Bring Joy to Others
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”—Acts 20:35 (NIV)
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.—Psalm 143:8 (NIV)
Both my mother and I are morning people; it’s the circadian rhythm in our DNA. Often when I’m caring for her in my home, we wander into the living room around the same predawn hour.
“Let me get us mugs of hot coffee, then we’ll go sit on the front porch and wait for God to join us,” I said.
Mom nodded in agreement and pushed her walker toward the door. Since she was unable to speak due to a stroke, we looked for ways to share without words.
As we sat in the quiet of the darkness, God gently nudged his creation awake with soft light from ribbons of pastel color on the horizon. Nature stretched and yawned with the first chirps from the myriad of birds in the trees around our house. Soon a rooster crowed, dogs barked and cows mooed in the distance. Warmth radiated from the sky as the colors changed from peach and lavender to yellows and oranges warming our hearts. We knew God was saying “Good morning, daughters.” We smiled at each other as we breathed in the peace of his presence ready to face another day.
Lord, thank you for the divine beauty of all your creation for which no words are necessary.
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”—Acts 20:35 (NIV)
And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”—Isaiah 57:14 (NIV)
My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.—Psalm 119:71 (NLT)