When my daughter was young, about ten, she had some insecurity issues related to her ability to do well in school and have the "popular" girls include her in their activities. We made a fun project out of helping her learn her "Times Tables" and we encouraged her love of reading and writing. Best of all though, to me, were the mother-daughter conversations while sitting on her bed. Of particular encouragement to her were Bible verses from Psalm 119, verses 98-99: "Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes." For some people, these words could rapidly feed an ego and cause a few problems; for an insecure little girl, however, they were just what she needed.
This memory came to my mind as I read a daily devotional this week and listened to the sermon in Sunday morning church. Our minister challenged us to share God's Good News, and explained that there were many ways to do that, and one didn't need a theology degree or extensive training to obey God's desire to have us encourage, uplift, and testify to people who cross our path. Later in the day, I read in Isaiah 50 about the struggles the Israelite people were having, being held captive far from their homeland. Verse 4 says "God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary."
So often I hesitate to speak to someone, even with a phone call, because I don't know what I will say, or my human, physical strength is weak. How encouraging to know that God is just waiting for that opportunity to bail me out of my predicament; HE will help me; HE will give me the words to say: He will make up for all my inadequacies! This is the encouragement that I need right now, and I am sure it will make me go on in greater strength for this week.
This memory came to my mind as I read a daily devotional this week and listened to the sermon in Sunday morning church. Our minister challenged us to share God's Good News, and explained that there were many ways to do that, and one didn't need a theology degree or extensive training to obey God's desire to have us encourage, uplift, and testify to people who cross our path. Later in the day, I read in Isaiah 50 about the struggles the Israelite people were having, being held captive far from their homeland. Verse 4 says "God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary."
So often I hesitate to speak to someone, even with a phone call, because I don't know what I will say, or my human, physical strength is weak. How encouraging to know that God is just waiting for that opportunity to bail me out of my predicament; HE will help me; HE will give me the words to say: He will make up for all my inadequacies! This is the encouragement that I need right now, and I am sure it will make me go on in greater strength for this week.
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