A LITTLE THUMPING - 3.16.2016

A LITTLE THUMPING
Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

A couple weekends ago our staff went up to Maumee State Lodge for a little “enrichment”. It was a time for us to get to know one another better, a time to get to know GOD a little better collectively and individually.

As part of the enrichment I was blessed to share a little devotional book with each person there. It is entitled “GOD is WITH YOU every day” from Max Lucado.

It is one of those 365 day devotionals with little nuggets from Max’s other writings sprinkled throughout. It was a line and thought or two from March 9th’s entry that caught my eye and I thought I would share a little of it today.

Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud - Max Lucado

When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it “sings,” it’s ready. If it “thuds,” it’s placed back in the oven.

The character of a person is also checked by thumping.
Been thumped lately?

Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed.

How do we respond? Do we sing, or do we thud?

It is easy to allow the “thumps” to put us in the dumps!

Yet Max goes on to share that…

Jesus said,
“…out of the nature of the heart a man speaks” (Luke 6:45).

There’s nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living. If you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart.

There is hope for us “thudders”…

Thank God for the thumps.
Chances are that God is allowing the thumping and He’s doing it for our own good.

My child, don’t think the Lord’s discipline is worth nothing, and don’t stop trying when he corrects you. The Lord disciplines everyone he loves; he punishes everyone he accepts as a child.” So accept sufferings like a father’s discipline. God does these things to you like a father correcting his children. You know that all children are disciplined by their fathers. So, if you never receive the discipline that every child must have, you are not true children and don’t really belong to God. – Hebrews 12:5-8 (ERV)

We do belong to GOD. 
And there is MUCH to learn from each thump.

Face it we are going to be tested; big tests, little ones too.
So rather than shrugging at the “test or the thump”, step back and inquire of GOD as to “why”. The “why” behind the TEST is infinitely more important than its temporary inconvenience; the “why” is often to develop our faith.

...greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found… 1 Peter 1:3-6 (NASB)

In recent weeks I have been in conversations with many good friends who are being “thumped”. GOD is doing a work in them and through their circumstances to draw them closer to Him, to reveal things in them, to open their minds to change and advancement. And Max is right, thumps can hurt.

But don’t bemoan the thumps. Don’t.
It is a sign of GOD’S great care and love for us.

For lastly Max reminds us…
“God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus. ”

And that often takes a little thumping.

I love you all!
Be blessed!
Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)