Get Ready and Relax!

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Isaiah 24
NT: Acts 13
W&W: Proverbs 21

Today’s Reflection:
Earlier this week I was speaking with a new friend. She told me about the exercises that she is doing with her husband who suffered a stroke last fall. Daily she and he work together to move the limbs affected by the stroke. As she was telling me about the routine, she said something very interesting. I won’t get it exactly right, but I think I can get close: “We are doing our part, and we are trusting the Lord to do his part in healing my husband according to his will.”

That reminded me of the scripture that is part of today’s Worship and Wisdom reading: “The horse is made ready for the day of the battle, but victory rests with the Lord” (Proverbs 21.31). We must do our part, but then leave the results in God’s hands. If we don’t get ready for the “battle,” are we really trusting God to work? I heard one district superintendent explain it like this: “You say you want to have a hundred in service next Sunday. Good. How many chairs do you have? 50? You can pray all you want, but God won’t give you a hundred people in the service if you don’t prepare. He’s not the author of confusion and if 100 people show up and try to sit in 50 chairs, that would be confusion!”

As I begin my new ministry, God is urging me to prepare. Please pray with me and for me that God will help me have faith enough to get ready and then relax in him.

To what battle has God called you? Are you ready? If so, then you can relax!

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
1 John 1.1-4: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.