REGRET

Recently we bought a new bottle of aspirin. Without thinking, I threw the old empty bottle away. It was a distinctive looking bottle, one which we had used for years and which was easy to spot in the medicine cabinet.

I was feeling some regret about my hasty action. I actually missed that old bottle.

A small thing, to be sure, but it pointed to a real emotion we humans experience - that of regret - feeling badly over a particular act we have done or word we have spoken.

What can we do with that horrible feeling of regret? First, we need to discover whether our action was sin or just thoughtlessness. (Sin is a deliberate, willful act contrary to God’s Word or command to us.)

Second, if our action or word was sin, we need to ask God’s forgiveness. (No, throwing the aspirin bottle away wasn’t sin, just thoughtlessness.)

Third, we may need to ask a person’s forgiveness if we have sinned against him or her.

Fourth, Jesus gives us the next step to take:

No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62

Heavenly Father, I ask forgiveness for any word or action which was displeasing to You. I place any regret for that into Your hands and ask that You bring about good, in spite of it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

TRUTHFULNESS

Have you ever known someone who puts up a false front for others? She always seems to be trying to impress people so that they will think more highly of her. She continually tells you how well she is doing spiritually, how well her husband is doing in his career, how well the children are doing in school. She only wishes it were so.

The good news is that God can see through any charade. He knows the real us - and loves us in spite of ourselves. So why not be up front and honest about who we really are? It is God’s opinion alone we should value.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being, therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Psalm 51:6

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You love me, knowing every detail. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

BELIEVING THE BEST

Have you ever Pigeon-Holed someone? Have you ever observed a friend’s behavior and then placed him in a Pigeon Hole, slamming the door shut, your opinion of them never to be revised?

Years ago - maybe 20 LONG years ago, a friend was chronically late. Time and again this friend exhibited an inability to be ready for anything on time. We placed our friend in a Pigeon Hole, expecting nothing but tardiness.

Years went by, distance separated us. Then our paths crossed again. As we interacted with our friend, we noticed that our Pigeon-Hole mentality was back. We expected tardiness and inconsistency from our friend, not allowing for God’s growth in his life.

Let’s keep our Pigeon Holes loosely constructed or nonexistent at all. Let’s allow God to work in a person's heart, be willing and able to see our friend as God now sees him, not with all the faults we remember.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. I Corinthians 13:7

Heavenly Father, please help me see people through Your eyes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

WILLINGNESS

Have you ever been faced with a task which you dreaded? That task could be as complicated as traveling to a far city for a week’s stay to participate in a family reunion. Or it could be as simple as finally getting around to cleaning out the oven. No matter what the task, you know the Lord is directing you to do it and do it you must.

What can you do, though, with that feeling of dread and distaste?

First, commit the situation (and your dread) into God’s hands.

Second, ask God to:
“Restore to me the joy of salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

If God calls us to do a task, let’s lift our feet and march forward - with the willingness He can instill within us.

Heavenly Father, Thank You that I don’t have to live my life in dread but in obedience to You and in willingness to please You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A TENDER CONSCIENCE

Have you ever felt just horrible about something you have done? Perhaps you spoke disrespectfully and sharply to your spouse. Or you disciplined your child in anger. Or you hurt a friend’s feelings by forgetting a birthday. Or you did something far worse . . . .

How thankful we can be that God has given us each a conscience which speaks loudly and clearly when we trespass His ways and laws. How thankful we should be when we have that uncomfortable feeling inside of us which prompts us to deal with an area of our life which displeases God. How thankful we should be when He prompts us to make things right.

May we honor that part of ourselves which is God-given for our benefit. May we listen to that small inner voice each moment throughout the day.

Blessed are those who have a tender conscience. Proverbs 27:14

Heavenly Father, please keep my spirit sensitive to You speaking through my conscience. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

STUDYING GOD

Many of us, in our school years, or even in our present days, commit ourselves to the study of various subjects: accounting, biology, music, psychology, art history, botany, business management. The list is endless. When, I wonder do we get around to studying that which is really important, that of eternal significance - theology.

I’m not talking about learning the correct order of the books of the Bible, the proper way to pronounce the hardest names mentioned in I Kings or memorizing the Sermon on the Mount. What I am talking about is the study of God Himself - finding out more of who He is, what His thoughts are, His purposes, His directions for us personally today. That kind of study will last a life time . . . and on into eternity.

Let’s get to know our Creator better. That would please Him immensely! (Hint: the scriptures are only one way to get to know God - let’s see if we can discover some other ways.)

Worthy art Thou, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou didst create all things and by Thy will they existed and were created. Revelation 4:11



Heavenly Father, I want to know You more and better....

AN INJURED PINKY

My daughter injured her pinky finger. As she was helping carry video equipment at work, her co-worker accidentally caught my daughter’s finger in a tripod he was moving. It hurt! A couple of days later the same co-worker lost his balance, smashing into that same finger, bruising it badly. Amazingly, that little finger’s injury affected all of our lives in the entire household.

Because of the splinted finger, my daughter was unable to do the simplest chores - like washing dishes. She was also unable to do some of the heavier farm chores she had committed herself to do to help friends. I found myself doing my own tasks and picking up the slack from her chores, too. I was glad to help out, knowing that she would rather have been “doing” instead of healing, but I noticed the strain as more work was added to my already busy schedule.

The Body of Christ, like in a family, works together to get God’s work accomplished according to His direction. When one of us has an “injured pinky” in the form of an unwilling attitude, being “bummed out” that particular day, being unavailable to the Lord’s directives or being burned out from busyness, others in the Body of Christ must pick up the slack if God’s purposes are to be fulfilled.

Let’s realize that we have an important part to play in God’s work. Let’s each do our share. Sometimes we may have an “injured pinky” which can’t be helped, but when we are able, let’s work together to get the job done.

. . . none of us liveth to himself. Romans 14:7

Heavenly Father, thank You that You expect me to work and that I can be of help to my sisters and brothers in the Lord as I obey You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.