Today is Wednesday, June 13th, 2012; Karen's Korner #2338

Max Lucado is easy to read and easy to understand; a couple of his recent email thoughts:
 

Don’t Quit

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4”

Whatever you do, don’t quit!  The Christian race isn’t a jog—it’s a demanding and grueling, sometimes agonizing race. 

God never promises to remove us from our struggles.  He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them. 

The apostle Paul dedicates a paragraph to listing trash bags:  trash bags of troubles, problems, sufferings, hunger, nakedness, danger, and violent death.  These are the very dumpsters of difficulty we hope to escape.  Paul states their value.  He said in Romans 8:37, “In all these things we have full victory through God.” 

We’d prefer another preposition!  We’d opt for “apart from all these things,” or “away from all these things,” or even “without all these things!”  But Paul says, “In all these things.” 

The solution is not to avoid trouble but to change the way we see our troubles.  God can correct your vision!

 

**

Finishing the Race

The Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

Derek Redmond was favored to win the 400 meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.  Halfway into his semi-final heat, he suffered a torn hamstring.  Even as the medical team was approaching, he pushed away to finish the race.  A big man pushed through the crowd.

“You don’t have to do this,” he told his weeping son.
“Yes, I do.”  Derek declared.
“Well, then,” he said, “we’re going to finish this together.”

And they did!  His dad wrapped Derek’s arm around his shoulder and helped him hobble to the finish line.  What made him do it?  His son was hurt so the father came to help him finish. 

God does the same. Our attempts may be feeble.  Our prayers may seem awkward.  But And He comes to help us finish the race!

 

***

 


Back