PONDER HIS PERMANENCE

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.

You can endure change by pondering His permanence.

Survive rejection by meditating on His acceptance. - Lucado

Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground…

Look up and be alert to what is going on around Christ – that’s where the action is. - Colossians 3:2 (MSG)

Change.

I am not a fan.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not so tied to traditions and routine that I don’t adapt or enjoy experiencing new things.  I will be the first to venture in to a new diner or scout out a new bakery when I am on the road. I mean I woke up this morning to a “new look”, a change, in my OS on my computer that somehow happened magically overnight, and I didn’t freak.

Yet big changes due tend to cause some nail-biting and a little stomach churning.  I don’t think I am unique in that.  All of us like stability and the norm.  I love nothing more than “the routine” of our little dachshund when I come home. He jumps once and then rolls on his back for his belly rubbing greeting.

A routine like that never gets stale.

But the truth of the matter as much as we like for things to remain “normal” and stable, our world is anything but stable or normal most days.  Things can and do turn on a dime.  What we thought was a sure thing or a long-term solution sometimes isn’t, and we must adapt, endure and “change with the change”.

That is why I like the little wisdom from Lucado this morning.

He implicitly reminds is that change is inevitable, but GOD is immovable.  He implicitly reminds us that even in the face of seeming rejection, GOD never leaves, never FORSAKES and always accepts!  (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Some dear friends of mine recently had the rug pulled out from under them.  What was seemingly a thriving opportunity providing healing and help, one that was making a difference in the lives of those they were serving was suddenly rudely and inexplicably taken from them.  It has been a painful experience.

But to my FAITHFUL FRIENDS credit they are PONDERING GOD’S PERMANANCE (Malachi 3:6) and MEDITATING on GOD’S ACCEPTANCE. (Romans 8:31)

That is why Max’s words resonate today.

We all can endure because of GOD’s PERMANENCE.

And we all can survive because of GOD’s UNBRIDLED ACCEPTANCE!

What about you?

Going through some changes that have you unsettled?

Are you feeling a little unstable?  Pressured? Rug been recently pulled on you too?

Remember GOD’s PERMANENCE and faithfulness

(2 Timothy 2:13)

Remember even when you FEEL or have been REJECTED, you aren’t.

(Jeremiah 31:3)

GOD is waiting to LIFT YOUR HEAD and EYES to HIM

(Psalm 3:3)

Focus your attention on Him and not the change. 

Trust Him that the change has purpose, that He can be trusted and embrace the action!  Stay the course. Pray it through, day by day, minute by minute. The Lord has an answer and it (WILL) surely come. - Hanna

I love you all…

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

COINCIDENCE or DIVINE

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.

Coincidence or happy accident?

Or…

Divine intervention?

Have any of those ever happened to you? I am sure they have.

You’ve bumped into someone unexpected at the airport or someone that you really needed to see of chat with shows up in the coffee line or on your feed at just the right time?

Well I was privileged yesterday to be a part of the National RX Summit’s Advisory Team dinner.  It was a most unexpected honor.  I was given the chance to pray for the dinner and for the team.

After doing my prayer, which was later kiddingly described by the CEO’s son as a little sermon disguised as a prayer, I was seated with the family of John Eadie.  Not that anyone really should know who John is, but John was awarded the HAL ROGERS Beacon of Hope award at the opening plenary of this conference for his work in the PDMP space.  What is PDMP you ask?  In a nutshell PDMP (Prescription Drug Management Program) professionals implement systems and strategies to regulate prescribing of medications.  In Ohio we have something called OARRS.  It serves several purposes like limiting doctor shopping and keeping doctors from overprescribing medications like Xanax and Oxycodone.

But, enough of my “shop talk”, let’s get back to John.  He is a dear family man who upon receiving the award for 40+ years of service to public health was brought to tears.  It was clear his children and his bride of 54 years were so proud of him.

Yet as we were having some discussions about that illustrious career, he began to share how hard his fight was to bring order to New York’s prescribing guidelines in the 80’s and early 90’s.

He spoke of being up against incredible odds.  He spoke of being underfunded and targeted by “big business” to thwart his plans.  Yet each time and after times of reflection and prayer, GOD would bring exactly WHO or WHAT he needed to keep fighting the fight or to bolster his efforts.  Some of the intersections he shared were amazing, impossible. 

And I can say that this “David” eventually slew his giant and now what he started in New York is being implemented nationwide and is saving lives.

When I asked him, “Why would GOD care about the way doctor’s prescribe medicine?” He said, “Drugs improperly used disconnect; disconnect us from the Lord and from each other. And that isolation is just what the enemy wants.”

He is right!

Now let’s go back to the first question.  Were those needed connections, motivations and intersections for John happy accidents, coincidences, or divine?  After seeing the impact those perfectly timed engagements had on John and his work, I lean toward the latter.

So does John.

In fact, he talked about the remarkable peace he had each time GOD opened a door and when he, despite intense opposition, would walk through it.

Now I know, talking about pharmaceutical drug systems isn’t to exciting.  However, misuse of opioids still impacts nearly 12 million people in America today.  But that number continues to go down each year thanks to John’s work, John’s perseverance, his courage and his obedience.

Tozer said this…

“Why do some persons 'find' God in a way that others do not? Why does God manifest His Presence to some and let multitudes of others struggle along in the half-light of imperfect Christian experience? Of course, the will of God is the same for all. He has no favorites within His household. All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children. The difference lies not with God but with us.”

So, my simple encouragement is to seek GOD today as John did and continues to do.  You will FIND HIM, and it won’t be by coincidence.

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. – Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

Love you all…

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE