Shower

This morning a friend of mine sent me pictures from a slum in Africa, as I looked at the pictures I was taken aback by the conditions, in which some people have to live in. There were so many questions that flooded my mind. Why do we allow people to live like this? How can they carry on? And why does God not intervene? My heart was broken for those people and then I realized that God has worked in my heart through the pictures. He caused me to see people how He sees them. I want to go and do something, to do anything to make a difference. Later as I was standing in the shower I just thanked God for the ability to take a shower. I know that many in the world don’t even have clean water to drink, and here I am clean water running over me and God reminded that He cares for those in the slums of Africa. He reminded me that one day He would make everything right. He reminded me that He is a God that sees and hears the cries of all those that are suffering. As I stood there he also reminded me that he has given us the duty to care for the poor, and to take the message of hope to the lost. I don’t know how, but God used pictures to speak to my heart and to challenge me to not forget those that the world has forgotten. So this morning I am thankful to God for a shower, I am thankful that for me God has seen fit to allow me to enjoy hot water running over me. I’m also thankful that God did not just allow me this morning to take for granted this gift, this shower, this feeling of enjoyment. This morning God used my time in the shower, to speak to me, to hopefully change and to give me a heart like His. So yes, I am thankful for a Shower.

Reference Point

Dennis Kin law in his devotional book (this day with the master) states
“Contrary to much modern thought, the key to self is not in the self. Without an external point of reference point of reference that will not move, we simply wander and lose our touch with reality”

I am taken back by the time in my own life that I have lost touch with reality. I have made life all about me, what I want and what I deserve. I convince myself of how important I am and my own point of reference becomes myself. The problem with my reality is this, when life becomes too much for me to take, when I can’t win the battles that war inside of me, when my own self caves into the pressures of life where can I turn when I am not enough? If my reference point is internal, when I’m defeated there is then no hope for me. So to have a point of reference that is outside of myself, and strong enough to do that which I cannot, becomes of the utter most importance. If I cannot save myself then logic tells me I am in need of a savior. This is the truth that so many have rejected, they know in their hearts that they are not able to rescue themselves, but are unwilling to turn to the only true God who can do what they cannot. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:1 “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. “ So if we were dead we needed someone to make us alive, someone to save us, and that is what God did for us. In Ephesians 2:4&5 the Bible states But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ. The reference point is God for he alone has the power to make those who are dead alive. He has given us the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ, and by doing so we choose life. We come to understand that this Jesus is the only reality that can save us from ourselves. So take a moment look to Jesus and ask him to save you, you will find at that moment you have life everlasting.