It was a tough night. Between hubby keeping me awake with tossing and turning, snoring, I was also kept awake my my own tossing and turning - and had a horrible nightmare. I don't want to recall the nightmare, and even prayed afterwards that God block my mind from remembering it, and He has. Whatever it was, I was totally scared to death. And when I finally slept some, I woke up with the song...
"All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been good, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing, of the goodness of God."
Over and over again those words keep running through my mind this morning and scenes flash through my mind of His faithfulness to me. Things which could have changed my life drastically. Scenes through which His hand protected me, when my stupidity and carelessness could have killed me or destroyed me. Oh how good God has been to me! How can I not sing of the goodness of God?! He has been so faithful to me!
It was a somewhat boring day at work yesterday as both bosses were at the corporate office most of the day in meetings. I had a few meetings to schedule and got that done. Mid afternoon I decided to do a course I had signed up for about 3 weeks ago. I hadn't started it yet. What course and where? Dallas Theological Seminary had posted on facebook, and has done so a few times lately, a free online course on different books of the Bible. I finally signed up for the book of James. It is a tough book to get through, but I love the book of James for it gives me great insight on how I am to live for Jesus.
James 1:2-4 (NIV): "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
The first four words is enough to confuse you! Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds? Why should we consider our trials and troubles - many brought on by ourselves - a joy? It's no fun to have trials. It's no fun to be tested. But when we look at it rightly, those trials and testings draw us closer to Jesus and He helps us see what to do. So, yes, we can consider it pure joy, when we see what we have learned from it. Where we can look back on our lives and see how we have matured beyond what we did at that time.
This first session I took on James was only on the first 4 verses of chapter 1. There is about a 45 minute video with it and it was interesting. It recommended a commentary by Charles Swindoll - and I love his books - so I ordered it and it should be here Sunday. I'm looking forward to reading what he says. We don't have any commentaries that I'm aware of. We have some study guides... but have never had commentaries. And, at this stage of our life, don't need them. Perhaps if I continue to take a few courses I can purchase a commentary (there are so many good ones out there!) to go with what I'm reading.
It felt good to be studying again, although it was because I didn't have anything for work to do. I had been putting off starting it... but now that I have, can't wait to start on the next one, which I already have in my emails. Oh, and I forgot to tell you - there was a six question test at the end of the session - and we had to submit the answers. Oh it has been a long time since I have taken a test! I changed my answers many times, I tell you, but I finally hit that submit button - and I got 100% on the test! Woot! That made me feel good and ready to take the next session.
There is much to learn from the book of James. Grab your Bible and take some time to read it. It's not that many chapters and they aren't that long. You can read it in one sitting if you set your mind to it.
So glad today is Friday and it's another not so busy day. I hope. With both bosses at Corporate yesterday, I may get hit even more today to schedule meetings! Oh well, it sometimes makes the time go by faster. Nothing is planned for tonight; hubby wanted to go out to dinner last night so we won't tonight.
Tomorrow morning we will have breakfast with my oldest son, and a gender reveal party for a granddaughter later in the afternoon. I am not sure what I will take as a gift. Thought about newborn diapers as they will always need them. It's got to be neutral since I don't know what the sex is of the baby yet. I have made several baby blankets I was going to donate to Needles of Hope, but have one that has both pink and blue in it so will perhaps wrap that one up. This little girl has no idea of what her life is going to be like once this baby arrives. I wish she had waited to grow up first. After this weekend, I plan to have her stay with us one weekend and I'll take her to Savers to pick up baby clothes. Newborn clothes are never worn out; they aren't in them long enough! Need to get some for the one up north too; at least I know that one is a boy.
Consider it pure joy.... what trials are you going through right now that you can not find any joy in it? Maybe we all need to step back from the trial and think about what we can learn from it. Will we learn enough not to get in that trial again? Will we mature and realize we need to put some things behind us? Think about it. Be joyful in what lessons you have learned.
Blessings!
No comments:
Post a Comment