Sandra's Mite: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

The Book of James

As I sat in church holding my sleeping six month old I was able to hear a sermon for the first time in quite a long time. . .probably about six months! I found it truly refreshing to be able to sit and listen to a sermon (well most of it). We have a good preacher. He studies God's Word and is honest when God speaks to him through what he is delivering to us. Last night there was one thing he said that didn't necessarily have a huge part to do with the main context of the sermon, but it was something I needed. Basically he said that if you have your (spiritual) nose out of joint the book of James will put it back in to place by showing you the places in your life where you need to confess sin. Shortly after he said this the baby woke up, and I had to leave the service--but I got what God intended for me to have from last night's sermon, and I'm thankful I was able to be in the service. Today I took up the challenge. For my devotional time I will now begin to read a chapter of James each day along with reading through the Bible. I know how easily I forget and become carnal. It's a daily battle. Today when I started in chapter 1 I had an immediate challenge. Lately I've been particularly overwhelmed by certain trials in my life and have been looking for a way out. God used James 1:2-4 to help me to refocus on the fact that He is working in my life to teach me patience. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." The Lord has helped me to see that I need to allow him to do a "perfect" or "complete" work of patience in my life. Instead of looking for a way out I need to be asking the Lord to help me trust Him and learn what He has me to learn from this particular situation. When I think of trials, a vivid example comes to my mind. When we were in the Philippines last May, the country was having the hottest weather they have had in 70 years. We were blessed to have air-conditioning most every night we were there. When we were in the mountain province the weather was bearable and we did not need air-conditioning, but when we were in San Manuel the heat was simply unbearable. Without air-con, as the Filipinos call it, sleeping was an impossibility. One night I woke up to what felt like a wall sitting on me. The heat was so intense I felt like I couldn't breathe. In a few seconds I gained my senses and realised that we were experiencing a "brown out" which meant there was no power. My husband's uncle was sleeping by the front door of the house so that only the screen door had to be closed. All the windows were open in the house, but there really was no difference; there was no breeze. Two of our children woke up and were crying because they were so hot. (I felt like crying! I was due with a baby in less than 2 months!) As my husband and I sat there, each fanning one of the crying children I kept praying in my head, "Please Lord, help the A/C to come back on! Please, help the A/C to come back on." After a while of fanning and trying to console the children, I realised I was praying the wrong way. My new prayer was, "Lord, please help us to endure this heat. Please help the children to be able to fall asleep in spite of this heat." Soon the children were able to fall asleep. We all fell asleep again and in a while we were awakened by the pleasant noise of the A/C coming back on. The next day my husband told me that the same thing had happened in his mind that night. This reminded us both of when we face trials in our lives. So often we beg God to take the trials away. Today, I needed to give the trial to God and ask Him to help me through, to learn patience. . .and whatever else He has for me to learn! Thank you God for your patience with me!

A New Start

Since we have a new computer I will be able to update this blog much more easily. I will be making a new start to this blog, and, Lord willing, share the things God has showed to me. I have a dear friend, Susan Baduria, who has challenged me, simply through her life, to take a step forward in godliness. This blog will, again Lord willing, simply be an outpouring of what God is doing in my life through His Word.

Sandra's Mite

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Mark 12:41-44

This is my favourite story in the Bible. This woman did not have much to offer the Lord, but she gave all she had. I cannot claim to be exactly like her because, even though I don't have much to offer, I certainly cannot claim to have given it all. Some day I hope that I will be able to say that I have given all, but until then I will strive to give my life to God moment by moment. This blog is just a small part of my giving. My husband always says that I can be a blessing to others with things God has taught me. I'm only 29 years old and don't know much, but one thing I have learned is to listen to my husband. What exactly this blog will contain, I do not know, only God does. Come back as often as you like and see what God has given me and maybe, just maybe, it will be a blessing to you too!

The Widow's Mite

She woke up to the sunrise, and she hurried to get dressed,
She was going to the temple; she was going to give her best,

Excited as a young girl with a secret to be kept;

She bowed her head and begged Him her humble gift accept.

The crowd was pressing 'round her, all the wealthy and the proud,

As she stopped to give her offering, she could read their thoughts aloud,
She bowed her head in shame then she turned to slip away,
But there stood the Messiah, and His kind eyes seemed to say,

"Lift up your head, my child, it is the heart I seek.
They gave of their abundance, but you gave abundantly,
Lift up your head, my child, for truly in God's sight,
No sacrifice is greater than this your widow's mite."

by Susan Smith and Melissa Baker

Philippians 3:10-14

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.