But God Knows

But God Knows

“But He knows the way that I take. When He has tried me, I will come out as gold.” Job 23:11

I hate losing things, especially something valuable or irreplaceable. I have carried a picture of my wife in my wallet for over 40 years. It is her senior picture. The edges are well-worn, but the beauty in that photo never fades. Several years ago we made a road trip from North Dakota to New York State to visit our son and daughter-in-law who were attending university at Binghamton. Within a day of arriving I could not find my wallet anywhere. I won’t go into details, but we scoured the car, our clothes and everywhere we could think, and found nothing.

The Eternal Value of Love

The Eternal Value of Love

“The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever.” 1 John 2:17

My first car is certainly recycled by now, its rusting exterior either melted and used elsewhere or degrading at the bottom of a landfill. Perhaps the rubber from the tires are now part of the asphalt I travel on with my new vehicle. That 1967 Volkswagen van was decorated with tie-dyed curtains and the spare tire cover was painted with an alpine scene. Since then I have gone through at least a dozen vehicles.

Mindful of Mercy

Mindful of Mercy

“The Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy. His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.” Luke 1:49, 50

If we listen carefully to Mary’s beautiful song the Magnificat, we may hear the foreshadowing of Jesus’ words about His reason for coming. Mary sings of proud hearts scattered, thrones toppled and the lowly exalted. Her song envisions the hungry satisfied with good things and the rich sent away empty. At the conclusion of her Prophetic refrain, she say, “He has helped His servant Israel, mindful of His mercy,…” (Luke 1:46-55)