A djusting our lives to God is the first thing that has to happen in order to begin experiencing Him in our daily lives. For some, it is simply following the advice of those above us. For others, it may require a major change in our job situation. Whatever the case, you can be sure that until we adjust our lives to God we will not receive His full blessing. Ask Him today where you need to adjust to Him.

Third Saturday of Easter

Acts 9:31-42

Psalm 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

J ohn 6:60-69 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" (61) But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? (62) Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? (63) It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (64) But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. (65) And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." (66) After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. (67) Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" (68) Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; (69) and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

Meditation by Joan Lanahan

              “YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE”

W hat words does/is God speaking to you Today?  Are they words of mercy, of healing, of God’s goodness, of your goodness.  What are they?

The psalmist speaks of “all the good he (God) has done for me.”  Some of us just wake up in the morning and are able to say, “thanks, Lord, I am awake and alive and it’s a new day.”

Today, driving around Omaha , I noticed signs of spring: forsythia, daffodils, magnolias, crocus.  We longed for life and color during our long, hard winter.  It’s easy to say: “thanks God for the beauty of your creation.”

In Acts, Peter heals Aeneas from a chronic illness and raises Tabitha to life from death.  Many of us come to God for healing.

No doubt some of us are struggling with guilt and/or shame.  Hopefully we will hear God’s words of mercy as we grope through our problems.

Recently I heard God’s healing wisdom in a relationship I have been struggling to understand.   “You don’t have to do this anymore, Joan” was the gist of God’s truth.  That showed me God’s goodness, my friend’s goodness and my own goodness.

Perhaps, like Tabitha, we have been dead to our own goodness or to life within and around us.  It may be a dark period or depression.

God invites us to healing by working through our darkness.  Seek the guidance and wisdom of others, especially professionals when needed.  Listen to the voices who invite us to new knowings and releasing of pent up hurts…and freedom.

Jesus says today in John:   “the words I give you are Spirit and Life”. Hear God’s words to you today.  Listen and Live.

Supplementary Reading

Make Adjustments

. . . Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. ~ John 21:6

A former client of mine was the marketing director of a large food brokerage company and told me a story about one of their client grocery stores located in the upper Midwest . It seems that the store could not understand why at a certain time every winter sales plummeted. They studied their product line and interviewed customers. They did everything possible to uncover the mystery. Finally, someone made a remarkable discovery that changed everything.

It seemed that whenever it was really cold outside, the manager raised the temperature in the store. When customers came into the store it was too warm for them, so they removed their coats and placed them in their shopping carts. This meant less room for food and resulted in reduced sales overall. They lowered the temperature of the store, and as a result, the sales climbed back to the levels they were accustomed to. Their adjustment resulted in restoring sales levels.

Jesus stood on the shoreline and watched Peter and a few of the disciples fish. Jesus yelled from the shoreline asking if they had caught anything. They had not. He then suggested they cast their line on the other side of the boat. Without knowing the person who was addressing them, they took His advice. They began catching so many fish they could not bring them in.

Adjusting our lives to God is the first thing that has to happen in order to begin experiencing Him in our daily lives. For some, it is simply following the advice of those above us. For others, it may require a major change in our job situation. Still, for others it could mean making changes in relationships. Whatever the case, you can be sure that until we adjust our lives to God we will not receive His full blessing. Ask Him today where you need to adjust to Him. ---OS Hillman