GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: May 16, 2024

A Lesson from the Sky

I can see how it might be possible for man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say, “There is no God.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Lincoln, of course, had no real idea of how one might respond when looking down on earth from the sky. The three-man crew of the Apollo 8 mission actually read the biblical creation account as they viewed the earth from above, and Astronaut Jeffery Williams said, “To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is, to me, impossible.”

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. . . . On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, . . . This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1; 2:2, 4)

Stop & Think: May 15, 2024

Storms

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain. (Vivian Greene, late British writer)

In stormy times, some people will deny that there is a storm at all or at least ignore it altogether. Others will curse the weather. A large group just accepts it, realizing there isn’t much to be done about it. Another smaller group, perhaps, will find some way to enjoy it; It’s a part of life, so instead of just biding the time, why not live in it with purpose?

When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. (Proverbs 10:25)

Stop & Think: May 14, 2024

Enough

Some people are content that enough is enough, until someone demonstrates that even more is not enough. (Kenneth J. Brown, author)

We may have been happy with what we had until we saw how much more our neighbor had. It’s the “Keep up with the Jones” syndrome. Some of us never seem to get over the idea that more is always better—whether it’s the size of our homes, the balance in our checking account, or the toys we play with. The sooner we get past the search for more, the soon we will be content.

Jesus: “Be careful to guard  yourselves from every kind of greed. Life is not about having a lot of material possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

Stop & Think: May 13, 2024

Gratitude

The magic of gratitude is that it improves everything it touches, especially the person who offered it in the first place. (Seth Godin, American author)

Haven’t you found that to be true? Just the mere saying of thank you can be heartwarming to the donor whether it is a matter of serving or an act of giving. Rather than taking a service provider’s work for granted, your  kind word of appreciation can make that person’s day so much richer. A constant attitude of gratitude is a wonderful behavior to see and experience.

Let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe. (Hebrews 12:28)

Stop & Think: May 12, 2024

Mother’s Day

A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. (Tenneva Jordan, author and mother of former First Lady Barbara Bush)

In some places motherhood is not as highly regarded as it is in others. For those of us who had mothers like the one Jordan speaks of, we honor them today. This kind of behavior, however, should characterize all people who are not self-centered but who see the value of putting others first and honoring their needs and desires above their own. That’s a  mother’s kind of love.

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:4)

Stop & Think: May 11, 2024

Words 2

Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of words that don’t mean much to you, may stick with someone else for a lifetime. (Rachel Wolchin, author)

Do you remember an expression or idea you heard a long time ago that keeps popping up in your mind? It’s amazing how such things stick with us, but it’s a reminder that anything we say may be brought back in someone’s memory years later. So, we must be careful of what we say, because our words may have a long, though untended life.

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29)

Stop & Think: May 10, 2024

Words 1

Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder. (Rumi, 13th century Afghan poet)

As children we may have thought that the louder the voice, the more important the words. That may be why we yelled so much; we wanted to be heard, and we often did not get the attention we wanted. But not much worthwhile is accomplished by yelling. We communicate more clearly and successfully when we use softly spoken words filled with meaning and good intention.

A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, but the words of the wise keep them safe. (Proverbs 14:3)

Stop & Think: May 9, 2024

Family

The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only – and that is to support the ultimate career. (C. S. Lewis, late British professor)

Lewis’s observation might not be widely accepted in modern Western society. It’s evident that the nuclear family is not valued as highly today as it once was. In fact, some are trying to destroy the whole idea of family. Yet, it cannot be denied that where children are raised in a two-parent home there is a much greater success rate in nearly every measurement considered.

She carefully watches all that goes on in her household; Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her. (Proverbs 31:27a; 28)

Stop & Think: May 8, 2024

Accountability

What gets measured gets managed. (Peter Drucker, late management consultant)

Another motivational speaker put it this way, “You don’t get what you expect, you get what you inspect” (Paul J. Meyer). These maxims relate directly to business and management efforts, but they are just as appropriate for personal application—individually or in family relationships. When accountability isn’t practiced, disappointment, if not disaster, is sure to follow.

What will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? (Job 31:14)

Stop & Think: May 7, 2024

Little or Much

My heart rejoices at the sight of all the things I do not need. (as told by Joshua Becker, author and philanthropist)

That was the response of  Araneus who lived an austere, simple, solemn lifestyle when he visited the great city, wandering through its bazaars and markets. He was not there to buy the limitless offerings for sale; instead, he was content with the lifestyle he had chosen to live. What a contrast to 21st century society. The more we have, the more we want.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. . . . whether . . . with plenty or little. (Philippians 4:11-12)

Stop & Think: May 6, 2024

Maturity

Maturity is the ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even. (Quoted in a Dear Abby, column)

This newspaper quote closely reflects a biblical principle. Most of us are eager to get even with someone who offends us, and we’ll go out of our way to render our own kind of justice. We don’t realize that “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” was not a requirement but a limit for retaliation. When we retaliate, we often hurt ourselves more deeply than our offender.

Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Stop & Think: May 5, 2024

Remembered

Get old sharing the things you believe are most important. (Arthur C. Brooks, author & public speaker)

As we grow older, we sometimes wonder what our legacy will be; how will we be remembered by our family, friends, and associates? Brooks suggests, “Excellence is always its own reward, and this is how you can be most excellent as you age.” If we share what is important to us while we still have influence with others, we will most likely be remembered well.

Those who are righteous will be long remembered. . . . Their good deeds will be remembered forever. Psalm 112:6, 9)