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Listen while you read: "This Is My Father's World"1 (Lyrics) |
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Late afternoon, to my car in my garage, I carried the almost-thawed fish fillets that I had promised for a supper party to be held at my niece's home to celebrate my brother's 86th birthday.
I punched the opener, and my big garage door rolled up to reveal an impossible-to-drive-over, peaked snowdrift that I had missed when checking from my front window after the storm!
Knowing that it was impossible to shovel it myself (with a compromised hip and spine), I grabbed my garden spade and dug out a few hunks of the hard, heavy mass — only to prove futility.
How can I get help soon enough for the fish to be cooked? God gave me a bold hope: I'll wave at the first car that rounds my corner. I did. Out jumped a tall, brawny young man who shovelled a car-width through that drift in quick time. He would not take pay, offered to come any time that I needed help, and asked for a pen and paper to give me his phone number. I went into my kitchen for them, and also grabbed a Christmas box of chocolate-covered nuts, now made two-thirds empty. He accepted them. I thanked him sincerely for his kindness, and said, "You must be a Christian." He said, "I have not been in a church for years." I told him of my recent need to go to a different church because of my age-related hypersensitivity to the drum music where I had attended for years, and of the friendliness of the small no-drums church that I had found. I added, "Jesus loves you." We shared a few more words, then he left.
Please pray with me for this young man, and for many young people like him. Pray that we will be enabled to discover ways to encourage them so that they will come to so appreciate Jesus' sacrifice, Word, and presence as to choose to "worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness" (1 Chronicles 29:16c NIV), as people through all generations have done.
- Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness endures through all generations.
– Psalm 100:1-2,5 NIV
Prayer: Lord God, thank You for supplying all our needs. Thank You for this kindly young man who seems to have been touched by You. We are concerned about the many who are missing the joy and peace of worshipping You. We want multitudes to know You, whom to know is temporal joy and assurance of eternal life. Show us how to behave, and give us the words to say as we witness to Your Way. Amen.
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Praising God with you for that young man and also praying for him. Thank you for sharing this devotional with us. Blessings.
Thanks for good word today Isabel. That young man has given you his phone number, God has given you an ordained opportunity!
Isabel,
Thanks for sharing about your ‘angel’ that God provides for us all.
(CA)
I am glad to be reminded that God meets all our needs.
I wanted to say that I have felt guilty, for avoiding churches that feature bands rather than the organ. I guess it is age related. I am glad if it draws young people to church, however.
Hi dear Isobel, Thanks for your devotional. Once more a down to earth natural one. I am thinking this precious young man would have liked you to take him along to ‘the too loud drums church ‘…??? if you could put cotton in your ears one more time. Keep being wise and taking good care of yourself.
May God continue to bless you and work in and through you.
Dear Isabel
What we are unable to do, God is able in His time. My daughter and grandchildren finally found a church they like and are attending every Sunday. We all have free choice, but God can break through our stubbornness as others pray. Thank you for sharing. Your words this morning remind me to give thanks.
Hello Isabel
This was really good and lines up with what we are sharing at church here. Showing the love of Jesus and reaching the lost. I love when God turns a negative to a positive right before our eyes, Exciting serving Him. I will be praying for this young man because obviously God put him on your path for a reason.
God bless.
Isabel,
Your devotional today reminded me of a similar situation my husband and I had one day driving home through the country. We had a flat. Newer cars require all kinds of knowledge to even find the spare tire. My husband finally did that and was well on his way to fixing the flat (he is an engineer and although 83 years old, he is VERY fit). A young man COVERED IN TATOOS stopped to help us change a tire. He insisted on helping, said he was raised in the farm country and he was taught to help others. I SO WISHED I had thought to say as you did, “You must be a Christian.” If that happens again, I will remember to do so. He did not want to take any money. His wife had patiently waited in their car and I had visited with her. When I said, “Don’t you want to take your wife to lunch?,” he took the money.
Thank you, Isabel.
Beautiful story, Isabel.