Nehemiah 8:10
In Nehemiah 8:10 we read the phrase "the joy of the Lord is my strength" a phrase made popular in several praise songs and by a recording from Twila Paris. Certainly the joy of the Lord is far better than this world's joys, a lesson I learned a long time ago, but strangely enough, must keep learning as life goes on.
It was to be the best toy ever, the mother of all toys, the toy to end all toys. There were 75 pieces, according to the advertisement in the back of my comic book, all in the greatest of detail. Two opposing armies with tanks, artillery, airpower and even ships. The whole thing, costing a princely sum of $3.75 back in 1969, came with a "handsome" ( I remember the specific use of that word) carrying case. I sent of my money and waited very impatiently the necessary 4 to 6 weeks, running to the mailbox several times a day.
Finally, the big day arrived and a box was in the mail with my name on it. Hmmm, it is a small box, maybe this is just the artillery. The rest will come tomorrow. Not to worry, I thought, as I tore into the wrapper to reveal the whole kit, all 75 less than detailed pieces enclosed in a "handsome" carrying case that was 5 inches long by 3 inches wide and 2 inches deep. What?! There must be some mistake! I mean, you could not even really see what each blob of plastic was. Is that a man with a bazooka or is that an armored car?
Needless to say, I was crushed. How could this reliable company cheat me? After all, they took out a large color ad on the back of a famous comic book. I looked more closely at the ad an in very fine print were the dimensions of the "handsome" carrying case: 5X3X2.
Through the years, I have learned that people, companies, and things may disappoint you (not all people, companies and things, just some) but when you trust in God's plan for your life. There is peace. Not to say that things will not be hard. Sometimes, to bring glory to His name, there may be trials in our lives, but even in the darkest times, when we remember God's promises of eternal life with Him, there is still peace. This is a hard teaching, one that God sees fit to remind me of a various times. Every time I tell Him, "OK God. I get the message." But then I forget the message and need a little reminder. It is those times that I try to think back to the "best" toy ever and the "handsome" carrying case.
Blessings
Mark
It was to be the best toy ever, the mother of all toys, the toy to end all toys. There were 75 pieces, according to the advertisement in the back of my comic book, all in the greatest of detail. Two opposing armies with tanks, artillery, airpower and even ships. The whole thing, costing a princely sum of $3.75 back in 1969, came with a "handsome" ( I remember the specific use of that word) carrying case. I sent of my money and waited very impatiently the necessary 4 to 6 weeks, running to the mailbox several times a day.
Finally, the big day arrived and a box was in the mail with my name on it. Hmmm, it is a small box, maybe this is just the artillery. The rest will come tomorrow. Not to worry, I thought, as I tore into the wrapper to reveal the whole kit, all 75 less than detailed pieces enclosed in a "handsome" carrying case that was 5 inches long by 3 inches wide and 2 inches deep. What?! There must be some mistake! I mean, you could not even really see what each blob of plastic was. Is that a man with a bazooka or is that an armored car?
Needless to say, I was crushed. How could this reliable company cheat me? After all, they took out a large color ad on the back of a famous comic book. I looked more closely at the ad an in very fine print were the dimensions of the "handsome" carrying case: 5X3X2.
Through the years, I have learned that people, companies, and things may disappoint you (not all people, companies and things, just some) but when you trust in God's plan for your life. There is peace. Not to say that things will not be hard. Sometimes, to bring glory to His name, there may be trials in our lives, but even in the darkest times, when we remember God's promises of eternal life with Him, there is still peace. This is a hard teaching, one that God sees fit to remind me of a various times. Every time I tell Him, "OK God. I get the message." But then I forget the message and need a little reminder. It is those times that I try to think back to the "best" toy ever and the "handsome" carrying case.
Blessings
Mark
posted by BreadBakers at 12:22 PM
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