Thought for February 2, 2024

  •  1709: Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being stranded on a desert island for 5 years--inspires "Robinson Crusoe"
  • 1738: George Whitefield departs for Georgia as a missionary
  • 1876: Baseball's National League formed
  • 1887: First observance of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney
  • 1913: Grand Central Terminal opens in NYC
  • 1922: James Joyce publishes "Ulysses"
  • 1925: Dog sleds reach Nome with diphtheria medicine--start of the Iditarod
  • 1949: Ben Hogan seriously injured in a car wreck
  • 1959: Vince Lombardi hired as Packers coach
  • 1975: Dorothy Hamill wins U.S. Figure Skating Championship
  • 2020: Palindrome Day--02022020. Last ime November 11, 1111--11111111
  • Born: Solomon Guggenheim, James Joyce, George Halas, Howard Johnson, Ayn Rand, Red Shoendienst, James Dickey, Stan Getz, Tom Smothers, Farah Fawcett, Christie Brinkley
  • Died: Annie Wittenmeyer [1st President of Women's Christian Temperance Union], Dmitri Mendeleev [periodic table], John L. Sullivan, Boris Karloff, Bertrand Russell, Alistair MacLean, Bert Parks, Gene Kelly
On this day in 1911, Eliza Davis George has a vision while in chapel at a Christian college in Texas--Africans passing before the Judgement Seat saying, "no one ever told us You died for us." She went to Liberia, but refused to stay in Monrovia--she went 200 miles into the wilderness. She founded a school and within 2 years, 1000 villagers had been saved. She served into her 90's. 

Thought:
At the end of Joshua 5 there is a short story about the Captain of the Lord. The people have been circumcised, Passover has been observed, manna has ceased as the people enjoyed the fruit of the land. The people were at Gilgal, but Joshua had gone over to observe Jericho before the conquest. Joshua sees a man with a drawn sword. What follows is an amazing and important conversation for me. Joshua asks, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" A legitimate question. Whose side are you on. Are you someone I have to fight or are you on my side? All of us have asked that question at some point. Perhaps someone has given advice and we ask, "whose side are you on. Sounds like you are supporting my enemy." Today we might ask that about sports or politics. Whose side are you on? 

Notice what the man says--NO. I am not for you or against you. Why? I am Captain of the host of the Lord. If I could just get this in my head and my heart. I hear people praying that their football team will win the game--God, whose side are You on. I hear athletes after games say, the Lord was with us. And yes, I believe the Lord can empower, encourage, inspire [Chariots of Fire], but the Lord is not on my side, He is working for His glory, not mine. The man says I am on the Lord's side, I command His hosts, I do His will. 

So what does that say to me today--the question, Larry, is are on God's side? Certainly the Lord seemed to be on Moses' side at the Red Sea, but Moses was on a mission from God to free the Israelites. God seemed to be on Hezekiah's side when the angel killed 185,000 Assyrians. But God was fulfilling His purpose to preserve His people. Maybe today, I should spend my time in prayer asking God to show me His side and then do my best to follow Him. Blackaby says to find where God is working and join Him there. Sounds like good advice. 

Blessings
Larry

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