Your World

Dear Father,

What have we done to your world? You filled it with beautiful flowers, streams, and people, with creatures both mighty and miniscule, with so much intricate detail we discover new things every day.

Then you gave humanity a choice. I could blame it on Eve or Adam, but the truth is I could have been the one to take the bite and ruin it all. Now we have filled your perfect creation with anger, bitterness, revenge, lust, terror, pain, sickness, and death.

Father what have we done? Everything we do is touched sooner or later by tragedy — cancer, war, scandal, terror.

But after the rain comes, there is the rainbow. Because of the uneven stones, the stream gurgles a happy tune. In the world’s darkest hour, the ones You created show the selflessness of living as Your image.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:14).

The Day of Labor

In honor of Labor Day next week, a few verses on the blessings and promises of God.

Psalm 81:6
“I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.”

Isaiah 9:4
“For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.”

Matthew 11:29-30
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Acts 15:28
“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.”