This
morning I was contemplating the fact that whenever I order a small item online,
it is always delivered in a bigger box. I wondered why the company always
wasted all of that packing paper and air bags with this larger container.
Then,
I asked Daddy God about a spiritual lesson from this phenomenon, and His answer
surprised me as usual. He pointed out the fact that a smaller package has a
greater chance of getting lost in the mailing process.
Putting
it in a larger box with extra support and protection increases the item's
chances of a successful delivery. That is one reason that God puts His Saints
in His Family. This provides us with the protection and fortification that we
need in this scary world in which we live.
Then,
He reminded me that He also put us in Jesus' Body, His Bride, His Church, etc.
These are all larger gatherings that give us security, compassion, nurture,
direction, and safety. His Word admonishes us not to forsake the practice of
assembling together (Hebrews 10:25).
As
His Saints, we enjoy our resurrected position in Christ. We are buried with Him
in baptism and then raised with Him to walk in new life. We gradually learn to
focus our heart on spiritual matters rather than on carnal ones (Colossians 3:1-2).
We
cannot serve two masters; we must pick God or the world (Matthew 6:24). As we
mature spiritually, we no longer conform our philosophy of life according to
the pattern and mold of this world. We allow God's Spirit to transform and to
renew our mind with the mind of Christ (Romans 12:2).
We
are actually aliens and foreigners in this world, because our citizenship is in
Heaven (Philippian 3:20). We adopt a whole new perspective and life course,
because our mind is set on Biblical principles of what is noble, good, and holy
(Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
Prayer:
Father
God, Your Word shapes our thoughts, as well as our behavior at home, work and
play. It influences our actions, our recreation, and our daily schedule.
Therefore, scheduling time to read and to meditate on Your scripture is a
priority in our plans. Each word nourishes our spirit and influences the health
of our body and soul as well (Psalm 16:8).
Teach
us to replace anxious thoughts and concerns with faith in Your faithfulness
(Philippians 4:6). Remind us that this enables us to walk away from carnal
behavior that puts a negative slant on our life (Colossians 3:5-9). Help us to
limit our involvement in the world through everything from music, movies and
television shows, to places that we visit and the people with whom we spend our
time. We want to bring glory to Your name.
Thought
for the Day:
We
can write Bible verses that are meaningful to the situation that we are
experiencing at the moment - jotting them down on 3x5 cards or highlighting
them on our cell phone; then we can carry them around to read while we are
waiting…in line, in doctors' offices, at a traffic light, the airport, for a
meeting to start, etc. in order to strengthen our spirit and to bring serenity
to our soul.
