Jesus listens when you pray!
He hears each & every word you say.
That’s how we know
He is with you –
as you reach five years old today!
HIP-HIP-HOORAY!!!
Oma sends kisses,
Gompy sends hugs,
both of us send… five big years of love!
hugs n’ blessings grand-daughter, dear!
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
Matthew 12:25
Do you remember a moment when you realized you just couldn’t do it on your own?
I am learning how, in these moments, it is important to become vulnerable, fall on my knees & have my Prayer Team on speed-dial!
American culture has historically encouraged us to be independent.
This freedom of choice is a gift, and yet it can also lead to us feeling as though we are the masters of our own destiny. Even now, as independent as the modern life may be, we are still part of many social structures.
This means that at some point, you will need to rely on others. This is why it is better to learn how to live in harmony with others than to see your community, workplace, church, or home become divided. If you are in a situation now where you are starting to see division, don’t become part of the problem. Taking sides will only cause more fractures. And we have seen enough of these during the past few months. Choosing to ‘not take sides’ does not mean we agree with the opposing opinion or should not champion to make positive change – it simply means we are called to unity through building up vs tearing down, because this is what makes us all stronger and better people.
And the greatest unifier is prayer!
Jesus tells us in Scripture how to honor our ‘side’ without condemning or judging the other.
“Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48
This commandment to “love one another as I have loved you” does not say only love one another if you have the same opinion, only love one another if you have the same skin color, only love one another if you are in the same socio-economic class, only love one another if you are in the same political party, only love one another if your worship space was founded by the same One, only love one another if you are on the same side as me.
We weren’t meant to be on the same side all the time!
We were not designed this way.
BUT
He did design all of us to love!
Moreover, the really good news is…
Our eternal kingdom will never be divided and will never end!
And most days I just don’t understand,
“Why can’t we aim for the same in our earthly world too?”
Even if we can’t stand on the same side of the line as the other
we can always cross over the divide with folded hands, invoking prayers for unity.
Building up.
Instead of tearing down.
Will you join me in prayer?
hugs n’ blessings to all those who are seeking ways toward building up unity!
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:16
We celebrate our birthdays as the day that our fully formed body came into the world and we breathed our first breath.
Birthdays mark the beginning of our lives, but in this Scripture, God was celebrating us long before our birthday!
He saw us before we were even formed; he knew that we were destined for life, even before that first breath.
What an amazing God we have, who is not only all-knowing, but ever personal.
Take courage and strength from the truth that you were destined from the beginning and you have a wonderful purpose!
Continue reading “He saw us.”