Friday, October 11, 2019

NOT ONE THING


Greetings,


I have a cold.  My eyes are watery, my throat hurts, I have a wacky cough, and my nose is stuffy.  But worse still is that I cannot, will not, kiss or cuddle with my little precious granddaughter.  For the past couple of days when she has arrived, she runs to me expecting the typical greeting, which consists of me squeezing her and hugging her and smooching with that chubby face.  However, I literally turn my back to her because I don’t want her to catch my cold.   To make it up to her, I allow her to watch a little extra Bluey, her favorite TV show.  But today before she left, she came up to me and hugged my legs.  Cue the tears! She does not understand that I have to keep her at arm’s length.


I hope we all understand however, that our Father GOD loves us and that nothing – NOT ONE THING – exists (certainly not a cold) that can ever make Him turn His back on us. The actual bible verse is so powerful:


“Neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).


These verses settle it: Nothing we have ever done or will do can keep God from loving us.  


PRAYER: Dear Lord, please help us to accept this truth.  If we pray knowing we are passionately and permanently loved, it strengthens our faith to trust that You know best.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

A Living Testimony

“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:12:14).

Greetings,

The national headlines have been featuring a story out of Dallas all week about a former police officer, Amber Guyger, who shot and killed a neighbor, Botham Jean. She went into his apartment thinking it was hers and mistook him for an intruder.   

She was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison.  But it was the victim’s brother’s gesture that has profoundly impacted me.

Brandt Jean, 18 years old, asked the judge if he could hug Ms. Guyger saying, “I forgive you…and I know if you go to God and ask Him, He will forgive you…I want the best for you because that’s exactly what Botham  would want…and the best would be, give your life to Christ.”

They hugged for a long time, and I watched in shock.  Afterward, I praised God that the verses above are doable. I also praised God that an 18-year-old took me to church.  Mr. Brandt’s living testimony has taught me that I need to pay attention to the clothes I wear.  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for the powerful example set by this young man.  Bless him for trusting Your Word and doing things Your way.  Heal his heart and heal ours as we also clothe ourselves with love. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

CUT AND PASTE THE LINK TO SEE THE VIDEO: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/02/amber-guyger-sentencing-botham-jeans-brother-embraces-guyger/3847967002/