Short Thought - When People Leave Our Lives

Years ago when my dad was a young pastor he had a situation where an older man left the church. My dad was upset by this because this older gentleman had been the one to hold the church together while they didn't have a pastor and he had helped to get my dad there in the first place. But, this older man was grumpy when he couldn't manipulate my dad into doing things he wanted him to do, so he left. 

My dad called the man who was over him in the mission work he was doing at the time and asked him what to do. He told my dad not to chase that older man down the road, to let him go and just keep on with the work. It was good advice, and my dad has never forgotten it.

Over the years when friends left our lives or the churches we were in, my dad was apt to remind us not to chase them to try to get them to come back. He warned us not to have a bad attitude or talk bitterly about them, but also not to follow them trying to get them back. If it was God's will for them to come back, let Him work it out. And sometimes He certainly did, but other times it truly was for our protection or betterment to have someone removed from our lives.

It may not make sense to you now that someone has been removed from your life, but the Lord has a reason. Let Him be God and rest in His perfect wisdom.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Isaiah 55:8-9  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Evening Song - He Keeps My Singing

Acts 4:11-12  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

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Thousand Word Project - Purple Face

Pansy

The Prodigal's Return - A Poem by John Newton

 

The Prodigal's Return

Afflictions, though they seem severe,

In mercy oft are sent;

They stopped the prodigal's career,

And caused him to repent.

"What have I gained by sin," he said,

"But hunger, shame, and fear?

My father's house abounds in bread,

While I am starving here!"

"I'll go and tell him all I've done,

Fall down before his face;

Unworthy to be called his son,

I'll seek a servant's place."

"I'll not pine here for bread," he cries;

"Nor starve in foreign lands:

My father's house has large supplies,

And bounteous are his hands."

His father saw him coming back,

He saw, he ran, he smiled,

And threw his arms around the neck

Of his rebellious child!

"O, father I have sinned - forgive!"

"Enough!" his father said:

"Rejoice, my house; my son's alive,

For whom I mourned as dead!"

'Tis thus the Lord His love reveals,

To call poor sinners home:

More than a father's love He feels,

And welcomes all that come.

John Newton

Luke 15:11-24 And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Evening Song - Because He Loved Me

Romans 8:38-39  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Ephesians 3:17-19  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

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Thousand Word Project - Unfurled

 

Irises

Letters to My Friend - What Heritage Are You Leaving Them?

Dear Friend,

Psalm 16:5-6 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

In honor of Mother's Day I was thinking that I would post something From Mom's Collection since I haven't posted anything there for awhile. As I was poking through my file folder with loose pages and bits I began to appreciate again how much my mom loved poetry. A majority of what I have in her collection is poetry.

Both of my parents taught me to love poetry as I was growing up. My dad quoted poetry to us from the time we were kids - still does sometimes. :-)  He also would read poems in church services occasionally. He loves old hymns so much he once traded The Treasury of David by Spurgeon for an antique Methodist hymnal.

My mom collected poems more than she quoted them or read them out loud to us. She also loved hymns and songs. She, in turn, had inherited her interest in poetry from her mother who always enjoyed a well-written poem with something worthwhile to say. Gramma had a number of poems she could quote from memory.

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