July 6th
Shaking Hands With God
I think that I have taken all twelve of my grandchildren when they were really young (and one at a time - Kim, Kari, Katyanne, Kelly, Breezie, Justin, Juliana, Codie, Kiela, Bryer, Raynee and April) to the railroad track at the end of our town. What I recall doing is holding them tight and showing them the large box cars that are on a side track. I have showed them two things.
- The large wheels and in particular the rim on the inside of the wheel.
- The heavy large couplings that the cars are attached with.
I have pictures of some of them standing beside or sitting in the doorway of the giant cars. And to their eyes the cars must be enormous!
With some of the older ones I have explained that the rim holds the wheels in place on the track. Without the rim the wheels would be all over the place. Likewise, the couplings are so very important. Why? Because they "transmit" the power of the engine to the cars and pull them along.
I say to myself, "Neal, you are like a box car. You must exercise faith in a situation. You must let that faith be a coupling. The energy and strength of the engine (Almighty God, through His son, Jesus) is transmitted to you."
You know, my friend, it is like we reach up with our hand and clasp the hand of God. That makes for a coupling. It is by faith that we do that. So, all the power and speed and momentum that belongs to the locomotive now become transmitted to the car. The coupling is just simply the medium of communicating that power. And, your faith, again, is that coupling.
In all of life's situations - much like the different box cars in color and appearance - we must hold on and as we read in Mark 11:22,
"HAVE FAITH IN GOD"It is like, "God, I am going to take my life and shake your hand." This we do through Jesus who is the mediator between heaven and earth. He is reaching His hand, figuratively, into God and with the other hand reaching to us AND DRAWING us together. That's cool! That also can be encouragement to you - right now.
My prayer for you!
Lord, I thank you that you are extending your hand hour by hour to this one. Their faith as a believer joins them to Jesus. May they realize that they (in this act) are make partakers of all that Christ has and is, and does. In the name of Jesus.
Amen