Thought for February 2

History:

  • 1709: Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being marooned on an island for 5 years--inspires the writing of "Robinson Crusoe."
  • 1738: George Whitefield departs for Georgia as a missionary
  • 1876: National Baseball League is formed
  • 1887: First Groundhog Day celebrated in Punxsutawney
  • 1913: Grand Central Terminal opens in NYC
  • 1922: James Joyce publishes "Ulysses" 
  • 1925: Dog sleds reach Nome with diphtheria medicine--origin of the Iditarod
  • 1949: Ben Hogan almost dies in a car wreck
  • 1959: Vince Lombardi hired as Packers coach
  • 1974: Barbara Streisand's first #1 hit--"The Way We Were"
  • 1975: Dorothy Hamill wins US Figure Skating Championship
  • 2020: Palindrome Day--02022020. Last previous 11111111 [November 11, 1111]
  • Born: Solomon Guggenheim, James Joyce, George Halas, Howard Johnson, Ayn Rand, Red Schoendienst, James Dickey ["Deliverance"], Stan Getz, Tom Smothers, Farah Fawcett, Ina Garten, Christie Brinkley, 
  • Died: Annie Wittenmeyer [WCTU's first president], Dmitri Mendeleev [periodic table], John L Sullivan, Boris Karloff, Bertrand Russell, Alistair MacLean, Bert Parks, Gene Kelly
Thought:
Yesterday, I was looking at God's words to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5. Reading further in chapter 1, I see that Jeremiah responds to God a lot like I do---excuses. [1:6]
  • I am too _____________. Now Jeremiah says he is too young for the assignment. These days, I say I am too old for the assignment. But I placed a blank in this paragraph because we all have excuses that we use when God calls us or prompts us or challenges us. I am too busy. I am too tired. I am too weak. I am too scared.
  • I cannot _________________. Jeremiah's other excuse sounds like Moses--I don't know how to speak. For us, I can't speak to crowds. Or I cannot answer all the questions. Or I don't have the education or training. Or I have already done my share. 
Notice how God responds to Jeremiah's excuses. All you have to do is--go where I send you and say what I tell you to say. God tells us--you don't need to worry about where to go--I'll show you. You don't need to worry about what you are to say--I'll tell you. In the New Testament, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit and tells us not to worry because the Spirit will tell us what to say at just the right time. So for me, God is saying that the only thing we need to know is who is sending us. So God makes some promises to those that He calls and sends--
  • I will go with you [1:7]. You never go alone. God goes with us wherever He sends us. From the times we were children, we always wanted someone to go with us when we were going to a place or to a person that we were afraid of or unsure about. But no person we could take with us compares with Jesus--when He is with us--we have strength, confidence, peace.
  • Do not fear. [1:8]. We always took someone with us to allay our fears. God says because He is with us we have nothing to fear. He promises to deliver us. Now this always reminds me of the fiery furnace--those men told Nebuchadnezzar that their God would deliver them. So when God sends us into places where there is opposition, He delivers us. Do not fear.
Today, put aside the excuses. God has given an assignment--He will be with you, He will deliver you. 

Blessings
Larry

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