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Scripture for the day: John 12:16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
Thought for the day: Happy New Year! I love starting over, don’t you? Well, not always, but the new year does give us, at least in some things, the chance to erase all those mistakes and begin again with a clean slate. 2022 has got to be better than the year just passed, doesn’t it? Please tell me things will improve, even if you have to lie to me. But, this isn’t what I wanted to talk about.
Have you ever been in this kind of situation before? You're going about your usual daily business, not giving much thought to the things you're doing or the people you're coming in contact with when, seemingly out of the blue, someone reminds you of something you did weeks, months, even years before, that made a difference in their lives. Now, you had no idea when you did whatever it was you did that it was going to make any kind of impression on that person. You probably gave it no thought whatsoever. Nevertheless, here it is, coming back to you in a totally different way. Let me see if I can give you an example.
Some time ago, while still in “active ministry” (whatever that means) I got a phone call from someone, asking about our church and whether or not she could get a ride to attend services. Naturally I said yes and made arrangements to pick her up the next Sunday. That was fine, but it was what else she said that made such an impression. She said the reason she called was that I had helped her with a need she had about four years earlier and, in the course of providing that help we'd had a long conversation about her life and the direction it was going. It had made such an impression on her that when the time came, she sought out the one who'd taken the time to talk with her earlier. Now, that’s a nice story, but the point is this: when she called to ask for a ride to church and mentioned the incident four years earlier, I had no idea who she was or what she was talking about! Whatever bit of good I'd done then was suddenly making a difference all this time later, long after I'd put it completely out of my memory.
How often we go through life blindly, having no idea the impression we're making (for good or evil) or the lives we're impacting because of our attitudes, actions, or reactions. Does it make you stop and wonder?
The disciples had no idea they were fulfilling God's purpose when they threw their cloaks on the roadway in front of Jesus and praised Him as the King of Israel. They knew only what was happening that moment and how they felt about Him as He entered Jerusalem on that donkey. Only later did they discover the meaning of what they'd done. And later one of them, John would say, "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith."
You see, just because we seem to be making no difference doesn't mean God isn't doing something with even our most feeble efforts. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." And God said, "My word will not return to me void, but will accomplish what I please."
So, walk by faith today for faith truly is the victory. And never count the smallest effort on Christ's behalf as insignificant for you never know how the Lord will put His word to use through the things you do.
Now go take on your world. - Bill