[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Tuesday, November 6 2012

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all wherever in this world you happen to reside.  I hope that your day went well or is going well, and I hope also that, with the U.S. presidential and other people about to be elected, that at least one of the candidates you voted for made it.  Let's not forget the statewide or local questions on the ballot either.

"If Only" by Ruth Andrews is the article for today.  I'm sure that we've said those words at various times in our lives, but here's Ruth's take on it, rendered as follows:

Have you heard or thought or said any of the following: "If only I had grown up in a better home or neighborhood," "If only I did not have a handicap," "If only I had received more support and understanding?"

Such comments are said with the assumption that your life now would be better if you did not have a particular past. You did not choose your past, but you do not have to be a slave to it, either. You can rise above the past or let it defeat you.

Let us see what King Josiah did in 2 Kings 20-23. His grandfather, Manasseh, was a murderer. Josiah's father, Amon, disobeyed God with idol worship and was assassinated by his officers.

Josiah could have followed the evil example of his grandfather and father. Instead he chose to emulate a godly ancestor, David.

Josiah destroyed all the images and symbols of idol worship. He had the temple cleaned out and restored. During the restoration, a lost scroll containing God's Word was found and brought to Josiah. As he read, he saw how far his people had strayed from God.

During his reign Josiah tried to keep the people turned to God. Because Josiah repented, God promised Josiah that the kingdom of Judah would not be destroyed in his lifetime.

Our world today likes to blame "someone else" for its ills. We hear or read of a person being convicted of abusive behavior or causing a death by driving drunk, but the guilty one casts blame on everyone except himself. He acts as if he had no choice but to be destructive and hurt others.

As adults we do not have to be controlled by a troubled past, disadvantages, or physical handicaps. We have somewhere to turn. Our perfect mentor and role model is God.

Ask God to show you what He wants you to learn and to apply from your past. Your experiences may enable you to encourage someone else who had a difficult past.

Galatians 4:6-7 says that God is our Father. Believers are sons of God and heirs in Christ.

If you did not have a good role model growing up, you can imitate God (cf. Eph. 5:1). If you need comfort, cry out to God. He will answer your prayer. Read and meditate on Psalm 57:2 and Psalm 121:1-2. As you read through the Psalms, you will find passages that relate to almost any experience that has touched your life.

I trust that this article has ministered to you this day or evening.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul