2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This morning, we honored the 20+ graduating high school seniors who attend our church. Graduation takes place later this week. I would suspect that there are a lot of people – students and parents – who feel as though they have been undergoing an 18-year endurance test. I also expect a lot of them will be looking around the day after graduation and asking, “What now?!”
Believe it or not, I was in high school once! I remember the eagerness to get out of school and move ahead with “bigger and better things.” I remember the hard work and “patient endurance” of three FULL years (including summers) in college, followed by nights and summer days spent sitting in a graduate school classroom – all in anticipation of college degrees, better pay, and the personal satisfaction and accomplishment of obtaining a Master’s Degree.
I remember waiting for nieces and nephews to arrive… counting the days until we moved home to begin a new business venture – and into new houses that we had built. And I remember not-so-fun “endurance tests”… waiting for my casts to come off after broken bones – or healing to occur after a surgery…waiting and watching as a loved one suffered through his/her last days on this earth… dreading the time when a visit would end and we would have to say “Goodbye” to someone precious and dear. And in ALL of these instances, I had the perfect example of “patient endurance”… the infallible model of perseverance and fortitude…the comfort and serenity of knowing that Someone much bigger and more powerful than I was in complete control.
Whether you are 18 or 88, life is full of events and experiences that test our endurance and cause us to “hurry up and wait.” Having Jesus by your side can make the difference in whether you worry and fret your way through these situations… or whether you take them in stride with joy and confidence. As long as you have a “full understanding and expression of the love of God” in your heart, you will have the “patient endurance that comes from Christ.” This is an equation for joy and success in anyone’s book!
As you look ahead to a new week – or even a new chapter in your life – stop and take time to evaluate your relationship with Jesus. Is He “front and center” in everything you do… every decision you make? The importance you give Jesus in your life will directly correlate to how you answer the question “What now?” Is Jesus guiding your answer and giving you patient endurance? Isn’t it time He did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label life stages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life stages. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for December 14, 2012
Isaiah 40:6-11
Someone told me to shout, and I asked, “What should I shout?”
We humans are merely grass, and we last no longer than wild flowers. At the Lord’s command, flowers and grass disappear, and so do we. Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change. Your God Is Here!
There is good news for the city of Zion. Shout it as loud as you can from the highest mountain. Don’t be afraid to shout to the towns of Judah, “Your God is here!” Look! The powerful Lord God is coming to rule with his mighty arm. He brings with him what he has taken in war, and he rewards his people.
The Lord cares for his nation, just as shepherds care for their flocks. He carries the lambs in his arms, while gently leading the mother sheep.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The temperatures are mild here today… it’s a good day for “outside work.” So my husband is busy trimming shrubs and blowing leaves. We have beautiful pink “knock-out” roses in our front flower beds, and they have actually bloomed and been prettier this fall than they were all summer during drought conditions. So we had an autumn wreath and “fall” pillows on the front porch, flanked by bright pink roses!
With recent frosts and a bit of a “cold snap,” the roses finally began to wither and fade. So today, my husband is pruning them back for a winter’s rest. We know that they will return next spring with vigor and renewed beauty. The rose is still a beautiful flower… my husband is still caring for the bushes…but the momentary splendor and loveliness has faded.
As I read this passage and thought about the roses, I also thought of my grandmother, who appears to be finishing her earthly life in the coming days/weeks/months. Her former vigor and enthusiasm have waned and faded… her ability to “tell you what” or even get out a good “my land a livin’” is gone. But she can still smile when she sees a precious friend or loved one. She still belongs to God...and I know that He is still here! I cupped her face and tried to soothe her one day this week as she struggled to get comfortable, and I thought, “This must be how God comforts us!” When we are frustrated, sick, lonely, and fading, God must stroke our cheek and say, “There, there… I’m still here! I am carrying you and meeting your every need. Lean in closer and feel my love and care.”
Every life has ebbs and flows… ups and downs… times of great splendor and beauty – and times when the loveliness fades. But we must always remember that GOD IS HERE! He has not left. God never fades away… His word is still true… His love is still sure… His mercy and goodness endure forever. This is great news! This hope and promise are what will lift us to “bloom” another day. You may be experiencing a momentary or temporary pruning, but with God, all things are possible… and your future is bright.
So when you start to feel frustration creeping in… when you start to wither and fade… remember Who is holding you, stroking your face, giving you strength and courage. Say to yourself… and to anyone else who will listen… our God is still HERE!... and be encouraged.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Someone told me to shout, and I asked, “What should I shout?”
We humans are merely grass, and we last no longer than wild flowers. At the Lord’s command, flowers and grass disappear, and so do we. Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change. Your God Is Here!
There is good news for the city of Zion. Shout it as loud as you can from the highest mountain. Don’t be afraid to shout to the towns of Judah, “Your God is here!” Look! The powerful Lord God is coming to rule with his mighty arm. He brings with him what he has taken in war, and he rewards his people.
The Lord cares for his nation, just as shepherds care for their flocks. He carries the lambs in his arms, while gently leading the mother sheep.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The temperatures are mild here today… it’s a good day for “outside work.” So my husband is busy trimming shrubs and blowing leaves. We have beautiful pink “knock-out” roses in our front flower beds, and they have actually bloomed and been prettier this fall than they were all summer during drought conditions. So we had an autumn wreath and “fall” pillows on the front porch, flanked by bright pink roses!
With recent frosts and a bit of a “cold snap,” the roses finally began to wither and fade. So today, my husband is pruning them back for a winter’s rest. We know that they will return next spring with vigor and renewed beauty. The rose is still a beautiful flower… my husband is still caring for the bushes…but the momentary splendor and loveliness has faded.
As I read this passage and thought about the roses, I also thought of my grandmother, who appears to be finishing her earthly life in the coming days/weeks/months. Her former vigor and enthusiasm have waned and faded… her ability to “tell you what” or even get out a good “my land a livin’” is gone. But she can still smile when she sees a precious friend or loved one. She still belongs to God...and I know that He is still here! I cupped her face and tried to soothe her one day this week as she struggled to get comfortable, and I thought, “This must be how God comforts us!” When we are frustrated, sick, lonely, and fading, God must stroke our cheek and say, “There, there… I’m still here! I am carrying you and meeting your every need. Lean in closer and feel my love and care.”
Every life has ebbs and flows… ups and downs… times of great splendor and beauty – and times when the loveliness fades. But we must always remember that GOD IS HERE! He has not left. God never fades away… His word is still true… His love is still sure… His mercy and goodness endure forever. This is great news! This hope and promise are what will lift us to “bloom” another day. You may be experiencing a momentary or temporary pruning, but with God, all things are possible… and your future is bright.
So when you start to feel frustration creeping in… when you start to wither and fade… remember Who is holding you, stroking your face, giving you strength and courage. Say to yourself… and to anyone else who will listen… our God is still HERE!... and be encouraged.
©2012 Debbie Robus
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