The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

My Daily Prescription goes to hundreds of people every day. Although I have no idea what is happening in the lives of most of my readers, I do know that as followers of the Lord Jesus we have a totally different perspective. We have joy because we know the Lord and have the assurance that He is Lord of all. He is in charge.

We have a real reason to celebrate today! “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).  I’m not sure what kind of day you are experiencing. However! This I do know. It is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful to belong to the Lord and to remember that He is in charge. He is God. We are not. He can be trusted.

So we not only rejoice today, we celebrate Who the Lord is: “The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation” (Psalm 118:14).

We also celebrate what the Lord does: “I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me and set me in a large place” (Psalm 118:5.) This speaks of our security and protection.  It surely is important to remember Who it is that makes this day and what He means to us!

Sometimes I come up with strange questions that strike my curiosity. How about you? Here’s just such a question. With the millions and millions of cars that are advertised, bought, sold or swapped, did you ever wonder who made and sold the first car in America and who in our country bought it? My dad worked for General Motors all his life. My father-in-law supervised the collision shop of a busy Chevrolet dealership. I drive a Chevy Equinox. But Chevrolet was not the first car sold and neither was Ford.

The first car in America was purchased on April 1, 1898. It was built by Alexander Winton and sold to Robert Allison who was 71 and lived in Port Carbon, Pennsylvania. According to the Valley Report, “The brochure that came with the vehicles from Winton Motor Carriage Co. of Cleveland, Ohio, stated, ‘This particular carriage has fully demonstrated its practicability and success in actual service over all kinds and conditions of roads- uphill and down- through mud, sand and snow at a speed of from 3 to 20 per hour.” It sold for $1,000.

Oh, how things have changed!

I’m so glad that some things have never and will never change! “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

You can trust God’s Word. It is dependable. It is inspired. It is powerful. It is life-changing. It is just what you and I need daily. Aren’t you thankful for the Scriptures?

I have changed all the names in this Daily Prescription. Think of this verse with me.

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15).

Phil and Marti were in a difficult situation. They loved Phil’s family and wanted to be an encouragement to them. The problem was the way Phil’s brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Maxine, were raising, or perhaps better stated, were not raising their children. Jim was only a year younger than Phil so their children were fairly close in age. Phil and Marti loved the Lord and wanted to raise their children to be respectful and obedient without grumbling and complaining.

You guessed it. Very sadly Jim and Judi put up with long tirades of grumbling from their children. The situation became even more difficult when Phil and Marti’s children noticed the difference. Years later Rochelle spoke to Marti, her Mom, and said, “When we were growing up, I thought you and Dad were mean. Now I know it was because you really love us. I want to be the kind of mom that you are. As you always put it, ‘An honest question will bring lots of explaining. But there is never room for grumbling and complaining.’ Mom, I want to use that when the Lord gives us children.”

For today: It is important for children to be taught. Often, however, right teaching and right living by the parents are the first steps for children in what will be caught.

Paul the Apostle really captures my attention with this statement.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called” (Ephesians 4:1).

I want to be brief today because I want those words to really sink into my own heart deeply and yours as well. Walk worthy is the challenge as well as opportunity that you and I have every day as we are out in the world representing the Lord.

What a blessed challenge for today: The worthy walk actually gives the picture of living suitably as a believer. That is a great reminder and challenge for each of us today.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Traffic on the expressway was moving considerably slower than the posted 70 mph speed limit. The digital sign read, “Construction ahead. Slow down! Be patient!” Mark, Karla and their three children were heading home to Karla’s parents’ farm. They couldn’t wait to get there, and now this construction was going to slow them down! Wisely Mark seized the situation to remind them that because we have trusted the Lord Jesus to be our Savior, throughout our lifetimes He is continuing to work. We are His construction projects.
“While it may not be much fun to be going 30 mph right now, remember these two things,” he said. “First, this won’t last forever. Second, it will be so worth it when this part of the project is completed. It is the exact same way with us, family,” he reminded them.

Just at that second, a pickup truck hit an orange construction barrel which flew into the next lane, and with that, the teaching moment was gone and the carload of travelers had lots of things to laugh and talk about. Later that night when everyone was settled down in the motel room, Karla whispered, “That was wonderful today, Honey. You reminded us of how the Lord is working in our lives. You just remember that I am under construction, too, and I love you!”

Here’s a question for all of us, especially me: How is the construction project of the Lord working out in your life? If you know Christ, then you are His workmanship.