The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, June 28, 2019

The Daily Lectionary

FRIDAY, June 28, 2019

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)

Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20

God’s Mighty Deeds Recalled
To the leader: according to Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A Psalm.
1  I cry aloud to God,
     aloud to God, that he may hear me.
2  In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
     in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
     my soul refuses to be comforted.

11 I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
     I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your work,
     and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
     What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
     you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
     the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.   Selah

16 When the waters saw you, O God,
     when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
     the very deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
     the skies thundered;
     your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
     your lightnings lit up the world;
     the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
     your path, through the mighty waters;
     yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
     by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

2 Kings 1:1-12

Elijah Denounces Ahaziah
1:1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.

2 Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay injured; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up, go to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Now therefore thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went.

5 The messengers returned to the king, who said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 They answered him, “There came a man to meet us, who said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him: Thus says the Lord: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but shall surely die.’” 7 He said to them, “What sort of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “A hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist.” He said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king’s order: Come down quickly!” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

Galatians 4:8-20

Paul Reproves the Galatians
4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. 9 Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? 10 You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. 11 I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted.

12 Friends, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong. 13 You know that it was because of a physical infirmity that I first announced the gospel to you; 14 though my condition put you to the test, you did not scorn or despise me, but welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What has become of the goodwill you felt? For I testify that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of them. 18 It is good to be made much of for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year C. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2019, we will be in Year A. The year which ended at Advent 2018 was Year B. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for FRIDAY, June 28, 2019

The Morning Prayer for FRIDAY, June 28, 2019

Friday morning prayer

Lord on this day I am aware of the troubles and darkness in our world. Please come and lead me in prayers for my community, my nation and the world. You are the light that shines in the bleakest times, let your Kingdom be built on earth. May those who suffer be comforted, may those who are at war search for peace, and may those who are in pain find healing.

Amen

Verse of the Day FRIDAY, June 28, 2019

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Read all of 2 Peter 3

Listen to 2 Peter 3


Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Friday, June 28, 2019

Déjate sorprender

Con amor eterno te he amado; por tanto, te prolongué mi misericordia.

~ Jeremías 31:3, RV-60

Si Dios es el Creador de mundo, si es el que nos creó, nos separó y escogió como sus hijos, nos dejó un libro lleno de promesas que hablan cosas maravillosas y positivas, no nos dejemos vender otras falsas ideas.

Cuanto más dudas de su poder, más difíciles se pueden volver tus situaciones.

Recuerda que esto de no temerles a las circunstancias no es de un día para otro. Se trata de un fruto que es producto de estar conectados con Dios. Entonces, poco a poco, aprendemos a confiar en Él, de manera que cuando lleguen los problemas, no tendremos miedo ni terror.

Por el contrario, sabremos que aunque la situación es fuerte, Dios es más poderoso que cualquier mala noticia o problema.

Dios es tu ayudador y te ama.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Cuanto más dudas de su poder, más difíciles se pueden volver tus situaciones.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Friday, June 28, 2019

PRISON PRAYER MIRACLE

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

~ Acts 12:5 (NIV)

Nadia was in a prison in the Middle East for some months because she was a believer from Muslim background. She told the prison officials that she would not give them any information about the people she knew or about her husband, only about herself. This led her to being placed in an isolation cell for four days. The cell was small and extremely cold. There was no toilet or washing facilities at all.

“At one point,” Nadia reported, “I was feeling very cold and found the whole experience tough. Suddenly though, I felt warm air blowing in my face. So warm, in fact, that when I breathed in and the air hit my lungs I had to cough.”

She had no idea where the warmth was coming from and at the same time she became very joyful. This sense of joy overwhelmed her so much that she began to dance in the cell. Yet, at the same time, she also felt confused. How could she feel warm and joyful in a cold prison cell, she asked herself?

“Then I heard a voice,” said Nadia. She emphasized that it wasn’t an internal voice but audible, “as if someone in the cell was saying, ‘That is because people are praying for you. This is the Spirit of happiness that has come upon you. Receive it.’”

Later on, after her release, Nadia shared her amazing experience in the cell with her sister. Asking when it had happened, Nadia’s sister mentioned the same exact day and time when thirty-two believers had met to pray for Nadia and another believer in prison. Two of the participants had been appointed to represent Nadia and the other Christian. The remaining thirty believers gathered around them to ask God to comfort them, to fill them with joy and send His Spirit of happiness upon them.” They were deeply encouraged to hear Nadia’s experience.

Pastor Gambo Boka from northern Nigeria was falsely accused and sentenced by the Islamic court to three years of imprisonment. When he was put in prison, together with five other falsely accused Christians, he said, “God has a purpose in all of this. My soul is at rest.”

Though he lost weight and became weak, his faith became increasingly strong. He shared the Gospel with many fellow prisoners, who were almost all Muslims. “I experience comfort in this terrible place.” said Gambo. “I know that God’s promises are true.”

The Islamic court gave Pastor Gambo thirty days to appeal. While members of Pastor Gambo’s church prayed, God performed a miracle. Gambo and the other five Christians were acquitted by an Islamic court because of a lack of evidence. “This is God’s grace,” said one of the church members. “Our prayers have been heard and my faith has been strengthened. God’s promises are so special!”

Pastor Gambo and the other five Christians left the court singing, thanking God for His intervention.

RESPONSE: Today I will remember that God’s promises are true and He still performs miracles.

PRAYER: Pray earnestly today for Christians around the world in prison for their faith.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

Men of the Bible - Friday, June 28, 2019

Naaman

His name means: "Pleasantness"

His work: Naaman was the commander of Syria's army.
His character: A brave man lauded for his military victories, his position would have guaranteed considerable respect in both Syria (known as Aram) and Israel. He would have been accustomed to getting his way, especially with social inferiors, which is what he may have considered Elisha and most everyone else in Israel. His no-nonsense approach made it difficult for him to follow Elisha's instructions.
His sorrow: Naaman suffered from leprosy, not the illness we call Hansen's Disease, but a skin disorder so serious that he left his country to seek healing in Israel.
His triumph: To have received not only the healing he asked for, but a relationship with the one true God.
Key Scriptures: 2 Kings 5; Luke 4:27

A Look at the Man

Naaman, a man whose success as a military commander placed him close to the king of Syria, was faced with a choice. Listen to his wife's servant girl, to the lowly messenger of a prophet, and to one of his own servants, and obey. Or return home with his dignity intact but without the healing he longed for. It wasn't an easy choice for a proud man to make. Give up your sense of how things should go, of how people should treat you, of how you should conduct yourself for the chance—not the certainty—of being healed.

Naaman nearly made the mistake of cherishing his pride at the cost of the miracle he desired. Yet something inside him asserted itself, some hope that perhaps the prophet's crazy instructions were not as crazy as they seemed. So he took a chance, deciding to let go of his own ideas of how his healing should be accomplished, deciding to let go of his own perceptions of how the universe should be ordered.

Naaman's obedience would have felt uncomfortable. How much easier it would have been to play it safe and do what came naturally—to nurse his anger and preserve his dignity. Instead, Naaman did exactly as he was told, and his obedience opened his heart to a greater miracle than the one for which he longed. Instead of a proud man, he became a humble one. Instead of a man incapable of knowing God, he became a man who knew and celebrated the fact that in all the earth there is only one God, the God who loved him and made him whole.

Reflect On: 2 Kings 5:15–17
Praise God: For offering salvation as a free gift to all.
Offer Thanks: For God’s gift of salvation to you.
Confess: Any tendency you may have to think that God cannot or will not work in the lives of certain individuals, groups, or nations.
Ask God: To give you a heart as loving as his for those who are far from him.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
Naaman, a man whose success as a military commander placed him close to the king of Syria, was faced with a choice.

Girlfriends in God - Friday, June 28, 2019

When You Don’t Want to Go Back to the Way You Were

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

~ Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

I just got my braces off…again.

I have had braces on my upper teeth three times. Count them. One. Two. Three.

As the orthodontist explained, “Teeth have a memory. They always want to go back to the way they were.”

As soon as he said those words, I felt convicted. I have a tendency to go back to the way I was.

We all do.

Karen (not her real name) admitted to single handedly destroying her marriage with passive aggressive coldness, destructive words, and disrespect of the worst kind. After her husband walked away from the marriage, she had a Holy Spirit moment and realized what she had done. Karen’s heart softened and she vowed never be that woman again.

She immersed herself in Bible study and began to pray for her ex-husband even though the marriage was over. Karen took on the beautiful holy glow of a woman who knew she was totally forgiven and completely loved by God. Miraculously, her ex-husband saw the change, and the marriage was restored!

However, after a few years, the destructive behavior began to creep back in.

A word here.

A cold shoulder there.

A retreating into self for weeks at a time.

Ten years after the miraculous restoration, the marriage crashed and burned.

“Teeth have a memory. They always want to go back to the way they were.”

Jesus saw this tendency to fall into old ways when He cleaned out the temple. In the beginning of his ministry, after his first miracle of turning the water into wine at the wedding of Cana, He traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

“In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle, he scattered the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market.’” (John 2:14-16 NIV)

Three years later, during his last week of life on earth, Jesus came upon the unholy mess again.

“Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers’” (Matthew 21:12-13 NIV).

How did the corruption happen the second time? I don’t think it happened all at once. After Jesus cleared out the temple initially, I suspect it stayed that way for a time. But one day, a moneychanger set up his table. Then another brought in a few birds, followed by a couple of sheep, and then here came a cow.

The next thing you know, the temple wasn’t any different than it was before Jesus cleared it out and cleaned it up three years earlier. In three years it had reverted back to an unholy mess.

And God whispers in my ear: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV).

Sometimes I am that messy temple.

Swept-clean sinful behavior, ungodly thoughts, and jump-off-the-cliff emotions are itching to creep back in at all times. It is up to me (and to you) to keep the temple clean.

Perhaps you’ve had a Holy Spirit moment at some point in your life—a moment that caused you to make a major lifestyle change.

But for the moment to maintain momentum, we need to be constantly aware of our tendency to revert…to go back to the way we were.

I am so thankful that Jesus went back to clean out the temple a second time. It lets me know that He will graciously return to my messy self again and again with broom in hand.

I don’t know about you, but I never want to go back to the way I was. If you’re willing to take a few moments and ask God if there is something you’ve allowed to creep back in, join me in praying Psalm 51 in the prayer below.

Then leave a comment and say, “I’m doing it today!”

Let’s Pray

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and restore a steadfast spirit within me.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Can you think of any behaviors or habits that you have committed to change in the past, but that have crept back into your life?

If so, today’s task is simple, but not easy. Renew your commitment to clean out the temple once again. Then cooperate with the Holy Spirit to keep your resolve. Remember, God’s mercies are new every morning.

More From the Girlfriends

Nothing keeps old habits from creeping back in like prayer. One of the ways I keep my marriage strong is by praying Scripture over my husband. In Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe, I map out sixteen landmarks to help you consistently and effectively cover your husband in powerful prayer. From his mind and the thoughts he thinks, to his feet and the path he takes. This resource will change your marriage and your man…and even you.

And now I’ve expanded my website to include The Praying Wives Club ™. Click on over and join a community of Prayer Warriors interceding for their marriages and their men!

Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
www.girlfriendsingod.com

I just got my braces off…again.

LHM Daily Devotions - A Few Words from David

"A Few Words from David"

Jun. 28, 2019

Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

~ Psalm 51:9-11 (ESV)

With Pentecost now just recently past, it seems a good time to reflect on that day in Jerusalem when Christ sent the Holy Spirit, the work of redemption having been gloriously accomplished by His death and resurrection.

As with the psalmist David, so must it ever be that we Christians penitently cry for the forgiveness of our sins, begging that guilt and punishment be removed. But we have another request, too: another most urgent need and requirement. We need the Holy Spirit. The sin of our own life and of countless generations past has done more than heap upon us guilt and punishment; it has ruined our will power; it has perverted our understanding; it has spoiled our character.

Our entire body, mind, and spirit—our heart and all its promptings—has through the power of sin become wayward, unstable, uncertain, fickle, undependable. Sin has mastered and enslaved us for so long that we cannot shake off its power and control. Though we form the best of intentions, though our resolutions be ever so solemn, we still find ourselves the prey of the evil that is all around us.

Our wayward heart drives us on from folly to folly, threatening to entangle us ever more hopelessly in an interminable mesh of wrongdoing. This sinful condition clouds our understanding of God's Word. It makes us doubt God's favor and, sadly, the unbelief of the world around us finds a ready echo in our hearts.

But Jesus is a Healer from sin and shame. He does not shrink back from our condition. He heals us all the way through. He restores us to health and vigor. He regenerates the heart and renews it. He not only forgives our sins, but He also gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thus David also prayed for forgiveness and a new heart in his great penitential psalm.

"Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God!" Heavenly Father, wash me in the blood of Your Son, Jesus. Heal my life of sin's deadly diseases, and make my heart beat with clean and holy desires for You.

"And renew a right spirit within me." Make it firm, steadfast on Your Word, and empowered to follow You. Make me unshakably sure of Your grace, and let me clearly see the truth so that I may abide by it, staunch and unflinching against any and every wrong.

"Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me." Without Your Spirit I would be the hopeless prey of my own flesh, of the world, and of the cunning deceits of Satan. With Your Spirit I can overcome all things.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, fill us with the love, joy, and light of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• Do you ever feel like you're working at far less than your true potential?
• Why would David feel dirty before God? What did he do?
• Is your heart clean before God? How is this so?

From The Lutheran Layman by a contributing writer. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you ever feel like you're working at far less than your true potential?

Devocional de la CPTLN del 28 de Junio de 2019 - Algunas palabras de David

ALIMENTO DIARIO

Algunas palabras de David

28 de Junio de 2019

No te fijes ya en mis pecados; más bien, borra todas mis maldades. Dios mío, ¡crea en mí un corazón limpio! ¡Renueva en mí un espíritu de rectitud! ¡No me despidas de tu presencia, ni quites de mí tu santo espíritu!

~ Salmo 51:9-11 (RVC)

Al igual que con el salmista David, así debe ser siempre que los cristianos lloremos penitentemente por el perdón de nuestros pecados, suplicando que la culpa y el castigo sean eliminados. Pero también tenemos otra necesidad y requisito más urgente: necesitamos al Espíritu Santo. El pecado de nuestra vida y de incontables generaciones pasadas ha hecho más que acumular culpabilidad y castigo; ha arruinado nuestra fuerza de voluntad; ha pervertido nuestra comprensión; ha arruinado nuestro carácter.

Por causa del pecado, todo nuestro cuerpo, mente y espíritu, nuestro corazón y todos sus impulsos se han vuelto caprichosos, inestables, inciertos, inconstantes y no confiables. El pecado nos ha dominado y esclavizado durante tanto tiempo, que no podemos deshacernos de su poder y control. Aunque tenemos las mejores intenciones y hacemos las más solemnes resoluciones, a menudo nos encontramos presos del mal que nos rodea.

Nuestro corazón descarriado nos impulsa de locura a locura, amenazando con enredarnos cada vez más desesperadamente en una interminable red de malas acciones. Esta condición pecaminosa nubla nuestra comprensión de la Palabra de Dios. Nos hace dudar del estado de gracia en el que estamos y, tristemente, la incredulidad del mundo que nos rodea encuentra un eco en nuestros corazones.

Pero Jesús es un sanador del pecado y la vergüenza. Él no retrocede ante nuestra condición, sino que nos sana completamente devolviéndonos la salud y el vigor y regenerando y renovando nuestro corazón. Él no solo perdona nuestros pecados, sino que también nos da el don del Espíritu Santo. Así, David también oró por el perdón y un nuevo corazón en su gran salmo penitencial.

"No te fijes ya en mis pecados; más bien, borra todas mis maldades. Dios mío, ¡crea en mí un corazón limpio! ¡Renueva en mí un espíritu de rectitud! ¡No me despidas de tu presencia, ni quites de mí tu santo espíritu!" Padre celestial, lávame con la sangre de tu Hijo Jesús. Sana mi vida de las enfermedades mortales del pecado y haz que mi corazón lata con deseos limpios y santos.

"¡Renueva en mí un espíritu de rectitud!" Hazlo firme, inalterable en tu Palabra y capacitado para seguirte. Hazme inquebrantable en tu gracia y permíteme ver claramente la verdad para que pueda cumplirla contra cualquier mal.

"¡No me despidas de tu presencia, ni quites de mí tu santo espíritu!" Sin tu Espíritu, sería la presa desesperada de mi propia carne, del mundo y de los astutos engaños de Satanás. Con tu Espíritu puedo vencer todas las cosas.

ORACIÓN: Padre celestial, llénanos con el amor, la alegría y la luz de tu Espíritu Santo. Amén.

The Lutheran Layman

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Qué motivos tenía David para sentirse sucio delante Dios?
• ¿Cómo está tu corazón delante de Dios?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
¿Qué motivos tenía David para sentirse sucio delante Dios?

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày - Sự Điều Hướng Của Chúa

Sự Điều Hướng Của Chúa

Đọc: Công vụ 16:6-10 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Gióp 11-13; Công vụ 9:1-21

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Khi đến gần My-si-a, họ cố gắng vào xứ Bi-thi-ni, nhưng Thánh Linh của Đức Chúa Jêsus không cho phép. Công vụ 16:7

Có thể chúng ta sẽ cảm thấy khó chịu khi cơ hội bị ngăn trở hoặc trì hoãn, đặc biệt khi chúng ta cảm thấy Chúa đã mở cửa để chúng ta phục vụ người khác. Lúc mới bắt đầu chức vụ, tôi có hai cơ hội phục vụ mà tôi nghĩ là ân tứ và kỹ năng của mình sẽ đáp ứng được nhu cầu của hội thánh, nhưng cả hai cánh cửa đó cuối cùng đóng lại. Sau hai lần thất vọng, tôi có cơ hội trong một vị trí khác, và tôi được chọn. Tiếng gọi mục vụ đó đã mở ra 13 năm tôi làm công tác chăn bầy và chạm đến nhiều cuộc đời.

Hai lần trong Công vụ 16, Chúa đã thay đổi hướng đi của Phao-lô và bạn đồng hành. Đầu tiên, “Đức Thánh Linh ngăn trở họ truyền đạo tại A-si-a” (c.6). Sau đó, “Khi đến gần My-si-a, họ cố gắng vào xứ Bi-thi-ni, nhưng Thánh Linh của Đức Chúa Jêsus không cho phép” (c.7). Họ không biết, nhưng Chúa có những kế hoạch khác phù hợp cho công việc Ngài và tôi tớ của Ngài. Việc Chúa ngăn trở những kế hoạch trước đó khiến họ phải lắng nghe Ngài và tin cậy nơi sự dẫn dắt của Ngài (c.9-10).

Ai trong chúng ta không đau buồn về điều mà ban đầu chúng ta nghĩ là sự mất mát đau đớn? Chúng ta cảm thấy bị tổn thương khi không có công việc ổn định, khi mất đi cơ hội phục vụ, khi sự thuyên chuyển bị trục trặc. Dù có thể lúc đó chúng ta cảm thấy nặng nề, nhưng thời gian sẽ cho thấy rằng đó là sự điều hướng của Chúa để trong ân sủng, Ngài đưa chúng ta đến nơi Ngài muốn, và chúng ta sẽ biết ơn Ngài.

Bạn đã từng đau buồn về sự mất mát nào nhưng sau đó bạn lại biết ơn vì không có được điều mình ao ước? Hoàn cảnh đã giúp bạn củng cố niềm tin nơi Chúa thế nào?

Lạy Cha, con tôn ngợi Ngài vì trong sự khôn ngoan của Ngài, Ngài biết điều gì là tốt nhất cho cuộc đời con. Cảm ơn Ngài đã bảo vệ con trong sự điều hướng của Ngài.

bởi Arthur Jackson

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