Thoughts for another day

October 13, 2006

Today's verse: Gen. 17:1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (KJV)

Our Father in Heaven is extremely awesome and delightful. By Himself, He chooses us mere mortals to make Himself known. He comes to us when we are at our weakest and tells us what wonders He can do for us. Look at some of the great people of God. He met them when they were down and out and pulled them out of the miry clay. My friend, He works things in our lives by which we are removed from the mundane and move to a higher calling. Like He did with Mary…

Mary lit a candle on the grave of her husband. She loved him tremendously and both lived in a cocoon of their own. They had their dreams and they filled their separate worlds with each other. One phone call shattered Mary’s dream. Her world collapsed. Henry was dead. In that one earth crushing moment, Mary transformed from a young woman of 24 to a widow. Between her fainting and consciousness, she went through the motions of the burial and other formalities. Her family was very supportive yet Mary had lost the foundation of her world.

Her cry to God was, ‘What did I do Lord?’ After 15 days of wretched anguish, as she repeated this question in the darkness, she heard a faint voice, ‘Mary, I am God Almighty and I love you.’ ‘Love me? No you don’t else you would not have taken Henry from me. What wrong did I do Lord?’ she blurted through her tears. Suddenly she felt a certain strength and warmth flood in her and clearly she heard, ‘Mary my child, what wrong had My Son done, that, He was crucified? But yet, it was My plan. You are saved because of His death. So also Mary I have a plan for you. Remember, death is not the end of the world. It is also the beginning of new things. Your plan will be revealed soon to you.’

The tears suddenly stopped and Mary felt engulfed in a strength she did not understand. She took her Bible and reading it, chanced upon the above verse. ‘God Almighty!’ And she remembered what God had done for Abraham. Her heart moved to the Lord and she cried before Him. ‘Father I am sorry I blamed you. Come into my heart Lord and stay. Come into my life and give me purpose Lord.’

A few days later, Mary got a call from a person who had started an orphanage to be in charge of it. Today Mary, is revered as a person who is a mother to the orphans. Her orphanage is truly a hallmark of love and service as advocated by God. Through the love of the kids there, she can feel Henry’s love and his glance on her.

My beloved in Christ, God’s ways are not our ways. He came to Abraham at ninety-nine years of age (because that’s when Abraham had lost all hope) and declares He is Almighty – El Shaddai. When you have lost all hope, He comes and will tell you the same thing. And if you accept Him as Abraham did, He will establish His covenant with you and you will tread on Heaven’s path. Great will be your work on earth and blessed will be the fruit of your hands.