Thought for the day
Here is a collection of humorous headlines, some of which you may have seen before and some of which may be new to you:
* Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Experts Say
* Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
* Red Tape Holds up New Bridges
* Two Sisters Reunited After 18 Years in Checkout Counter
* Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures (duh!)* Man Struck by Lightning Faces Battery Charge
* New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group* Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case
* Include Your Children When Baking Cookies
* Two Convicts Evade Noose, Jury Hung * Milk Drinkers are Turning to Powder
* Stiff opposition expected to casket less funeral plan
* Enraged cow injures farmer with ax
* British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands
* Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
* Autos killing 110 a day, let's resolve to do better
* If strike isn't settled quickly it may last a while (duh again!)
* Iraqi Head Seeks Arms* Lingerie Shipment Hijacked - Thief Gives Police The Slip
* Patient At Death's Door - Doctors Pull Him Through
* Killer Sentenced to Die for Second Time in 10 Years
* 20-Year Friendship Ends at Altar
* Deaf mute gets new hearing in killing
That last headline ("Deaf mute gets a new hearing") would certainly have a different meaning in the context of the gospels. "Then they brought to [Jesus] one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him..... Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly." (Mark 7:32,35)
What a beautiful display of power and love. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to be deaf. What would I miss the most? The sound of the wind blowing through the trees? The words "I love you" spoken by a dear friend? The chirping of the birds at the break of dawn? Or the songs of praise lifted up to God's throne when Christians gather together?
While I can't imagine not being able to hear any of those beautiful sounds, I can say, with sadness, that I don't always listen to those things that I have the ability to hear. I don't always listen to the cries for help that come from those in need around me. I don't always listen to my children when they are anxious to share the events of the day. And I don't always listen to God as He speaks to me through his word. Sometimes I am distracted. Sometimes there is other "noise" which makes it hard to listen. But sometimes I keep my hands firmly over my ears to avoid hearing.
With a need much like the deaf man in Mark 7, I come begging Jesus to "put his hand" on me, to open my ears that I may truly hear.
Verses
1 John 5:4
because everything that has been born of God is constantly coming off victorious over the world. And this is the victory that has come off victorious over the world, our faith.
Exodus 15:26
He said, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you."
1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
Matthew 21:22
and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain."
2 Corinthians 8:9
You know how much our Lord Jesus Christ loved you and how much He gave for you. Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor so that you might become rich.
Prayer
Father, Romans 1:21 indicates that those who knew You neither glorified nor gave thanks to You which led to their futile and foolish thinking. It eventually caused the light of Your Word to be veiled and ineffective in their lives as darkness crept in and covered the radiant light of Your truth. They sought honor for themselves and lived for self-glory. Anything good in us is but a reflection of the Spirit of Christ who lives within, so we will glory only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ though it is mocked and ridiculed by the world. We are unashamedly children of God whose depth of wisdom comes not from the understanding from the world but the understanding from Your Word. May its truth always be our source of light in the darkened age in which we live. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen
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