Your working life is becoming a struggle, but church involvement continues to grow. Margie still seems wary of you, despite your confessing that you are often diverted from your intention to manage a whole chapter in the Bible a day. In introducing Rob to Tom, it came to light that Rob, as a child, had a drum kit and dreamt of being in a band! Delighted Tom felt Rob was an answer to prayer and now attends the farm band practices. He is making new friends and last weekend helped paint a church room. From that, a house renovator in the congregation offered him a paid and ongoing paint job, ideal for rainy days.
After church today, those in the band and those interested in Tom’s project had a home cooked lunch at the farm. It was a time of comradery, inspiration and encouragement which brought Rob to thank you for all you had done for him. You shrugged, and explained it’s not you, but His heavenly Father who loves, cares and wants to bless him. Rob grinned. “That’s true! These days, people don’t just pay me, but feed and give me things. Tom’s just given me these new jeans.”
The Lord is definitely changing you. Your hardened heart is softening, the evidence is in the way the nightly news stirs your emotions from grief of a disaster, to anger of a terrorist attack and disgust at the unlawful activity within the nation. The only action you can take is time to listen, pray for the weak, give to the poor and in experiencing hospitality, acceptance and love in your dreams, to do that for others. Although you have written out your three dreams, they remain fresh and frequently bring you further insights. However, at work you feel like a goldfish in a bowl. Your colleagues watch and find ways to test your faith, it is easy to succumb to anxiety, anger, exaggeration or white lies when it seems ‘honesty isn’t the best policy’. It appears the properties you have to sell are the difficult ones, and this month after your regular outgoings there will be little left for food. With your head in your hands you call out to God. An inner voice answers, “I take care of my adopted children, trust in me and my perfect love.”
Word: “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” 1 John 4:13-18 (NIV)
Worship: “No Longer Slave to Fear ” Jonathan David and Melissa Helser 6 mins