Tag: Faith

Whose Hands are Holding your Life?

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. Luke 23:46 NLT

As Jesus hung on the cross, he spoke to his Father and told him that he was committing his life (his spirit) into his hands, he was placing his trust in the Father to take care of him. He was making that final statement that he trusted him to keep the promise that even in death, his life was not over. As I thought about this, I thought how many times we put our life in the hands of others… and many times ill-placed. Every day we have to trust other people to do what’s right. We also must forgive them when they don’t do what is best for us.

We put our lives and the lives of the ones we love in the hands of teachers and professors. We trust what they are teaching us is factual. I won’t go into how much false information has been given in education, that could be an entirely different blog… or how vulnerable our children are… We put our lives in the hands of other drivers when we get in our cars, when we drive in traffic, or as a passenger, or especially when we ride on public transportation. We put our lives in the hands of chefs or anyone who prepares our food when we eat in restaurants. We put our lives in the hands of our government by the laws that are passed and the people who run it. While some of these may seem fairly innocuous, one of the riskiest is how we put our lives in the hands of doctors and nurses by allowing them to treat us for illnesses or by having surgeries. This is probably one of the ways we give up the most control of what happens to us in our life; but I’m speaking of dally life. Our ultimate decision in giving up control and the most important one is allowing God to have control of our life. Truly committing our life to him and putting our life in his hands, so that he may direct it in the way that is best for us.

Prayer: Father, into your hands, I commit my life. Help me forgive others when they put themselves first. Help me to put others before myself. Show me your ways, so that I am following the correct path. Thank you for your mercy and help me to show mercy to others. Through Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

The Greater Blessing

As I weed my garden, I often think of scriptures and their meaning. I find peace in the garden amongst the beauty of nature. Yesterday morning my thoughts went to a phrase spoken by Jesus. When Jesus said “Your sins are forgiven” to the lame man to be healed… which was the greater blessing? Was it that he was physically healed or that he was given Eternal life? While it is wonderful to be healed, especially of a debilitating illness or emotionally healed of the problems we deal with, isn’t it better to be given life everlasting?  The lame man was given both physical healing and spiritual cleansing. We are given both through faith and redemption.  The woman with the issue of blood, who had been bleeding for twelve years, knew that if she only touched Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. She had faith in his ability to heal. Shouldn’t we have faith in his power?

Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Luke 8:48

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:13-15

Faith is all it takes for miracles to happen. The woman at the well believed and brought many more to believe by telling them of Jesus’ words. She had faith enough to gather others. She and Mary Magdalene knew their sins were many and saw the great blessing in what Jesus offered. Mary Magdalene anointed Jesus’ feet w/costly perfume and her tears… those who have been forgiven of much, show more gratefulness & love! She recognized the blessings he could give her were far better than anything she could achieve on her own. Faith and belief are synonymous here. We cannot be saved by how we live, but with the Spirit of God it is Possible to receive eternal life!

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. John 3:5-6

Prayer: Thank you Father for sending Jesus to bless us with salvation and giving your Holy Spirit so we can live a life full of blessings!