Daily Scriptures and reflections [continued]

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July 25, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" The Pleasure Is Mine | Our Daily Bread

The Pleasure Is Mine

Read: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure . . . All was vanity and grasping for the wind. —Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

I always look forward to summer. The warm sunshine, baseball, beaches, and barbecues are pleasures that bring joy after a long, cold winter. But pleasure-seeking isn’t just seasonal. Don’t we all enjoy good food, engaging conversation, and a crackling fire?

The desire for pleasure isn’t wrong. God has built us for it. Paul reminds us that God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). Other passages welcome us to the healthy pleasure of food, friends, and the intimacy of a marriage relationship. But thinking that we can find lasting pleasure in people and things is ultimately an empty pursuit.

Ultimate pleasure is not found in the short-lived thrills our world offers, but rather in the long-term joy from a deepening intimacy with our Lord. King Solomon learned this the hard way. “I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,” he admitted (Eccl. 2:10). But after his pleasure-seeking spree, he concluded: “All was vanity and grasping for the wind” (v.11). It’s no wonder he warned, “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man” (Prov. 21:17).

What we are really looking for is satisfied only in a fulfilling and growing relationship with Jesus. Pursue Him and taste His delights!

The world is filled with so much good
That brings us joy and pleasure,
But true fulfillment only comes
When Christ we love and treasure. —Sper

Are we living for our own pleasure, or living to please our heavenly Father?

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July 26, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Joy In The Morning | Our Daily Bread

Joy In The Morning

Read: Psalm 40:1-5

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. —Psalm 30:5

Angie could not see through the fogged-up windows in her car. Inadvertently, she pulled out in front of a truck. The accident caused such damage to her brain that she could no longer speak or take care of herself.

Over the years, I have been amazed at the resiliency of Angie’s parents. Recently I asked them, “How have you managed to get through this experience?� Her father thoughtfully responded, “In all honesty, the only way we have been able to do this is by drawing close to God. He gives us the strength we need to help us through.�

Angie’s mother agreed and added that around the time of the accident their grieving was so deep that they wondered if they would ever have joy again. As they both leaned upon God, they experienced countless unexpected provisions for the physical and spiritual care of Angie and their entire family. Although Angie may never regain her ability to speak, she now responds to them with wide smiles and this gives them joy. Her parents’ favorite verse continues to be: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning� (Ps. 30:5).

Have you experienced extreme sorrow? There is the promise of future joy amid your tears as you lean upon our loving Lord.

New mercies every morning,
Grace for every day,
New hope for every trial,
And courage all the way. —McVeigh

Leave your sorrows with Jesus, the “Man of Sorrows.�

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July 27, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Bribery | Our Daily Bread

Bribery

Read: Deuteronomy 10:12-22

Take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning. —Exodus 23:8

While traveling in a foreign country, my husband noticed that the paved roads had deep indentations. When he asked about them, our driver explained that they were caused by the tires of trucks carrying illegal, overweight loads. When stopped by police, the drivers paid bribes to avoid being fined. The truckers and police officers came out ahead financially, but other drivers and taxpayers were left with an unfair financial burden and the inconvenience of poor roads.

Not all bribery is overt; some is more subtle. And not all bribes are financial. Flattery is a type of bribe that uses words as currency. If we give people preferential treatment for saying something nice about us, it’s similar to taking a bribe. To God, any kind of partiality is an injustice. He even made justice a condition of remaining in the Promised Land. The Israelites were not to pervert justice or show partiality (Deut. 16:19-20).

Bribery deprives others of justice, which is an offense against the character of God, who is “God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe” (10:17).

Thankfully, the Lord treats all of us alike, and He wants us to treat each other the same way.

It matters not what race or gender,
Rich or poor or great or small,
The God who made us is not partial;
He sent Christ to die for all. —D. De Haan

Bribery displays partiality; love displays justice.

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July 28, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" For The God I Love | Our Daily Bread

For The God I Love

Read: Matthew 6:16-18

When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites. —Matthew 6:16

A couple of years ago in our church we did a sermon series on the Old Testament tabernacle. Leading up to the message on the table of showbread, I did something I had never done before—I fasted from food for several days. I fasted because I wanted to experience the truth that “man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). I wanted to deny myself something I love, food, for the God I love more. As I fasted, I followed Jesus’ teaching about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18.

Jesus gave a negative command: “When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance” (v.16). Then He gave a positive command about putting oil on your head and washing your face (v.17). The two commands taken together meant that they should not draw attention to themselves. Jesus was teaching that this was a private act of sacrificial worship that should not provide any room for religious pride. Finally, He gave a promise: Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you (v.18).

Although fasting isn’t required, in giving up something we love, we may have a deeper experience of the God we love. He rewards us with Himself.

Lord, we desire to walk closely with You every day.
Help us to seek You diligently that we might
know You intimately and follow You
obediently. Amen.

Moving away from the table can bring us closer to the Father.

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July 29, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" The Good Life | Our Daily Bread

The Good Life

Read: Micah 6:6-8

It is good for me to draw near to God. —Psalm 73:28

Philosophers ponder, “What is the good life and who has it?” I instantly think of my good friend Roy.
Roy was a gentle, quiet man who sought no recognition, who left the care of his life to his heavenly Father, and who occupied himself solely with his Father’s will. His was a heavenly perspective. As he often reminded me: “We are but sojourners here.”

Roy passed away last fall. At his memorial service, friends reminisced over his influence on their lives. Many spoke of hiskindness, selfless giving, humility, and gentle compassion. He was, for many, a visible expression of God’s unconditional love.

After the service, Roy’s son drove to the assisted-living facility where his father lived out his final days. He gathered up his dad’s belongings: two pairs of shoes, a few shirts and pants, and a few odds and ends—the sum of Roy’s earthly goods—and delivered them to a local charity. Roy never had what some would consider the good life, but he was rich toward God in good deeds. George MacDonald wrote, “Which one is the possessor of heaven and earth: He who has a thousand houses, or he who, with no house to call his own, has ten at which his knock arouses instant jubilation?”

Roy’s was the good life after all.

Let us be Christ’s true disciples
Looking to another’s need;
Making stony pathways smoother
By a gentle word or deed. —Thorson

No one can know the good life without God.

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July 30, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Jupiter Falling | Our Daily Bread

Jupiter Falling

Read: Colossians 1:15-23

In Him all things consist. —Colossians 1:17

One day I bought an inexpensive model of the solar system for my son. Installing it required me to suspend each planetfrom the ceiling. After bending up and down several times, I was lightheaded and tired. Hours later, we heard a “plink” as Jupiter hit the floor.

Later that night, I thought about how our flimsy replica fell apart, yet Jesus sustains the actual universe. “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Col. 1:17). The Lord Jesus holds our world together, maintaining the natural laws that rule the galaxy. Our Creator also upholds “all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus is so mighty that He keeps the universe in order simply by commanding it to be so!

As amazing as this is, Jesus is more than a cosmic caretaker. He sustains us too. He “gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need” (Acts 17:25 NLT). While Jesus sometimes provides for us differently than we might expect, our Savior keeps us going whether we are brokenhearted, in need of money, or enduring illness.

Until the day He calls us home, we can trust that the One who keeps Jupiter from falling is the One who holds us up as well.

Awesome is our God and King,
Who upholds the stars above;
We now bow before His throne,
Thanking Him for His great love. —D. De Haan

The God who sustains the universe sustains me.

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July 31, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Free 4 All | Our Daily Bread

Free 4 All

Read: Ephesians 1:7-14;2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. —Ephesians 2:8

In an effort to assist people struggling to provide for their families during tough economic times, the church I attend created a program called “Free 4 All.”

We brought lightly used items to the church and opened the doors to people of the community. They could come and take home anything they needed.

While the day was a huge success as far as the amount of goods people were able to pick up, it was even better for this reason: Six people trusted Jesus Christ as Savior at the event. Indeed, these six new believers took part in the greatest “Free 4 All” of all time—the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The items that were taken to the church on this special day had already been purchased. They were then given without cost to all who simply asked for them. Likewise, eternal forgiveness for our sins has already been purchased. Jesus paid that price when He died on a cross on Golgotha’s hill 2,000 years ago (Rom. 3:23-25). He now offers salvation at no cost to all who simply repent and believe that Jesus has the power to forgive and save (Acts 16:31).

Each of us is needy spiritually—and only Jesus can meet that need. Have you accepted what He offers without cost at the world’s biggest “Free 4 All”?

I know by faith in whom I have believed,
I know that God’s free gift I have received,
I know that He will keep me to the end,
My Savior, my Redeemer, and my Friend. —Anon.

Salvation is free, but you must receive it.

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August 1, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Doing Good | Our Daily Bread

Doing Good

Read: Luke 6:27-36

Jesus of Nazareth . . . went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. —Acts 10:38

Someone once said, “The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.” I like that; it’s a great reminder. In the book of Acts, Luke summarized Jesus’ earthly ministry by saying that He “went about doing good” (10:38).
What does the Bible mean when it tells us to “do good”? Jesus did good by teaching, healing, feeding, and comforting people. Using Jesus as the perfect example, His followers are called to meet the needs of others, including those who hate them: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you” (Matt. 5:44; see also Luke 6:27-35). They are to serve their enemies without expecting anything in return.

Moreover, as opportunity arises, His followers are to do good especially to fellow believers (Gal. 6:10). They are not to let persecution, selfishness, and busyness cause them to forget to do good and to share what they have with others (Heb. 13:16).

To be like our Savior and His early followers, we should ask ourselves each day: “What good thing can I do today in Jesus’ name?” When we do good, we will be offering a sacrifice that pleases God (Heb. 13:16) and that draws people to Him (Matt. 5:16).

From the example of Jesus,
Who went about doing good,
We are to honor our Savior
By helping wherever He would. —Hess

Imitate Jesus—go about doing good.

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August 2, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Awakened By A Close Friend | Our Daily Bread

Awakened By A Close Friend

Read: John 14:1-7

Where I am, there you may be also. —John 14:3

A few years ago I had some tests to screen for cancer, and I was nervous about the outcome. My anxiety was magnified as I thought about the fact that while the medical personnel were well-trained and extremely competent, they were also strangers who had no relationship with me.

After awakening from the anesthesia, however, I heard the beautiful sound of my wife’s voice: “It’s great, Honey. They didn’t find anything.” I looked up at her smiling face and was comforted. I needed the assurance of someone who loved me.

A similar assurance lies ahead for all who have trusted Jesus. Believers can be comforted in knowing that when they wake up in heaven, One who loves them greatly—Jesus—will be there.

The Book of Common Prayer expresses this Christian hope: “After my awakening, [my Redeemer] will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God. I myself shall see, and eyes behold Him who is my friend and not a stranger.”

Do you have trouble facing mortality? Jesus promised to be there when we slip from this world into the next. He said, “Where I am [heaven], there you may be also” (John 14:3). What a comfort for believers to know that after death we will be awakened by a close Friend.

What wonders await us in yonder fair land!
The face of our Savior, the touch of His hand,
No tears and no crying, no sighs or despair,
For Jesus is waiting to welcome us there. —Kerr

To see Jesus will be heaven’s greatest joy.

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August 3, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Mindless Prayer | Our Daily Bread

Mindless Prayer

Read: Joshua 1:1-9

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. —Joshua 1:5

Sometimes I am ashamed of my prayers. Too often I hear myself using familiar phrases that are more like mindless filler than thoughtful, intimate interaction. One phrase that annoys me, and that I think might offend God, is “Lord, be with me.” In Scripture, God has already promised not to leave me.

God made this promise to Joshua just before he led the Israelites into the Promised Land (Josh. 1:5). The author of Hebrews later claimed it for all believers: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (13:5). In both cases, the context indicates that God’s presence has to do with giving us the power to carry out His will, not our own will, which is generally what I have in mind in my prayers.

When we are doing God’s will, He will be with us even without our asking. If we’re not doing His will, we need to ask for His forgiveness, change our course, and follow Him.

God Himself is with thee—
Thy Savior, Keeper, Friend;
And He will not forsake thee,
Nor leave thee to life’s end. —J. D. Smith

May our prayers not be mindless, but instead mindful of God’s will.

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August 4, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Sharing The Word | Our Daily Bread

Sharing The Word

Read: Psalm 19:7-14

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold. —Psalm 19:10

Jerry McMorris began reading the Wall Street Journal 50 years ago as a student at the University of Colorado. His appreciation for that publication and for his alma mater led him to donate hundreds of WSJ subscriptions for CU’s business school students. McMorris told the Colorado Springs Gazette: “The Journal gave me a good, broad perspective of what was going on in the business world, and I got into the habit of reading it at the start of my business day. It helps get across to students real business-world issues.”

Many people enjoy introducing others to the writings that have shaped their lives. It’s not surprising, then, that followers of Christ enjoy sharing God’s Word with others. Some support Bible translation and distribution while others invite friends to study the Word with them. There are many ways to pass along God’s truth to people hungering for encouragement and help. Our goal is to enable others to experience the great benefit we’ve found in knowing Christ and being guided by His Word. The psalmist said, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (19:7).

The Word of God, which guards our hearts and guides our steps, is worth sharing with others.

As we read Your Word, O Lord,
Our spirit will be fed;
We then can share with others
That precious living bread. —D. De Haan

The Bible: Know it in your head, stow it in your heart, show it in your life, sow it in the world.

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August 5, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" A Hard Goodbye | Our Daily Bread

A Hard Goodbye

Read: Psalm 68:1-10

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. —Psalm 68:5

When our youngest son joined the Army, we knew that challenges lay ahead. We knew that he would face danger and be tested physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We also knew that in some ways our home would never fully be his home again. In the months leading up to his departure, my wife and I steeled ourselves for these challenges.

Then the day came when Mark had to report. We hugged and said our goodbyes, and then he walked into the recruiting station, leaving me with a moment for which I was decidedly unprepared. The pain of that hard goodbye felt unbearable. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I can’t remember when I have wept as hard as I did that day. The hard goodbye, and the sense of loss it delivered, cut me to the heart.

In such moments, I am thankful to have a heavenly Father who knows what it is to be separated from a beloved Son. I am thankful to have a God who is described as “a father of the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Ps. 68:5). I believe that if He cares for the orphaned and the widows in their loneliness, He will also care for me and comfort me—even in those moments when I face the struggles that accompany hard goodbyes.

When our loved ones say goodbye
And we have to be apart,
God can fill our loneliness
With His presence in our heart. —Sper

Loneliness comes when we forget about the One who is always with us.

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August 6, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" The Unexpected | Our Daily Bread

The Unexpected

Read: Proverbs 16:1-9

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9

Toni was looking for what wasn’t really lost, and she found what she wasn’t looking for. As a result, a group of people got a spiritual boost they weren’t expecting.

Toni, who conducts a Bible study in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Alaska, was looking for her husband’s missing driver’s license. As she retraced his steps from the previous day, she visited a hospital. The missing license wasn’t there, but a Christian high school chorale was, and Toni was touched by their worshipful singing. She asked the director if the teens could sing for her Bible-study group that evening. They could, and they did—bringing hope, joy, and God’s love through music and post-concert conversation to some folks trying to put their lives back together.

Oh, and that driver’s license? Toni found it on a chair when she got back home. Apparently, the only reason she went out that day was so God could direct her to hear a bunch of teens who could minister to her rehab group.

When God guides us (Prov. 16:9), He works in ways we can’t predict. He can use even our inconveniences to bring honor to His name. When we face a seeming nuisance in our day, perhaps we should look not just for what we think we want but also for what God has for us that day.

Between the circumstance and me,
A Father’s loving hand
Is working all things for my good—
All moves at His command. —Anon.

God is behind the scenes and controls the scenes He stands behind.

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August 7, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Time For The Armor | Our Daily Bread

Time For The Armor

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18

Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. —Ephesians 6:17

I discovered rather quickly that a young boy quoting Scripture in a children’s program at church didn’t know much about the Bible. He was quoting Ephesians 6:17 from our study on spiritual armor: “Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

When he tried quoting the reference, he said, “I didn’t think I needed to memorize the numbers, since that’s just the time of day.” That’s what he thought the numbers meant since it was close to 6:17 p.m. at the time! I smiled, opened my Bible, and showed him that the numbers refer to the chapter and verse.

While knowing the Bible reference is helpful, hiding God’s Word in our hearts is what is truly important (Ps. 119:11). Memorizing Scripture allows us to have it in mind so we can ward off Satan’s attacks (Eph. 6:10-18). For instance, when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Christ withstood him by quoting the Scriptures (Matt. 4:1-11). Likewise, when we are tempted to disobey God, we can recall what we’ve learned and choose to obey. We can also share the teachings of the Word with others to encourage them to trust Him too.

No matter what time of day it is, we should always take the spiritual armor of the Word of God with us.

For Further Study
What specific temptations do you face? Look in a
concordance in the back of a Bible for verses that can
guide you in those situations. Review them often.

No evil can penetrate the armor of God.

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August 8, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Fishing Where They Ain

Fishing Where They Ain’t

Read: Luke 7:34-48

One of the Pharisees asked [Jesus] to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. —Luke 7:36

I have a good friend I fish with now and then. He’s a very thoughtful man. After climbing into his waders and boots and gathering up his gear, he sits on the tailgate of his truck and scans the river for 15 minutes or more, looking for rising fish. “No use fishing where they ain’t,” he says. This makes me think of another question: “Do I fish for souls where they ain’t?”

It was said of Jesus that He was “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34). As Christians, we are to be unlike the world in our behavior, but squarely in it as He was. So we have to ask ourselves: Do I, like Jesus, have friends who are sinners? If I have only Christian friends, I may be fishing for souls “where they ain’t.”

Being with nonbelievers is the first step in “fishing.” Then comes love—a heart-kindness that sees beneath the surface of their off-hand remarks and listens for the deeper cry of the soul. It asks, “Can you tell me more about that?” and follows up with compassion. “There is much preaching in this friendliness,” pastor George Herbert (1593–1633) said.

Such love is not a natural instinct. It comes solely from God. And so we pray: “Lord, when I am with nonbelievers today, may I become aware of the cheerless voice, the weary countenance, or the downcast eyes that I, in my natural self-preoccupation, could easily overlook. May I have a love that springs from and is rooted in Your love. May I listen to others, show Your compassion, and speak Your truth today.”

We are to be channels of God’s truth— not reservoirs.

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August 9, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Like A Flock | Our Daily Bread

Like A Flock

Read: Psalm 77:11-20

You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. —Psalm 77:20

During a demonstration of sheep- herding using a Border Collie, the dog trainer explained that because sheep are highly vulnerable to wild animals, their main defense against predators is to stay together in a tightly knit group. “A sheep alone is a dead sheep,” the trainer said. “The dog always keeps the sheep together as it moves them.”

The biblical image of God as our shepherd is a powerful reminder of how much we need each other in the community of faith. When writing about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the psalmist said, “[God] made His own people go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; and He led them on safely, so that they did not fear” (Ps. 78:52-53).

As part of God’s flock, we who have trusted Christ are under His guiding, protecting hand while being surrounded by the shielding presence of others. We are part of a larger body of believers in which there is safety and accountability.

While we don’t give up our personal responsibility for thought and action as members of the flock, we are to embrace the concept of “we” rather than “me” in our daily lives. With Christ as our Shepherd and fellow believers around us, we find safety in the flock.

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love!
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above. —Fawcett

As part of God’s flock, we’re protected by Him and by each other.

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August 10, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Wearing Yourself Out | Our Daily Bread

Wearing Yourself Out

Read: Exodus 18:13-27

You will surely wear yourselves out. —Exodus 18:18

My friend Jeff was asked by his daughter to officiate at her wedding. This would be a great joy as they traveled to an exotic and romantic location for the ceremony. But there was one major problem—because the wedding party was very small, Jeff would have to perform three separate roles that could be in conflict. He would be the officiating minister, the father of the bride, and the wedding photographer!

Have you ever felt as if you were wearing too many hats? Jethro thought his son-in-law Moses was (Ex. 18). Leading the Israelites, arbitrating personal disputes, and handing down legal judgments for a great multitude was taking its toll. Finally, Jethro approached Moses, telling him: “This thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself” (v.18). He wisely counseled Moses to delegate smaller disputes to other advisors and take the more challenging cases himself (v.22).

Whether you’re a mother with small children, an overwhelmed business executive, or an overworked church volunteer, you too can take a lesson from Moses. Why not prayerfully discern if there may be tasks you can delegate to others or even discontinue—so that you don’t wear yourself out.

Father, we need help with our priorities.
Teach us to understand what’s most important and
needs to be accomplished, and to let go of what we can
so that we are at our best for You. Amen.

If we don’t come apart and rest awhile, we may just plain come apart! —Havner

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August 11, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Throw The Book At Him | Our Daily Bread

Throw The Book At Him

Read: Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. —Matthew 4:1

Things were off to a great start for Jesus at the beginning of His ministry. In Matthew 3, He was baptized and heard the affirming words of His Father, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (v.17). But then things took a turn for the worse.

What happened next—Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness—was not a mere coincidence. The Holy Spirit led Him into this face-off between the powers of heaven and hell. Thankfully, Jesus’ victory in the face of temptation provides a great example when we find ourselves in the wilderness of Satan’s sinister seductions.

Notice that the tempter caught Jesus at a time when He was tired and hungry. Satan uses the same tactic with us. Waiting for those vulnerable moments, he lures us with the bait of seductive suggestions that offer quick relief and opportunities for self-advancement. When facing such challenges, it’s important to follow Jesus’ example—throw “the Book” at Satan! Jesus responded to temptation by quoting Scripture: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; see Deut. 8:3). The Bible is full of verses about lust, greed, lying, and other sins. If we tuck them away in our memory, we can use them when under attack. It’s our best chance for success!

If we never faced the tempter
With his sharp and fiery sting,
We would never know the victory
That our trust in God can bring. —Robert

When Satan strikes, strike back with the Word of God.

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August 12, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" A New Purpose | Our Daily Bread

A New Purpose

Read: Acts 9:1-9

I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. —Jeremiah 29:11

A 60-year-old hotel in Kansas is being renovated into apartments. A rusty ship that is docked in Philadelphia is being restored and may become a hotel or a museum. Hangar 61, an admired piece of architecture at the old Stapleton Airport in Colorado, is being transformed into a church. Each structure had a specific use that is no longer viable. Yet someone was able to see promise and a new purpose in each one.

If structures can find new life and purpose, why not people? Think about these men in the Bible whose lives took an unexpected direction. There was Jacob, who wrestled with the angel of the Lord (Gen. 32); Moses, who talked to a burning bush (Ex. 3); Paul, who was temporarily blinded (Acts 9). Their stories were different, but all had a change of purpose when their encounter with God sent them down a new path.

We too may experience circumstances that change the course of our lives. But God reminds us of this: I loved you before you loved Me. I want to give you hope and a future. Give all your worries to Me because I care about you (1 John 4:19; Jer. 29:11; 1 Peter 5:7; John 10:10).

As you cling to God’s promises, ask Him to reveal new direction and purpose for your life.

God has a purpose for your life,
So what you have to do
Is follow Him, believing that
He’ll keep directing you. —Sper

Keep your eyes on the Lord and you won’t lose sight of life’s purpose.

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August 13, 2011 "Our Daily Bread" Master Craftsman | Our Daily Bread

Master Craftsman

Read: Jeremiah 18:1-10

The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter. —Jeremiah 18:4

When my wife and I were engaged, her dad gave us a special wedding present. As a watchmaker and jeweler, he made our wedding rings. To make my wedding band, Jim used gold scraps left over from resizing other rings—scraps that were seemingly without much value. But in the hands of this craftsman, those pieces became a thing of beauty that I cherish to this day. It is amazing what a master craftsman can do with what others might view as useless.

That is also how God works in our lives. He is the greatest Master Craftsman of all, taking the wasted pieces and broken shards of our lives and restoring them to worth and meaning. The prophet Jeremiah described this when he compared God’s work to that of a potter working clay: “The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make” (Jer. 18:4).

No matter what messes we have made of our lives, God can remold us into vessels that are good in His eyes. As we confess any sin and submit ourselves in obedience to His Word, we allow the Master to do His redemptive work in our lives (2 Tim. 2:21). That is the only way for the pieces of our brokenness to be made whole and good once again.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay;
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still. —Pollard

Broken things can become blessed things if you let God do the mending.