by George | Apr 9, 2022 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Abraham: Satisfied With Life
“Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.”
Genesis 25:8
No regrets…. That’s what we want.
When we come to the end of our days, we hope to have no regrets.
Like Abraham, we want to be “satisfied with life.”
Abraham died a rich man, but I don’t think that’s what satisfied him.
Even though Abraham had wealth, he dwelled in tents.
“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;”
Hebrews 11:9
Abraham died before God fulfilled His promise to give him the land. That didn’t bother him. He knew God would keep His word. After all, he waited until he was over 100 years old before God gave him his first child.
So what was Abraham’s secret to being satisfied with life?
It was his faith!
“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
Hebrews 11:8
It was a faith that was so strong that he was ok with the unknown. He went “not knowing where he was going.”
Abraham’s walk with God was so close that he was called a “friend of God.”
James 2:23 says:
“And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God and it wasaccounted to him for righteousness.’And he was called the friend of God. “
Isaiah 41:8
“ But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.”
Abraham worshipped God, hearing His voice, and setting up altars as he traveled.
“The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants, I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.”
Genesis 12:7
Frank Sinatra famously sang “I did it my way.”
I don’t think Abraham would have sang or said that. Rather, he could say: “I did it God’s way.”
by George | Apr 6, 2022 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Endurance
“We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”
James 5:11
The news reported yesterday that a lost ship had been found. It had been missing 106 years!
NPR explains:
“An expedition that set out in search of the lost ship of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton has found it — 106 years after the vessel sank off Antarctica.”
The amount of time it has been missing amazes us, but even more amazing is the fact that it pretty much is intact!
“Mensun Bound, a maritime archaeologist and the director of exploration on the expedition, called Endurance22 said:
“This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck I have ever seen. It is upright, well proud of the seabed, intact and in a brilliant state of preservation. You can even see ‘Endurance’ arced across the stern,” Bound said.”
The ship Endurance ENDURED the deep waters and the sands of time…
As Christians, we need endurance. The writer of Hebrews explains:
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
I’ve heard it said that life is a marathon and not a sprint. We run in the strength and encouragement of the Lord.
Sometimes when things get tough, we want to give up.
Endurance helps keep us moving forward.
Job and our Lord Jesus are great examples:
“We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” James 5:11
Job endured suffering, didn’t lose faith, and came out victorious.
Jesus kept His eye on the goal as He endured the cross:
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
As we run this race, let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, the ultimate example of endurance!
by George | Apr 2, 2022 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Changes
“Of old, You founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure, And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing, You will change them and they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.”
Psalms 102:25-27
Yesterday afternoon I visited a patient in an assisted living facility. A good friend of mine was the nursing supervisor there for many years. She doesn’t work there anymore. When I finished the visit, I went upstairs to the nursing supervisor’s office to document my visit.
The door was open, and the new supervisor was cleaning the office. Several bags were on a cart, presumably to take somewhere or be disposed of.
I spoke with the new supervisor. She’s really nice, but she’s not my friend.
In time I will get used to this, but it will take time.
My point in all this is to say what we all know: Life is filled with changes, and we have to adjust.
However, I’m very thankful that God never changes! We can depend on Him. We can be confident in prayer, knowing that every good gift comes from Him.
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
James 1:17
We can be confident in His presence in our lives, even in the midst of trouble.
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
Psalms 46:1
Because of these promises, I can go forward, as life
changes all around me.
