God keeps working things out

 

I have to look back over the past few weeks, even months, to remember this. 

Forever God is faithful.

Forever God is strong.

Forever God is with us. Forever. Forever.

Looking back over the past year, all the worries and concerns I've had - and in that moment, they seemed so stressful and unmanageable. But here I am today with a cup of coffee and sunshine streaming through the window. And able to thank God for those miraculous fixes. Thanking God He got things resolved. Many things that have been long forgotten. And so today as I look at my prayer list and my concerns for this day, it is with blessed assurance in knowing that God keeps working things out. I know He knows the way - God always knows the way. And tomorrow, when I have new and different worries (or picking up the old ones), God will be there again.

So that's my mantra: God keeps working things out.

"My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working." (John 5:17)

God never tires, slumbers or sleeps. God doesn't give up. He doesn't turn His back. He doesn't get anxious because He knows the perfect solution. He is always steadily moving forward. To this very day. For our good. It seems for however many problems I can dream up, God has an answer. Eventually. But even in the waiting, God sends little bright spots and shimmering sparkles along the way. Catch them if you can. Troubles come. But with God, troubles go. There is resolution in His heart and hands. He will make the rough path smooth. He will. Ya just gotta let Him do it.

A Call to Joy

 It's another hot day and I'm trying to design Christmas cards! 

Art can be hard to do if you let it. One of the first mistakes is to try to do like everybody else. Another is to try to force yourself to do something (like draw a dog) when your heart just isn't in it right now. It seems good and right (to balance out all the cat designs!). But the harder I try, the more I struggle and the more dissatisfied I become with my artwork. I come to the conclusion that I'm not an artist at all. And that's simply not true. What I let happen was allowing predetermined demands and expectations to suck all the joy out of it.

A third is reading, studying, watching, and following all others - compiling all kinds of rules on how to do art.

Art flows from the heart. Art oozes. Art starts with a playful spirit. It splashes. Then layers. Then adds some more. It smiles. It is a joy. Forget what others are doing. Forget what you think you should be doing just because it would be good and right. And forget all those rules, rules, rules. Follow your heart.

The same could be said of our Christian walk. Yes, there are others doing really wonderful, good and right, things. But if it's not a joy for you... realize you just have a different joy-calling. Don't see their calling as better. You have a calling in your heart from God. One that is a joy to do. There are all kinds of callings. Something for everyone. You don't have to labor away, struggling and grudgingly, just because you see it as good and right. As with the artist, you might just start thinking you're not a very good Christian after all. And that's simply not true! Don't let demands and expectations suck all the joy out of your walk with the Lord.

But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? (1 Corinthians 12: 18-19)

What do you love to do?

What if money were no object?

What would you do even if you didn't get paid?

What do you do that you get lost in; lose track of time doing?

What causes you to smile to yourself?

There's the hint to your joy-calling.

Serve the Lord with gladness! Get rid of all those rules and preconceived notions. Just sit for a minute. Close your eyes and lay your palms up and open. Ask God for your joy-calling. What's the first thing that pops into your mind? Don't be too quick to dismiss it. Ponder. Seek. Ask. Let it flow. Ooze. Splash. Smile.

Living out your God-given joy-calling IS the good and right thing to do!

... so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them. (John 17:13)

Don't forget to check out the offerings in my CARD SHOP! The link is below: (and then the download button)

https://intermissionsforhope.blogspot.com/p/card-shop.html

I'm still mad

I know, the bible says not to let the sun go down while you are still angry (Ephesians 4:26), but there are times when frustration and upsetness just seem to take over. On top of that, I kinda relish the feeling. Dog gone it, I am mad! I feel justified in being angry. And whatever it is, whether major or minor, I don't want it to happen anymore. I know you have felt this way too. I want to be mad and pout until everyone knows how I feel about the situation.

So I go to bed mad. Upset. Frustrated. Angry.

And in the morning, when I gather my bible and journal for morning quiet time with God... there it is. All those stirred-up feelings still nagging me. I try to push them aside. I try to praise God. I try to pray for others. But it's just like I learned at a retreat I attended last week. It's hard to figure out dinner when there's a bear chasing you. 

It's true. When there's a problem nagging, it is hard to focus on anything else. And near impossible to focus with the right heart. You have to make peace with what is bothering you. It needs resolution before you can be fully present for anything else.

 So I pour out my heart to God. The God Who understands. The God Who wants me to come to Him with every kind of concern. Even anger and frustrations. God is not upset or disappointed in me. Remember: we know that in all things God works for the good... (Romans 8:28) God can use this. Remember: nothing can separate us from the love of God, nothing in all creation (Romans 8:39). 

Know that God loves and accepts you in your frazzled state.

Know that God will heal and restore.

Know that God will bless you again.

God loves you. His love never wavers.

God will shine a light in the darkness for you.

God forgives.

God knows how to move you forward.

Just do the next right thing and before you know it, you will be able to look back and say, "I know that was You, God!"

The God of un-troubling

© 2016 Julie Crane All rights reserved

We have all turned to the verse: "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33) Whenever we have to remind ourselves that this is not heaven but an imperfect, sinning place. Or when we seek consolation because things are going so, so awry. When we are struggling through...troubles. Yes, troubles come. Troubles also go.

On March 2, 2016, I had surgery to remove cancer from my breast. I definitely felt "in trouble" then. It was certainly hard to think of anything else. But I have been cancer-free for five years now. Cancer doesn't bother me, doesn't consume me, like it did back then.

Whenever you cry out to me, I'll answer. I'll be with you in troubling times. (Psalm 91:15)

In fact, there have been numerous times when I badly needed... NEEDED:

a job, a new place to live, "right now" car repair, a new furnace, coast-to-coast traveling mercies, healings of various sizes, and so on. Desperate times. My mind consumed with what to do, how to pay for, how am I ever going to get passed this? But those desperate, intense troubles - are long past. Even forgotten. And I know of others:

• a long awaited pregnancy - now expecting
• college fees - covered
• insurance claims - kicked in
• a pet that wandered off - found
• a strained relationship - revived
• a loved one away so long - home safe and sound
• a new medicine - brings relief

Resolved. Un-troubled. Thanks be to God!

I invite you to - not count your blessings - but to look back at your past troubles. What was on your hand-wringing, worry plate two years ago? Five years ago? That are now un-troubling. Possibly even forgotten. Until now.

Sometimes it feels like troubles are piling up daily. Yet how many do you really remember? Truly - many are done and over with. You can't possibly recall every resolution (un-troubling) the Lord has delivered into your life! But He has. You know He has.

There's more to that verse than just the reminder that there will be troubles.

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Another translation:

"I have told you these things so that you will be whole and at peace. In this world, you will be plagued with times of trouble, but you need not fear; I have triumphed over this corrupt world order." (VOICE)

God has helped before. God will help again. Even though you have times of trouble, do not fear, the Lord has the final say. He offers peace to those to hold on to these, His, words.

I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will find and feel My presence even in your time of pressure and trouble. (Psalm 91:15 TPT) 

My casting net is full of holes

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Cast, I looked up, means to throw or fling, one definition said forcefully. As in, take ALL my anxieties and throw them with great aim and determination away from me and into the capable arms of Jesus. Oh, doesn't that sound wonderful?

But there must be something wrong with my net. I toss it out, full of worries and concerns - but some of them come back to me when I pull the net back in.

Maybe that's why we find our fishermen mending their nets in Mark 1:19. Maybe my net needs some tending to as well.

I have some holes in my net of faith and believing. Some doubts. Some impatience. I've certainly practiced throwing my net of concerns up to God. But then I pull them back and worry some more. How tiring; weary I am of them. Doing this same thing day after day. I need to remember that alone I can do nothing (John 15:5)

But in Luke 5, we see Jesus, present and involved and caring - telling them to let their nets down yet again (With Jesus. Right there. With them. With a net made of rope and holes.) And we see Simon say how we might respond as well: "Master, we have worked all night long..." How often have I endlessly tried to surrender my worries! 

"Yet if You say so, I will let down the nets." (v.5) Then Jesus' miracle.

Even with a hole-ier than hole-y net,  with Jesus, all things are possible. Worries and concerns can be cast off, despite doubts and fears and unknowns. Even in my imperfections of faith, with Jesus on the scene, nets can be flung and Jesus can make the big catch.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Another version says, Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.

I don't know the condition of your net. Or how well (or poorly) you are able to cast your burdens and cares unto the Lord. But know this: when you call on Jesus, all things are possible. Whatever is beyond your ability, He is able. Don't depend solely on yourself. You have a Helper and Friend Who can bring all things to completion.

Cast that hole-y net. Do it again. This time with Jesus. Simon and his fellow fishermen received a boatload of goodness from trusting Jesus. You can too.

Beyond survival mode

I look in the mirror, and I see this gentle but potent reminder: I got through cancer. I survived breast cancer. But long before that, God helped me survive many other things. Being teased in school for being soooo tall; moving away from the known and familiar to join the Navy; looking for jobs - taking jobs not suited to me; and when I found out I couldn't bear children (and everybody else was); being out on my own after a failed marriage; my only son headed for Iraq; mom dying of cancer; car troubles, financial problems... and oh yes, breast cancer.

Most likely, you too, have a litany of survivals, rescues, by the hand of God as well. Perhaps you have a few more on your list right now to get through - need of rescue by a power mightier than your own.

The Lord is near to all who call on Him. (Psalm 145:18)

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him? (Deuteronomy 4:7)

The Lord is good, a refuge is times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7)

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

What does forever and faithfulness mean but that God will continually, help, save, and rescue again and again. Did God ever quit on me (or you) no matter how long the list of needs, indeed - years of needs?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

I look in the mirror, see the necklace, and I am reminded: By God's grace, I survived.

You too. Look in the mirror. And say, 

"By God's grace, I have survived. I will survive."

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret... (Psalm 37:7)

       

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

Come and get it!

© 2018 Julie Crane All rights reserved

The birds are feasting, again and again, at the bird feeder. The squirrels are constantly in the yard digging up and chewing up nuts. My cats will certainly howl if the food dish even appears to be empty! Even sunflowers keep turning their heads toward the sun throughout the day to soak up its offered nourishment.

Me too. I sure like my three meals a day (plus snacks!)

All creatures look to You to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things. (Psalm 104:27-28)

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. (Matthew 14:20)

What a awesome God we all have! Taking care of our needs at the proper time. Plus leftovers! As if to say, "There's more than enough. Come back again real soon!"

Yet do we feed on the Bread of Life, God's very Word, as often? Now, before you start beating yourself up, consider this. Do you sometimes:

• read a devotional or a randomly selected bible passage
• sing or hum a hymn or praise song
• read inspirational memes on social media and say "Amen"
• share scripture verses with others through text or snail mail
• read books or articles on faith and trusting God
• listen to faith based radio, audiobooks, podcasts
• enjoy nature in all its splendor

Just as we feed our bodies with real food, so we feed our souls with real spiritual food. We do! It's just when you first think of being spiritually fed, you may think of lengthy bible readings and intense meditation time.

Ask God to make you more aware of all the times you really are feeding your heart and soul with the good things God brings. Believe you are tasting and seeing the goodness of God.

God is surely all around and in every time and place. His hand is held out and open to you. 

Take. Eat.

And come back again real soon!

How thirsty are you?

I've been watching these plants. Hard to believe that just 10 days ago it was just a pot of black dirt. Look at 'em now!

You can't see from this angle of the picture, but there are roots reaching, stretching towards the water. Fascinating. They had to plow through inches of dirt to get to the water. They must have been so thirsty!

I don't know how one plant got so much taller and greener and stronger than the others. Maybe he was just so much more thirsty. Maybe the others had to navigate past stones. Or the sun was stronger at the back of the pot. But they all decided they were indeed thirsty. Thirsty enough to stretch, reach out, take this free gift.

Are you thirsty? For Jesus? How thirsty? Enough to reach out for it? Enough to believe He is there? Just as the water is in the bowl beneath the pot, surely our Lord is present and able to meet your need.

Luke 5:4,6: "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

The Lord is able to meet your need - abundantly. Receive!

John 5:7-9: "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The Lord is able to meet your need - believe. Receive!

1 Corinthians 3:7: So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, Who makes things grow.

The Lord is able to meet your need - stay aware of His power. Receive!

Revelation 22:17: Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

The Lord is able to meet your need - freely! To any one who wishes to take the free gift - of the water of life. Receive!

Are you ready to stretch your hand out to Jesus? Do you have a need that thirsts? Are you having to dig your way through blackness? Are you having to work your way around stones? Peter whined a little - after all, they'd already been fishing all night and caught nothing. And the invalid had his excuses too. Still, the remarkable happened.

Read these scripture verses again. And there are many more accounts in the bible of the provision of water by the hand of God.The Lord was able then. The Lord is able now. 

Isn't this the carpenter?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Indeed. What help could a carpenter really be? Especially in a dire situation, like:

... a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. (Mark 5:2-4)

No one. Could help him. He was beyond help...

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. (Mark 5:25-26)

No one it seems. Could help her. She, too, was beyond help...

Has life ever dragged you through a chapter like that? Are you in one now? Miserable for years. Sought help here and there and everywhere. Exhausted. Sick of it. Seems like no one can help. Feels like torture.

Or maybe you haven't fit in for so long, that... you feel like a cast-off. Living estranged and apart. No energy. Given up even.

They had their doubts. We have our doubts too -

... the people were astonished at His wisdom and His miracles because He was just a local man like themselves. "He's no better than we are," they said. "He's just a carpenter, Mary's boy... (Mark 6:3 TLB)

Isn't this Jesus, the little boy we used to see in Joseph's carpenter shop? Didn't He grow up to be a carpenter just like His father? Isn't He the son of Mary over there and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, Simon, and their sisters? Who does He think He is? And when they had thought about it that way, they became indignant and closed themselves to His message. (Mark 6:3 VOICE)

And yet Jesus calls the legion of demons out of the man. 
They saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind - (Mark 5:15)

The woman touches His robe and -
"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (Mark 5:34)



"But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I AM?" (Matthew 16:15)

Local carpenter who fixes some things - for certain people? Or...
The Messiah. The Christ. Helper and Healer of all.
He did it before.
He can do it again.
Believe it can happen for you.

Loose ends

Jesus' name has healed this man - and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus' name - faith given us from God - has caused this perfect healing. (Acts 3:16)

My knitting/crocheting friends are cringing right now at the sight of all those loose ends! Because while working with yarn can certainly be enjoyable, having to weave in all those loose ends that come with every color change - can be labor intensive. But it has to be done in order for the project to be completed. Finished. Then we can see the beauty that time and commitment brought forth.

Are you constantly looking at, focused on, the raggedy side of your life? Does looking at your imperfections cause you to hold back from serving and loving the Lord?

God may have knit me together in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13), but it was Jesus Who has woven all the loose ends in.

All my mistakes.
All my errors in judgement.
All my bad attitudes.
All my sins.
All my wounds too.

All. 
He paid it all.
Smoothed it all over.
Because of Jesus, the beauty of my life has been completed.
"It is finished". (John 19:30)

Praise the Lord, my soul.
and forget not all his benefits -
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things (Psalm 103: 2-5)

If you can see yourself forgiven, acceptable, loveable, you can then see yourself as able.

The beauty Jesus has provided us, if we receive it, accept it, will make us more able to serve and to love.

Because of Jesus, you are beautiful. Right now. Today.
Go in peace and serve the Lord.

Expected Arrival: Right on time

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago. (Psalm 77:11)

I love running errands in my Bug convertible. But it seems like, more and more, we are ordering things online. For home delivery. We can even track its progress online. With a familiar site, a well-established, often-used site, our worries are minimal. They say three days and based on what we've experienced, it'll be three days.

Now consider the works and wonders of the Lord in your own life. Has God been faithful? Reliable? Has He delivered? How is His track record?

Oh, I remember God delivered Daniel from the lions in the den, parted the Red Sea for Moses, and opened the prison doors for Peter...

But even more so, I remember God delivering me from car troubles in the middle of the night, worries over a son in Afghanistan, carried me though divorce, unemployment, cancer ... and that's just over the last few years. God brought me through all of that and more. He's never failed me.

And here I sit. Sipping coffee.Looking out at a beautiful summer day. Resting in the peace of Christ. When the next trial of life comes, may my heart and mind remember the Lord's track record.

He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. (Psalm 18:19)


How has His track record been for you? Those worries and trials. Those prayers and pleadings from last year, the last ten years - do you even remember all that you asked? Has He delivered you? In His own way. His own timing. Does everything He has done in your past now give you certain hope for today and your future? Have you arrived - to that point where whatever may come at you in this life - you can claim God's faithfulness, steadfast love and power over all?

Expect it from Him.
God is always - right on time.

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He Who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (Isaiah 46:4)

The best part of waking up ...

In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new agreement between God and you that has been established and set in motion by my blood. Do this in remembrance of me whenever you drink it.” (1 Corinthians 11:25 TLB)

There was no orange juice left yesterday morning. So I looked around and found some grape juice we must have purchased for use in home communion or something. I poured a glass of that instead. And as I lifted the glass to my mouth, a most profound sense of JESUS overwhelmed me. It must have been the smell of the grape juice (which is what we use in church on communion Sundays). I smelled it again and again - Jesus, Jesus, filling my whole being. I can't explain the power of that moment.

And how "surprising" that that same morning, we had holy communion at church. Without thinking, I lifted the cup and once again that smell captured my every thought with JESUS. Even more tangible than before! Jesus, precious Jesus! I can't stop saying His name! What a beautiful moment for me. One I want to experience again and again. I want to remember Him again and again.

In the morning when I rise, give me grape juice! Give me Jesus!

Little bit o' faith

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14)

A man is healed by Jesus – and he doesn’t even know who Jesus is … (John 5:13)

 Another man said, “But if you can do anything – take pity on us and help us. (Mark 9:22)

 Sarah has a baby in her old age … (Genesis 21)

 Jesus calms a storm … (Matthew 8:26)

 Lazarus is raised from the dead … (John 11:43)

 Look at these people! Ordinary like “you and me” people. Big faith. Little faith. Didn’t even know about faith? Yet God did a miracle in their lives. In order to leave a most profound story, testimony, witness of the greatness, the power, the love of God. Will anything ever seem impossible ever again?

Don’t worry about your little, humble, fear-filled prayers. But glory, rejoice, and be glad in the One Who hears and cares.

 So, do you believe? How far? What is it you think God can’t do?

 Everything is possible for the one who believes. (Mark 9:23)

God is all around you

© 2013 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Just got home from a five day spiritual retreat on Celtic Spirituality. Time to learn and grow using all my senses about God and His created world. Time to reflect on this created world all around us. God’s very presence. Wrote this poem:

God’s hands, God’s hands.

Drawing the flower bud up from the stem;

And moving the long grass with a nudge to the breeze.

The sun is hidden.

The sun shines forth.

By God’s hands, God’s hands.

The sky is blue.

The ground is black.

And God waters tumble over God rocks.

Somewhere majestic mountains.

Somewhere crashing seas.

Somewhere painted deserts.

By God’s hands, God’s hands.

And I bow low and lowly

In awe of all this splendor.

With thanks and praise and adoration

To God, the Maker and Keeper of all things.

Yes, I bow low and lowly

As upon my head – my blessing.

By God’s hands, God’s hands.

Who are You, Jesus?

© 2016 Julie Crane All rights reserved.

... and a great crowd of people followed Him because they saw the miraculous signs He had performed on the sick. (John 6:2)

Would they have followed Him if He had nothing for them?

Would I follow?

Perform - carry out, accomplish, or fulfill (an action, task, or function)

Have there been times when I’ve thought He didn’t show up; He didn’t answer my prayer for healing?

Will I still follow Him, believe in Him? Or question Him?

Do I need miraculous signs every once in awhile to keep my faith up?

Faith - complete trust or confidence in someone or something

Do I need to experience answered prayer on a regular basis in order to keep believing?

Is God first and foremost to me – a miracle worker of my well-intended prayers for healings?

Does my opinion of Him lessen if He doesn’t perform?

We read about ALL the miraculous signs Jesus did during His short three-year ministry, and these 12 disciples saw it daily. So many people walking, talking, and in their right mind now. Do we see all that too?

Why not?

Are we missing something? Or did they?

Do I need a daily dose of the miraculous? Would that increase my faith in God … or somehow diminish it? Somehow desensitize me to …

The SON … OF … GOD – sovereign over all things seen and unseen.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

… give me only my daily bread.

 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ (Proverbs 30:8-9)

“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29)

Who are You, Jesus … to me?

Assurance …

Where's MY mercy?

© 2016 Julie Crane All rights reserved.

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16)

I was recently doing a bible study on the Psalms and the opening verse read, “How long, O Lord, how long …?” Boy, haven’t we all been there! But upon pondering this verse, I felt like I heard God saying, “How long, dear Julie, how long … before you act in faith?” Ouch.

A friend recently told me the story of a family member in deep need and this friend had just saved up enough money to buy something more frivolous than what they needed. In the midst of his prayer for God to help them out, he immediately knew he had the funds to help – in Jesus name.

And it reminds me of the many times I hear people “cry out” to God to feed the hungry. Or provide something for the poor. And He is probably thinking, “You have plenty. You give them something.”

I was originally going to call this post “Hocus Pocus” because sometimes we want to just pray and ask for some miracle from God. “God, YOU do something.” It would be so much easier for Him - with just a word - it would be taken care of and I wouldn’t have to be bothered. I did my part. I prayed. How often, I wonder, are we really supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus? And instead think I don’t want to be bothered or my little bit won’t make a difference. How often are the skeptics and the unbelievers of this world looking for some tangible sign of God and come up empty? Because HE didn’t perform some miracle? Or it was right there and we didn’t deliver it?

God is all about relationship. He wants us to pray to Him. Creates a thousand reasons for us to pray to Him. So there will be some growing connection between God and us. That's where He teaches us about love, mercy and service. It's what He wants for all  brothers and sisters of this world. Connection. Love. So help. Give a little. Let’s pool our resources and make a difference. We can be the instrument of love and mercy in the Father’s hands. We can shed light on the Spirit of God. We can.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Hey you … bring some of His mercy to those in need.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36)