A Good Cleaning by D. Andrews
Today's devotional is by my friend D. Andrews...
Good Morning Ladies (and few gents),
Today’s devotion included below “It’s Time For a Good Cleaning” is a reminder from GiG Gwen that, “Even if we confess our sins daily, I think we can still encounter residual buildup of un-holiness.
While it’s true that the Lord forgives and forgets our confessed sins completely, we need to be careful…God wants you and me to cast aside everything that keeps us from Him.”
GiG, I can so relate to what Gwen is talking about. For nearly two decades, I worked in dentistry. I was a U.S. Navy trained dental assistant for a short time and then had the privilege of being selected to attend college to earn my degree in dental hygiene. As a board certified, registered dental hygienist (RDH), I truly enjoyed my job. It was so rewarding to see a sailor or marine sit in my chair often embarrassed by their oral hygiene and then see the expression on that person’s face after I finished my work. Some just needed help, guidance, direction to know what to do to maintain their oral health and appearance; others on the other hand, knew what to do but either got distracted by job demands or something else. Then there was that one percent whom just didn’t care enough to keep up the necessary regular preventive measures. In some I could size up easily and knew my efforts wouldn’t last long and the individual would be back again in one year often looking like she or he hadn’t had anything done in years. OUCH! Even believing that would be the case; I did my best both in the cleaning process and the explanation of why prevention was important.
Just like there’s some who have difficulty holding on to a beautiful dental smile, there are some who have difficulty holding on to the assurance that Jesus loves them when life serves up lemons.
“5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” Psalms 37:5-7
GiG, Job was a man who certainly knew trouble and temptation, and yet he boldly claimed, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15). Now, that’s commitment. Remember, Job had lost his children, his fortune, and his health, but he refused to abandon faith in God.
I’ve been through enough in life to know holding on isn’t always easy, but I’ve held on long enough and seen God’s outstretched hand time and time again to know there’s insanity in living life any other way. Hence the story told to me last week by my neighbor, who is a Christian, that a mutual acquaintance from my son’s days in youth football was having his own “Job experience.” This man was experiencing poor health, hospital stays, and while in the hospital his wife sold off everything and landed in a mental hospital. These were just a few of his struggles she shared while asking for advice. His struggles have driven him into the arms of Jesus. This guy is now attending her church faithfully. Yup, Job, a stricken man, was determined to hold on because he trusted the Lord to do right. This acquaintance is determined now also to hold on to the Lord now that he’s “tasted and seen that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2;3).
GiG, do we have unwavering commitment to trust the Lord in all situations? Answering yes is a cornerstone of unshakable faith. Oh, but the sad truth is none of us are shielded from distraction. Life circumstances, both good and bad, may cause us to become distracted, even briefly by our emotions. I like the way Dr. Stanley cautions us, “Unfortunately when that is the case, when life is good, we're happy; when times are tough, we're frustrated; and when hardship pours in, we're downright miserable and looking for a way of escape.”
Fortunately for us, we have the Holy Bible, which reveals God's nature and promises. For His Word tells us that our Father is always good, always just, always faithful, and always trustworthy. Amen!
May we be encouraged as wise believers to claim God’s promises when enduring hardship. Yup, lay claim to His promises. Concentrate on honoring Him and following in His way. When we do we’ll find a consistent peace that carries us through both plenty and poverty.
God’s Got It…so have FAITH—When we allow God to lead us through a trial; we get to see Him for ourselves.
Have a “Will Never” Wednesday, August 22, 2018—He’ll never leave us nor forsake us (Heb.13:5), commit to trust and follow Him all of your days.
Called to serve and encouraging others to thrive,
DEA
Check out today's Coffee and Conversations: The Set UP https://youtu.be/mi-QLQzkVVE
