20/20 HINDSIGHT/BLESSINGS #2

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything of Him according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)

My pastor preached a wonderful sermon with this verse as his text this morning. Basically his intent was to prepare us for the New Year that is before us. He didn't know that I had all ready been studying and meditating on this and similar portions of scripture found elswhere in the Bible.

One of those portions is found in Matthew 7:9 where JESUS asked of the crowd around HIM whether anyone present would give their son a rock when the child asked for a loaf of bread. HE assured them that their Heavenly FATHER would give them even better than what they asked for in place of the bread.

Almost 25 years ago, I started asking GOD for a closer walk with HIM than I had ever experienced up to that point. I felt stunted in my growth and was looking for a brand new start. Little did I know what I was really asking for.

A lot us born again believers think of GOD as a genie in a bottle. We leave the bottle on a shelf somewhere gathering dust until we need something from HIM. Then we grab the bottle and start rubbing as hard as we can in order to get the magic genie to appear and grant us our heart's desires. Once our wishes are granted, we want HIM to get back in to the bottle and up on the shelf.

I was dissatisfied with things when I asked GOD for a new beginning. After 34 years in Montana, I spent 13 years in Nevada followed by 2 1/2 years in South Carolina and finally the last 7 years in Virginia. None of the moves were even close to what I was expecting from HIM. At different times during the past 24 years, I've rubbed and rubbed on that old bottle trying to convince the genie that I had not received the bread I'd asked for, but rocks.

The old saying goes that hindsight is always 20/20. Looking back, I plainly see the HAND of GOD in every move. And beyond the closer relationship with HIM that I now have, I've also recieved the benefit of having experienced friends and family and home all over these United States of America. I even have 'family' in Jamaica. Some of those I may not see again until we all get to Heaven. But that's all right. Because I see so clearly what's behind me, I know it's all right to trust HIM for what's ahead. And that is not only for Eternity, but it's all right for tomorrow, next week, next month, next year or until HE comes to take me Home to be with HIM.

I AM BLESSED

BLESSINGS

My wonderful wife Nancy
My six great children Ricky and Jessica, Melissa and Dave, & Amber and Ryan
My three super dooper grandchildren Katriel, Gabriel, and Caden

If I had nothing else in life, the presence of these alone prove how much my LORD loves me.