Dr H Reflections

Recalculating ∙∙

Recalculating ∙∙

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Proverbs 16:1-3

1 We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.

3 Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.

Do you remember those times when you were driving and missed a turn? The GPS voice switches to a somewhat passive-aggressive monotone and says, “recalculating,” serving as a subtle reminder that you’re not following its directions. It’s as if the GPS is gently chiding you for your navigational misstep. Whether it’s due to a momentary distraction, an unexpected road closure, or just a wrong turn, we’ve all experienced that slightly exasperated tone from our GPS. It’s a universal moment of mild frustration mixed with humor, reminding us that even in the age of advanced technology, we’re still prone to human error.

Perhaps a bit of GPS humor might help set the tone.

My GPS asked me how much I loved it. I replied, “Well, I’d be lost without you.”

My Dad kept using this GPS in his car, directing him to cliff edges. I think that is what led him to his downfall.

I tagged Waldo with a GPS device. Problem solved.

I recently gave my soulmate a new GPS for her car. I am not saying she is a bad driver, but after driving a bit with her new GPS, it blurted out, “After 400 feet, stop and let me out!”

One helpful tip is to avoid setting your “Home” address on your GPS to your actual home address. In the event that your car is stolen, the thief might discover that you are not at home and could take advantage of the situation to burglarize your property. Instead, consider setting the “Home” address to the location of your local police station. This will hopefully deter potential thieves and protect your home. It might even teach them a lesson (gpstracklog.com/2015/03/funny-gps-jokes-for-your-sunday-afternoon.html).

How do we commit our work to the Lord? We do so not just by asking Him to bless our efforts but by dedicating ourselves and our plans to Him before, during, and after completing our work (Stanley).

How often do we bring unwarranted expectations to our experiences and aspirations? We create our plans and timelines, hoping everything will go smoothly and turn out exactly as desired. Yet, so often, our expectations are unmet. Eventually, we come to realize that life doesn’t work that way. This truth is even more evident in the Kingdom of God.

The Father frequently introduces totally unexpected and unanticipated events as He mysteriously works in our lives and circumstances. Consider these examples from Scripture: the burning bush, a night spent unharmed in the lion’s den, horses and chariots of fire, cryptic handwriting on a wall, prison doors and chains suddenly unlocked, and the parting of the Red Sea.

We cannot predict the unexpected, and the same goes for our spiritual journey. The Father has a way of redirecting our lives, either accelerating or decelerating our progress. Unlike a GPS, He does not “recalculate.” He brings His predetermined plan and dreams for our lives to fruition.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, understood the concept of “recalculating” long before GPS technology existed. Recalculating becomes necessary when we make our plans without considering the Father’s direction and guidance. While Solomon didn’t have a GPS, he was well-acquainted with the need to realign one’s path. He contrasted the futility of making plans apart from the Father’s input with the wisdom of planning as directed by the Father.

We might paraphrase Solomon’s insights from Proverbs 16 as follows: We often devise our own plans, but the Father has the final say; true success comes when we align our plans with the Father’s; we propose and aspire, but ultimately, the Father’s will prevails.

The best and wisest course of action is to ask the Father what He wishes to accomplish and what His plans are. When we receive divine guidance, we have a choice to make. We can choose to follow His direction and pray that it will be done as He desires.

Often, we get this process backward. We make our plans first and then ask the Father to bless them. This approach, as they say in parts of the southern United States, “that dog won’t hunt.” And we become very disappointed when He does not come through as we expected and hoped. This often leads to discouragement and disillusionment. Anger usually follows along with bitterness, resentment, and separation.

REFLECT & PRAY

Trade trust for frustration and disappointment, and The Father will guide your way.

Father, I acknowledge that I often make plans without involving You, leading to great disappointment and discouragement when things don’t go my own way. Help me to trust in You and rely on Your guidance every step of the way.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work around you. He has been actively involved in human affairs throughout history. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

The Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He has been working throughout history to accomplish His purposes. He does not ask us to dream our dreams for Him. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

When He approaches us, He already has His own plan. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When the Father reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

It is deplorable but common to repeatedly lose track of this spiritual truth. We make our plans without consulting Him, and we forget to ask Him what His plans are.

Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

A man’s mind plans his way: In this context, “a man’s mind” refers explicitly to “a man’s heart,” which is considered the center of mental activity, thoughts, and reflections. When it says “plans his way,” it encompasses all of a person’s activities.

But the Lord directs his steps: The term “directs” here is the same word translated as “established” in verse Proverbs 16:3. However, in relation to “steps,” it is best rendered as “leads,” “guides,” or “determines.”

Steps is often rendered literally in various versions, but it carries a similar meaning to “way” in the previous line; it refers to a person’s actions and the course of their life. For instance, we might say, “But the Lord decides the road we will take” (UBS).

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes: “The ways” refers to actions, behavior, or conduct, contrasting with the plans and reflections of Proverbs 16:1. “Pure” in relation to human behavior means being morally upright, without fault or wrong. “In his own eyes” means “in his opinion” or “from his own point of view.”

But the Lord weighs the spirit: “The spirit” literally translates to “spirits,” referring to human nature and its motives. To “weigh spirits” is to test or judge the aims, purposes, or motives of a person.

We might rephrase this to say, for example, “A person may think he is right in everything he does, but the Lord examines the heart” or “. . . but the Lord looks inside people” (UBS).

In place of feeling disappointed and angry, we can choose to follow Solomon’s advice. It’s a matter of trusting the Father and allowing Him to reveal His plans to us. As we choose to follow Him, He will guide our ways. We need to be flexible and expect to “recalculate” and “redirect” as required.

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Straight thinking ∙∙

Straight thinking ∙∙

Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3

James 1:6-8

6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Straight and Crooked Thinking, by Robert H. Thouless, was first published in 1930 and revised in 1953. The author reviews and critically evaluates common flaws in reasoning and argumentation, discussing thirty-eight fallacies of wrong thinking. Among them are:

Proof by example (also known as inappropriate generalization) is a logical fallacy in which the validity of a statement is illustrated through one or more examples or cases rather than through full-fledged proof.

Cherry-picking, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence, involves pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data that may contradict that position. Such evidence is suppressed. Bias can blind a person and prevent honest evaluation, judgment, or decision-making.

What does it mean to think straight?

To think straight means to think rationally, calmly, clearly, or logically. For example, the phrase “I’m so tired I can’t think straight” is often used to convey the opposite condition, indicating mental exhaustion or confusion.

Romans 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind.

Something tragic happened when people chose not to acknowledge the existence and reality of the living God. There is a play on words in the original Greek that does not come across in English.

The Greek verb translated as not see fit is dokimazo. Dokimazo has the basic sense of testing something to approve it. The people in mind did not regard God as even worth considering. They are basically theophobic.

The Greek word translated as debased or corrupted is adokimos. Adokimoscomes froma – without and dokimos – acceptable, tested,and approved. Hence, it means failing to meet the test; therefore, it is worthless, unqualified, unapproved, unworthy, spurious, or reprobate. In the present context, corrupted refers to a mind that no longer functions as it should . . . [it lacks the] ability to make moral and spiritual distinctions. Phillips renders this phrase as “degenerate minds” and the NEB as “depraved reason” (USB).

Humans’ thinking is often limited and flawed. In some cases, it’s not capable of making sound moral judgments. The human mind is powerful but can be slightly distorted. It has been compared to a giant buzz saw used in sawmills to cut tree trunks into boards. Just like a saw blade that is slightly out of alignment and skewed, when you run a tree trunk through it, the result is less than ideal. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that their thinking is not accurate.

On the other hand, the Father’s thinking is perfectly straight, unwavering, and trustworthy. His thoughts have always been consistent and will continue to be so.

REFLECT & PRAY

Can you imagine the Father saying, “Whoops, I made a mistake?”

Father, I recognize that my thinking is limited and often bent and biased. Enable me to think Your thoughts after You and gain stability and consistency.

INSIGHT

He created us in His own image and granted us the remarkable gift of critical thinking and reasoning. Nevertheless, our capacity for knowledge is exceedingly limited. When compared to His infinite wisdom, even the most astute and intellectually gifted individuals throughout history have barely scratched the surface of understanding.

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”

9 “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Right thinking stems from a proper understanding of the Father’s character and attributes. The apostle recognized that the Father is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign in all things. Paul’s understanding enabled him to think clearly and remain calm in challenging circumstances.

Psalms 46:1-2

1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come, and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Wrong thinking results in instability (Chuck Swindoll).

James 1:6-8

8 A person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

The Greek word translated as “double-minded” or “Their loyalty is divided” is dipsuchos. Dipsuchos literally means having two minds. It originates from the Greek words dis(meaning “two”) and psyche (meaning “mind”). This term epitomizes the internal conflict and opposition within the human psyche, reflecting the duality of thoughts, emotions, and motivations. It connotes being uncertain about the truth of something or someone, characterized by doubt or hesitation. It describes a person with divided loyalties.

The Greek word for “unstable” is akatastatos. Akatastatosis derived from a (meaning “not”) and kathístemi (meaning “to settle”). Akatastatosdenotes ceaseless motion that lacks stability, fixedness, or firmness. It conveys a sense of being unsettled, unsteady, restless, fickle, unruly, or not subject to control.

The children of the King should be single-minded and stable in their thinking and actions as we learn to place our complete confidence in Him. We should exchange our thoughts for His thoughts and our ways for His ways. We begin by acknowledging that the Father is the ultimate decision-maker. What He says is not just an opinion but the absolute truth.

Psalms 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

The psalmist encourages us to give our burdens to the Lord and let Him carry the load. We should give Him our anxious thoughts, worries, and troubles, allowing the Father to bear them for us.

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Stand up for yourself ∙

Stand up for yourself ∙

We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. – 2 Corinthians 10:13

2 Corinthians 11:2-4

2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband – Christ.

3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning ways.

4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.

Chick-fil-A has long stood out in the fast-food industry with its unique marketing strategy, featuring cows as its bovine spokespersons for over 25 years. Their slogan, “Eat Mor Chikin,” underscores their distinction from other fast-food chains that primarily serve hamburgers. As the largest poultry-based fast-food chain in America, Chick-fil-A achieved more than 21.6 billion in domestic sales in 2023, nearly triple the combined sales of both KFC and Popeyes.

Chick-fil-A has taken legal action against 16 chicken producers, including industry giants Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, accusing them of conspiring to keep prices artificially high. The company alleges that these producers colluded to inflate prices following Chick-fil-A’s 2014 announcement that by 2019, it would only sell chicken not treated with antibiotics. This price inflation impacted billions of dollars in chicken purchases, costs that were ultimately passed on to consumers. Other companies, such as Aldi supermarkets and Campbell Soup, have joined in the legal battle against the chicken producers.

Chick-fil-A alleges that the suppliers violated federal antitrust laws by sharing confidential bidding and pricing information with each other through phone and text messages. This has resulted in a legal dispute as Chick-fil-A takes a stand against what it sees as unfair practices (Neil Vigdor, http://www.nytimes.com).

Undaunted, Big Chicken will by no means “chicken out.” Perdue Farms’ spokeswoman, Andrea Staub, firmly asserted, “We believe these claims are unfounded and plan to contest the merits.” America will undoubtedly be witness to the most egregious cockfight in history.

The idea of taking a stand against Big Chicken seems outlandish, if not oddly intriguing, almost oxymoronic, a tad humorous, whimsical, and even preposterous.

Developing the ability to stand up for yourself and your faith is crucial in commanding respect from others. When you assert your beliefs and set boundaries, people are more likely to pause or even abandon any attempts to push you around or manipulate you. It’s important to remember that, just like water seeks the path of least resistance, individuals often test boundaries until they encounter firm, unwavering principles.

Prepare yourself to take a decisive stand and then stand firm with confidence.

REFLECT & PRAY

1 Peter 5:12 My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is indeed part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.

Father, grant me the wisdom to know when to take a stand and the courage to stand firm on the truth of the Word of God.

INSIGHT

In the early church, adversaries of the truth often conspired to harm the body of Christ. Deceivers and false teachers were widespread. As an apostle, Paul had to confront the children of the King. The book of 2 Corinthians offers several insights into what occurred.

2 Corinthians 11:4-20

13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.

19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!

20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.

The children of the King were being led astray from their pure devotion to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They were gullible, easily deceived, and ruthlessly taken advantage of by false teachers. Believing themselves to be wise, enlightened, open, compliant, accommodating, tolerant, and even benevolent, they might today have considered themselves, in a pejorative sense, “woke.” However, instead of growing more robust in their faith and walking closer to the Father, they were being deceived, seduced, and led astray. Simply speaking, they caved into false teachers.

The often-quoted pejorative aphorism “suffer fools gladly” originates from the KJV rendering of the first half of 2 Corinthians 11:19 (Baker). Referring to these gullible Corinthians as “wise” is scathingly sarcastic. Rather than being wise, they were fools. They are the very fools who embraced other fools so heartily (Baker).

Paul was confrontational and exposed the true source of the deception that fueled the false teachers: Satan himself. Paul did not hold back or mince words.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.

14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end, they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

It was long overdue for the Corinthians to stand up and resist. They needed to confront the powerful influences misleading them, akin to fighting the “Big Chicken” of their day. They should not allow themselves to be enslaved by false teachers or taken advantage of any longer.

2 Corinthians 11:19-20

19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!

20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.

“The Corinthians considered themselves unusually wise, but they were being unusually foolish by not only humoring the fools in their midst but doing so gladly. They were absurdly tolerant. They submitted to the teaching of the false apostles even though it resulted in their own enslavement” (Constable).

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything” (Albert Einstein).

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Does God have grandchildren? ∙∙

Does God have grandchildren? ∙∙

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:26

Daniel 5:18-22

18 Your Majesty, the Most High God, gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.

20 But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.

21 He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.

22 You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.

What is a grandparent? Even without formal training in biology, the concept of grandparents is broadly understood. Grandparents are the biological parents of an individual’s mother or father. Children have direct relationships with their parents, who gave birth to them. Although children are biologically connected to their grandparents, their grandparents did not directly bring them into the world. As a result, grandchildren have an indirect familial bond with their grandparents.

In contrast, there are no intermediaries between Father God and His children. Every child of the King has a direct, personal relationship with their heavenly Father. Each child of the King made an individual, personal decision to believe in and accept the Lord Jesus Christ. By doing so, we become the Father’s children and enter into a personal relationship with Him.

John 1:12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, we are spiritually born again as children of God. This new birth is not a physical one but a transformation of our inner being. It is a spiritual awakening that occurs when we believe in Jesus Christ, leading to a profound spiritual awakening within us. This rebirth is not of the flesh; that is, it is not a physical one, but it is of the spirit, and it signifies our new identity as children of the King.

John 1:13 [We] are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

John 3:3-8

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

6 “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.”

7 “So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’”

8 “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

REFLECT & PRAY

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk of the word so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.

Father, thank You for making us Your children. You adopted us into Your Forever Family when You caused us to be born of the Spirit.

INSIGHT

Does the Father have grandchildren? No, absolutely not! The Father only has children. Faith is a personal decision that everyone must make for themselves. It is not like a human trait or inheritance passed from generation to generation. Each child of the King is responsible for providing biblical teaching, guiding, and leading by example to allow their children to come to faith in the Father and His word for themselves.

This is perfectly illustrated in Daniel 2-5. The Father reached out to Nebuchadnezzar in a unique way through Daniel and his three Jewish friends: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In Daniel 2, Daniel is given supernatural wisdom to interpret dreams.

Nebuchadnezzar was suffering from a recurring nightmare. Daniel was summoned to not only interpret it but to tell Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamed.

Daniel was not some shadowy soothsayer. He was a kingdom man empowered by the Father, the living God. The Father revealed to Daniel what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed and its meaning and interpretation. When Daniel shared what God had provided, Nebuchadnezzar was not only impressed but amazed. Consequently, Nebuchadnezzar believed in the supernatural power of the God of Israel.

Daniel 2:47-49

47 The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”

48 Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.

49 At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage all the affairs of the province of Babylon while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

Next, Daniel’s three friends refused to obey the king’s command to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, considering it an act of idolatry. As a result, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. The Father sent an angel to miraculously protect them. Nebuchadnezzar could not believe his eyes and came to believe in the extraordinary power, reality, and existence of the Father. He realized that the God of Israel was at work in the space-time continuum.

Daniel 3:28-30

28 “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

29 . . . There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

30 Then, the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar had faith in the Father but not the kind of faith that would make him a child of the King. He was not far from the Kingdom of God (Mark 12:34).

Because Nebuchadnezzar was proud and braggadocios, the Father struck him with a rare form of mental illness called boanthropy. When he finally recovered and came to his senses, he finally accepted the Father as his God (Daniel 4). He was in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15).

Daniel 4:34-37

34 “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal.

35 All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

36 “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even more incredible honor than before.

37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, glorify, and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king of Babylon, had become a believer in Israel’s true and living God. He had become a child of the King. However, he failed to pass on his faith to his family and descendants. The handwriting on the wall was a message to his grandson, Belshazzar.

Sadly, Belshazzar was unaware of Daniel and the God of Israel. He did not know what Nebuchadnezzar believed. He threw a great feast and, in so doing, mocked the God of Israel. A hand appeared, and a message was written on the wall: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN (Daniel 5:25).

Belshazzar was terrified. He was told about Daniel, who had the wisdom, insight, and understanding of the gods. He summoned Daniel to provide the meaning of the words (Daniel 5:11-12).

Daniel 5:17-22

17 Daniel answered the king, Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.

18 Your Majesty, the Most High God, gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.

20 But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.

22 You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.

The Father only has children, not grandchildren!

Daniel 5:23-24

23 For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!

24 So God has sent this hand to write this message.

Daniel 5:30 That very night, Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.

Because of his pride, defiance, and refusal to believe in the true God, the God of Israel, Belshazzar was doomed.

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Timely moments – fitting words

Timely moments – fitting words

For everything, there is an appointed time and an appropriate time for every activity on earth. – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

Throughout history, at appropriate times, the Father has raised up ideally suited, capable, seemingly tailor-made individuals to utter memorable, heartfelt, appropriate words.

“In war, resolution

In defeat, defiance

In victory, magnanimity

In peace, goodwill” (Churchill).

“Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.”

“But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln).

“Not only are there times and seasons in this world, but there is also an overruling providence in our lives. From before our birth to the moment of our death, God is accomplishing His divine purposes, even though we may not always understand what He is doing” (Wiersbe).

As there are ebbs and flows to times and seasons, our personal experiences also have their fluctuations and swings.

The Father is at work, and He is at work all the time. As we interact with His assignments for our lives, the use of the right words and actions can significantly impact outcomes. Good word choice conveys empathy, understanding, respect, and clarity, enhancing effective communication. Similarly, aligning our actions with our words and intentions demonstrates integrity and nurtures trust.

The rub comes when we speak ill-timed words or take inappropriate actions. Sometimes, we act out of defiance and stubbornness instead of peace and goodwill; we may ultimately find ourselves opposing the will of the Father.

REFLECT & PRAY

Psalms 13:5 But I have placed my trust in Your lovingkindness; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.

Father, thank You for making everything beautiful in its own time.

INSIGHT

Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.

The Hebrew word translated as “season” or “appointed time” is zeman. This term does not refer to a general period but rather to a specific moment in time. It is forward-looking, gazing into the future and suggesting there is an exact time for something to occur. Its focus is not on the concept of time itself but on the succession of events within the space-time continuum.

Consider the fairy tale Cinderella. In the story, she is mistreated by her jealous stepsisters and stepmother, living a life of drudgery and misery as a maid in her own home. A kindly Fairy Godmother comes to her aid, providing her with a beautiful silver gown and a unique pair of glass slippers so that she may attend Prince Charming’s ball. However, there is one condition: the magic spell will be broken at a specific moment in time, midnight. At that moment, the coach and horses, the footmen and driver, and the dress all revert to their original forms. This perfectly illustrates the concept of an “appointed time.”

Appointed times, seasons, and every event under heaven are planned and actualized through the Father’s grace and peace. Regardless of the circumstances, grace and peace are always the present possessions of every child of the King.

What are grace and peace?

“These are two things you can always have, no matter what your circumstances. Grace is all God’s power, all his love, all his beauty available to you. It is a marvelous term that wraps up all that God is and offers to us. It comes from the same Greek word from which we get our English word charm. Grace is charming, lovely, and pleasant. It is something which pleases, which imparts charm and loveliness to a life.”

“Peace is freedom from anxiety, fear, and worry. These are the two characteristics which ought to mark Christians all the time: Grace – God at work in their life; and peace – a sense of security, of trust” (Stedman).

Understanding grace enables one to place great trust in the Father. Trusting in the Father allows one to experience tremendous peace and rest, knowing that the Father is gracious and kind. The Father reveals His personality, character, and ways through His words.

Psalms 33:13-22

13 The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.

14 From his throne, he observes all who live on the earth.

15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.

18 But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.

19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

20 We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

22 Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.

From His unlimited and eternal perspective, the Father sees and knows all. Because He is omniscient, He is aware of our innermost motives and intentions. Because He created us, He has a perfect understanding of how we feel, think, and act. There is no misunderstanding; He knows us thoroughly. Yet, remarkably, He still calls us into His love, His fellowship, and His life!

When children of the King respond to His call to know, worship, and choose to serve Him, several remarkable things often occur in the innermost parts of our being. We experience inner peace, joy, increased hope, and confidence. The Father designed worship to develop a deep love for Him and His people.

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