Stuff’s going to happen that we can’t control. Stuff’s going to happen and so we need to be ready and prepared for how we will respond! Ever woken up early and couldn’t go back to sleep? How did you respond? Have you ever gotten up before your alarm and realized you forgot something as you tried to move forward? What did you do? {paused for prayer} How did you respond? Did you stop and go back and do it? It happened to me this morning and in the sentences above, I paused in order to pray for my wife, kids, extended family, and world. It is so important to me that my family will wake up and already have been prayed for and be under the covering of God.
Stuff’s going to happen?
Could it be a call from God?
Could it be a challenge or confrontation with family or friends?
- ‘Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.) Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram. So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord. ‘ Genesis 13:5-13
Will you choose to respond in a way that glorifies God so that He can bless you?
- ‘After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord .’ Genesis 13:14-18
Whatever it is, let’s cling to God’s promises and direction that we are to consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds because when we read the rest of the story we see that it is worth it!
‘Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing. ‘
James 1:2-4
Let’s be the dads who choose to respond with hope! Let’s be the dads who choose to remember the hope that Jesus has given us in advance of the troubles we are facing!
‘I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]’
John 16:33
Let’s be the dads who put on the full armor of God and are prepared to stand firm today!
‘In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one . And take the helmet of salvation , and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. ‘
Ephesians 6:10-17
Let’s choose joy because we know that this is the day that the Lord made it!
‘This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the L ord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. ‘
Psalms 118:24
