Asian and American

Asian and American
Japanese Stella near Jefferson and FDR Memorials

Friday, July 1, 2011

Friday July 1st

Farewell sweet month of June, thou bringer of summer, the bringer of joy to millions of children with the end of school... 
Welcome July, you festive and growing month.  We celebrate the birth of our great country on the 4th.  Corn and all of God's bounty grows and matures.  The corn grows to full height, the watermelon collects and fills up, God blesses us through the hard work of the many farmers.  We are full and filled.  
Dear Lord, almighty God, hear my humble prayer.
Bless our country, bless our people, bless my family, bless my children, bless the poor and lost, bless the orphans and widows, bless and keep the children who suffer at the cruel hands of the evil.  Oh God, I now know that You allow evil so that we may know You even more.  I know that some suffer so that we all may benefit.  I do not dare question Your will.  Only that You give us the grace and hope to wait for Your ultimate promises to be fulfilled through the Love of our Lord Jesus and through the Holy Spirit.


Today's mediation is from F.B. Meyer:

July 1


THE CALL TO SERVICE
"Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they left the nets, and followed Him."-- Mar_1:7-18.


AS OF old, Christ is still passing through the centres of busy, thronging life, calling men from their nets and boats, from the countinghouse and the market-place, or from the seclusion of the study, and saying, with His own inimitable and irresistible charm: "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
It may be that He has already come to you, casting over you the mantle of service, as Elijah over the young ploughman whilst following his team.
You may be startled at the suggestion, but probably all the mighty band of men and women who have responded to His Call, were similarly startled when first the summons awoke them to action. Samuel was startled when the Divine voice rang out in the night; Gideon was startled, and replied: "Behold my family is poor, and I am the least in my father's house"; Jeremiah said, when the call came to him: "Ah, Lord God! Behold I cannot speak, for I am a child." Moses drew back, and said that he was unequal for the task to which God summoned him.
Christ's Call comes specially to the young--to Henry Martyn amid his books, to David Livingstone at his loom, to Carey at his cobbler's bench, to Mary Slessor in the Scottish factory, and to many another. Young people have a marvellous power of acquiring languages, and mastering any difficulties of country, race, or condition, 
and what other men and women are doing for fame, position, and wealth, surely we can do for Jesus. We are His blood-bought slaves, and surely He has the right to say to each of us, Come, Go, Do this, Follow Me!
Listen to the appeal of Christ on behalf of the millions of souls for whom He died, and to some of whom He wants to send you. 
Yield yourself to Him, and let Him infuse into you His mighty passion for their salvation. 
Do not look at your circumstances, or count your five loaves and two small fishes, wondering if they will suffice; or at the waves, questioning if they will bear you up. 
Keep your eyes fixed on Him, and your ears open to His voice, and when once you are sure of His leading, go forward in His Name. Jordan will divide before you, and the walls of Jericho will fall flat.


PRAYER
Lord, here am I, send me wheresoever thou wilt. Only make me to know Thy will beyond possibility of mistake, and work through me to accomplish all Thy good pleasure. AMEN.


The greatest joy is to work toward an inspired goal and then to be blessed to accomplish them.  I pray that we each have that joy.



No comments:

Post a Comment