For those struggling financially …
It is more blessed to give than to receive. I genuinely believe that. If you are a child of God, deep in your heart I know you do too. But let me show you the other side of the coin. It is more educational to receive. Here’s what I mean. Accept help. Most of us hate to humble ourselves, to admit that our best efforts weren’t good enough, that we tried and failed, that we are now in need. But understand this: All of us are needy. In one way or another, every single person is incomplete alone. By accepting help graciously when we need it, and offering help generously when we can, we acknowledge the truth God spoke in Genesis, when He said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” I understand the application to marriage, but it goes beyond that. We need each other.
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.” — Matthew 1:23
This is a switch. In Exodus 19, God makes it clear that we are allowed only so close. If anybody set foot on the mountain God was visiting, they were to be stoned or shot with arrows. But here in Matthew, God chooses to do more than just visit. He chooses to move in with us, to hang out where we hang out, to live among us common folk.
I had a professor in college who was like that. He brought his wife and kids to class one day. Then he invited any of us who wished to come over to his house. So I went, along with a few other students. Wow! They were nice. They were regular people, so much unlike those who showed up for class and then disappeared into that mysterious world of the rest of their lives.
Why did God move in with us? The answer is clear. He wanted to be close. He didn’t want to go on being God at a distance. And so He did what it took to shorten the distance between us and Him. He remains God, beyond our understanding, beyond us in every category, yet Christ shows up as our elder Brother, as Family, as our Friend.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries?
Victims of violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace,
wholeness, the power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries.
Those ensnared by addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being
restored. Families are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in
restricted lands who face persecution are finding strength and
encouragement. Young believers are learning how to walk with the Lord,
and people are coming into the faith for the first time. None of this
happens as a result of one person’s efforts, but rather this is God’s
work as He blesses the sacrifice of many people including yourself. We
partner with you, with other ministries, and, most significantly, with
the Lord. That’s how the supernatural happens.
Discoveries Devotional – Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by
Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc.
1223 West Main Street #228
Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA
Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations.
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