Jehovah-Jireh.

Verse:

¹³ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided” (Genesis 22:13-14, ESV).

Personal Thought:

So my grandma has been in a nursing home for the past 20 years due to a stroke.  She can’t speak except for yes or no, but she mums a lot trying to get it out.  Well in the beginning of the year she was admitted into the hospital.  Yesterday my aunt called, she lives out of state, but was here and had grandma transferred to a hospice facility for the time she has left.  This morning I went to meet my aunt and see grandma.  Essential oils have become my new hobby… love… okay borderline addiction, and of course I have my daily oils.  As I was getting ready I felt God tell me to bring some oil for anointing grandma.  And of course my first thought was whose going to anoint her, but I took the oil anyway. 

As I was visiting with my aunt (grandma was snoozing) a man come in to introduce himself, would you believe, the chaplain, a protestant minister.  And right there in front of us the jar of oil I had put on the table.  Yep it was one of those awe moments when God shows up and reveals Himself, reminding me not to doubt Him.  As my aunt and I talked with him for a while my aunt shared how grandma in her younger years attended a Protestant Pentecostal Church.  Grandma woke from her snooze and the chaplain introduced himself.  As we gathered around her bedside, he recited Psalm 23 to her and she mummed along at parts.  No doubt in my mind she was remembering the words as he spoke the Word, then he prayed and anointed her with the oil.  Jehovah Jireh, the Lord provides.  I brought the oil and God provided the minister to anoint and pray for her.  What an amazing day!!!

Prayer:

Jehovah Jireh, Praise You Lord, our Lord who provides.  And on this day, Lord you showed up and provided.  Thank you Lord that I was faithful and listened.  Thank you Lord for seeing grandma smile while hearing the Word, being prayed for, and anointed with oil.  It was a very precious moment for me today Lord, thank you! In Jesus Name, Amen. 

An Amazing Thing!

Verse:

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” ³⁸ He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him (John 9:35-38, ESV). 

Personal Thought:

Prior to this, Jesus opened the eyes of this man who had been blind from birth.  The Pharisees question him about how he received he sight.  He explains to the Pharisees how Jesus anointed his eyes with mud and saliva and told him to go wash and after washing he received sight.  The Pharisees won’t let up.  They question the man, call in the man’s parents, and question him some more.  Finally he responds to them, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.  Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing  (John 9:30-33a, ESV).   The most amazing thing was first he opened the man’s eyes to see Jesus and he believed and then he worshiped Him. 

Jesus does amazing things in our lives today.  The first amazing thing he does is open our eyes to see Him and the response is to believe and worship Him.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Heavenly Father, may we give you praise today.  Thank you for opening the eyes of the blind, for opening our eyes to see You.  It’s an amazing thing You have done and continue to do everyday.  Lord, may we be amazed and worship You.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Developing my God story…

Verse:

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6, ESV).

Personal Thought:

The past couple of years have been an interesting season of my life journey.   God has been walking me back over my past.  Taking me back to last year, 2 years ago, 10, 20, and then some, well basically back to the beginning.  Reminiscing of the good times, facing the pain from the hard times, and embracing where I am today.   As a child growing up we did not go to church.  It wasn’t until my early twenties that I came to the realization of a saving faith through Jesus.  Interestingly enough although I didn’t know him in my earlier years He knew me.  Looking back over my life story gave me the opportunity to see the hand of God at work throughout my whole life, even when I didn’t know He was there.  Developing my God story is my life with Him.  We all have  a story, but where is God in yours?  It starts knowing He began the work, He continues the work , and He completes the work.   

Prayer:

We praise You Lord, You are same yesterday, today and forever.  You have been with us from the beginning and will never leave us.  I pray Lord no matter where we are right now, we would know You are present and working in our lives.   Open our eyes to see Your hand at work in every area of our life developing our God story in this life’s journey.   This I pray in Jesus Name, Amen.