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Posted on 04/30/2021 10:23:24 PM PDT by JustAmy
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Still thundering and raining at 11:30 pm.
Iowa got tornados today, we got lots of rain.
Good night Kitty!
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Nite, Kitty. Have a restful night.
Bible in a Year:
Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
On first reading, we might think todayâs parable suggests so. In the story, a neighbor (sometimes thought to represent God) only gets out of bed to help the friend because of the friendâs annoying persistence (Luke 11:5â8). Read this way, the parable suggests that God will give us what we need only if we badger Him. And if we donât pray hard enough, maybe God wonât help us.
But biblical commentators like Klyne Snodgrass believe this misunderstands the parableâits real point being that if neighbors might help us for selfish reasons, how much more will our unselfish Father. We can therefore ask confidently (vv. 9â10), knowing that God is greater than flawed human beings (vv. 11â13). He isnât the neighbor in the parable, but the opposite of him.
âI donât know why you lost your baby,â I told Richard, âbut I know it wasnât because you didnât pray âhardâ enough. God isnât like that.â
Reflect & Pray
If the neighbor in the parable represents God, what does it suggest God is like? If verses 11â13 clarify the parable, what then is God like?
Father, today I bring You my needs and the needs of others, confident that Youâll hear and answer, and grateful that itâs Your goodness and not my words that count.
Read about the power of prayer at DiscoverySeries.org/Q0740.
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Happy Thankful Thursday!
I am thankful the tornadoes stayed away from Wisconsin yesterday.
We got a lot of rain. Had to be an inch or more.
Cheers!
Bible in a Year:
Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me.
On July 16, 1999, the small plane piloted by John F. Kennedy Jr. crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Investigators determined the cause of the accident to be a common error known as spatial disorientation. This phenomenon occurs when, due to poor visibility, pilots become disoriented and forget to rely on their instruments to help them successfully reach their destination.
As we navigate life, there are often times when life gets so overwhelming we feel disoriented. A cancer diagnosis, the death of a loved one, a job loss, a betrayal by a friendâlifeâs unexpected tragedies can easily leave us feeling lost and confused.
When we find ourselves in these kinds of situations, we might try offering the prayer of Psalm 43. In this psalm, the psalmist is overwhelmed and feeling lost because he feels surrounded by evil and injustice. In despair, the psalmist pleads with God to provide His sure guidance to help him safely navigate through the situation to his desired destination, Godâs presence (vv. 3â4). In Godâs presence the psalmist knows heâll find renewed hope and joy. Â
What are the tools the psalmist requests for guidance? The light of truth and the assurance of Godâs presence by His Holy Spirit.
When youâre feeling disoriented and lost, Godâs faithful guidance through His Spirit and loving presence can comfort you and light your way.
Reflect & Pray
What disorienting circumstances are you experiencing? How might you ask God to help guide you today?
Heavenly Father, thank You that Youâve not left me alone in the challenging and disorienting circumstances of life. Please help me to rely on You to guide my steps today.
To learn how to help people who are in pain, visit ChristianUniversity.org/CC205.
Amen! I’m sure those people had to be scared to death! I’ve seen footage of the damage and it was bad.
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Poor babies! LOL!
They remind me of those horrible “Christmas In July” movies from Hallmark that my hubby [believe it or not] loves. Ugh! đ¤Ł
Bible in a Year:
I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.
After hearing a message about correcting injustice, a church member approached the pastor weeping, asking for forgiveness and confessing that he hadnât voted in favor of calling the black minister to be pastor of their church because of his own prejudice. âI really need you to forgive me. I donât want the junk of prejudice and racism spilling over into my kidsâ lives. I didnât vote for you, and I was wrong.â His tears and confession were met with the tears and forgiveness of the minister. A week later, the entire church rejoiced upon hearing the manâs testimony of how God had worked in his heart.
Even Peter, a disciple of Jesus and a chief leader in the early church, had to be corrected because of his ill-conceived notions about non-Jewish people. Eating and drinking with gentiles (who were considered unclean), was a violation of social and religious protocol. Peter said, âYou are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentileâ (Acts 10:28). It took nothing less than the supernatural activity of God (vv. 9â23) to convince him that he âshould not call anyone impure or uncleanâ (v. 28).
Through the preaching of Scripture, the conviction of the Spirit, and life experiences, God continues to work in human hearts to correct our misguided perspectives about others. He helps us to see that âGod does not show favoritismâ (v. 34).
Reflect & Pray
What experiences or people has God used to help you see that He doesnât show favoritism? What are the things in your life that may have blinded you to His acceptance of all people?
Dear God, search my heart and show me where I need to change.
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Hello to the kitty cat at the door!
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Happy Dogurday!
Was hot and humid here today.
Had to water all my flowers this afternoon.
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Bible in a Year:
People will dwell again in his shade; they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like the vine.
The book of Hosea concludes with a similar toneâone of breathless joy and gratitude at the restoration God makes possible for those who return to Him. Much of the book, which compares the relationship between God and His people to a relationship with an unfaithful spouse, grieves Israelâs failures to love Him and live for Him.
But in chapter 14, Hosea lifts up the promise of Godâs boundless love, grace, and restorationâfreely available to those who return to Him heartbroken over the ways theyâve abandoned Him (vv. 1â3). âI will heal their waywardness,â God promises, âand love them freelyâ (v. 4). And what had seemed broken beyond repair will once more find wholeness and abundance, as Godâs grace, like dew, causes His people to âblossom like a lilyâ and âflourish like the grainâ (vv. 5â7).Â
When weâve hurt others or taken for granted Godâs goodness in our life, itâs easy to assume weâve forever marred the good gifts weâve been given. But when we humbly turn to Him, we find His love is always reaching to embrace and restore.
Reflect & Pray
When have you experienced or witnessed restoration beyond what seemed possible? In what areas of your life do you need reassurance of Godâs promise to heal and restore?
Loving God and Creator of Life, teach me to trust in Your goodnessânot just when Iâm good, but all the time.
Bible in a Year:
Daniel . . . still pray[ed] three times a day.
When the Nazis drafted Franz Jägerstätter during World War II, he completed military basic training but refused to take the required pledge of personal loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Authorities allowed Franz to return to his farm, but they later summoned him to active duty. After seeing Nazi ideology up close and learning of the Jewish genocide, however, Jägerstätter decided his loyalty to God meant he could never fight for the Nazis. He was arrested and sentenced to execution, leaving behind his wife and three daughters.
Over the years, many believers in Jesusâunder peril of deathâhave offered a firm refusal when commanded to disobey God. The story of Daniel is one such story. When a royal edict threatened that anyone âwho pray[ed] to any god or human being except [the king]â (Daniel 6:12) would be thrown into the lionsâ den, Daniel discarded safety and remained faithful. âThree times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done beforeâ (v. 10). The prophet would bend his knee to Godâand only Godâno matter the cost.
Sometimes, our choice is clear. Though everyone around us implores us to go along with prevailing opinionâthough our own reputation or well-being may be at riskâmay we never turn from our obedience to God. Sometimes, even at great cost, all we can offer is a firm refusal.
Reflect & Pray
Where are you sensing that obedience to God will require your firm refusal? What might this refusal cost you? What will you gain?
God, I know my loyalty to You will at times mean saying no to othersâ expectations or demands. It may cost me dearly. Give me courage.
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