God's Good Hand

With Carol having to get packed, saying goodby to the girls, then taking the train to the Airport in DC for a morning flight today, I will once again attempt to “fill her shoes” by keeping up with her blog.

Last evening I enjoyed a special Southern meal with a neighbor couple and their two boys. Tradition says that on the first day of the new year the menu is roast pork, sauerkraut, black-eye peas, collards and dumplings with each item designated to assure health, prosperity etc. for the new year. The boys are at that fun age, with the seven-year-old asking such questions as “what makes the sky blue?” I am thankful for wonderful caring friends!

After completing the blog yesterday, I picked up the book, Great Leader Great Teacher and forgot to stop even for breakfast until I had perused all of it’s pages. No, I didn’t read every word, but I was challenged and inspired by the authors’ insights, so I will share a couple thoughts that spoke to me.

Writing about misplaced priorities, Dr. Bredfeldt says “Distractions cause us to lose focus and misplay the game before us”. He relates a case study of a pastor with multitudes of urgent distractions during his work day, all of which were important, but not in line with the real priority for his day. I can relate to that!

The author uses Ezra as an example of keeping his priorities straight. Three times we read in the Scripture, “the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.” (Ezra 7:6, 9, 28) That is a goal to be desired! Discussing Ezra, the author says “And why was the hand of God on Ezra? The good hand of his God was upon him because Ezra ‘set his heart’ on the law of the Lord, the Word of God.” And also “Ezra had determined that he would be a doer of the word, not merely a hearer. Unlike many of the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time, Ezra was concerned with actually living out what he had studied in the Scriptures. Ezra understood that a study of the Word of God has a tendency to reveal the needs in our lives and the darkness in our hearts.”

Upon reading that, I was reminded of the 10-year-old that I mentioned yesterday. She has her priority for 2008 straight. That gives me a stronger desire to carefully read through the Bible again this year, focusing upon my obedience to what God desires to do in and through me.

This morning I will stay with the friend who is slowly recovering from bypass surgery, so that his wife can complete some work at her office. Later in the day, I eagerly look forward to picking Carol up at the airport. We are hoping that her return flight will not be delayed as was the previous one.

May the good hand of God be upon you!

Chuck…and Carol too