Thought for the day
A husband and wife were driving down a country lane on their way to visit some friends. They came to a muddy patch in the road and the car became bogged. After a few minutes of trying to get the car out by themselves, they saw a young farmer coming down the lane, driving a tractor. He stopped when he saw the couple in trouble and offered to pull the car out of the mud for $50.
The couple accepted and minutes later the car was free. The farmer turned to the husband and said, "You know, you're the tenth car I've helped out of the mud today." The husband looks around at the fields incredulously and asks the farmer, "When do you have time to plow your land? At night?"
"No," the young farmer replied seriously, "Night is when I put the water in the hole.
"There are some people who are always available to help solve problems, and there are others who spend their time making life more difficult for others (and sometimes the same person can do both!). The New Testament is filled with warnings, though, about being a "stumbling block" to others, especially to children and young Christians.
"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matthew 18:6-7)
May your day be filled with opportunities to help others in need. But don't be adding any water to the mud hole!
Verses
Matthew 17:20
And He says to them, "On account of your deficient faith; for in truth I tell you, if you should have faith no greater than a grain of mustard, you will say to this mountain, 'Remove from hence yonder,' and it will remove; and nothing will be impossible for you."
Genesis 20:17
So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maidservants. Then they bore children;
Galatians 6:7
Do not be fooled. You cannot fool God. A man will get back whatever he plants!
John 14:13
Whatever you ask the Father in my name, I will do -- that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Prayer
Father, even as You spoke to the prophets of long ago You still speak to the hearts of Your people. You’ve called us out from among the world to stand for righteousness in a godless society. You will not be silenced in a world full of noisy gongs and clanging symbols. As we contemplate the Christmas story we think of young Mary who heard Your special message through the angel. She is a prime example of one whose yielded heart withstood the ridicule and awkwardness of her special role in the conception and birth of the Savior of the world. You continue to speak to us who choose to fear the law of God rather than the law of man. Help us to turn our ears away from worthless noisy gongs and turn our hearts toward Emmanuel, God with us.
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