Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV)
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
“Day and night.” For most of us, now and then would be closer to the truth. Which might explain why we feel blessed now and then instead of all the time.
Matthew 5:9 (NIV)
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Me: Lord God, how do I go about making peace?
By example? By words of encouragement?
By being first to drop the argument?
By praying?
God: Yes.
So much unpleasant disagreement in our world . . . devolving to name-calling on all sides.
Matthew 5:44 (KJV)
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.
No more put-downs. No more scorn and shame. Stop insulting folks who think differently.
Love them. Be nice to them. Whole-heartedly.
Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Bless God, and God bless.
Mother’s Day isn’t a happy day for everyone. There’s always someone hurting:
Even if it isn’t a happy one for us, we can make it a better day for someone else. Even when we’re hurting, we can reach out to bless others.
Offer a kind word of encouragement, give a helping hand, pray for their well-being. In Jesus’ name.
Around the world, children find safety in their mothers’ sheltering arms. World Vision tells some of their stories here.
Heavenly Father, bless all the moms who work hard so their children can have safe homes, tasty food and good schools. Amen.
Bless a mom this Mother’s Day.
Thank you, Lord, for creating chuckles, giggles, chortles, hard-de-hars, hee-haws and belly laughs. You know what’s good for us.
Names are important. Nowhere more than the Bible.
In Genesis 16, Hagar has an encounter with God, and she calls him God who sees. She names her son Ishmael, which means God hears.
Let’s use those meanings in a later verse:
Genesis 21:17
And God Who Sees heard the voice of God Hears, and the angel of God Who Sees called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God Who Sees has heard the voice of God Hears where he is.
Do you see and hear the fun? God has a sense of humor.
God is the power behind the giraffe, the monkey and the platypus . . . yes, platypus: that beaver-tailed, duck-billed, egg-laying mammal that looks like it was created out of left-over parts.
Just for the fun of it.
