Marvelous Things

Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jer 33:2-3 KJV)

I wish that I had figured out that I could really talk to the Lord when I was much younger. I made so many foolish mistakes and followed in ways that were definitely not good for me or anyone else. But, I did not comprehend that talking to God mean more than just asking for things. I wasn't asking him to help me to better understand who he really was. I wasn't asking for a closer relationship with him. I was asking for much more worldly things. Things like: get me out of the trouble I just put myself in! 

Now, I hope that the younger people (and not just younger) that I know and love would have enough sense to want to get to know this great and awesome and loving God that we have. Having him in our lives is enough. He is more than enough! 

Talk to him and not just talk to him; but, listen to him and he will show you great and mighty things which you cannot know or understand without him.

Our God is an awesome God. Call upon him and then listen and follow in the way that he would have you go and you will better understand and appreciate all of the marvelous things he has done for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

If The Lord Wishes

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 NRSV)

When I was first married, my husband insisted on not making long term plans. At least, if we did, he did not want anyone knowing about them. He didn't want anyone thinking that we failed at doing what we planned to do.

Forty some years later, he likes to plan. I suppose I would like to, as well. The problem is that I really don't know what I want to do and is what I want to do even feasible. We are not getting any younger. I am at retirement age and I'd like to do some traveling and enjoy some time together. But, the reality is that I have been working for 50 years and as much as I think I'd enjoy retirement, I think I would be pretty bored not having something that I am absolutely committed to do every day. Howard has retired twice and now works part-time just for something to do.

So, we have been making plans for what we ought to do beginning this summer. Is it time to do some traveling around this country? Or, should we just stay put? Who can tell! We don't even know what tomorrow will bring, let alone a day six months from now.

As my husband would say, "Whatever happens, happens." All we can really do is love the Lord and one another and live the life that God has given us one day at a time. God has a plan; a good plan.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wisdom of the Elders

Arlene's wisdom helped
to guide me for many years.

"The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse."
                            (Prov) 10:31-32 NRSV

The wisdom of our elders should not be neglected. It should be listened to. It should be heard. I admit, I did not listen well when I was young. Yet, it still amazes me that so many will neglect to listen to the wisdom learned through the life's lessons of the elders. Instead, many turn to their peers or even those who are much younger who have experienced even less than they have. I am not discounting the knowledge or the wisdom of the younger people. I am merely wondering why someone would so totally ignore what has already been proven.

Much grief would be averted if we listened to one another; especially if we listened to those who have already learned life's lessons.

May God open our ears and our hearts to hear and receive wisdom so that we might live abundant lives in righteousness.

God's Peace - Pr. J