My daughter was telling me about a young woman who she works with in a Christian bookstore.  My daughter informed me the young lady has been there long enough to start understanding the flow of the business.  In other words, what needs to be done in the store and when those task should be completed.

Instead she continues to ask a lot of questions on things she has been told many times how to do and when to do it.  She will approach my daughter and just interrupt even while my daughter is assisting a customer.  My daughter had become very frustrated with this individual, and even beginning to wonder how she got through the interview process.

My daughter said she was so frustrated she decided to pray about it.  After she had shared with God her frustrations she paused, and it was in that moment God gently spoke into my daughter’s spirit, and she heard God say, “I love her.”  My daughter said she wept, apologized to God for her attitude, and renewed in her mind to accept the young lady she works with as she is.  She determined to “love” her as God loves her.

Everyone was made in the image of God.  Everyone has value.  Sometimes it is hard to see this truth, but it is there.  You may have to dig deeper, get to know them better, but you will find their worth.  This kind of effort takes unconditional love, acceptance, and time.

My friend was expressing his concerns in an area of his life.  The way he was talking it became clear that he was limiting God and not even realizing it.  I said to my friend, “You are limiting God.  You are putting him in a box, and theoretically saying, “God, in my mind, you can only do so much.””  My friend smiled and said to me, “You should write that down.  That was good.”  I told him, “I don’t have to, because God has been telling me that as well.”  I said, “It is written down on my heart.”

It seems as if it is so easy for us to forget just how big God really is.  Just how mighty and awesome is his power.  In the way we think and talk to him we must make him feel like looking down at his name tag.  To see if it still says, “Hello, my name is: God” I think it is in those times God wants to review with us his resume.

“Am I not the one who created the heavens and the earth?  Am I not the one who said, “Let there be”, and there was?   Am I not the one who flooded the whole earth to cleans it of sin, and yet I provided salvation for the few who believed?  Am I not the one who divided the Red Sea and again provided salvation for my people?  I have made water come from a rock, walls fall, the earth stand still, defeated a giant with a stone, and little boy, shut the mouths of hungry lions, allowed my servants to walk through fire, and yet not get burn, again and again delivered the children of Israel from the hand of their enemy, raised the dead, healed the sick and the lame, and so much more, and yet if all of that wasn’t enough I am the one who gave my only Son to die on a cross and then raised him from the dead so that anyone can have salvation from eternal death!  Am I not also the one who can heal you, deliver you, provide for you, guide you, and keep you until the end?  Or did you think you were talking to a lesser god?”

We limit God, because our minds have limits.  For us there is only so much we can do, but not for God.  He has no limits.  Let him out of the box.  Give him the time and freedom to do a work in us, on us, for us, and hopefully through us.  Don’t be guilty of putting any kind of limits on God, especially a “time” limit.  Remember to stay focused on his name tag, for HE IS GOD!

While talking to a co-worker this last week she said she was most excited about “the day before” her last day of work.  I thought the phrase sounded odd until she explained.  “The day before my last day will be the greatest, because on that day I will know that “tomorrow” is my last day to get up and go to work.”

After our conversation I begin to think about those three words: “The day before”.  I seriously pondered what mine would be.  It wouldn’t be before my last day at work, but it would have to be the day before my last day on earth.  You see if I could know what my last day on earth would be then I would have the realization that the day before would be the last day I would have to fight the evil one, fight my flesh, and deal with people who have chosen not to accept Jesus Christ and live for Him.  You see those things make one weary.  I think that is why I will say and then hear, “I have fought the good fight of faith.  I have finished the race”, and Jesus tell me, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.” (2TI 4:7,  MAT. 25:32)

Of a similar thought, what would you do “the day before” if you knew?  If you knew that tomorrow you get that pink slip, or that positive blood test back, or you’re going to die, or a natural disaster was going to hit.  Who would you talk to?  What would be so important to you that you just had to take care of it…the day before?

Today could be the day before. For me, if my day before was before leaving earth, the day before I am fighting, but the day after I am truly living the way God intended all along.  Then I will be living life abundantly.  With no more sin, no more hurts, and no more tears.  I am looking forward to my day before!

This past Tuesday I went to one of my favorite little Mexican establishments only to be greeted by a large fluorescent green sign stuck on the outside of the door that read, “License Suspended”.  Not a good thing to see when you go there once a week to get lunch.  Most likely they were shut down for unsafe food handling.  What I was most upset about though is I was one punch away from receiving a “free” lunch! (See image of punch card.)

This got me to thinking.  If God did a surprised visit into my life would He declare me “unclean”?  If I had a license to be a Christian would He suspend it?  What would He write on His report?  Unsafe handling of thoughts?  Ignored those in need?  Quality of material coming in is below standard?

The truth is, God doesn’t have to do surprise inspections, but He is always watching everything going on at all times in my life.  I should always be living my life aware God is always watching everything coming into my life, and everything going out.  The reward of living this way would not be a free lunch, but a free eternity of life!

Today is the special day we celebrate, or reflect on our fathers.  I have one friend who just lost hers, and a couple of cousins that lost their father recently as well.  This will no doubt be a rough day for them.  I still have my father living although he is 697 miles away.  I will be talking to him via a phone conversation.  I have two kids who live 949 miles away, so no backyard BBQ with family today.  Although I do have a nice looking steak ready to grill!

I think back; have I honored my father by the way I have chosen to live my life?  Does he think about me and smile?  Does he laugh remembering that particularly funny thing I did or said?  Or have my past choices brought about pain, and disappointment?  Most likely some of both.

Then I think about my heavenly Father.  Have I honored him? Do I honor Him?  Do my life choices bless Him?  Do I make Him smile when I get it right?  I had to make a hard life choice just the other day.  After I made the right choice I looked up and asked Him, “Are you happy, because I’m not!”  By the next morning I knew in my heart I had made the right choice, and I quickly apologized for smarting off to God.  I know He understood, because He no doubt saw the pain in my heart.  God and I are good again.     Although I am not always 100% faithful to Him, He is always 100% there for me.  Last night at church they showed a picture of a small child’s hand in the grip of their father’s hand.  The photo made me think of my hand in God’s.  It is so comforting to know that despite my actions He never lets go.  Happy Heavenly Father’s Day God!  I’m glad you are 0 miles away.