The Key to Life

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

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Monday, April 21, 2014

Nothing

The following is an excerpt from my new book, 52 Days of Grace, available now on Amazon.



Nothing

“As it is written:  ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’   He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.”  (Romans 4:17)

I recently was reminiscing about my 25th High School Reunion.  These events can be quite interesting and revealing.  There are those expected outcomes like the yearbook editor who works as a successful reporter, or the good student and popular quarterback who now thrives as a dentist and politician.  But then there are the surprises, like the class clown and “D” student who prospers as a chiropractor or the shy wall flower who became a vocal advocate for battered women.  These are unexpected developments.
This is how God likes to work.  He chooses the foolish, weak and lowly things of this world to shame the wise, strong and lofty.  Why does He do this?  To build up our “self-confidence” or give us a sense of purpose for our otherwise dreary lives?  No!  He operates in this backward fashion so that none of us can boast before Him. (I Corinthians 1:27-29)  He pours the richness of His Spirit into our fragile forms in order to make us humble and to ensure that He gets all the honor and glory.  It’s so easy for us humans to get too big for our britches.  We enjoy a success and then tend to drift toward thoughts of self-congratulations.
The reality is, however, that God can use even stones to praise Him! (Luke 19:40)  God doesn’t need us or our qualifications or gifts to bring praise and glory to Himself: He can just as easily use a rock.

“Until a man is nothing, God can make
nothing out of him.”…Martin Luther



When do you assume that you must be someone important in order to be used by God?

How do you resist the work of God in your life because you can’t get over yourself?



Heavenly Father,
Thank You for choosing me because of Your great love for me; nothing more.  May my life bring honor and glory to You as I commit myself into Your hands.  Help me to always remember and appreciate how You are in the business of taking nothing and making it into something.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen


If you'd like to read more, follow this link to find out how to order a copy for yourself.  May God be glorified!


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