Category: devotion

Hello, Love!!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

I am still basking in the glow of the worship experience I had last night at the Chris Tomlin concert – his “Hello Love” CD tour. About 15,000 people and I worshipped together giving me a tiny taste of what heaven might be like – “the multitudes of heaven worship you.” Neh. 9:6

The music was awesome, so worshipful. But I was also impressed by a few other things that occurred during the night that I want to share with you.

***

At one point, Chris Tomlin was singing the song “Forever” and forgot the words. Well, it had been a long night, on a long tour. The band continued to play… the other singers kept singing. And when Chris began singing again, it was the words … “by the grace of God, we will carry on… His love endures forever…” And it hit me that there are times in our lives when we lose track of where we should be. Maybe we go through the motions, but not sensing the strength and peace and presence of God. Maybe it’s something else we are struggling with – a relationship, a work situation, depression, health or financial worries – something that causes us to trudge through life unaware of the joy and freedom that Christ brings. And we find ourselves just “carrying on” not even realizing that it is by the grace of God we do so. Other times, we find ourselves in a difficult time or situation, and do know that it is only the grace of God that is carrying us through. Still other times, all seems well, and yet even then it is still only by the grace of God that we carry on. Chris said, “You don’t have it all together, I don’t have it all together but God holds it all together.” So:

Give thanks to the Lord … Our God and King …
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things … His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Forever God is faithful … Forever God is strong …
Forever God is with us
Forever
From the rising to the setting sun His love endures forever
By the grace of God We will carry on His love endures forever
Forever God is faithful … Forever God is strong …
Forever God is with us
Forever

***

Chris shared a challenge to get involved with onemillioncan.com. Starting at a Passion conference in Atlanta, this movement has been raising money to help poor people in the name of Christ all over the world. He said, “Our worship has to get some legs and do something. It has to take action.” This week, my Sunday School homework focused on Romans 12:1 where Paul says, “Therefore I urge you, brethren (and sisters!), by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Our service and our worship is inseparable.
***
As one person, we can do a little. Many together can do a lot. At the Passion conference, the students were encouraged to share financially with those a round the worldwho have so little and need so much. It was a shock to the leaders when 20,000 student raised $1,000,000! And that began onemillioncan.com. To illustrate his point, all the lights were turned off on the stage except for one bare bulb. This little bulb was clearly visible throughout the arena. And Chris shared, “The darker it is – the brighter that 50 watt bulb shines!” Even one shining in the darkness provides enough light to overcome that darkness. Imagine what hundreds of lights will do! We sang, “A light shines in the darkness” to the tune of “O Come All Ye Faithful”. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.” That’s the focus of onemillioncan.com. Check it out by clicking here.
***
This next point my kids urged me not to share, but maybe you are as corny as I am, so here goes: The concert was at the Prudential Center in Newark where the NJ Devils hockey team plays. We were sitting on the “floor seats” where it was cool as the ice was below the floor. At one point as we sang, I became aware that below me was ice where Devils skate. Above me were banners praising Devils, but in between the music was rising and the presence of heaven was so strong and we were singing “rising up all around is the anthem of the Lord reknown …” and “I will rise … and I hear the voice of many angels sing…worthy is the Lamb”. The angels defeated the devils that night! (Sorry if that was too corny!)
***
And my last point (although there were so many more) is this: Near the end of the concert, Chris Tomlin invited Israel Houghton (the opening act) to come out and join him for the last songs. Previously, I have seen Chris in concert opening for Steven Curtis Chapman who did the same thing for him. The blessings and opportunities that Chris had received earlier in his career, he was now passing on to another. And so should we. As God has taught us, so we should teach others. As He has blessed us, so we should bless others.
***
And that is the purpose of this blog. Whatever I have received from God, I want to share with you that you also would be blessed or taught. God does not want us to be like a cup that He fills. He wants us to be like a hose, a conduit, sharing and passing along whatever He has given us. That includes words of comfort, of wisdom, of blessing. It includes money, talents, gifts. May whatever He has shared with you be a blessing to others through you.
Susan

Impossible is Nothing!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Breezing past the Athletic Department today, a pink t-shirt splashed with Dating Game style letters caught my eye. The groovy letters stated “Impossible is Nothing”.
It put a new spin on Luke 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God.” When I say those words, I say NOTHING is impossible with God. My focus is on the problem which is huge to me, but is nothing for God.
But with this switch of words, I picture God looking at the problem saying, “Impossible?? Ha! It’s nuthin’!” The focus is on Him, not the problem.
I found that this is the new slogan for Adidas. Soon, there’ll be ads and commercials galore. When you see them, remember God in heaven for whom all things really are possible!
Susan

Will the real miracle please stand up!

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Miracle on the Hudson
I’m sure you heard about the “splash crash” of US Airways flight 1549 to Charlotte, NC yesterday. Taking off, a flock of geese were caught in the engines, and the plane went down in the Hudson River. Thankfully, the pilot’s skillful maneuvering averted greater disaster, and the quick response by ferry and boat operators helped to rescue the passengers. The newscasts cited people testifying that, during this ordeal, many prayers were uttered throughout the cabin. Some, maybe many, of these prayers were spoken by people by who have never prayed before, but this desperate situation brought them to their knees. An old saying goes, “Nothing improves your prayer life like big trouble!” And, unfortunately, that is true. We often amble through life without any communication with the One who gave us life. That is – until trouble hits.
The real miracle here, I think, is not so much that people were spared death. The miracle is prayer itself. That the Creator of the entire universe would deem to hear our feeble cries for help is amazing. That He who set stars and planets into orbits is concerned with our baby’s fever, our financial woes, our relationship problems, even our parking spaces! (Don’t even tell me you’ve never prayed for a parking spot!) He is intimately aquainted with all our ways, and He greatly desires to spend time with us as a mother loves to spend time with her child. What if we never heard from our child unless he or she was in trouble? Wouldn’t that be so sad? We love to celebrate their joys, their sorrows and their everyday experiences. And so does our heavenly Father. It’s not that He doesn’t know about what’s happening. It’s about relationship! He wants to hear about it from us, and prayer will build that relationship on our part. It will help us to know Him better the more we speak with Him.

Miracle in Charlotte
When I heard that the plane was destined for Charlotte, I felt the impact profoundly. Charlotte holds a very special place in my heart, having visited there last June for what has become a turning point of my life. I plan to share more on this in the future, but God’s miracles were present at the She Speaks conference in Charlotte. The fact that I was even there was a miracle in itself. It was a conference for speakers and writers and women in Christian ministry. I have kept secret a desire to write a book for about 8 years when I found myself at this conference. At the end of the first day, I cried myself to sleep, “There is NO way that I am up to this task.” My thoughts as I drifted off to sleep were that I would pay attention to the sessions the next day and glean what I could from the various speakers, but forget about my book dream. When I woke up the following morning, a single thought pushed through the haze. “Do not bury your talent. “ I had one talent, and I did NOT want to be compared to the wicked and lazy servant who buried his one talent rather than invest it. I didn’t give this much more thought, but my spirit felt lighter as I made my way to the sessions that day. The first speaker shared an uplifting devotion, and then I proceeded to a session I had previously selected called “Pathway to Publication.” This presentation was a nuts & bolts, point by point, systematic discussion about pursuing publication. Since I had decided that I wasn’t going to pursue publication, I wondered what I was doing there. Near the end of the session, the speaker said, “Now, don’t forget. You have to give an account to God. Do not bury your talent.” She continued on with her factual helpful information, but sitting there, I could barely breathe. Did I hear correctly? Indeed I did. Later on, we spoke and she (again very matter-of-factly) repeated, “Yes, you have to give an account… Do not bury your talent.” This was a confirmation to me to do what I believe God has called me to do.
I purchased the keychain pictured to the right in Charlotte Airport waiting for my delayed flight back to NY. It is a daily reminder to me that God works even in the smallest details of my life.
There were many other doors that opened in 2008, but I share this one today because it confirms the miracle that our all-knowing, all-powerful God cares about our concerns, no matter how tiny they seem in comparison to His vastness, and He wants us to share our burdens with Him. He desires relationship with us, and to me, that’s a miracle!!
Miracle at your place
Prayer ought not to be a laundry list of requests to God. It’s not even just pleasant conversation with God. I am reminded of what Corrie ten Boom shared in “The Hiding Place”. She was being taken out of her barrack at the concentration camp by Nazi guards. Her friend ran past her and whispered, “I’m storming the gates of heaven for you.” That’s what prayer is – entering a spiritual dimension where God dwells. And we’re invited! My friend, Lisa, sent me an email that said: “Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, “Oh no, she’s awake!”
Susan

Great Expectations … NOT

Posted on by Susan Panzica

If you know me, you know I’m mourning the playoff loss Sunday by my beloved NY Giants. Sniff, sniff. And, of course, I’m not alone. The Giants entered the season as the reigning Super Bowl champs, and had the best record in team history (11-1) before they lost the next 4 out of 5 games, and the playoff game. You might call it a GIANT disappointment! Why? Because there were high expectations for this team that were not met.

Like so many others, my husband has been trying to figure out what’s going on with the stock market. And like so many others, he’s completely baffled. But there is one occurrence that is particularly astonishing to him: A report is published showing that the company performed better than the previous quarter, yet that stock value goes down! Why? Because the financial community expected an even higher gain than the actual gain. So here is a company doing well, making a profit in tough times, and because some financial fortune-teller predicted an even larger profit, the stock in that fine company dips. To avoid this, some companies are intentionally leaking fake poor reports. The problem – unrealistic expectations.

This is a problem for us, too. Disappointment is due to our expectations not being met. Our expectations often are too high or unrealistic. We hope, hope, hope for different circumstances or relationships, failing to recognize the blessings that we already have.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be hopeful. Not at all. Hope is one of 3 things that Scripture says will endure forever – “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love…” 1 Cor. 13:13. Hope is a necessary part of our faith – “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for ….” Heb. 11:1. Hope is what keeps us going during difficult times and are part of God’s plan – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jer. 29:11 I have a lot more to say about hope, but will save that for a future post.

What is on my heart is this – sometimes we place expectations on someone else’s performance that are just unrealistic, and our disappointment stems from our error, not theirs. We expect those who serve in ministry to be perfect, yet they are as human as we are. We expect our loved ones to behave in the way that we want them to, sometimes even completely contrary to their nature. We want our husbands to purchase the perfect Christmas gift by reading our minds, supernaturally knowing our secret wish. Or perhaps we want him to say just the right thing, or pick up a dishtowel or put the kids to bed. That list goes on and on (by the way – is there anything sexier than a husband vacuuming? Oops – I digress.) We want our children to never embarrass us by saying or doing the “wrong” thing. We want our relatives to gather together as warmly as an idyllic Hallmark Christmas special. Frankly, we want people to remove the speck in their eye, while totally ignoring the beam in our eye. We want people to satisfy our needs in a way that only a perfect God can. Ouch. I’m sorry, I don’t want to be a finger pointer – I am speaking to myself first here. And I absolutely don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. What I do want is to spare you the disappointment that is sure to come if you place an expectation on someone that they cannot possibly live up to.

So…
Let us look for and list the positive qualities in people, rather than focus on the negatives, especially with family members. Oh, why is it so easy to let those irritations be our focus?
Let us try to see people as God sees them, and extend grace to them as He does to us.

Let us count our blessings instead of our disappointments. Or better yet, turn a disappointment into an appointment to meet with God. Share your frustration with without becoming a gripe session, and ask to view the situation through His eyes.

Here’s an excerpt from an email I received a while back, that puts a new perspective on some old annoyances:

Be Thankful
I AM THANKFUL:
FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT’S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY (you mean me??)
BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
Susan

New Year’s Post and Post-Its!

Posted on by Susan Panzica


When I went to pick up my daughter (and the tons of stuff from her dorm) for semester break, I noticed a wall of post-it notes beside the sink of the tiny wash area near the bathroom.

Lauren (left) & Cassie

Lauren and her roommate, Cassie, love quotes. They wisely decided to use this space that they see every morning to provide a positive start and end to their day.

It reminded me of my friend, Cathy, who had written the following words above her closet:
“Put on the full armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”. (Eph. 6)
Every day as she donned her clothes, she simulated putting on the armor of God, spiritually preparing herself for the day ahead.

Following her example, on my closet, I had posted:
“Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Col. 3:12

These reminders each morning set the tone for the day.

So I thought, if they can set the tone for the day, maybe they can set the tone for the year as well. As we begin 2009, consider a Scripture verse or quote that would be appropriate for you for the year to come. Then post it as a reminder. Perhaps in your closet, in your Bible, by your kitchen sink or in your car. Commit it to memory.

In the books of Psalms, Nehemiah and Isaiah, we see that the nation of Israel posted watchmen as guards protecting them from their enemies. When we post Scripture verses, they will serve as guards to our minds protecting us from our enemy and the temptations he sends our way.

May your new year be filled with God’s grace and blessings.
May you begin each day thinking of God and end each day thanking Him.


Susan

The Real White Christmas

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Bing Crosby may have been dreaming of a white Christmas,
but Jesus can make it a reality for you.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18

Scarlet was the color of a deep-red permanent dye, virtually impossible to remove from clothing. The stain of sin may seem equally permanent, but God can remove sin’s stain from our life just as He promised to do for the Israelites. God’s Word assures us that if we are willing and obedient (v.19), God will forgive and remove our most indelible stains. He will make us “as clean as freshly fallen snow” (NLT).
“Cleanse me, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7 Because David was truly repentent for committing adultery and murder, God mercifully forgave him. No sin is too bad to be forgiven! Sometimes, I feel separated from God because of having done something wrong. Do you? Well, nothing could be further from the truth. God is waiting for us to confess and repent, to “come clean” as the saying goes, so He can make us truly clean and restore that close fellowship that He longs to have with us.

May this Christmas be one of reconcilation with the God who emptied Himself, took on the appearance of a human and the position of a servant, died the death of a criminal – the death that we deserved, then rose from the dead in total victory! (see Phil. 2)
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child,
O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!

Susan

Salt and Ice

Posted on by Susan Panzica

The first snowstorm of the season! So beautiful! So dangerous! My husband and I were at our office, keeping very busy in the morning as our patients changed their appointments to try to make it home before the worst of the storm. By the time we were making our way home, the worst had passed, but the roads were terrible. Thank God for 4 wheel drive! Anyway, as we crossed from one town into another, the state of the roads would change depending upon how each town treated the roads. Then on one road near our home, the road was practically clear! It was apparent that the town had salted that roadway early on and throughout the day. The salt had thoroughly melted the frozen snow and ice.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth. ” As salt is used to thaw the frozen roadways, our job is to thaw frozen hearts.

Salt was a precious commodity in Bible times, used to preserve food and provide flavor. It has healing properties, produces thirst, and was so valuable that people were often paid in salt (sal-ary). All these qualities relate to us as disciples as well. We are to be a preserving factor in society, adding flavor to people’s lives, being a healing influence on those around us and producing a thirst for God.

Jesus warns, “But what good is salt if it has lost its saltiness? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out.” Since salt is a very stable substance, it is impossible for salt to lose any of its properties. So what did Jesus mean? In His day, the way that salt lost its “saltiness” was to become comingled with other substances, like sand. In other words, as salt, we are to remain pure, and to be the one having a positive effect on others, to be the influencer.

Let the salt we so commonly use every day be a reminder for us to “be the salt of the earth”.
Susan

Dear Jesus, Love dad

Posted on by Susan Panzica
For the past few weeks, our adult Sunday School class has been examining the “characters” in the Christmas story. Each person has taken a person or place mentioned in the story and presenting their insights as a result of their study. It has raised questions and provided much insight into this special portion of Scripture. On Sunday, my friend, Esmine, shared her “character” with us – Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. It was such a creative and wonderful presentation that I asked her permission to share it with you. Enjoy!!

Dear Jesus,
I am not sure how much time I have left on this earth so I am writing this letter to you so that you understand the circumstances surrounding your birth and understand the values I have tried to instill in you before you were born.

When I was just betrothed to your mother, Mary, she approached me and explained she was with child through the Holy Spirit. I want you to understand that usually it is our custom, that marriage be arranged by the parents, your grandparents. So your mother was chosen for me by your parents. I proposed marriage to your mother’s father and negotiations began. Your mother and I had a formal betrothal ceremony in which we both signed a marriage contract. This agreement bound us together and could not be dissolved without a divorce. Your mom continued to live with her family, while I started to build a home for us. I had expected to bring your mom home in about a year following the wedding ceremony. But after your mom’s announcement, I became depressed because I had grown to love her. Since, she was now considered an adulteress; her fate would have been to be stoned to death if anyone found out.
One night, an angel of the Lord appeared to me and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

I listened to the angel and married your mom. We endured a lot of ridicule and heartache because of the pregnancy, but we knew you were special and we placed it in God’s hands making our lives easier.

During that time, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census needed to be taken of the entire Roman world. Since, I am a descendant from the line of David; I took your mom from Nazareth to Bethlehem in Judea. It was a long, tedious journey for both of us. Your mom rode on a donkey, while I led the donkey. We encountered many travelers and rumors started to spread about King Herod looking for a special child to be born. Your mom was afraid, but I assured her that God would not have had us travel all this way to harm you. Shortly after we arrived in Bethlehem, your mom went into labor. So, I searched for a room, but there was no room for us in the inn. However, one of the innkeeper’s found a place in his stable for us. It was a difficult birth, but I helped to deliver you and as soon as you were born, your mom wrapped you in a cloth and placed you in a manger.

A few hours later, shepherds arrived at the stable to gaze upon your beautiful face. Your mom was so taken by what happened that she treasured all things and pondered them in her heart.

Several days later, wise men stopped by as your mom was holding you. They bowed down and worshipped you. They presented you with gifts of gold, of incense and of myrrh before they left.

As I slept that night, an angel of the Lord appeared to me for a second time. He said, “Get up and take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” I awoke immediately and we fled to Egypt, where we stayed until I heard that Herod had died. An angel of the Lord appeared to me a third time as I slept and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” We left immediately for the land of Israel. When we arrived, I heard that Archelaus was King and I became afraid because I thought he would continue his father’s reign and come looking for you, so we went back to Nazareth. Life became uneventful after that.

I just hope that you realize the values I have tried to instill in you to always obey your Heavenly Father. I want you to use him as your guide and example. I just ask that you always take care of your mom. Do you remember the incident at the temple in Jerusalem? We searched for you for three days and found you in the temple courts being about the business of your Father. Well, you scared your mom and me to death. Because of all we had been through, we thought something bad may have happened to you. I never understood why you had to be in your Father’s house, but I understand it was your way of being closer to him.

May God continue to bless and direct your life. May his plan for your life be fulfilled. I love you very much.
Dad

Susan

A Million and ONE reasons to believe

Posted on by Susan Panzica

My last post used Macy’s slogan to draw attention to the million reasons to believe. Not just the myriad of things He has done in our lives personally, but also the “cloud of witnesses” He provided – believers past and present – to encourage us, support us and reveal Himself through them to us.

That, too, got me thinking –

I want to be part of that “cloud”. I want to be added to the millions before me who were used by God to minister to others. I want to be a light in the darkness, to be a support to those who are faltering, to be an encourager to those who are discouraged, to be a friend, a servant, an instrument. Do you want to be part of that cloud, too?

Too often I hear people say that they are not confident that God could use a sinner like them. That is completely false!! Look at who is in that “cloud of witnesses” in Scripture that God used in mighty ways. Not a perfect believer in the bunch. God used Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul and so many others who were liars, cowards, even murderers.

God does not use us because of our wonderful qualities. Rather, He uses us in spite of our weaknesses. He looks not at our ability, but at our avail-ability. Are you willing to be used? Then come before Him, confess your sins and weaknesses, await His forgiveness and fasten your seatbelt, for He will surely use you!!

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

A Million Reasons to Believe

Posted on by Susan Panzica

In one day, I received 7 different sale catalogs from Macy’s. One for jewelry, one for watches, one for household appliances, others for clothes, perfume, and so on. But all of them had one thing in common. Above the logo, “the magic of macy’s”, was their slogan for this season of sales:

“a million reasons to believe”.

Got me thinking…

-Believe in what?

-How many reasons does a person need to believe?

The advertising execs at Macy’s have addressed the issue of belief, which is really the issue of faith. People often pray, maybe when they get sick or have tragedy or financial struggles. My question is – Who do they pray to? In whom do they put their trust? The people at Macy’s suggest that their catalog provides reasons to believe in the “magic of Christmas”.

Well, I believe in the One that we celebrate at Christmas, the One who came from heaven to earth to purchase my salvation, and yours. No “magic” needed! And I don’t need a million reasons to believe in Him, but God provided them anyway!

The writer of the book of Hebrews says that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Then he describes all those great heroes of the faith and goes on to say, “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us … run with perseverance the race marked out for us….”

A great cloud of witnesses…

How many drops of water make up a cloud? Millions? Billions?

That’s how many reasons we have to believe!

All those who have gone before us, walking a life of faith, provide evidence of God’s faithfulness. And those who surround us now, encouraging us, praying for us, building us up, facing adversity with hope, walking their life of faith, being the hands and feet of Jesus on earth… Now, these are the million reasons to believe!
Susan