God’s Mysterious Ways

A Gift-Filled Table

What a gift to find a birthday breakfast on the dining room table — poached eggs, bacon, toast, strawberries, and hot coffee. My husband had prepared delicious food and the surprise of pink roses. Psalm 23:5 tells us God prepares a table for us. When we pull up a chair to His table in prayer and Bible study, we find the gift of His presence. In our time with Him, we can exchange fear for the gift of faith, anxiety for comfort, and despair for hope. God’s gift-filled table of blessings assures us of His presence and strengthens us to walk with Jesus in joy and hope. And if we look, we’ll see He gives us unexpected gifts like sunsets and pink roses, too.

Confident in the Trinity!

God spoke life-giving words at our Baptism: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Is this certain? Absolutely! When time began, all life started similarly. “In the beginning, God (the Father) created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Then, “the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) was hovering over the face of the waters” (v. 2b). Finally, God brought everything into being by speaking the Word, who is Jesus! Further, when Jesus rose from the dead, the Trinity was active as well. As the Scriptures testify, the Father raised Jesus (Acts 2:24), Jesus raised Himself (Matthew 28:6), and the Holy Spirit raised Jesus (Romans 8:11). Since the Trinity gave life to our world, and life to Jesus, be certain God gives us real life now and will even raise us from the dead as well (Romans 6:5).

The Race of Faith

I learned some things from watching my grandson’s track meets. One is that you shouldn’t look back. It distracts you and slows you down. As you run the race of faith, don’t keep looking back with guilt and regrets. Let go of the faults and failures that plague you because they have already been forgiven and forgotten by our gracious God. Secondly, keep your eye on the finish line. In one race, a runner was second until he slowed down at the end, thinking he had crossed the finish line. He ended up fourth without a prize. On our journey of faith, we need to keep our heart and mind focused on God’s finish line, so we don’t quit the race early or get distracted by the deceptive prizes which this world offers. And Jesus will be there, running alongside with strength, and at the finish line with God’s priceless prize of eternal life.

Our Friend Is Jesus

We may be tempted to break with the call of our friend Jesus, as the Bible verse explains. But we are commanded to follow God’s directions. Because we are sinners in thought, word, and deed, reviewing the given commands is helpful. How many times do we lapse from our daily Bible readings and devotions? How many times do we forget who our real friends are? The church community should be the source of encouragement. However, do we contribute to it or lead people away from it? I can only speak for myself and think about how badly I have failed at different times — from my youth to my senior years. How wonderful it is to know that our Lord knows us and has a plan for us that we may never have envisioned.

Our Anchor

Anyone who has been around a boat knows that the anchor is a very important piece of equipment. Without an anchor, a boat, even though it is stopped, can be lost by floating away in any direction with very little current or a bit of wind. However, once the anchor is set, the boat will stay put and stable. Having an anchor for one’s soul is a beautiful promise. It gives us confidence and stability in uncertain situations. God’s gift of salvation anchors us to Jesus. We do not need to worry about being lost. Through all of life’s earthly storms, our hope remains firmly fixed with Him in heaven.