HARMLESS THOUGHTS

For all of my teacher friends out there... For all the ones who toil, day after day, attempting to help their students in the ways that seem so small at the time... For all those who offer bits of direction, and assume that there is only once concession, well... maybe... For all of those instructors who instruct sincerely and know in the end that very clearly  that only a few were listening... For every single educator who educates from the heart hoping each day that just one will start to change... For the teachers out there who counsel though counselors they are not this role they fill on the spot when one child's ears are open... Keep this saying in mind: "The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools." Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV)g

About a year ago, I ran across a verse that gave me a measure of comfort. That verse is Acts 27:24.  It is right in the middle of a story involving Paul the Apostle, a ship, a storm, and an angel. (The angel is the one speaking to Paul in the verse: ... and he said, "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you." Acts 27:24 (ESV) The last half of that verse resonated with me. Even though I am never really alone, I was feeling alone at that time...  I was feeling like I was by myself in the work of the ministry.  I knew it wasn't true, but that feeling was working on me and I found joy in these words... especially thinking of our church as a ship and the ones who "sail with me." I even set it as my background on my several of my devices for the next year... "God has granted you all those who sail with you."  Acts 27:24b

Philippians 4:4–7 [4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. [5] Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; [6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV) At a typical prayer meeting, what do we do? ... We share requests. We have request boxes. We make lists. We submit them to one another, share them through prayer chains, and ultimately lay them at the feet of God. This is precisely what we ought to do, according to this verse, but there is more here.  Why did Paul use so many different words to describe our prayer request list?

Here is what I have in my background this morning... John Michael Talbot's Album called Signatures.

"God's Own Fool" One of my all-time favorite Michael Card Songs: Seems I've imagined Him all of my life As the wisest of all of mankind But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men He must have seemed out of His mind