"Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54
Someone sent an e-mail telling about a young boy who had had a bad day. First, he went to sleep with gum in his mouth and woke up with gum in his hair—his mother had to use peanut butter to get it out, then she had to wash his hair to get the peanut butter out. He hated that. He tripped over his football and ended up really smacking his funny bone. He hated that. He forgot the dessert for his lunch and had to go to art class—he always got paint or the media of the day on his clothes. He hated that.
When he got home, his sister had eaten his cookie for her snack. He hated that—big time. Then Mom made a casserole for supper and he hated it when one kind of food touched another on his plate. He watched TV and his folks told him to change the channel because the language was bad. He did and then they told him to turn it to another channel. He hated that. Finally, Mom and Dad said, “Turn off the TV, it’s time to get ready for bed.” And although he hated going to bed, he did so without complaint.
He prayed, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep …” Then all on his own he added, “Lord, thank You for this day, but please don’t give me another one like it, because I’m pretty sure I can’t take much more. I might crack and wind up moving to Japan.”
I imagine that almost all of us have had days when everything went wrong, when we felt like starting over. I encourage you to look to the Savior for assistance. Jesus Christ, Son of God and Redeemer of our souls, has upon Calvary’s cross conquered death for us. He has defeated our archenemies—sin, death, and Satan. And He promises to help you through the difficulties of each day. Saint Peter knew that, which is why he wrote: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). Now, I don’t know what kind of day you’ve had, but I do know that with Jesus by your side, this day can be both bearable and beautiful.
Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour sermon preached on November 21, 2004
THE PRAYER: Lord, guide me on those days when everything goes wrong. I humble myself under Your mighty hand, and I know You will lift me up. Give me the strength to live my life according to Your will. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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Today's Bible Readings: Ruth 1-4 Luke 17:1-19
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