"Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." (Micah 7:8, from today's Minor Prophet reading)
Notice it is, "when I fall," and, "when I sit in darkness." This has happened to me in my journey. But so has, "I will arise," and, "the Lord Jesus Christ will be a light to me"------ and even better, in me.
Preparation for the unexpected in life seems oxymoronic. Yet a number of times The Word of God exhorts us to, "be ready," to, "watch, therefore"; the latter we find in the synoptics four times, and three times Jesus follows the statement by, "for you do not know." This phrase, "for you do not know," in context reveals that while we are to, "be ready," to, "watch therefore," there will be unknowns, unexpected events. We just cannot know everything that is before us. This has always been the reality of life.
Our high school football coach was a genius at adjustment. He always had us prepared for our opponents, but when things were not going as he anticipated, he would make key adjustments at half time. I have no doubt that's why we were 27-2-1 over three years. The best generals in history were those who could enter battle with the ability to make adjustments. This is true of your life and mine, isn't it? What we thought our lives would become when we were 10 probably looked nothing like they are now. We have fallen; we have been in darkness, but Jesus has always raise me up, has been, "a light to me."
The unexpected is what leads to divorce, to suicide, to "burn out." Being able to deal with the unexpected enables businessmen to succeed when others fail. It enables a people group to arise after, in some cases, unbelievable "falls." Yet whatever a nation or individual may arise from, all is doomed to be repeated if there is no surrender to Jesus Christ, Who Alone can accomplish in us, "When I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."
So, "arise," today anew, my friend. Jesus lives in you. Jesus is our, "light and my salvation." Jesus is, "the strength of my life....I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me", and you.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I so very much thank You that you are more powerful than my enemy and the darkness. Amen.
************************
*The article below is one of the best I've read for some time-- also sent to Blog site.
Notice it is, "when I fall," and, "when I sit in darkness." This has happened to me in my journey. But so has, "I will arise," and, "the Lord Jesus Christ will be a light to me"------ and even better, in me.
Preparation for the unexpected in life seems oxymoronic. Yet a number of times The Word of God exhorts us to, "be ready," to, "watch, therefore"; the latter we find in the synoptics four times, and three times Jesus follows the statement by, "for you do not know." This phrase, "for you do not know," in context reveals that while we are to, "be ready," to, "watch therefore," there will be unknowns, unexpected events. We just cannot know everything that is before us. This has always been the reality of life.
Our high school football coach was a genius at adjustment. He always had us prepared for our opponents, but when things were not going as he anticipated, he would make key adjustments at half time. I have no doubt that's why we were 27-2-1 over three years. The best generals in history were those who could enter battle with the ability to make adjustments. This is true of your life and mine, isn't it? What we thought our lives would become when we were 10 probably looked nothing like they are now. We have fallen; we have been in darkness, but Jesus has always raise me up, has been, "a light to me."
The unexpected is what leads to divorce, to suicide, to "burn out." Being able to deal with the unexpected enables businessmen to succeed when others fail. It enables a people group to arise after, in some cases, unbelievable "falls." Yet whatever a nation or individual may arise from, all is doomed to be repeated if there is no surrender to Jesus Christ, Who Alone can accomplish in us, "When I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."
So, "arise," today anew, my friend. Jesus lives in you. Jesus is our, "light and my salvation." Jesus is, "the strength of my life....I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me", and you.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I so very much thank You that you are more powerful than my enemy and the darkness. Amen.
************************
*The article below is one of the best I've read for some time-- also sent to Blog site.
* Great time last evening with friends of many years.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
