The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15).

The rapid transit train was flying at a high rate of speed into the city where Hunter worked. A memo came to his work email just before he left work yesterday afternoon. He thought of the words of that email a dozen times already this morning. All it said was, “Hunter, report to management on the third floor at 9:00 tomorrow morning. Your manager and his supervisors want to talk with you.” He shared the note with his wife, Rachel, and together they prayed several times throughout the evening and then once again in the morning as he left for work. It sounded ominous. Hunter knew the company had been downsizing; several of the employees in his department had lost their jobs. He kept thinking, “Why would my manager’s supervisors want to tell me that I’ve lost my job? I wonder what in the world I have done?” Just before he walked into the meeting, one of the verses he read earlier that morning in his quiet time came to his mind, “My times are in Thy hand.” With that he whispered a brief prayer and walked into the supervisor’s suite. The Lord reminded him that it is a wonderful blessing to know that He has a plan for our lives. When we are walking with Him in the fellowship of His Word, we can know the joy, the absolute sheer joy, of our lives being securely held in His hands. Oh, and by the way, would you like to know what happened in that meeting? You’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning as you receive the next Dr. Mike’s Daily Prescriptions! How do you like me keeping you waiting until tomorrow?

For today: I love you subscribers, but you’re still going to have to wait until tomorrow! For now, just rest in the wonderful blessing of knowing that as a believer your life is in His hand!

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

The Sunday school teacher was working his way through the Old Testament book of Nahum. When he arrived at verse seven, he asked the class if there was anyone who could give a testimony about how the Lord had been very good even in the day of trouble because He knows those who trust in Him? He thought perhaps one or two people would respond with a testimony and that then he would return to the rest of the material he had written for that Sunday school class. At first everyone was quiet. Then Barbara shared a testimony of how the Lord had sustained her and was so good to her even though things were hard at work. One row back Glen shared a testimony of how the Lord helped his family through a very hard time in their marriage and how good He was during those several months. Next it was Tammie’s turn; she was new to the class and somewhat timid. She shared with the class how today she can say the Lord was good and a stronghold in the day of her trouble when her husband walked out of her life and marriage. To the teacher’s amazement, one after another in the class of nearly forty students shared testimonies of how the Lord was good and a stronghold in the day of trouble! While we do not go looking for trouble, we know that when trouble comes, the Lord will be good. He will be a stronghold in that day of trouble because He knows them that trust in Him.

For today: I want to trust Him in the happy days as well as the hard days. How about you?

“Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool” (Proverbs 19:1).

Two people walked down a sidewalk in a quaint little town that afternoon. It was well known that the Van Fleet family was very well-to-do. The January winds were cold that day when Mrs. Van Fleet pulled her keys from her purse as she walked to her very expensive car. Behind her was Marvin Carpenter. Marvin had been a hard worker all of his life but had lost his job several years before this. He faithfully looked for work. His unemployment ran out. His bills were mounting. Almost a feeling of desperation was settling upon him. “How am I going to pay my bills?” was running through his mind that very afternoon. Just as Mrs. Van Fleet pulled her keys from her purse, her wallet fell out onto the sidewalk. She did not notice it. Marvin looked around and for a brief, fleeting second the temptation was great. He could not, however, steal that purse. Several months before this temptation, he had placed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and God had made him a new creation. Running ahead and gently calling to the very wealthy lady he said, “Excuse me, Ma’am. You dropped this,” and stooping down to pick up her wallet, he returned it to her. She was amazed at his honesty. He was blessed knowing that even though he had huge financial needs, there was something even more important than that – he had the opportunity of walking in integrity.

For today: There will be plenty of opportunities for you to do the right thing today. May God give you the grace, wisdom, and strength to do it!

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

How awesome is the Lord our God! The car crash was terrible, according to the police captain. “I am sorry, Mrs. Thompson, about your husband,” the veteran police officer said as he started to leave the surgical waiting area. Turning and looking back at Maggie Thompson and her family, the police officer said, “I’ve known Sam for a long time. I know he loves the Lord, and I am not sure why the Lord would allow such a terrible car crash to come into your family. I just pray that during this time of waiting that the Lord will be real to you and that He would help you in very special ways. My officers and I want to do anything we can to help you during this time,” and with that Bill Williamson tried to smile and left the surgical waiting room. Luke, who is Sam and Maggie’s youngest son, very quietly said, “God talks about knowing Him and how we must be still before Him in Psalm 46:10. I never dreamed that this would happen to Dad. It’s a strange thing as we wait during Dad’s surgery. I feel badly for the drunk driver who hit him. We have the Lord, and I just don’t know what we would do without Him.” It was a very long afternoon that presented the Thompson family with a great opportunity to “Be still and know that I am God” before the surgeon returned and said, “Things went very well. I expect he’s going to make a full recovery.” With that the family burst into tears of joy for their loved one and sorrow for the drunk driver. They thanked the Lord as they learned the very powerful lesson of being still and knowing that He is God.

For today: Don’t wait for the big crisis to put Psalm 46:10 into operation. Start practicing it with me today!

“So shall my Word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

What a powerful promise! As Pastor Harris stood before the congregation and preached the Word of God, he whispered a prayer to the Lord as the church family was looking up a reference in the Bible. Quickly and silently he prayed, “Lord, these are Your people, and this is Your Word. Please accomplish whatever You want to do just now,” and with that he continued the message. He never imagined what the Lord was going to do that day. Throughout the message that morning, the Lord really convicted one of the teenagers about his actions at home. Then there was Mrs. Perkins who sits three rows over on the left who was wonderfully reminded of what the Lord would do for her during her time of sorrow. On the other side of the aisle, Mr. Hankins was encouraged that God really could be trusted. Dr. Saddlemeir was reminded that God really cared about him and would help him in the very difficult surgery he would perform early the next morning. Those blessings and many more came because God promised that His Word would not return to Him empty. It would accomplish all that He purposed. Though very different situations, God used His Word yesterday in that service just like He did in the church service you attended. What did you get from God’s Word yesterday? Did you think to write your pastor a thank you note?

For today: I thank the Lord for the Scriptures. How about you?