I read a scripture several days ago and I have just been thinking upon it, And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no script, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. Mark 6:8-9. We are all certainly on a journey, the journey of "life, " and then some are called to other types of journey's along the journey of "life." Some... the journey of illnesses and health issues, children that need our special TLC, financial straights, work situations, hardships with family, and other ones too. What are we to take for either one? Jesus says we are to take a staff and be shod with sandals, in Ephesians it says our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In thinking of the staff, it is a cane, or a baton of royalty, a rod, scepter. I was thinking of ones that went on a journey as well and they had this with them, Moses a rod, Esther, a scepter. I think of Jesus, he did not have anything for His journey as He did not even have a place to lay his head. I am seeing that as we go on our journey the staff can be that with what we lean upon, it could be thought of something that goes between us and the journey, I was thinking how on our life's journey we only need two things, Christ and His word, the gospel of peace. In pondering about Mary and Joseph and their journey to Bethlehem, they obviously did not have a purse of gold, else they might could have bribed the hotel manager, and they did not have a suitcase of all the sweet baby clothes from all the baby showers that were given to Mary as how we might "doll" up for our newborns, she just had swaddling clothes and they simply had the means of their "staff," a donkey or camel and they also had the "words" of God and the Lord used a ruler to get Mary and Joseph where they needed to be. I was also thinking about Esther and how she used her scepter and reached out to the royal one that could help, how we too with a scepter, it being Christ seek the Royal One that can bid us help along our journey. I do not think I could have prepared what I needed for our journey with Joel, it was given at the "time," and my only hope and help was Christ, my staff and the Words of Christ as I read them in the scriptures. Gold and silver, if I had banks of it would not have "saved" us from this situation, no "scrip," knowledge and wisdom of this world would not deliver us. No bread, even a pauper and a king can experience difficult journey's and that is why we need the Staff and His Word alone, it is sufficient I will now say. We are not to even take two coats else we might think we can "fix it" encompassing in our on shell and nothing can touch us, I think the picture here is, we are to be layed bare before Him, destitute, needy. As we all go forward on this "journey of life," may we ever see what we truly need.......Him, we need that infant Jesus, we need that God man that started his earthly journey at Bethlehem and ended his Journey on Calvary , but even He cried out to His Father (His Staff) and the Words of God were upon His lips, so if He needed these two things, the Staff and the Word, how much more do we?
So busy today.....Anna is getting started with all the baking. The guys, bless their hearts are out in the 20 degree weather working, they might not work all day. And then last night Caleb, Daniel and Josiah were going to look at some land near to our house, a few miles away.....they did not make it......they hit a big bump on the dirt road and something broke underneath the van....not a good thing! So they had to walk back and Josiah was so brave to walk some of the way in the very dark and cold night. The diagnoses has not been given yet as the mechanic will send a wrecker out and take er' in. We will put forth our "scepter" and ask for His mercy and provision!!!
Well, Elijah got the garden all plowed up with the rent tractor, looks like a BIG area out there!! When you live on a farm it just seems a tractor is a "need." We had one for many years but just used it to death, so now we rent one as needed until God provides. We have been praying for about 4 years at least. Elijah, every night makes this request when we gather together as a family and now he even has the little ones say "pray for tractor." I remember Joel and Josiah speaking those words but in their very little voices. Elijah has to be a man of faith, he has already bought a plow, a hay spike and a harrow with his own money for the future tractor. Now you might call that presumption, but I think I will call it faith!! So I share this bit of history with you because when the Lord provides I want you to be able to remember how long the prayers have been prayed and may it be a story and testimony for you to not give up. We do not know when the Lord will answer, maybe soon, maybe in years, but Elijah has taken a step of faith and put the "cart before the horse."
Please pray for the Lockwood family, Jaynee is about 20 weeks a long with #12 and has had some difficulties along this pregnancy. She has flown to the USA and seeking care. It is through suffering that we enter in to fellowship with Him. You can visit them here.
It is soooooo cold here.....we have the wood stove going, and I think I need something warm to drink.....coffee.....better go!!! Anybody watched Pendragon yet??? Let us know!!!
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