Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 2 Timothy 3:17, “That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Background

Just a quick survey of a particular earlier this Spring would bring back some of these highlights: a heart attack of a co-worker’s mom, a funeral for a previous co-worker who died from a severe form of Parkinson’s, an Easter Sunday which included getting to baptize my own son, my wife’s continued battle with numbness in her left hand, four days home from work to enjoy my family, a special meal to celebrate the birthdays of my wife’s cousin and my daughter, and an e-mail from a friend whose mom’s biopsy confirmed that the cancer has returned. And those are just some of the larger things that have affected one single individual. Who could bear to read the list that could be compiled if it included the ups and downs of dozens or hundreds of more people? It’s almost enough to make one sit at the desk and just stare at the computer, listless and hopeless. We clearly are not equipped on our own to handle this life. The weight of worry and disappointment cannot be sustained, and the drastic swings from joy and celebration to heartache and loss are beyond our ability to explain away. Is there a more candid expression of the existence of God and our need for His intercession than in the daily living out of the life we have?

Application

But even as we are ill-equipped to endure and understand what the passage of time brings for each of us, our spirits are made to call out to the One who is beyond us, yet right here with us. His Word, which transmits the truths of the Creator and all His creation, has the salve, the compass, and even the rod that we need. His Bible does not explain every wind that blows your way, but it does equip you for wherever that wind takes you, no matter how it takes you there. There is no low too low for its comfort, and no high too high for His glory. Your past seven days, or maybe seven hours or minutes, may have brought something extraordinary your way. He can equip you to handle it, as well as the unexpected swing that might await you next. Be equipped for the good work that He has made you for.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to fill you with what you will need for today. Enjoy each moment for what it brings, and for how the Lord uses it to bring you where He wants you.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words