A couple of days ago during my lunch break, I considered the topic of 'thanksgiving' and what it really, really means when we say 'thanks' with understanding. I know I tend to say the word 'thanks' out of habit and good manners but there is a lot more to saying 'thank you' than these two reasons of course.
Saying thanks to God is part of a cycle of our relationship with God without which the relationship would slowly.......
He Blew It Big Time!!!
How many times have we been given a second chance and blown it, just like that?
A chance to forgive, a chance to say hello, a chance to smile, a chance to give perhaps?
There was a certain King who blew his second chance. You see God saw into his future and told him to put his house in order. Just like the patriarchs, Jacob, David, Moses...all had a chance to hand over in the true sense before departing.
The Rusty Can Opener
God loves passenger planes…….bon voyage……safe journey!!!
I prayed to God to take away my fear of flying and the answer came from Jeremiah 9:2. I was pleasantly surprised. You do love travellers I exclaimed with happy relief, hence You watch over them…even in the skies. My fear of flying was gone. Weeks later safely on solid ground I remembered the trip and how I had felt safe and secure during the flight for the first time ever.
I then thought about air planes and why He was interested in them. I realised the following points:
Bolton Wanderers vs Blackpool
It was on BBC 2 yesterday night, 2 players left of the 1953 FA cup final called the Matthews final. The stadium full of people whom would have died by now….most of them I thought glumly. The two players had been invited to the stadium where the match was played in 1953 where they had played aged just 23. Now in 2015 they were 85 and the only surviving players of that unforgettable match.
Alien approaching….flock retreat …Shepherd approaching flock regroup…!!!!!
Moses protected the seven daughters of Jethro and helped them to draw water and watered the flock, David saved the sheep from the lion and bear, Abel was a keeper of sheep, Jacob aka Israel was a savvy shepherd…and so on……….
I’ve often wondered why God loves shepherds so much that He uses them frequently to describe his intentions towards mankind.
A couple of days ago I walked past a public flower plant box in North London and stopped to marvel at the beautiful spring flowers that had sprung up. They were too pretty to ignore and before I knew it I had yanked out my camera from my bag and began to take photos of the dainty little flowers. They were so pretty, white and purple petals in a lush leafy green background.
I went grocery shopping last week at a Super Sainsbury's superstore and resolved not to buy any new clothes beforehand. But alas I found myself drawn not surprisingly to the womens clothing section, I told myself, there might be a few bargains in the sales section that would be beneficial.....its a mind trick that tends to disarm my resolve in this area. Sometimes I do get a bargain but oft times not.
This is part 2 of 'prayer is not for wimps'. We read in part 1 about how the seeming lack of discernment on Abners part led to his untimely demise. Mighty warrior though he was, he never really stood a chance against his hidden foe Joab.
Now lets turn to another mighty man well trained in the art of battle like Abner. He however depended on prayer like no other. In fact he realised his very life depended on it. Let me introduce to you King David. You may have already guessed.
‘How are the mighty fallen’ exclaimed the sweet psalmist of Israel when God forsaken King Saul and his wise son Jonathan died in battle. ‘How are the mighty fallen’ lamented David sorrowfully. 2 Sam 1:19-27