Thought for May 8

 History:

• 1541: Hernando DeSoto discovers the Mississippi River
• 1792: George Vancouver sights and names Mt Ranier
• 1835: Publication of the 1st installment of Hans Christian Andersen's "Fairy Tales"
• 1877: First Westminster Dog Show
• 1879: George Selden files first patent for a gas powered automobile
• 1886: Jacob's Pharmacy sells 1st Coca Cola
• 1902: Mt. Pelee on Martinique erupts killing 30,000--2 survivors
• 1912: Paramount Pictures founded
• 1945: Germany surrenders
• 1963: Dr. No premiers
• 1973: Indians holding Wounded Knee surrender
• 2019: Georgia Governor signs "heart beat" abortion law
• 2020: Two White House staffers test positive for Covid
• Born: Edward Gibbon ["Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire"], Phyllis Wheatley [1st African American woman poet to be published], Harry Truman, Francis Quimet [US Open 1913], David Attenborough, Don Rickles, Peter Benchley, Ricky Nelson, Toni Tennille, Stephen Furst, Bill Cowher, Ronnie Lott, Bill de Blasio, Melissa Gilbert, Chris Sanders [Titans]
• Died: Kamehameha, John Stuart Mill, Gustave Flaubert, Paul Gauguin, LaVerne Andrews, Eddy Arnold, Maurice Sendak

Thought:

Looking at places I have marked in Acts 1:1-8 this morning. Focused on verses 2, 5, 7-8. Do you ever get up and wonder, what does the Lord want me to do today? Or perhaps there are several opportunities in front of you and you wonder, which one of these should I choose? Or, like me, sometimes you have a clear understanding of the assignment the Lord has for you, but you doubt that you have the ability or the experience or the knowledge or the strength to do what He is asking. Here is what I see in these verses:

• There are things I don't need to know [1:7]. Here, the disciples are asking about the second coming when Jesus will set up His kingdom. Jesus tells them that is something they don't need to know. This verse reminds me that God is sovereign. He is working out His plan, to fulfill His purpose and all His promises, and He is doing it in His time and in His way. He is gracious and loving and in His love, reveals to us all we need to know--He loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. He has the power and authority to fulfill every promise made. And He will never lie to us. So we live in faith until that faith becomes sight. Just knowing this helps me deal with the times I don't understand and ask "why", "when", "how." Lord, why did You let that happen? Lord, why now? Lord, when will You come and make it right? And He answers, it is not for you to know when or how, or why---you just need to know God loves you and is working out His plan for your ultimate good and His eternal glory. 
• While I wait and wonder, He will not leave me alone. [1:8] While I wait for His plan to work out, He sends the Holy Spirit to give me the power to wait patiently, expectantly, optimistically, faithfully. The Holy Spirit guides, teaches, reveals, strengthens, empowers, comforts, helps so that I do not lose hope or faint. 
• While I might be asking why, how, when, I have an assignment that is clear [1:2, 8] First notice in verse 2 that Jesus gave orders to those He had chosen. Verse 8 is not a suggestion, a slogan, a vision statement or mission statement we have developed. It is an order from our Lord and King. In the power of the Holy Spirit be His witnesses. A witness gives testimony. So we, His witnesses, give testimony to the world about who He is, what He has done, that He is coming again. We tell the world about His love, His joy, His peace that will give others hope and a relationship with God. 

So Lord, today help me not worry about what I don't know, don't understand, and let me be a witness of Your love, mercy, and grace--giving light and hope to a world that desperately needs it. 

Blessings

Larry