When a hailstorm leaves drifts of tiny balls of ice, I love to watch and see how long it will take for those piles of hail to melt. If it’s going to hail, we hope it’s only pea-sized hail and not softball sized.
You probably remember from science class how hail is formed. Turbulent winds high in the atmosphere toss beads of moisture up and down, and up and down again. The extremely cold air of the upper atmosphere freezes the tiny droplet of water. It starts to fall toward earth and picks up more moisture along the way, only to be tossed back up into the freezing air again. Over and over this happens, each time the droplet adds another layer of ice, until finally it plummets to the earth. Life is a lot like those hailstorms. The storms of life toss us up and down, over and over again. No one, it seems, escapes entirely without a few storms. Storms can, however, serve to build strength into our lives. Just as a hailstone grows larger and larger with each toss of the wind, we can grow stronger and stronger through the experience of life’s storms. The Bible says to “consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). Be encouraged today to turn to the Master of the storm in the midst of your adversities. He will help you through it and make you stronger because of it. May God keep you safe in the shelter of his loving arms. I am not a plumber—and that’s okay! Every time I try to fix a plumbing leak, I make it worse! Plumbing is not my thing. There are some things I do quite well, but other things I just don’t have what it takes. So when my faucet is leaking, I call someone who really knows how to fix it. The Bible tells us that all of us have unique gifts and abilities that benefit those around us. None of us can be an expert at everything. Even if we could, when would we have the time to do everything?
There is always going to be a task that we are best off to leave to someone else. On the other hand, each of us has a skill or talent that others need as well. Every person is needed and valuable in God’s economy. The Bible refers to us as a body, with each of us being a different part of the body. The arm, for example, is not the entire body, but the body is not complete without it. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body.” This description, from I Corinthians 12:14, helps us grasp the value of each human being. We all have a purpose. Just as the body can do more when each part is healthy and being cared for, so each of us can function at our best individually only when those around us are healthy and being looked after. When we help a person in need, we really are helping ourselves, because we are all part of the same body. Take care of yourself today. Someone is depending on what you have to offer, especially if you’re a plumber! “And now it’s time for today’s Top Ten List!” I used to stay up after the news just to hear David Letterman’s Top Ten List. Many writers and news outlets use them, but actually God had the first Top Ten List. They’re called the Ten Commandments!
These 10 commands were given by God to his people—not as cold, rigid restrictions, but actually as liberating laws of life. When viewed from a proper perspective, we learn that the commandments were given as guidelines to enjoy life, not keep us from having fun. They could be called “Top 10 Ways to Have a Successful Life”. The most important function of God’s Top Ten List is to help us understand our need of forgiveness and mercy. No one has been able to perfectly keep every command throughout his or her entire life. The Bible says if we have broken one item on the list, we’ve broken them all and therefore need forgiveness. Jesus came to set us free from the accusation of the commandments. He changed the commandments from being a taskmaster to Laws of Liberty! In fact, Jesus summed it up in Matthew 22:37-40 simply by saying, “Look, just do these two things:
That’s freedom! If I am living a life of love towards God and my neighbor, I’ll be enjoying God’s promises for those who keep his commands. Practice these secrets for a successful life and have an awesome day! |
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