Bountiful
Blessings
July 29, 2012
Good morning! Lovely day, isn’t it?
How has your week been? Mine? Oh, same ol’, same ol”. All my talk about goals
and changes, well, two steps forward and one step back. Well, I guess that I am
still going forward so that is something, right? (Quick side note: that reminds
me of my nephew who turned 14!!! this week. He used to say “right???” behind
EVERYTHING he said. Drove me crazy. Now I kind of miss the little man.
Anyways…) When I am trying to make changes to be the person God wants me to be,
a song stands out in my mind. DC Talk’s What If I Stumble. (I wish I could
insert an audio clip) To give you a snippet (this is from memory so…) “What if
I stumble, what if I fall, what if I lose my step and I make fools of us all.
Does the love continue as the walk becomes a crawl?” Wow, huh? God knows that I
stumble and I crawl. Sometimes it takes these bad knees a little time to get up
but he lends me a hand and pulls me back up, dust me off and pats me on the
back. The love does not waiver. Ever. Isn’t that incredible??? Oh, Im
sure he is disappointed in me but he FORGIVES. The Bible gives us numerous
verses regarding God’s forgiveness. Our God is a loving and forgiving God.
What about you? Are you forgiving?
Can you let things go? Or do you hold on to things? To hurts? To angers? I
don’t have to say anything, do I? We know that we are supposed to forgive. But
sometimes it is so hard. And then sometimes I think I have forgiven
someone only to realize that I am still harboring a little resentment, a little
hurt/anger. Have you ever watched the news and heard about a family forgiving
the person that hurt a family member? You wondered how on earth did they do
that and wondered if you could. I believe that is a natural reaction. Sometimes
we have trouble forgiving a friends betrayal so how are we expected to forgive
a major betrayal? We cannot. At least on our own. God tells us to come to him.
Someone cut you off in traffic? Instead of cursing them and giving them that,
well, “friendly” one finger salute, say a quick prayer for them that they make
it home safe. Someone get the job that you have worked so hard for? Remember
God has a plan for you. One that may include an even better job. Someone hurt
you or a family member? This one is tougher. I do not have the words. But God
does. He could ease the pain and heal your heart. Through him, you can forgive.
I may be presumptuous but I would say that everyone encounters the needs of
forgiveness. We need to forgive and we need to be forgiven. And we will
continue to do so. For we make mistakes. We sin. Against each other and against
God. God forgives. Through him, so can you!
Bible
Verse for the week:
“Be
kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ
God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32
Prayer
for the week:
Dear
Lord, I have wronged and I have been wronged. Help me to forgive and move
forward. It is time, dear Lord, for me to release these feelings, to forgive
others as you have forgiven me. I pray today that you will help me mend the
hurt in my heart. Amen.
Bible
Fun for the week:
Example
Lets
look at the books of the New Testament. Can you change MARK to LUKE?
MARK
**** Create (MAKE)
**** Body of Water (LAKE)
LUKE
Ok,
here’s yours….. Can you change JOHN to ACTS?
JOHN
**** Kid around
****
Writes down
****
What Quaker Life is made of
ACTS
Where
am I found?
“Blessed
are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”
“As
far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions
from us.”
“I
will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more, “ says the
Lord.”
Side
note: I was driving in to work today (Monday) and as I crested the top of the
mountain, there was a beautiful rainbow. Thank you, God, for the reminder of
your beautiful and awesome gift of life! May I always appreciate the little
things!
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