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A January Surprise…

By January 7, 2016August 30th, 2022Devotional

We’re almost three weeks into winter – officially – and two weeks after Christmas. The decorations are down and we are getting settled in for the typical winter we experience here in central Indiana. The lake out back has a thin skin of ice on it and the ducks, as well as the geese and the swans, are having to make do sitting on the ice rather than swimming with wild abandon.

I had planned on taking the outdoor lights off and letting them warm up in the house before putting them away, but that wasn’t necessary. Last Saturday, the weather was mild enough that the sun beating down in the front yard made for a pleasant, short task of bringing the lights in. Admittedly, I was a little lazy – although I wore a winter coat, i wound up doing the job in shorts!

We were grateful for the nice weather but that was nothing compared to what happened today. The morning started out clear and chilly, but quickly warmed up. I had an early appointment but upon returning home, I couldn’t help but get out the sports car and go for a drive. What a day! High forties, crystal clear – Janet and I even took Lexie for a walk around the neighborhood. It was just one of those special days that was completely unexpected – one of the surprises that God just happened to make available to us today.

That’s how we should live every day. It would be wonderful if we could all live our lives expecting miracles and enjoying the small gifts that we are given. Sometimes, we are just too busy or stuck in our schedules to take time out and experience life in the moment. In fact, I recently happened to read an article written about Steve Jobs’ thoughts as he was in his final stage of cancer. He expressed his sadness about not having spent more time experiencing family and friends as opposed to the wonderful corporate achievements he accomplished. I can’t help but think that is true of most of us – but now is the time to make sure that we change.

The verse for tonight reflects how important each day is. We are told in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” What a great thought. There are blessings in every day. My encouragement this evening is that God wants us to be surprised by Him. He loves us and invests in a relationship with each of His believers. My prayer is that you will invest in a relationship with God – starting with an acknowledgment and appreciation of the gifts that He provides for us each day. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…

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