He Has Done All Things Well

        And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” Mark 7:37

     I am often fascinated with the stories of Jesus in the Bible. The stories of His healing and compassion on people (Matthew 8:1-3, John 8:1-11), the stories of Him defying religious odds (we need some of that today). He was/is so kind and so loving, the way He talked to people, the way He healed, the way He completely restored people's lives. He showed them love like no man ever had. He completely set about a new era.

   Look at this verse again closely, And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” Look at that? "He has done all things well." He made deaf to hear, mute to speak, and many other things this verse doesn't mention. He cast out devils, opened blind eyes, set captives free, and showed loved to complete outcast in society. He did all things well, really well. 

   And you know what? He has done all things well in our lives too. Oh He really has people. Think for a minute. Really think. Really think about all the moments our Jesus has showed up in your life. All the moments He breathed His truth. All the moments He opened prison doors. All the moments He destroyed the lies. All the moments. 

Think. Really think.

 He has done all things well.

   If you really pause and reflex, you will see that God has come through-making you to hear and see-in so many situations. You will see He's been there for you, when you weren't there for Him. You will see that He has been Your King, He  He has been Your Friend...He has been your everything.

   You will see He has done all things well indeed. Just trust Him, and He'll continue to do all things well. 

Completely and totally. 

    

Sticks Closer Than a Brother

           

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             I went through a time when I was little where I really wanted to have a friend... I would ask God for a friend to move on the same road as me... I'd write down prayers/things on paper about friends. I even asked God if He could just give me a cat/bird for a friend.

Let me back track a little... I guess I didn't "typically" have friends-my age-when I was growing up. I had some children I played with for awhile, but then others would come and go. And I think it was after watching Anne of Green Gables (for the umpteenth time), or loosing contact with a friend I had, I mostly got like this-where I'd walk around outside praying and dreaming for a friend. I think I had been doing this for awhile when I asked God if He could just give me a cat/bird for a friend.

Well, funny story, I did get a cat that is a really good companion to me, but thankfully God gave me some people friends, and I mean real ones.

I answered a Pen-Pal ad in The King's Blooming Rose magazine when I was thirteen, that girl is still my friend to this day. Then I answered another one, and eventually I put my own in, and I answered more along the way. I met some good friends this way. Not all of the girls I wrote turned out to be my friends, but God blessed me with some good ones. He also gave me good friends when I was at Eight Days of Hope, and gave me friends just up my road...(up the road huh?).

You see God has blessed me with incredible friends, and I thank Him for that.

Have I always been a good friend? Not. At. All. I've struggled with jealousy. I'm not always faithful to keep up with my friends, and be involved with their work. But thankfully God, who is the best friend in the entire world, can help each and every one of us become the friends we should be.

I think we all need to appreciate our friends a whole lot. A good friend is rare and hard to find. Friends that hurt us seem to come in bigger droves. So, we should take time to show our friends how much we do appreciate them. We need to forgive the wrongs that one has done to us (it's not like we don't have things we've done wrong). We need to pray and ask God to help us become the kind of friend He is. Give more than we take. Love and listen. Lend a helping hand in time of trouble. All and all, G I V E.

Take time this week to show your friends how much you indeed, truly care about them.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24