For This Child I Prayed

This week has been a celebration of life, first with Carolina Pregnancy Banquet and Brian Ivey's Drop Box, then on Saturday, a family baby shower. Rarely do families get together anymore unless someone dies. It was such a pleasure to gather with family to celebrate life. My cousin comes from a large family. Several of her siblings have large families, too.  She has waited for a long time for her first child. Finally her time has come. It was so sweet to see her sister doting over her. Several people brought handmade caps and a blanket. Love and joy overflowed.

I can only imagine the love and joy that overflowed when Hannah told Eli, “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:” (I Samuel 1:27).  Hannah gave Samuel back to the Lord after Samuel was weaned. The Lord blessed her with three more sons and two daughters because she lent Samuel to the Lord as she promised. For Hannah, children were her first priority.  In Malachi 2:15 the question is asked "And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring."(NIV)

In our busy lives, let us not forget to pray in thanksgiving for our children. Let us pray about how to prepare them to be Godly men and women.  Prayers for our children should begin long before they are ever conceived and continue still to this day.

Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me , and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14 KJV) 

Heavenly Father, help us to ever bring our children before Your throne, that they may serve You all the days of their lives. In Christ Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Blessings for you and your children,
 
Gail

Preparing to Worship

Monday Readings:
      Exodus 26:14 The Israelites were receiving instructions as to how to put the tabernacle together. The covering for the tabernacle were to be a linen covering, a goat skin and then a covering of a ram skin dyed red and lastly a badger skin. Hmm. The goat skin to remind them of the scape goat who took their sins into the wilderness (Jesus took our sins as far as the east is from the west) and the ram skin died red. The blood sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary. The Hebrews couldn't miss seeing God's love and sacrifice in the tabernacle at every turn but often they did ignore and forget God's love.

Are we paying attention to the things Jesus wants us to see in our daily lives? Why not begin a list in your journal of the ways God is demonstrating Himself to you?

Father, thank you for placing things in our lives that demonstrate Your love and care for us every day. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tuesday Readings
     Exodus 27:20 The command was to bring pure olive oil, the first press, to burn in the lamp to cause it to burn always.
Jesus, the Light of the World will shine always. May we bring our best, be our best so others see Christ in us.

Father, may we always let our light shine before men that they may see our good work and glorify our Father in heaven. In Christ name. Amen.

Wednesday Readings
     Exodus 28:9-12, 15-21. The two onyx stones upon Aaron's shoulders bearing the names of the tribes if Israel and the stones on the breastplate, one for each tribe show us the burden Aaron was to carry for the Hebrews. God gave Israel visually for their understanding and for our understanding.

What burdens are you carrying on your heart? Why not write down the names of friends and love ones God is laying on your heart. Place it in a place you will see and remember to pray for them - on a mirror, or dresser, in your Bible, in a pocket, on a journal page, etc.

Father give us burdens for people that Your kingdom may come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Christ name. Amen.

Thursday Readings
      Exodus 29:13 The fat around the liver and kidneys were to be burned on the alter.

Animal fat has been rendered for centuries to use in soap making and candle making. This fat around the kidneys and liver contains the least meat. It is very white when rendered and also makes the best fats for cooking. It won't have a meaty smell. God requires purity. These fats burned on the alter melted down into the ashes. When the priests emptied the ashes, they then needed to wash off the ash. Soap at the time had not been invented but God was washing them in a way we can now see as lye soap. The lye from the ash, the fat from the alter and the water work together to create soap. God was purifying the priests without even their understanding. We really don't know how God purifies us when He forgives us and cleanses us from all sin. We just know He does.

Father, thank you for Your forgiveness and cleansing. I John 1:9. In Jesus name. Amen.

Friday Readings:
      Exodus 30:23-25 God gives directions for the anointing oil -myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia, and olive oil.

Mmmmm! It's that time of year when we love the comforting smell of cinnamon and spices in apple pies and pumpkin pies and all the other good autumn cooking. Just think how wonderful the tabernacle must have smelled. Oh how wonderful to come into His presence to worship and relax and forget about the world outside with all the wonderful smells within.

Father help us to be reminded of Your sweet and loving care when we smell the wonderful baking this season and may we come into Your presence with Thanksgiving. In Christ name. Amen.

Let us in on your family worship during this most thankful season by leaving a comment.

Blessings,

Gail

What's My Purpose?

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:4

I’ll admit it. I struggle with public worship. I like to sing and sit and listen but raising my hand, standing alone, and other forms of worship that make me noticeable also make this introvert uncomfortable. Then I think, haven’t I been given something, something very special. What’s should be the reply? “Thank you!” of course. God’s reply is  “You’re welcome.” Here the conversation begins. Fellowship begins.

When God created the heavens and the earth and all the plants, birds, fish, and animals, there was no one with whom He could fellowship. So God created man in His image, someone with feelings, thoughts, and most of all voice that could praise and fellowship with Him. God wanted someone who would give worship and with whom He could have fellowship. That was God’s purpose for man. Man was a reflection of God. He had body, mind and soul. I think, how thankful to be in a perfect garden with perfect weather, perfect food, and friendly animals. Adam and Eve could take a deep breath and enjoy talking with God about the wonderful, beautiful world he created just for mankind.

Man was created perfect for worship and fellowship. But when man made the choice to disobey, sin and death entered into the world. Adam and Eve broke fellowship with God. Man lost his purpose and he has been searching for it ever since. The problem is the world doesn’t want to admit we are out of fellowship with God. We keep searching for a purpose.

So how do we find purpose again? Take a mirror. Hold it where you see yourself. Now hold it where others can see a reflection of you. The purpose of the mirror, regardless of where you hold it, is to reflect whatever is in front of it. If we are in right fellowship our lives will reflect the image of Christ to the world. Thankfulness, praise and blessings will reflect His image to the world. It will also reflect back to God who will fellowship with us.

But how can we reflect? First we must realize that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Second we must turn to Him in repentance (a change of heart about our actions/sins) and ask forgiveness. God will always say “Yes.” That begins the conversation. How about a “Thank you, Lord”? How about praise and blessings. Worship then begins and the fellowship of a new life in Christ. We should now be a reflection to God and a reflection of God to the world.  

God sent me to an awesome conference this weekend. I praised and worshipped and learned with fellow believers. My prayer is that as I go into next week, I can reflect Christ to the world I will be in.

How’s your mirror working?  Are you entering into his gates with praise and into his courts with thanksgiving?

Won’t you let us know what God is doing in your life to help you fulfill your created purpose?

The Thanksgiving Miracle

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Psalms 105:1

You know that picture in our minds we all get of the Indian brave who walks into the Pilgrim village in the spring of 1621 to show the Pilgrims how to plant corn? Wasn’t his name Squanto? Or didn’t any one ever tell you about Squanto?

This Thanksgiving tale of the Indian who greeted the Pilgrims with an English “Welcome” and then taught them to plant corn and fish, always seemed to me to be just that – a tale, until I learned how God had brought it all about. A slave ship sailing along a shore, kidnapping young boys and taking them back to Spain. An entire tribe wiped out by disease. A lone man returning from Europe to find no one left. There’s far more to the truth than meets the eye here. God is always taking the evil man devises and turning it into good for those that love him.

In the Bible Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. They thought he probably died in Egypt until they went there to buy food. Who should they find to provide for them, but their own brother, in control of all the food of Egypt. Joseph’s brothers meant it for evil against Joseph, but God had used it for good.

In the same manner, the slave traders of Europe had meant it for evil against the Indians but God used it for good for the people who came seeking to worship him in a new land.

What can you find out about the first Thanksgiving? About Squanto? What can you tell this Thanksgiving about God’s goodness to you and to God’s people? Won’t you share God’s blessings with us, so that we too might rejoice with you in God’s blessings.

squanto