Love Actually: Day 31

Psalm 56, Proverbs 24, II Corinthians 1:3-11

Doris asked me last night why I choose the scripture each day that I do. Well, the Proverbs chapter is just the chapter that corresponds with the calendar day. That way we read through the entire book of Proverbs every month. I have done this for years. The Psalm and the other passage come from “A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants,” a devotional book I have also used for years, maybe 40. It follows the Liturgical Calendar and the Common Book of Prayer. That means that millions of believers, all over the world, are reading the same scripture passage each day. There is something strangely warming to me about that. We are not in this alone. We do not walk through our lives in isolation. The stuff that happens to us matters. God has a plan and a purpose.  The Psalmist says in Psalm 139:16, “All the days that were ordained for me were written in Your Book before I took my very first breath.”

Here’s one way that works. In the passage we read today Paul says, “God comforts us in our troubles so that WE CAN COMFORT THOSE IN ANY TROUBLE with the COMFORT WE OURSELVES RECEIVED.” Do you get the connectedness there? We go through difficulty so that God can comfort us so that we can use the comfort we receive to minister to other people that are going through similar messes! We are all in this together. I can learn from you. You can learn from me.  And God has it all figured out. That is really cool.

So, why do we choose the scripture each day that we choose? Because God knew a long time ago I would need it just now.  Or maybe you would. I really don’t know for sure.

Don’t forget to do the things we are doing: Read the word. Pray. Do a kind act. Help the church. Make the planet healthier. And know that God is using you! If you’d like to hear a great story of someone who is allowing God to use them, in spite of very trying circumstances listen to this brand new episode of “What Difference Does That Make?”      https://what-difference-does-that-make-with-dr-mike-courtney.simplecast.com/episodes/s1e6-surprised-on-purpose

See you tomorrow.   Mike