Sunday, October 8, 2017

Guideposts Blessings - God Cares for Every Little Hair


Skimming through an outdated copy of Guideposts magazine (April, 2009), several phrases from the articles caused me to pause. I grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen and wrote down the words that caught my heart.


                                  Give me strength.
                                      Thou art with me.
                                  Lord, thank you.
                                      Make good come.
                                  Bless my work.
                                        Open my heart.
                                  I need you.
                                        Help me to be kind.

In Search of Blessings

These phrases were exactly what my soul needed. I marveled how God seemed to magnify each one as I read paragraph after paragraph.

Realizing that I don't need to comprehend the main idea of a sentence or paragraph or even a complete article to gain benefit, I continued to read, gaining encouragement along the way. How many more nuggets can impact me? How many more blessings can I find?

A few months later, I picked up a stack of Guideposts at the YMCA offered for free in their lending library. The next set of words I received from reading the articles are listed below.

         I get quiet and listen for God's presence.
                 You know what I need.
         You never know what's going to happen, but you have to trust.
                 God will provide.
         Your sins are forgiven.w
                 I am called to be God's hands and feet wherever God sends me.
         I offered a prayer and sighed in relief.
                 I trust that God will make a way to find good in the most difficult circumstances.

Sometimes God reveals how personally we are known by leading our hearts along unlikely paths when we do simple tasks, like reading a few inspirational articles.

God Knows The Hairs of Your Head

Luke 12:6-7 says, "Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one sparrow is forgotten by God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!" (Good News)

How can God know how many hairs are on the heads of all the people in the universe? Yet an omniscient, all-loving God has indeed counted them all. Surely that reveals how deeply and intimately God cares for each of us.  All of us are noticed. All of us are known. All of us are remembered.

How I Know I'm Known

When I've been directed to certain phrases in a magazine that are exactly what I need, I realize God knows and remembers me. Throughout my days and over the course of my life, so many moments could only be orchestrated by God - revealing how personally God knows and cares for me.

Reading magazines like Guideposts and seeing these phrases that stand out helps me realize others find God in everyday life, just as I do and their words, in turn, help me find God throughout my day.

Watch for God.  Perhaps, you, like me, will see God in symbols or shapes or interactions or in phrases that stand out as you read the Bible or a Christian publication. Pay attention to these details and I hope you'll sense God's intimate attention and care for you.

Questions for Reflection

1. What indications have you noted that revealed the deep, personal knowledge God has of you and your needs?

2. As you read the Bible or other spiritual publications, have you ever listed sentences, phrases or even a word that stands out? Try it!

Prayer: The expanse of people you have created is immense, God, and it's unfathomable for us as humans to imagine knowing each and every one. Yet, we are given the promise that You do indeed know each one of us. Thank you for being a personal God as well as one who is omnipresent and omnipotent. Amen.





2 comments:

  1. I look for little nuggets in everything I read, and when I find a little something, I know the whole book was worth reading even if that tiny treasure is all I take with me. I like thinking it was an indication of God's care for me. Your idea is a great thing to try, simply listing phrases or even a single word.

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