Your Daily Crossroad
Sharing a Cup of Comfort
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. (2 Corinthians 1:7)
A friend mailed me some of her homemade pottery. Upon opening the box, I discovered the precious items had been damaged during their journey. One of the cups had shattered into a few large pieces, a jumble of shards, and clumps of clay dust. After my husband glued the broken mess back together, I displayed the beautifully blemished cup on a shelf.
Like that pieced-together pottery, I have scars that prove I can still stand strong after the difficult times God’s brought me through. That cup of comfort reminds me that sharing how the Lord has worked in and through my life can help others during their times of suffering.
The apostle Paul praises God because He is the “The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). The Lord uses our trials and sufferings to make us more like Him. His comfort in our troubles equips us to encourage others as we share what He did for us during our time of need (v. 4).
As we reflect on Christ’s suffering, we can be inspired to persevere in the midst of our own pain, trusting that God uses our experiences to strengthen us and others toward patient endurance (vv. 5–7). Like Paul, we can be comforted in knowing that the Lord redeems our trials for His glory. We can share His cups of comfort and bring reassuring hope to the hurting.
Lord, thank You for using us to provide comfort, encouragement, and hope to others who are suffering. We praise You for all You’ve done, are doing, and will continue to do to comfort us through our own afflictions. Amen
As I read this I thought about a recent trial I just went through, during the trial it was uncomfortable but with prayer and God’s help I came through it victoriously. The unknown can eat at you if you allow it and the enemy will try to whisper lies of defeat into your ear but if we would just stop and take a moment to grasp the truth behind today’s devotion, we can be comforted in knowing that the Lord redeems our trials for His glory! What truth!! So even if your going through something today just remember, your going through and your not meant to stay but to keep pushing on to the other side and in return you never know who’s life you will impact because of what you’ve gone through. Praise Him through the storm.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
Who is God to you?
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? (John 3:12)
Do you ever think you can figure God out? I mean, there are certain prayers that He should answer just the way you asked it. After all, I am his child and He only desires what’s best for me and I know what’s best. So I give God options of how He should answer my prayers. And through the years, I have noticed common themes of how I pray. My prayers always include peace, joy, comfort, safety, ease, love and happiness–or making all of the green lights. But my prayers never include things that bring pain, suffering, confusion, hurt or tears. Don’t we all tend to pray for the good things because that is what is best for us?
There is a modern day parable about a man during a flood. He prayed, “God, protect me. I have faithfully served You for all these years and You have always kept me safe in this house.” What he was really praying was, “Save me my way.” Well, the rains came down and the water rose and rose. Radio warnings were blaring to evacuate homes. His neighbors all left. He didn’t, he just kept praying. A county sheriff came by and said, “Hey, leave!” but he said, “No, I know the Lord will protect me and I’m staying in this house.” The water got higher and this time, the Coast Guard came out. But the man still refused to go. As the water rose, the man sat on his roof, determined not to leave his home. A helicopter came by and said, “Sir please come with me, I’m here to save you.” The man said, “No, only God will save me and I’m staying.” Well, the man drowned and now, he is standing in heaven. The man said to God, “What happened? I thought you were going to save me.” God responded, “Well, I sent the police, a boat and helicopter. What else did you want?”
This man’s concept of what God should do for him and what God would do for him was very different. He didn’t like God’s options. Sometimes what we want God’s will to be for us, and what it really is, brings us conflict. We want to serve God our way, please God our way and live for God our way. God says He protects us, so we expect protection to come our way too. Today, submit to the Lord’s leading in your life. He knows what is best. Ask the Lord to make you sensitive to His will and that you can be willing to do things His way. The end result just might reveal heavenly things to you.
When I read this I instantly thought about what was preached in church yesterday. Instead of going to God every time asking for something, let’s take time to just say Thank You and entrust everything else in our lives in His hands and be willing to do things His way, not our own.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Isaiah 55:8-9
Learning Humility
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? (Exodus 3:11)
Moses is named in Scripture as the most humble man ever (Numbers 12:3). Reading of his encounter with God at the beginning of Exodus, we can see this humility in his speech. But, if we turn back a few chapters, we learn that humility wasn’t something Moses possessed naturally. He grew up in the posh setting of Egyptian royalty. After growing up in the royal house, he decided to visit his oppressed brothers, the Israelites. He then witnessed some of them being beaten by an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11). We can assume, by his actions after seeing this, that he assumed it was his God given role to save the Israelites from the oppression of the Egyptians, and he killed the Egyptian (Exodus 2:12). This doesn’t appear to be the mark of a humble man. He eventually fled Egypt in fear and spent 40 years as a shepherd in the wilderness.
God had a plan for Moses from the beginning to save his people. But, Moses did it his way instead of God’s way and in turn, ran away. It was during this time that we can assume Moses learned the importance of humility and was molded into the man God wanted him to be. God often uses these times in the wilderness to refine us for his future works as he did with Moses. You might feel a great call from God for a mighty work, but yet need some refining. Embrace the the wilderness as a time to grow closer to God and become more like him.
Stay patient and learn what it is God is teaching you.
This blessed me when I read it, so many times we get so impatient and frustrated as to why God has us where we currently are in life but it’s in those times that we need to take a step back, humble ourselves and instead of complaining about the wilderness, embrace it, learn from it, grow closer to God and allow Him to mold us so in time we can accomplish what He has set for us to do. Trust Him, even in the wilderness.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!!
Today’s Reading is Psalm 23
Think Of Future Nations
And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. (Genesis 25:23)
God is talking to Rebekah here. The two nations he is talking about are Esau and Jacob. Let’s focus on the word “nations” in this verse. Why would God use “nations” instead of children? It is because they grew up and had large families and basically started two different “nations” as he said.
Should we think of our children or those we are discipling as future nations? Sometimes we focus on the here and now, or maybe even 10-15 years down the line, but we should think bigger. Our children will have children, and they will have children, and will create little nations within a larger nation.
The way we raise our children or teach those we are discipling could have an impact on a future nation. What you pour into someone’s life now might not be seen in your lifetime, but future “nations” will be thankful for it. Don’t get discouraged if there isn’t much progress in the here and now, think about the future.
Have you been too nearsighted lately?
When I read this I couldn’t help but think of my own children and at times I have questioned if what I am teaching them is “sticking”, if the example I am setting is “good enough” but then as I sat in church on Sunday and looked over to my left I seen my seven year old daughter reading and underlining scripture, it blessed her dad and I beyond measure and it’s in those what may seem like little moments when God shows me, yes, they do get it and in time I believe they will be part of a bigger change that will change nations for His good. I can’t allow myself to be discouraged in the here and now, I must think about the future and do my part as a parent, a leader in my home and church and trust that His word will not return void. We must set the example before our children, grandchildren, friends and family by reading our word, praying, paying our tithes, making church a priority, showing mercy and grace, these are just a few examples. Be the change you wish to see in your children and in the world.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Isaiah 55:11-13