A Promise Kept is Grace Given

 I was too lazy to move out of my recliner to get a better picture before posting.
But the picture isn't the REAL story here...
Yesterday my husband and I finished the book we were reading devotionally each morning.
So today I reached down to my stash beside "said recliner"
and shuffled through a couple of options.
More Precious Than Silver: 366 Daily Devotional Readings by Joni Eareekson Tada
was the one I came up with.  (I'm sure I purchased it at a thrift store!)
"Shall we start at the beginning or turn to today's date?"  I asked my husband.
"Let's do today's," was his answer.
Don't know what YOU know or if you can read the print in the photo....
but my husband is a minister.
We read...
 "A minster who is reading this is telling himself, I feel like moving on to a job that doesn't load me down with so much grief.  But he remembers a promise he made when he was ordained, so he sticks with his congregation in pastoral love."
We shed a tear or two.
We sat in silent wonder.
"...a promise kept is grace given...
Strengthen me to keep my promises, God, to take them seriously, 
and to make the necessary sacrifices to fulfill each one"
So finished the page.

That the book sat (for weeks) in a stash beside my chair,
that we finished the OTHER book yesterday,
that we decided to read TODAY'S selection TODAY,
that these words were penned by Joni at least 14 years ago,
that we were so encouraged by all these "coincidences"...
there is no explanation aside from a loving, caring, sovereign Heavenly Father!

13 comments:

  1. I know we should never be amazed... but always, I am amazed! God gives us what we need, exactly when we need it.

    Blessings to you & yours!

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  2. Isn't God good????...so personal, it always amazes me and yet, why should it....we serve an awesome God. I know you needed those words like so many that serve pouring out their lives for others.

    Happy 4th!

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    1. The paragraph above it actually was about marriage (vows)! It was just that this particular paragraph seemed SO applicable to us.... ANY promise made is an invitation for grace!

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  3. Isn't He wonderful....
    Ann F

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    Replies
    1. More wonderful than my mind can conceive! (I think those are the words of a song.)

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  4. A powerful word of encouragement and grace indeed! Thank you for pointing me here and for the reminder that love wins the day. I'm so grateful for the ministry lives you lead. Prayers.

    ~elaine

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  5. I love how smart our God is. Never ever fails to wow me.

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  6. "A promise kept is grace given..." That's great, Rebecca! Love it.

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  7. The Author of Life Always seems to provide to us EXACTLY what we need at the EXACT moment that we need it. I don't know why that amazes me over and over again, after all, HE IS AMAZING, and I don't know why I can't always trust that He will do just that, because after all, HE IS TRUSTWORTHY.

    Thanks for sharing this.
    Love and Prayers,
    Eileen

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  8. God always has the perfect timing doesn't he...it gave me goose bumps reading it Rebecca...I know it is hard to be a pastor and a pastors wife..so many people forget that you are human...with human feelings and needs. That you feel their pain deeply. It is not just a job. You need their prayers too. Blessings Dee

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    Replies
    1. It might have sounded like I was whining. I wasn't. I didn't mean it to sound that way....

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  9. you are invited to follow my blog

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  10. Hi Rebecca,
    Isn't God just so amazingly creative in how he arranges wonderful lil surprises like that for us. I just love it, and it just blesses our socks off.
    I have had the experience of picking up a book I didn't finish, and turning to where the bookmark was where I left off, and it was exactly something I was struggling with that just encouraged me so much, and then pondering all the
    same things you did............He just never ceases to amaze, I soooo love that about HIM!

    Hope you had a good 4th.
    blessings hon, Nellie

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Writing a Song a Week #3

Writing a Song a Week #3
♪ I wait for the Lord; my soul waits and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning ♪ (Psalm 130:5-6)