God's an on-time God! Yes God Is!

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Psalm 6 (NRSV)

Prayer for healing

Today is my birthday! As such, it is a day of great reflection and remembrance. On this day, I look back at how very far the Lord has brought me in just a few short decades…

As I read today’s prayer for healing, I can think of many-a-times I have prayed like that. Have you ever prayed until your bones felt like jello, your moans bounced off of the ceiling, and the tears streamed down your face in rivers?

If you haven’t, you really should try it! It is truly cathartic. (smile)

When we pour out our very hearts before God, we can be assured that God hears us and extends to us arms of love and a heart of compassion.

See, when we are in pain, sorrow, or grief it can seem like nobody understands us. Sometimes, even people who love us very much do not know what to say or how to help us. It is at times like these that we need to shut ourselves up in our “prayer closets” and pray out of the depths of our hearts to the God who made us, and thus knows every fiber of our being.

Now, the Bible says that the “prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16) Isn’t this GOOD NEWS?! When we exercise our faith in Christ, we are made righteous by the blood of the Lamb. This means that when we pray we can be assured that our prayers are both powerful and effective!

Does this mean that God will always do what we ask God to do? By no means! God usually says, “yes, no, or wait.” What good parent gives their children everything that they ask for? My child sometimes asks for three servings of chocolate cake for breakfast! She wants it, but it is not good for her. It is the same for us.

But, let me tell you something. In the African American church tradition we have an expression. We say, “God may not come when you want Him, but He’s always right on time!” God is an on- time-God my friends! And God has promised that God has a good plan for our lives, not to harm us, but to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Furthermore, we are also assured that, “all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:28)!

Wow! GOOD NEWS abounds! Like David we can say as we get off of our knees after prayer, “The Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer.” This ought to give us a blessed assurance that allows us to live in confidence, with our heads held high, no matter what the day may bring! God loves us and is blessing us—RIGHT NOW!

What sorrow or grief do you need to share with God in prayer today?

God who sees my tears and wipes them from my face, I turn to you in my despair. Help and heal me today. I know that you are a loving and compassionate God. I know that you are helping me even as I pray. I look forward to sharing my testimony with others when I come through this trial. Every day, is a GOOD NEWS day because of Jesus! I trust you and I love you too. Amen.

*Pastor Yolanda would be honored if you would share today’s blog with a friend in honor of her birthday!

*The entire scripture reading for today can be found by clicking the ELCA Daily Bible Reading Tab to the right.

*from Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/

*EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right! Thanks for reading and please come again.

*Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.

IT'S NOT MY FAULT!

Job 36:1-23 (NRSV)

God's goodness is exalted

In today’s scripture Job was falsely accused of bringing great misfortune upon himself through some heinous crime against God. Job’s “so called friend,” Elihu, gives him a long lecture about not resisting the punishment of the Lord and not pretending to be righteous when he is not. He says that Job ought not to be angry; that God is just doing God’s job and that essentially Job should be grateful, having lost his family and his livelihood, that God has spared his life.

I’ve always said that Job’s three friends did not mess up until they spoke to him. Scripture teaches that they sat with him in silence for seven days. They were compassionate, which means that they were present with him in his suffering. They didn’t offer wise words, recriminations, lectures, or advice. They just sat with their friend and accompanied him quietly and gently through the valley of the shadow of death.

It is so sad that they could not remain silent. But, it is true that few of us do. When we see someone who is hurting or suffering under a load that does not make sense to us, we often feel a need to blame them. We seek a scapegoat. We don’t want to believe that God allows bad things to happen to good people for reasons that we are not wise enough to understand. It blows our minds when someone faithful loses her job, a nice person gets cancer, or a “good girl” gets raped. We say harmful, hurtful, and/or ignorant things like, “well maybe she should have worked harder, he should have eaten better, she shouldn’t have dressed in a way that invited violation.

I don’t know about you, but I have been the victim of people’s recriminations; I am sad to confess that I have also likely failed in my duty to be compassionate to others. But here is the GOOD NEWS! God knows all things and God knows the true state of your heart. Whilst others blame you for your misfortune, God stays with you, supporting and encouraging you during seasons of distress.

This is GOOD NEWS my friends! It means that although we sometimes do not understand our circumstances, our all wise, all knowing, ever loving, totally compassionate God is fully in control. God sees you and knows you and wishes the best for you. God has a good plan for your life, not to harm you, but to give you a future and hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

Now, ain’ta that good news?!

What difficult circumstance in your life do you need to surrender to God today? Or who can you sit in silent compassion with today?

Loving God, we exalt you for your goodness and thank you for all the ways that you care for us. It gives us comfort to know that nothing is a surprise to you. No matter how difficult the circumstances of our lives you are able to help us be victorious in Christ Jesus! Help us to exercise our faith in you today by prayerfully turning over our concerns for self and others. In Jesus Name, Amen.

*The entire scripture reading for today can be found by clicking the ELCA Daily Bible Reading Tab to the right.

*from Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/

*EACH ONE--REACH ONE! To share GOOD NEWS with a friend please click the "Share With Friends" button to the right! Thanks for reading and please come again.

*Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.

*Check out the map to the right! Do you know anyone in South America, Australia, Africa, Western Europe, or Asia that you can share GOOD NEWS with today?