Aches and Praise Three Hundred & Ninety Four

March 28, 2019
 

Dear friends,

 
This week marks the 38th anniversary of when Karen and I defined our relationship. We sat on the front steps of Bethel Baptist Church and talked about our plans. Although I don’t remember much of what we said, I know that we were head over heels in love and looking forward to getting engaged within a few months. Looking back on 37 years of marriage, I thank the Lord for bringing Karen into my life and can’t imagine where I would be without her.

 

Yesterday, we read a chapter in a tremendous book entitled “Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt,” written by Jentezen Franklin with his wife, Cherise, and A.J. Gregory. Jentezen is a pastor and shares lessons that he has learned in the ministry, as well as some humorous family experiences, including the time that his wife was out of town and he was looking after their five children. On the way home from church on a Wednesday evening, he went to a fast-food place to order five cheeseburger kids’ meals with no onions and no pickles. When they got home, the kids opened their meals and refused to eat because there were onions and pickles on them. The next Wednesday, Pastor Franklin went back to that establishment and repeated the order. When they got home and the children opened their meals, there were no onions and no pickles and no meat!
 
Pastor Franklin writes: “I called the restaurant and demanded, ‘I want a manager! Who owns this restaurant? I want a name and number!’ Some of the kids started cheering me on. ‘You go, Daddy! You get ’em!’ About halfway through my tantrum, it dawned on me that I had just preached before hundreds of people, and now I was about to let somebody have it. I immediately had to calm down. I realized I was having an unguarded moment.” Franklin then cites Jesus’ words regarding anger in Matthew 5:21-22 and looks at how David almost did something that could have cost him the opportunity to be the king of Israel. God used a woman named Abigail, who displayed great kindness to David, to prevent a mass killing.
 
In 1 Samuel 25:32-33, David is quoted as saying to Abigail: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me from bloodshed, and from avenging myself by my own hand.” I echo his words of praise as I reflect on the wonderful way that the Lord brought Karen into my life and how He has used her gifts to keep me from many missteps.
 
Scripture for the weekend: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (NASB)
 
Thought for the weekend: “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” – Benjamin Franklin (quoted in “Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt”)
 

By His grace,

Steve

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