Yeah… you know what I mean… right, the non-stick strips you put in your tub to give you traction, because let’s face it. When you get a soapy in the shower and the tub gets slick it can be hard to keep your balance. Much like life – when it throws all that slime and muck at you it can be hard to keep your balance trying to wade through it, hard sometimes to not get just - stuck. Isn’t the love of Jesus much like that amazing non-slip stuff in your tub? Whoever invented that stuff was a genius! The love of Jesus IS like that…It is there, don’t have to worry, it keeps me balanced so I don’t fall. Mine is purple squares by the way, matches my shower curtain which has hints of purple in it. I love that I don’t have to worry about falling… I have traction… I don’t’ have to worry – I have Jesus on my side!
Psalm 37:31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.
See that sticky stuff IS Biblical! Grin… I’ve been thinking about the “simple” things. Things that I can and sometimes do overlook easily. Things I take for granted. Things I should be more grateful for. The love of Jesus for one. Oh I don’t forget how blessed I am, if I’m being honest I don’t know that I or anyone for that matter really give Jesus enough thanks. He just flat out deserves our all. A constant thank You would be good but not enough for His sacrifice. He wrote us a check – Pay to the order of: Up to and including My Life. Then He paid, with that life.
I could Thank Him all day long and I don’t believe it would ever be enough to show the complete gratitude I have for His sacrifice. I am free, I am saved, and I have salvation in Him. He set me free, He did so with love. He endured hell so I could have Heaven. This was no simple or easy task and I need never think of it as such. I all need to be mindful especially in these days of unrest. We all have that same gift, we just need to accept it. Have you accepted the gift? It’s never too late.
God does not want us to slip, though sometimes we do and He allows it to help us learn from the mistakes. My sister once made the statement in the form of a question that she knew the answer to, “We just don’t ever learn the easy way do we?”. I guess not. The words echo in my head, “God never promised us a Heaven on Earth” and so He didn’t. It is not easy but I think too some of the junk we go through is very much self-inflicted too. Why do we do that?
Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
I was reading today about our presidents and found some very interesting things. Do you know that of the 46 of them at least 5 suffered from some form of depression. Interesting when you stop and think about it. That job must hold some very heavy weight. The most powerful person in the free world. I expect it’s a taxing job. Look at what some of them had to face – war, diseases, homelessness, slavery. Did you know the White House used to hold Church services inside? You learn that on the tours. Only one president was a Pastor. Most have been lawyers. Back to that depression. I know one of them lost his son and I can totally see how that would bring on depression. It did not list the why on the others. The report was talking mainly about how healthy they were. Including mentally. I expect that after they finish the term they certainly need a long vacation. Don’t you just imagine how hard of a job it must be and oh boy if you are a people pleaser – there’s no way you make everyone happy. Yikes.
Just goes to show there are things we just can’t control, things that come to us that we can’t stop. When they do the best thing we can and should do is just stop and trust God, pray for the resolve, pray for the answer, pray for peace. Trust, trust that God will be the answer, that He will show us the way and keep us safe in the storms.
With it being almost the last day of the year I want to put this out there. In January of this year I heard that a church was starting a Chronological Bible Reading – so 365 days of the Bible. I bought that Bible then before it came – because it was REALLY late – I bought the audible version. Meaning I listen to someone read it to me. In my car I’ve listened, at home, at work. I am currently on the last page (yes I got ahead) so I’ve been in the Bible for almost 365 days now and I’m so glad I did this. That bound copy did come and I think I’m going to read it next. I still have the audible version too.
It’s fun because there were things I heard that I don’t remember ever reading before. Thinks I’ve read that until it was read to me and in context did I realize what they meant. This has been a good good year of the Bible for me. I’m very happy to have done this. I encourage you to do the same, read it or listen whatever is easier for you. I have enjoyed listening. I know I’ll enjoy reading too because I can highlight and write in the margins as well.
I would say make a New Years resolution to do this but I stopped doing resolutions several years ago. Now I make Live Changes. I make life decisions to do something and I do it for as long as I possibly can. It’s no longer temporary, it’s a life change it’s the new normal. Won’t you join me in reading your Bible more in 2022.
Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of the Bible, Thank You for the gift of Your Son. We are so thankful for both. Please be with us in 2022 as we move forward with hope, joy, and peace. We thank You for all of these. In Jesus Name - AMEN