Aches and Praise Five Hundred & Forty Four

Posted on 2022-02-11 in English |

February 11, 2022
 
 
Dear friends,
 

Yesterday I was about to go to my office in the afternoon after saying hello to Teddy and Linda, who also serve with MissionGO, when they asked me if I would like to have lunch with them. I replied “Yes! I was running around doing a few things and didn’t stop to eat.” It was like they read my mind as I smelled the food cooking in the kitchen at 33 rue Principale in Châteauguay. After a delicious meal and stimulating conversation, I went upstairs to correct Bible course lessons and after a while, I remembered that I had to send next week’s radio programme to our agents via the Internet. Why had I forgotten to do this a couple of days earlier? I don’t know, but I am glad that Teddy and Linda asked me about our ministry during lunch because that conversation prompted me to remember an essential step that I had overlooked.

I am also thankful for Will, who forwards devotionals by George Worthy to me. Will and I met when we were much younger (more than 40 years ago), lost touch, and reconnected a few years ago at Grace Church in Lasalle. In his devotional yesterday, Brother George writes:

“I heard a story about a man who was imprisoned during Napoleon’s reign. While sulking in his dungeon one day, he etched on the wall the words “Nobody Cares.” A few weeks later, through a crack in the dungeon floor, a little green shoot sprang forth, reaching toward the tiny ray of sunlight that came from his small prison cell window. The prisoner began giving a portion of his daily water to the little shoot and it began to grow. One morning the man awoke to a beautiful flower. A tear rolling down his face, he crossed out the words,

“Nobody Cares” and replaced them with “God Cares.”

The story goes on to tell that his devotion to the flower was reported to the Empress Josephine. She was so very moved that she convinced Napoleon to set the man free.How many times do we feel like “Nobody Cares”? God has planted little shoots of hope in each and every one of our difficult circumstances — do you know that? Perhaps we’re stepping on them, not even noticing they exist. Perhaps we’re pulling the shoots before they spring forth into beautiful flowers.”

Are you going through a difficult time in your life? Ask the Lord to show you – through friends and through His Word – that He cares for you more than you can imagine. If you have never turned from your sins and asked God’s forgiveness for your sins by trusting Christ as your Saviour, what are you waiting for? If you are in the Montreal area, we would love it if you would visit our ministry office. Among other things, you will see the words in the reference below on the wall near the entry. Remember to put the Lord first in your life and rejoice in His blessings!

Scripture for the weekend: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Thought for the weekend: “Whenever we acknowledge the greatness of our God, we are led to true humility. The guilt of our sin and the grace that our Lord has given both lead to virtuous humility … As Isaac Watts put it ‘Blest are the humble souls that see their emptiness and poverty; treasures of grace to them are given, and crowns of joy laid up in heaven.’” – Dr. Robert M. Godfrey (from the January 2022 edition of “Tabletalk” magazine, published by Ligonier Ministries, Inc., Sanford, FL)

 

By His grace,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
Steve

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