Some people look
at their lives and see only lumps of coal. Disappointment, losses, even betrayal
sum up lives of regret, sadness and anger.
Beautiful,
translucent black obsidian, which we called Apache tears when we would go out
on the dessert after a New Mexico sand storm to look for them, is like coal
that has been placed under such stress it turns to a glass-like stone. They are
gorgeous and can be used in making jewelry. There’s another coal-stone that
becomes even more precious when events in the world press in tightly and change
it into . . . diamonds.
That is just like
our lives. I know that stress can cause illness, damage to the body and a crippled
will to change our circumstances. Many of us are not strong enough to withstand
the pressure of loss and repeated set-backs. Jesus Christ told Paul, he did not
have to be strong because His strength is made perfect in his weakness, and in
ours. Jesus would be strong for Paul and for us.
No, God may not
give us the desires of our hearts. He may not give us diamonds. But, my friend,
to refuse the beauty of obsidian because it does not hold the power we want, is
to refuse the gift of sparkling jewels, designed just for us. Let us pray:
“Father God, your
name brings strength to my body and my will. It is the precious diamond I had
sought when I thought I received only coal. I never looked for the jewel at the
center of the lump of my life, because I believed I could not correct my
weaknesses. And, I refused to let you find the obsidian that glistened just beneath
the storms of my life. Today, I give you my weakness and place my life within
your strength. Forgive me when I have let negative emotions weaken me. You are
strong and in you I will find my strength. May I help a stranger find freedom from
weakness as well, and rest in the secret places of your heart. In the power and
strength of Christ’s love, I pray. Amen”
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love.
Let me tell you mine.”Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Prayer Therapy of Jesus should be available on
Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Only
the eBook version is up so far. It will
be on Cokesbury.com soon.
Waiting
for Jesus in a Can’t Wait World - Advent 2014, is now available at www.amazon.com, www.cokesbury.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and others. This Advent devotional uses the Prayer Therapy of Jesus in prayer formation.Lincoln’s Christmas Mouse has been reformatted to fit in a Christmas Shoe Box ministry container. It should be available to order on Amazon in a week. Watch for progress on www.dorisgainesrapp.blogspot.com
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