My great friend, Barry McGlothin, right before we left for Africa, gave me a little devotional book by RJ Morgan titled, "All to Jesus". I used a story from it to write the first Ministry Minute of this academic year. These short essays go out to Christian profs in the USA.
Today I read another one of Morgan's devotions that ministered to me, and hence you are reading about it, unless you abandon this post right now. Morgan's day 174 devotional is about Paul's attitude in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-11. In verse 8, Paul writes that "We despaired even of life". Wow! Paul was where I was the first weeks here, and maybe where you were. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the vicissitudes of life.
Verse 3 tells us that G^d is the G^d of all comfort. He is our source of succor in times of need. We may benefit from the comfort of friends and family, and that is clearly important, but ultimately comfort flows from G^d himself.
The pressures we face give us a foundation for comforting others. Through our own trials we can comfort others, and be a conduit for G^d's comfort. (vs 4).
James Chapter 1 tells us that trials produce endurance, and now verse 6 points out the same truth from a different author.
Pressures, trials, tribulations teach us to trust in G^d rather than our selves. We waiver, falter, fail, BUT G^D does not.
The negatives of life give us remind us of our need for faith and hope in G^d alone.
Verse 11 tells us that trials lead us to pray. As I have written several times, few of us like to pray, and even fewer pray earnestly and regularly. We need the exercise of prayer, and apprently we need the pressure to push us to pray.
Verse 11 also circles back to thanksgiving in a parallel way that James 1 starts with joy. Again, you may be tired of reading this, but if we take the time to recognize what G^d has done, we ought to be so grateful that we are LOOKING for ways to express our thanksgiving to G^d... even for the pressures of life.
Today I read another one of Morgan's devotions that ministered to me, and hence you are reading about it, unless you abandon this post right now. Morgan's day 174 devotional is about Paul's attitude in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-11. In verse 8, Paul writes that "We despaired even of life". Wow! Paul was where I was the first weeks here, and maybe where you were. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the vicissitudes of life.
Verse 3 tells us that G^d is the G^d of all comfort. He is our source of succor in times of need. We may benefit from the comfort of friends and family, and that is clearly important, but ultimately comfort flows from G^d himself.
The pressures we face give us a foundation for comforting others. Through our own trials we can comfort others, and be a conduit for G^d's comfort. (vs 4).
James Chapter 1 tells us that trials produce endurance, and now verse 6 points out the same truth from a different author.
Pressures, trials, tribulations teach us to trust in G^d rather than our selves. We waiver, falter, fail, BUT G^D does not.
The negatives of life give us remind us of our need for faith and hope in G^d alone.
Verse 11 tells us that trials lead us to pray. As I have written several times, few of us like to pray, and even fewer pray earnestly and regularly. We need the exercise of prayer, and apprently we need the pressure to push us to pray.
Verse 11 also circles back to thanksgiving in a parallel way that James 1 starts with joy. Again, you may be tired of reading this, but if we take the time to recognize what G^d has done, we ought to be so grateful that we are LOOKING for ways to express our thanksgiving to G^d... even for the pressures of life.
Good word, Doc. We are connected to several churches around Myrtle Beach and, of course, one in Tuscaloosa. All seem to be struggling with sustained declines in giving. There is despair in the air.
ReplyDeleteI know times are tough, but one of the things that seems lost in the mix is genuine thanksgiving for what God *has* done. Normally, I would be more than happy to point this out to the church leaders, but a lot of the ingratitude seems to coming from my voice. Thanks for the reminder.
A famous Guy once asked his followers, "Will you leave me too?" And very wisely one extroverted guy responded, "To whom shall we go, you have the Words of eternal life?" (end of Jn 6)
ReplyDeleteSo the cynical question is, does anyone have a better option than following the radical bearded Jewish Rabbi? I guess ole Pete was right.
There is no plan "B".