The Postcard From Germany

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Carmen

So we are always confident,
knowing that
while we are at home in the body
we are absent from the Lord.

(2 Corinthians 5:6)

LORD Jesus, we praise You, for You are mighty to save. Forgive us, O God, we pray, whenever we seek the many temporal things that could be gone tomorrow. Forbid it, LORD, that we should lay up for ourselves treasures on earth instead of treasures in heaven. Guide us to become good stewards of what You have so graciously and abundantly given to us. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.

It all began two years ago (please see my blog post Jehovah-Jireh, Provider and Helper). We had to move out of what we were able to call “Our Home” and into the maisonette we are living in right now. This dwelling place is a real challenge to live in.

We receive our mail to a PO Box, so I do not often check the mailbox at the house. Today I did, and there was a postcard from Germany inside of it. As I looked at the picture (The Zugspitze) I got overwhelmed by it, and began to cry.

In a few days, we will be living in Ireland for 13 years, but over the next 6–9 months we are getting ready to move back to Germany. This is not because we want to, but we will have to. There was no possibility for us to get a good mortgage, so we looked into renting another place. We did not find anything (in all of Ireland) affordable that would also allow dogs. If we continue to stay in Ireland, we will eventually have to live off our savings. This is something we are not willing to do—not even for Ireland.

It was hard to start all over again, here in Ireland, but the LORD has led the way. Hallelujah! With no place to move back to (we sold our apartment 13 years ago), we will, once again, trust in God to lead us.

One thing the LORD keeps reminding me of over and over again, especially during these past two challenging years, is, that there is no “forever” home on earth. No matter if we are renting a home, or if we have been fortunate enough to buy a home, one day it will all be gone.

What is true about our homes, is also true about our bodies. We can be confident, that one day we will be leaving our earthly vessel. The question is, will we be ready to move to our new destination then?

Today’s verse is addressed to us Christians. It reminds us that as long as we are living on the earth (at home in the body) we are absent from the LORD. This is sad in a way, isn’t it? We can read “between the lines” though, knowing that once we are no longer home in this body we will no longer be absent from the LORD. And so forever we will be with Him who is mighty to save—save us from our sins and save us from whatever is going on in our life. Hallelujah!

Don’t despair, but focus on eternal life today.

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Postcard From Germany

Seek the Fruit

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Carmen

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly
that now at last
your care for me has flourished again;
though you surely did care,
but you lacked opportunity.

(Philippians 4:10)

LORD Jesus, we praise You, for You are Jehovah-jireh, the One who cares and provides for His people. Forgive us, O God, we pray, whenever we fail to care for others in need. Help us that we will not lack opportunities to do so. Give us the wisdom and make us good stewards of what You have given to us. Enable us to see who it is that is in authority of our wealth, our health, and our time. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.

Lack of Opportunity to Help Others

Something that frustrated me during the lockdowns was that we as Christians were unable to help others as much as we should have. Even though we might have cared about others because of restrictions, we lacked many opportunities to lend a hand.

There might have not been a pandemic that caused a lack of opportunity for the Philippians to help Paul. Whatever has been the cause of it, though, it hindered the Philippians from adding more “fruit” (profit) to their heavenly account.

No, this is not works-driven, and it does not help a non-believer to get into God’s Kingdom. It is, by the Grace of God, what should happen once a person is born-again. It is taking what God provides for us (our wealth, our health, our talents, or our time) and sharing it with others to fill their needs.

Sharing Our Wealth

Leviticus 25:35-38 tells us to look after our poor brother or sister in Christ. If it is in our power to lend money, we are not to take any interest from our brethren. We are not to lend money or food at a profit. The fact is, we are to give the money freely, not expecting it back from our brother or sister.

That does not mean that we should be unwise in our way of handling what God has given to us. No. Instead, we ought to be good stewards of what God has provided, and fear our God. We need to gain more, not to hoard it, but to be able to give more. “Blessed to be a blessing.”

Other Ways to Help

You might not be rich, but there are surely other ways you can help someone in need.

How about cooking one or the other meal for a family? Could you assist the elderly man and clean his home now and then? Or, what about your neighbor, that single mom who lives just around the corner? Would you mind helping her in any possible way? Maybe watching her kids while she is going to the movies, or helping her kids to do their homework?

True, we as Christians should be able to say like Paul did,

I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me.

(Philippians 4:13)

On the other side, though, we should also be able to freely receive the offering/s that our brethren are willing to give to us in the name of the LORD (Philippians 4:14).

Seeking the Opportunity to Help

Note, it will not matter, if it is “your” money to cover their expenses, or your God-given talent to share your expertise for free, or your time. What matters is that you care, and that you are happy for the opportunity to help.

Paul did not pressure anyone to help him. He could live in whatsoever state he was in and be content (Philippians 4:11). Instead, he cared about the Philippians, fruit that abounds to their account (Philippians 4:17).

Now, and only after the former nine verses of the same chapter, comes the next verse which is so often taken out of context,

And my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches
in glory by Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:19)

A verse followed by praising the One who made it all possible (the receiving and the giving)

Now to our God and Father be glory
forever and ever.
Amen.

(Philippians 4:20)

Seek the fruit and give glory to God today.

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Seek the Fruit

Powerless

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Carmen

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.

(Psalm 62:5)

LORD Jesus, we praise You, for You are the One who knows us and our life’s circumstances. You always remain in control. Hallelujah! Forgive us, O God we pray, whenever we fail to be still and wait upon You. Power belongs to our God. Give us the faith, the patience, and the peace to wait silently for You alone. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

Are Power Companies Still Reliable Today?

Last Friday was supposed to be another day of a planned power outage in the area. Guess what? The power was not once interrupted throughout the whole day. Since electricity was scheduled to go at one point, we had to take a day off work.

What If Power Sockets Quit Working?

This week’s Tuesday, there was an unexpected power cut in our area. It started shortly after 11 a.m. and lasted until 3:30 p.m. My husband gave notice to his employer and then we just had to wait until the power came back.

In Power Outage, Are You Prepared For It?  I wrote that I do not mind power cuts. Scheduled ones, however, are easier to handle then ones that take us by surprise.

Now and then, sometimes more and sometimes less, we are facing power outages during our Christian life, too. Then what? I wrote more about that in Whenever Your Power Is Gone

Let’s read today’s verse again:

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.

What can you do if you are desperately seeking an answer from God? What is it that you should be reminding yourself of when times are tough?

Wait silently for God alone and expect an answer from Him today.

Posted in Devotional | Comments Off on Powerless