Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Saturday!  All is well here at 811. Bruce spent much of the day driving around catching up on errands he needed to run. He loves being independent once again.   I wrote my sermon and have practiced it. I just hope I can remember it all for tomorrow. A couple more practices and I should be okay. I am preaching at St. Andrews Christian Church in Carrolton. This will be a new congregation to whom I will preach.  The passage of scripture is John 11: 1-45; Raising of Lazarus.  Sermon title:  When the Dead Stand Up the Funeral’s Over!  Say an extra prayer for me to preach well and share this extraordinary passage of scripture.  Geni, Bruce and I made a basket full of pink ribbons for surgery day. I also found pink popcorn. There will be good coffee and Geni is making wonderful sugar cookies with pink ribbon icing. It is going to be a “Think Pink Party” in the waiting room at Memorial.

Dear God, I do love scripture and I believe that scripture is Your inspired word. It is your “spirit” placed “in” the hearts of your people called to write about you and your Son; Jesus. It is in your word that I find delight. It is in your word that I find security. Thank you for the continued assurance that your promises are true. I praise your holy name. I love you Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

My devotion tonight refers to the story of the centurion and his slave who was ill. This centurion knew that Jesus was true to his word. The centurion did not ask Jesus to go back to his home. He knew that if Jesus said the servant would be healed and Jesus was true to his word. Upon the centurions return to his home the servant was healed. How strong was the faith of the centurion?

Is our faith that strong? When we read scripture and pray do we really take God at his word? Do we delight ourselves in the Lord? When our way is challenged and we try to see through the clouds of uncertainty remember that God is pure light. God enables us to see Him at any time and we are called to fix our eyes on him and he will show the way forward. The psalmist writes, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37: 4) I believe so strongly in God’s word and that it is absolutely true and what God promises will be accomplished. Our difficulty is in the waiting for when the promises and desires of our heart will be made known to us. It is in this waiting that we open the promise of hope given to us when we first believed. Hope is the steady light of God leading us through those clouds of uncertainty. Waiting does not always mean standing still. It simply means that we must continue to move forward in the light of God’s love and grace.  It is during this time of waiting that we learn to enjoy our time with the Savior and delight in Him. The psalmist also tells us to “Wait for the LORD, and keep His way, and he will exalt you.” (Ps. 37: 34)

“Say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

Luke 7: 7

Take joy in the journey and take time to delight in the Lord. Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep and think pink!  Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene