Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of Laura Storyl singing her poignant song, Blessings, … proclaiming the truth that God’s blessings don’t always come in the warm fuzzies of life … that often God’s providence comes wrapped in tears and difficulties.
Highlight Passage #1 Ezekiel 34: 26 [NKJV] …
26 I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.
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Highlight Context - Ezekiel 34: 25-31 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … God’s prophesy and providence for HIS people will ultimately bring them protection, His purpose, and peace
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Reference Passage #1 - Ecclesiastes 11: 5 [NKJV] …
5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, [or “spirit”] or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, … so you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
... Truth from Solomon
Reference Passage #2 - Romans 8: 29 [NKJV] …
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
… Truth from Paul
Reference Passage #3 - Philippians 4: 19[NKJV] …
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
… More truth from Paul concerning God’s providence
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Jennifer Benson Schuldt, reminded her readers (i.e, me too!) of a truth which is often forgotten by Christians and is so poignantly sung by Laura Story in the song she wrote and sings as linked above. I do hope you take the time to hear it (probably again as it’s becoming a contemporary Christian classic).
We so often equate God’s “blessings” to be the warm and wonderful things in life. However, as Laura Story sings, … God’s providence - i.e., His blessings - can often come in the hurtful, painful, and tearful challenges of life. If we truly believe the highlight and reference Scriptures copied/linked above, we know that God does promise blessings to those who believe and follow Him in faith. However, God DOES NOT promise that His providence will always take the form of the comfortable or the “feel-good” aspects of life.
TRUTH: Read and meditate, … especially on Romans 8: 28 copied above. And then let’s ask ourselves, as I have this morning, … Do we really believe that ALL THINGS which come our way (i.e, God’s providence) is for our good? Because if we do believe that, we will see the challenges of life, … yes, even the very painful ones … are God’s purposeful providence … yes, His blessings!
My Prayer for Today … Lord, … How will You bless me today? Help me to see anything which comes my way as Your blessing. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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