[Membersandfriends] Monday, August 30, 2004

Sun Aug 29 22:01:36 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Monday, August 30, 2004

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CHANGING SEASONS
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Deuteronomy 31:1-8 (NRSV)

When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them: "I am now one hundred twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the LORD has told me, 'You shall not cross over this Jordan.' The LORD your God himself will cross over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua also will cross over before you, as the LORD promised. The LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. The LORD will give them over to you and you shall deal with them in full accord with the command that I have given to you. Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you." 

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their ancestors to give them; and you will put them in possession of it. It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

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The Lord said, "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.  I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
- Isaiah 43:18-19 (NRSV)
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I noticed that the green grass in my yard was lightly peppered with yellow leaves.  It was a hot August day, but the leaves were a sign of change.  A few yellow leaves in a sea of green are easy to miss, but when the grass becomes blanketed with colored leaves it will be clear that summer is changing into autumn.

As with the change of seasons, God sends us signs of change in our lives in gradual ways.  We may not notice those first nudges from God; they may seem only an idea or a "coincidence." Yet they point to a new season coming in our lives.  Gradually, the signs increase, and we can no longer deny that change needs to happen.

When faced with change, we often are fearful and find it difficult to trust God.  But God, who desires our love and trust in the midst of change, knows the path we are traveling and goes before us.

Prayer:  O God, open our hearts to perceive the changes needed in our lives.  Guide us to the path you desire.  Remove our fear and replace it with trust in you.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Where is God nudging you toward change?

-- Beth A. Palm (Illinois, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those struggling with change

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RELATED READING ...

MOTHER ROOTS: The Female Ancestors of Jesus is a bible study of Jesus' ancestors, Tamar, Rehab, Ruth, Bathseba, and Mary.  To enter their extraordinary stories, according to Helen Pearson, is to experience courageous women who had a vision of God's faithfulness and who brought about change.  Learn more about or purchase this book online.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=99332

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.