Day 8 leading to Easter

The End. Over. Finished. Completed. Done. But that's not always true. The end heralds new beginnings. Today is the end of one month - and tomorrow the beginning of another. We get fresh starts - every year, every month, every week, every morning.... We can't undo the past, but we can learn from it - and God can redeem it and use it for good. I was reminded of that this morning as several of us sat chatting - and suddenly the inconsequential segued into the very important. I love that touch of God when He whispers through our lives and touches chords that can be shared for His glory. The topic of suicide arose - and in a moment of tender trusting transparency a couple of us shared how it has affected our lives. It was a God-moment. I had a distinct sense of knowing why I was there in that moment at that time, and I love that God takes the painful places in our history and uses them for His glory - redeeming them, and making them Kingdom-useful.

Matthew 10 is my chapter for today. In the listing of the 12 disciples, I noted that the punctuation groups the names by twos. I knew they were sent out by twos, but had never paid attention to the punctuation before.... Go. Freely give. Be on your guard. Proclaim.

Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Sometimes I am guilty of thinking of God in too warm and fuzzy of terms...rather like a small toddler whose father is a King with the authority to lop off heads at will.... It is an image I love. Yes, one day He will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the weeds.... Certainly, I want to hold Him in the proper highly esteemed place He deserves - but I also love knowing Him as El Roi, the God who sees me - - and loves me in spite of myself....

Humor for the day:

At Sunday School they were teaching how God created the whole world - including human beings. Little Johnny was especially interested in the part of the story that told how Eve was created from one of Adam's ribs.

Later in the week when Johnny's mother noticed him lying down on the couch, seemingly in pain, she asked him what the matter was. Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."