The workplace is full of "Assyrian kings" who mock the idea of a living God who delivers. Without God's help, Israel would not overcome. Their backs were against the wall. They would be destroyed. King Hezekiah saved Israel because of one act. He prayed. God wants to let your workplace know that God is a living God. He can deliver. Seek Him today for the crisis in your life. Keep your motive pure and God will surely answer.

Friday in the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

1 Kings12:26-32; 13:33-34

Psalm 106:6-7ab, 19-20, 21-22

M ark 8:1-10 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him, and said to them, (2) "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; (3) and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way." (4) And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?" (5) And he asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven." (6) And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. (7) And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them. (8) And they ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. (9) And there were about four thousand people. (10) And he sent them away; and immediately he got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the district of Dalmanu'tha. 

Meditation by Tim Dickel

In today's readings from Kings, we are told of the power of God and of His contempt for those who do not respect and honor Him.  In the Psalm, the writer refers to today’s Kings’ reading and emphasizes the power of God, the importance of repentance, and the goodness of God.  In Mark, we read of the power and goodness of God through his son, Jesus.

Today, when considering the power and the goodness of God, it is difficult not to think about the terrible devastation in Haiti. I refuse to consider that God is responsible for the destruction of life, the damage to so many bodies, or the loss of property.  Those thoughts do not fit with my conceptualization of God. The God of my beliefs and His Son are filled with power, but it is a power of goodness and kindness.

The earthquake that hit Port Au Prince, Haiti on January 10, 2010 killed more than 150,000 and left the vast majority of the population homeless.  It injured tens of thousands of the survivors, and the rebuilding of the city and the national economy will require many years.  From absolutely every account, the situation is bleak and most probably incomprehensible to most of us.

But, just when the devastation looks the worst, the power of goodness and kindness of God has descended upon the island and the people of Haiti .  This power of goodness and kindness has come in the form of international aid to the victims of the earthquake. I am so very impressed by the caring and the speed with which medical personnel and supplies, water and food, and rescue personnel arrived to help the people. Without fear or second thought, people from all over the world poured into Haiti to meet the needs of the people. I am honored to know some of the unselfish medical people from Creighton and Omaha who were the first to depart to give assistance. This, to me, is the testimony to the power of the goodness and kindness of our God.

Whether Haitian or any other human, whether in good times or bad, our loving God, through his son, Jesus, is at our side. He has not caused our pain, but He is there to give us strength in response to our prayer, in response to our faith, and in the form of our fellow humans who also care for us.

Supplementary Reading

Overcoming All Odds

. . . Because you have prayed to Me . . ." ~ Isaiah 37:21

• 02/14/2010 20:25 - Feb 18, 2010 - Thursday Mediation (Choose God's Kind of Life!)
• 02/14/2010 20:22 - Feb 17, 2010 - Ash Wedneday (Jesus' Kind of Piety)
• 02/14/2010 20:20 - Feb 16, 2010 - Tuesday Meditation (Avoid Fermented Dough!)
• 02/12/2010 04:23 - Feb 15, 2010 - Monday Meditation (Is God Enough for You?)
• 02/12/2010 04:21 - Feb 14, 2010 - Sunday Meditation (Let's Be Rooted in GOD!)

• 02/10/2010 03:14 - Feb 12, 2010 - Friday Meditation (Dont Allow Bitterness to Take Root!)
• 02/10/2010 03:13 - Feb 11, 2010 - Thursday Meditation (Root or Rot : You Decide)
• 02/07/2010 05:29 - Feb 10, 2010 - Wednesday Meditation (We All Need a Savior!)
• 02/07/2010 05:28 - Feb 9, 2010 - Tuesday Meditation (Enlarge Your Vision and Make Room for God)
• 02/07/2010 05:26 - Feb 8, 2010 - Monday Meditation (Expect God's Favor)