Recently my church had a series called “When Life Hurts Most” that really expounded on my previous post about living through pain. Many people commented about that post through personal e-mail and shared their own experiences with me, so I would like to add what I learned from our recent series. (Incidentally, I love hearing your comments and stories and if you don’t feel comfortable posting it on my site just say “great post” or some such under the comment section and then send me a personal e-mail. That way it will actually look like people read this stuff!)
[click to continue…]
Daily Reading:
Jeremiah 1,2
John 10
Too (fill-in-the-blank) for God’s service
Scripture
“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, ” I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.” Jeremiah 1:6-7
Observation
Jeremiah thought he was too young to be used by God. There is always a weakness in our lives that we believe will hinder God from using us. Too fat, too slow, too poor, too tired, too uneducated, too tied down, too (fill-in-the-blank). There are many instances in the Bible where God uses people in spite of their percieved weaknesses. Jesus said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Application
Whatever is in my life that is hindering me from submitting to be used by God, I need to realize that He is in control. If He has called me to do something then He will make it happen. Actually, it takes the stress out of it, because now it is out of my hands. I can’t Lord, but You can. How do I submit? By daily seeking to know Christ more and more. As I spend more time with Him, I will become more like Him and I will be able to hear His voice more clearly.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, help me to know and understand that even though I am weak, You are strong. If there is something You want me to do that I am not doing, please reveal it to me. Thank-you that your grace is all I need.
Daily Reading:
2 Kings 23
2 Chronicles 35
John 7
Godly parents, evil children
Scripture
“Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.” 2 Kings 23:25 “Jehoahaz [the son of Josiah, who succeeded him to the throne] did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestors had done.” 2 Kings 23:31-32
Observation
Josiah was such a great king. He completely and utterly got rid of every form of idolatry. He restored the passover. God promised him that because of his faithfulness, He would not destroy Judah until Josiah died. Why do great and Godly kings have children that are evil? Didn’t the Bible say to “direct your children onto the right path and when they are older they will not leave it”? Proverbs 22:6 It makes me wonder if the kings were actively involved in raising their children. Lots of very Godly people have rebellious children.
Application
It’s not enough to just be a Godly person. “Direct” or “train” or “raise” are action words. They require more than just a passive belief that because we love God, so will our children. We should not leave the teaching up to others either, although there is a place for that. It is our duty to God and our children to practice our faith, explain to our children what we are doing and why, and to live our lives to the best of our ability the way we want our children to live theirs (ie. practice what we preach). Thankfully, God is full of grace and will fill in where we make mistakes, but mistakes are only made when we are active.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to actively train my children about you. Help me to take responsibility for their spiritual health while they are young. Help me to live my life in just the way I want my kids to live theirs. Thank-you for your grace. Thank-you for filling in the gap where I fail.
I am a nurse. What comes to your mind when you hear that word? Nurse. Caring, kind, compassionate, empathetic, selfless? Most people would describe us using those terms. Over the past couple of months I have been stuggling with fulfilling that ideal. How can I have empathy when I see the same people week after week come in with drug overdoses or abscesses from popping heroin? Or the “entitled” crowd who feel we owe them pain medication and a hot meal after calling 911 for a sore throat, then want us to courtesy fill their antibiotic prescription and taxi them home and then get angry an belligerant when we say no to any of the above? Or the moms who say they can’t afford the $4 antibiotic at Wal-Mart for their kids, but smoke 2 packs a day? Or the chronic asthma patient that won’t buy inhalers, but comes into emergency to get a nebulizer treatment and then calles us incompetent when we take too long because she wants to go smoke? As a nurses we are screamed at, spit on, hit, manipulated, lied to, and called names, all by the people we are supossed to love and be kind to. [click to continue…]
