Books of Samuel | The White Stone Blog

Our guest today from YOU VERSION opines the state of feeling one is unwanted is the worst disease of humankind. I hope you will read and ponder. Particularly in this Season, what can you and I do to help someone who may be struggling with ‘unwanted-ness’? (Please share, if you will, some of your Christmas plans this year to exalt the LORD JESUS by loving others.)

PARTNER POWER

God formed families to give people closeness. The deepest hurt man can know is to have no one to love and no one who cares. An experienced social worker says, “I have come to realize that it is being unwanted that is the worst disease that any human being can ever experience. For all kinds of diseases there are medicines and cures, but for being unwanted. . . I don’t think this terrible disease can ever be cured.” We who know Christ realize that He can provide warmth and friendship. Still, we need human companionship. Thus, an important purpose of the family is to provide human warmth, touch, and friendship. In that closeness, we develop strength.

There is great power in partnership. God gave us each other to strengthen one another. Husbands look at life with a different perspective than do wives. Wives see things that husbands overlook. The way Abigail was able to cool David’s anger is an excellent illustration of the way men and women complement each other (1 Samuel 25). The wise husband listens to his wife, and the wise wife hears her husband.

Even the cynical writer of Ecclesiastes recognizes the power of partnership. He says: There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches (Ecclesiastes 4:8).

via Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with God | YouVersion.com.

And before I close for today. Something that made my eyes happy in Tennessee.

My Brother’s Horses

My Sister’s (in-law) November Rose

A Joy-full day to you, dear Friends,

Blessings of Joy and Peace,

The devotion from my Reading Plan was too good to not share with you today.

NAIL HOLES

Seeking to make the consequences of careless living clear to his son, a father told him to drive a nail into the post every time he did something wrong. Then each time the boy did a kindly act, he was told to pull out a nail. The son did as instructed but soon found that although he could pull out the nail, he could do nothing about the nail hole. One might change his ways, but the scars of sin remain.

David blatantly disobeyed God by “numbering Israel.” The issue was not whether it was right or wrong to conduct the census. Rather, the issue was one of obedience. God had said “No,” but David insisted on his own way. One iron law of life is that evil will be punished, and David’s sin was no exception. Judgment came, and David was given alternatives for punishment. Of the choices given, David decided to take his chances with God rather than the cruelty of man (2 Samuel 24:10-14). It was a wise decision.

Two important lessons come from this major Bible prayer. First of all, we can never get away with evil. We will always suffer with the scars of sin. But, second, we also can rely on the mercies of God to restore us, if we come in full confession and sincerely seek His help. How much better it is if we obey in the first place.

Emphasis above is mine.

Blessings to you Dear Friends +++

Remember YOU have the God-given RIGHT to do right in this wrong world!

We are glad you are here; stay a while, look around, and be encouraged. We estimate there to be over 3,000 posts here at The White Stone Blog. Please know my hope is ALWAYS to help and NEVER harm. I have voiced many opinions and thoughts here since 2007 and by now I MAY NOT EVEN AGREE with all of them and some of my grammar and punctuation likely needs editing. But this is changeless: JESUS is our ONLY Savior and Hope. Do you KNOW Him?