of God and yet, He never gave up on them because He knew what they could become.
He knows my every weakness. He watched me cut off the ear of the guy who cut me off in traffic and almost made me crash. (well, I cut it off in my thoughts!) He heard me grumble when things didn't go the way I had planned. He hears the cry of my heart.
The disciples were no spring chickens, they were seasoned, baked and broiled by life. So if you think you've come to a spot in life where you are past being used for His glory, think again. He loves taking what the world says is 'over the hill' and placing them on a path to the mountaintop.
Two percent of people do something great in their youth. More, many more in the later years of life, who give God the smallest yes, watch Him turn it into a feast for not only their soul, but countless others.
Are you ready to use the experiences you have behind you as an offering of praise for what He has laid out before you? Me too!
Notice God didn't stick one guy out by himself, he gave them each other.
Welcome to our group! We're happy to do life with you ;o)
Let me be honest, I am a flawed character. There is no sense trying to hide it, you'll find out soon enough. However, when I pick up God's Word I discover that I am not alone, and neither are you. Flawed characters are what God specializes in! Take a look at the crew He hand-picked to be His disciples!
First, let's realize that each one had already traveled down the road of life. Peter had a wife and a grueling job. Matthew went into the corporate world of tax collecting and may have been climbing the ladder of success. Each one was a character who brought with them baggage. Hot-tempered, greedy, doubters surrounded the Son of God and yet, He never gave up on them because He knew what they could become.
He knows my every weakness. He watched me cut off the ear of the guy who cut me off in traffic and almost made me crash. (well, I cut it off in my thoughts!) He heard me grumble when things didn't go the way I had planned. He hears the cry of my heart.
The disciples were no spring chickens, they were seasoned, baked and broiled by life. So if you think you've come to a spot in life where you are past being used for His glory, think again. He loves taking what the world says is 'over the hill' and placing them on a path to the mountaintop.
Two percent of people do something great in their youth. More, many more in the later years of life, who give God the smallest yes, watch Him turn it into a feast for not only their soul, but countless others.
Are you ready to use the experiences you have behind you as an offering of praise for what He has laid out before you? Me too!
Notice God didn't stick one guy out by himself, he gave them each other.
Welcome to our group! We're happy to do life with you ;o)
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fleurmama3 wrote:
i loved the devotional today. it made me think of a bit of wisdom my dad gave me as a kid. he told me about how he learned the subtle lie/temptation of sarcasm. he had been tempted to be sarcastic growing up because he felt it made him look "smart" and wiser than others - a compensation tool for being shy and feeling left out. he saw the same trend in me and warned about the dangers of that pride - the poison of those arrows. as i've grown into adulthood, i see deeper and deeper what he means - and especially what God means in warning us to guard our tongue. i still see the temptation to think that making "insider observations" and snide little aside comments about unsuspecting others to either my spouse or friends can falsely make me feel more bonded. what a lie! it breaks bonds and trust. you have a laugh together temporarily at someone else's expense, but now the seed of slight distrust has been planted. you may feel "wise" for noticing the victim's flaws - but it's hollow. now, how can God call you to minister to them? we see sarcasm modeled in every show out there. the most admired characters are very successful at shredding other people behind there backs with snippy little asides. it takes diligence to guard this potential weapon. thank so so very much for the idea to put the pause button on!! i'm going to use that!