Reason #952
I felt 100% discouraged as I went to bed last night. Overwhelmed, too. And as I drove to work this morning I figured I should probably just pray about it. Left up to my own devices, and Fox News, I wasn't going to feel better anytime soon. And so I just began to pray for encouragement. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline." I wrote that verse down on a sticky note and stuck it to the bottom of my computer so that I could see it all day. But the truth is, I am pretty certain I checked Fox News at least every hour.
I went to bible study tonight. We are starting the study of Jonah, and it was exactly what my heart needed. I was reminded about Ninevah. A place of destruction and hopelessness. And God called Jonah into the hopeless situation to bring a message of hope. God needed the people of Ninevah to know about Him, and Jonah was the one who was going to make God's name known. And, after a dramatic bout of events, God got Jonah to Ninevah where his message was received and a whole nation came to know God as their Savior.
I could write many entries about this whole story, and I'm sure that I will before all is said and done. But tonight, the author of the study pointed out that one of the most incredible things God did was personally call Jonah and give Jonah the ability to hear God's voice. She said, "It is a privilege to hear the voice of God." I had never thought about it that way before, but that's the truth. Because not everyone gets to hear the voice of God. Only God's children have that ability, and it's certainly something we take for granted isn't it? But when I stop to really think about it, when I realize that the God of the entire universe would take time to specifically speak to me, to my heart, I realize how fortunate I am to be able to hear Him. What a privilege to be able to hear from the King of Kings, from the One who was and is and is to come. The fact that God would not only hear us but would allow us to hear His holy, divine voice is an honor and a joy. Because knowing that you've been heard is encouraging, but there's nothing better than receiving a response.
So thank you, Lord, for speaking encouragement to me today. For reminding me that you are fully, completely capable of working incredible miracles that my mind can't even fathom. Thank you for giving me the ability to hear your voice and for taking the time to speak to me. For filling my mind with the right verse at the right time and for giving my heart a song to cling to when I need it most. Thank you for knowing exactly what to say and when to say it, and thank you for always hearing me.
#952 - For the privilege of hearing God's voice.
"You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him." - Psalm 4:3
I went to bible study tonight. We are starting the study of Jonah, and it was exactly what my heart needed. I was reminded about Ninevah. A place of destruction and hopelessness. And God called Jonah into the hopeless situation to bring a message of hope. God needed the people of Ninevah to know about Him, and Jonah was the one who was going to make God's name known. And, after a dramatic bout of events, God got Jonah to Ninevah where his message was received and a whole nation came to know God as their Savior.
I could write many entries about this whole story, and I'm sure that I will before all is said and done. But tonight, the author of the study pointed out that one of the most incredible things God did was personally call Jonah and give Jonah the ability to hear God's voice. She said, "It is a privilege to hear the voice of God." I had never thought about it that way before, but that's the truth. Because not everyone gets to hear the voice of God. Only God's children have that ability, and it's certainly something we take for granted isn't it? But when I stop to really think about it, when I realize that the God of the entire universe would take time to specifically speak to me, to my heart, I realize how fortunate I am to be able to hear Him. What a privilege to be able to hear from the King of Kings, from the One who was and is and is to come. The fact that God would not only hear us but would allow us to hear His holy, divine voice is an honor and a joy. Because knowing that you've been heard is encouraging, but there's nothing better than receiving a response.
So thank you, Lord, for speaking encouragement to me today. For reminding me that you are fully, completely capable of working incredible miracles that my mind can't even fathom. Thank you for giving me the ability to hear your voice and for taking the time to speak to me. For filling my mind with the right verse at the right time and for giving my heart a song to cling to when I need it most. Thank you for knowing exactly what to say and when to say it, and thank you for always hearing me.
#952 - For the privilege of hearing God's voice.
"You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him." - Psalm 4:3
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