You listen as they describe their current pain, despair, nightmare of a life. They go on and on without the slightest glimmer of hope on their face, or in their voice. They want relief, they want out, they want something so different then what they have. Like a blind man looking for his glasses, their searching is in vain.
You’ve heard it before, from them and from others you care so much about. Will this be the time they listen to you? Have they reached the end of their rope? Have they had enough? Maybe, maybe this will be the time they here you share the life they could have if they would only accept the free gift of Jesus Christ. How His death provides life. How His taking on the whole worlds sin and sorrow deliveres eternal joy, happiness, and peace, if we just say, “Yes” to His offer.
It hurts, when we hear them say, “Thanks, but it’s not for me.” It doesn’t make sense. It’s hard for us to understand. Irwin McManis put it like this, “People would rather live a bad life “they” purchased, than a great life that is free.”
Keep praying and trusting God for those you care about.
Copyright © 2017 Mark Brady, All rights reserved
Our founding fathers didn’t declare this, but congress did in 1956. They could have declared a lot of things when they were deciding what to inscribe on our currency. Something that would be used around the world. I’m sure after a lot of thought, it became obvious, the only thing to say was who they trusted in. Those men knew God and His word. After all, men came to this land for the “pursuit of religious freedom.” It just makes cents!
I have an earthly mother. (Pictured to the left with my granddaughter) I learned a lot from her. Like the joy of going barefoot. To appreciate a good movie. How to smile when you let someone have what they want over what you want. Today is the day to honor mothers. For some, that can be very difficult. Perhaps their mother didn’t exhibit the perfect love God intended. There could be lots of reasons for this, but maybe their mother did the best she could, considering who she was, at that time. Who knows what she was really going through then. Possibly they were hurt, angry, or even disappointed about the cards life had dealt her.
If I was to call you right now, and started speaking without first telling you who I was, you wouldn’t know it was me. I would start talking and you would say, “Who is this?” but the more often we talked, you would become familiar with the sound of my voice. The same goes for learning what it sounds like when God speaks to you. Joh 10:27 My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. (MSG), and we are God’s sheep.
brady, mark a. 