“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
Joel Osteen recently gave a message that centered upon the ‘garbage in – garbage out’ philosophy. If we are spending the majority of our time watching that big flat screen or our phones; we are spending less time in His Word. If we are spending more time feeding our bodies at the all-you-can eat counter we are probably taking away precious hours from our life of serving our Heavenly Father.
The girl in the attached photo attends school in Gonaives and she has a cloth next to her face, not to wipe away tears of boredom as she listens to my devotion but to wipe away perspiration on this typically hot early afternoon in March. Her idle time is not spent in front of a television at home but is spent studying her homework because that is what is most important to her. Her meal comes because of somebody just like you who has spent a quarter on her life so she could eat a meal of beans and rice for lunch. Please take time today to consider how our Heavenly Father is either using your life today or is nudging you to go in one of His directions instead of the ways of this world. Helen Lemmel wrote the words to the tune ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus’ in 1922 and seemed like an appropriate way to close the devotion today.
“O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; o’er us sin no more hath dominion for more than conqu’rors we are! His Word shall not fail you He promised; believe Him, and all will be well: then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay