Dear friends,
This is the time of year when people and animals prepare for the coming winter. Although summer has just ended, it is not too soon to begin to take the necessary steps to ensure that we are not caught by surprise when the cold weather arrives. The first sign in nature is often hearing geese honk as they begin their long flight south. Watching squirrels gather nuts reminds me of the story in Genesis where Joseph gathered food from abundant harvests to feed the people of Egypt during the years of famine that were to come.
Despite our best efforts to be prepared, sometimes storms and other challenges arrive suddenly and threaten to knock us off our feet. It is at those times that we need to remember that the Lord Jesus told His disciples (please see “Scripture for the weekend”) that tribulation in life is inevitable. In his Study Bible, Dr. David Jeremiah writes: “The storm on the Sea of Galilee serves as a metaphor to remind readers that no one is exempt from life’s storms just because he or she follows Christ. In fact, Scripture says that storms must come our way if we want to live a godly life (2 Timothy 3:12).
The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we can see that good can come from what first appeared to be “bad” or contrary to what we would have chosen. A few days ago, a problem developed in a computer in our radio follow-up office. Since the operating system was updated a few months ago, it had been functioning well, but now one of the programs is not printing properly. After a while, I realized that I needed to transfer documents to another program anyway, as the first program is not used by most people and they wouldn’t be able to open documents sent in emails from this program.
In the midst of trials, we often forget how good it is to laugh. Here is a poem that might help you to chuckle:
Since I have retired from life’s competition
Each day is filled with complete repetition.
I get up each morning and dust off my wits,
Go pick up the paper and read the obits.
If my name isn’t there, I know I’m not dead,
I get a good breakfast and go back to bed.
Scripture for the weekend: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV)
Thought for the weekend: “The King of Love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
And He is mine forever.”
Steve