FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022 - FRIDAY THOUGHTS

 FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022 - FRIDAY THOUGHTS

On Fridays, I like to write about spiritual things.  With the new year, let’s think about change and God’s ultimate love for us.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:1

We do sometimes fear the changes - but we really don’t need to fear if we love!!

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“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 11:19

We CAN change to be more loving and forgiving.  Do I have a heart of stone?  Am I the subject of Simon and Garfunkle’s song “I am a rock” - and a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries?

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“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9

Let us soar in this new year - let us run, let us walk - and be strong!!!

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For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Isn’t it good that God plans to prosper us and give us hope and a future”

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Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. Job 8;7

Again prosperity 

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But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 4:2

I like the analogy of frolicking like well-fed calves!!

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He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

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What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:28

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

WOW - the PEACE of God will guard our hearts and minds!!!

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And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

What are my needs?  (For sure, they are different than my wants) - and God will meet those needs.

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“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  John 14:1-3

God is going to prepare a place for me!!

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To me, my faith runs deep.  Yes, I don’t comprehend God and God’s ways. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Isaiah 55:8

I sometimes have a good imagination - and yet this says God’s ways are FAR beyond anything you could imagine!!!  WOOO PLUS!!!

I am a human - and as humans, I am open to hurts and frustrations.  I can have (rarely) “pity parties”, “Oh woe is me”, but then I think of the immensity, perfection, unlimitedness of God.  

I do like getting praise from fellow humans (and I also know I need to give out praise).  

I’ve been thinking about Noah lately,  Many cultures describe a great flood.  The Judeo-Christian view is that God told Noah to build an ark and take all the animals during a flood.  

Now, there were no Home Depot or Lowe’s building supplies in Noah’s day.  He (and his sons) had to cut the lumber and build the boat.  Seemingly there were neighbors.  Did they ask Noah what he was doing?  What did Noah say “I’m building an ark just like my God asked”?  What did the neighbors think?  “What a crackpot?” 

Sometimes my skin is pretty thick and words just bounce off it, and sometimes it is very thin and words and even glances just cut through.  

Did Noah let the neighbors (even good-meaning neighbors) get to him? “Hey Noah, that’s an awesome thing you are doing, but you know you could have built a whole subdivision of houses with all that Gopher wood?  There are homeless people here - and you could have helped with Habitat for Humanity homes for them.”  Did Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, and others know that they would be spit on and told that they were evil?  

I think the old Children’s rhyme is wrong - “Sticks and Stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me” (that is being called names - like stupid or ugly).  Words can sometimes injure deeper than sticks and stones. 

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So, as we go farther into this 2022 year - let us appreciate all that is good in the world, all that is good in us, and all that is good in others.

And, let LOVE WIN!!!

Karen

January 14, 2022