The Reason You Were Born!

The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. — Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV
We have all had our hearts broken by someone who did not choose us, or by someone who rejected our offer to love that would have brought the fulfillment of a relationship. Some of us have even said under our breath. “It’s your loss. I would have been good for you. We could have had a great life together, but . . . oh, well.”
God never says, “Oh, well.” He is relentless in his love pursuit of us while at the same time honoring our right to say, “No. I’m not interested.”
How blessed we are that, in the cocooning security of God’s choice to love us, we also have his promise to never abandon us. He will not desert us; He will never choose against us. No human being in our lives can make such a declaration of steadfast love. Only God can; only God does. Let’s remember yet again Isaiah 41:9, which promises, “I have chosen you and will not throw you away.”
My prayer for you is that you choose to accept the very reason for which you were born and that you rest in your place of one whom God will never abandon . . . never throw away.
~Marylin Meberg

SHINE

This past weekend I was privileged to attend yet another amazing and spiritually revitalizing church retreat. Some of the NHBC family were at Fort Myers Beach for a weekend of getting close to God and reflecting on His word. The retreat's theme was "Shine" and how we as believers need to shine for Jesus so that others can see His light in us.

God gives us many opportunities to shine and this morning I missed an opportunity to shine. Sometimes we can get caught up in the regular monotony that is our work week and let our lights dim. I was in traffic driving down the same street I have been taking for the past four years to go to work and while sitting at a stop light I was startled by a person in my window. It was an older man at my passenger window which was open and he reached in with one hand palmed and asked for money. I reacted by waving him off and saying "I am sorry". He replied "Man, I have nothing." and walked off to the next car. In my mind I thought to myself, I work two jobs, I practically bust by back to get what I have.

I don't know his situation or what happened to put him in his current state. What I now know I should have said was; "You have Jesus, and the best thing is you don't have to beg for it and it doesn't even cost anything" "All you have to do is let him in to your heart." The Christian in me would have had me give him the plan of salvation at that moment. My opportunity to shine for Him to this one person missed. I know that things happen for a reason and because of this encounter I am writing this blog which I have not had the inspiration to write in a long time. Also because I missed my moment to shine this morning God gave me second opportunity and I was able to give the plan of salvation to my Aunt who is going through a difficult time. Glory be to God.

Sailors use the light from a lighthouse to steer them clear of obstacles and the rocky coast during the night and in stormy weather. Airplanes use beacons of light to help them arrive to their destination and land safely. Automobiles use headlights to drive in the night and in fog so that their occupants can reach the destination without incident. Many people use us as their "light" to guide them even when we ourselves are not shining as bright as we could. You wouldn't go driving in your car at night if your headlights weren't working. An airport would shut down if they had no runway lights to guide the planes. A lighthouse keeper lives in the lighthouse to make sure that the light is working and brightly shining all the time. God is entrusting His light in us, we are the lighthouse keepers of our spiritual walk and it is important that we never let that light go out for the sake of those who are seeking it.

Ground Hog Day and Signs in Your Life

Today, February 2, is Groundhog Day. As you probably know, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow in the morning, the prediction is there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, spring is on the way.

And why is it that a 20-pound critter who spent the last few months in hibernation can supposedly forecast the weather? That whole “sunny skies equals bad weather to come” thing is a tradition dating back to early European Christians and the legend of Candlemas Day. Early Pennsylvania settlers figured the groundhog, a “most intelligent and sensible animal” would have the brains to head back indoors if he saw his shadow. (Hey, no one claimed it was a scientific method.)

According to the “Official Website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club,” Groundhog Day began in the 1800s and Phil has been looking for his shadow ever since. How about you? Do you begin your morning peering out of your ‘burrow,’ looking for a sign to tell you what kind of day it will be? Or do you start each day in the knowledge that God already knows your personal forecast and will always be with you (on stormy and sunny days alike!)? Happy Groundhog Day!