I have a problem.
I am tired of trying to stay positive with all the negativity, sad or bad news around me.
People I know have become seriously ill, politics is so nasty, people who should know better, display incompetence, corruption in whatever form seems to abound, and to top it off, I can't see my grandchildren because of closed borders. Someone telling me I can't travel to see family, really tugs at my sense of freedom. I am sure there are many more negatives if I choose to look for them, but that is enough for the time being.
I can count my blessings which far outweigh all that negativity but there are times when even that does not erase the negative thoughts. It is times like this that I keep coming back to the promise in the Old Testament "You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love". There are so many references to this throughout the Old Testament covering hundreds of years and that in itself is encouraging!
At the end of the story of Moses in 'Bible Stories For Big Kids', I included many of the messages from God, which Moses related to the people, and on reading these recently, what struck me was how positive God is in his promises so I shall include that chapter of the book below. Reading this must be the most positive read for the day! Enjoy!
“I have taught you all the laws as the Lord my God told me to do. Obey them in the land you are about to occupy. Obey them faithfully and this will show the people of other nations how wise you are. When you hear of all these laws, they will say ‘What wisdom and understanding this great nation has.’”
“No other nation, no matter how great, has a God who is so near when they need him as the Lord our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help. No other nation, no matter how great, has laws so just as those that I have taught you today. Be on your guard! Make certain that you do not forget, as long as you live, what you have seen with your own eyes. Tell your children and your grandchildren about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mt. Sinai.”
“You will look for the Lord your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. When you are in trouble and all those things happen to you, then you will finally turn to the Lord and obey him. He is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you and he will not forget the covenant that he himself made with your ancestors.”
“The Lord has worked miracles to prove to you that he alone is God and that there is no other. He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you.”
“So remember today and never forget: the Lord is God in heaven and on earth. There is no other God. Obey all his laws that I have given you today, and all will go well with you and your descendants. You will continue to live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to be yours forever.”
“Never forget the Lord your God or turn to other gods to worship and serve them. If you do, then I warn you today that you will certainly be destroyed. If you do not obey the Lord, then you will be destroyed just like those nations that he is going to destroy as you advance.”
“The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty and he is to be obeyed.”
I am tired of trying to stay positive with all the negativity, sad or bad news around me.
People I know have become seriously ill, politics is so nasty, people who should know better, display incompetence, corruption in whatever form seems to abound, and to top it off, I can't see my grandchildren because of closed borders. Someone telling me I can't travel to see family, really tugs at my sense of freedom. I am sure there are many more negatives if I choose to look for them, but that is enough for the time being.
I can count my blessings which far outweigh all that negativity but there are times when even that does not erase the negative thoughts. It is times like this that I keep coming back to the promise in the Old Testament "You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love". There are so many references to this throughout the Old Testament covering hundreds of years and that in itself is encouraging!
At the end of the story of Moses in 'Bible Stories For Big Kids', I included many of the messages from God, which Moses related to the people, and on reading these recently, what struck me was how positive God is in his promises so I shall include that chapter of the book below. Reading this must be the most positive read for the day! Enjoy!
“I have taught you all the laws as the Lord my God told me to do. Obey them in the land you are about to occupy. Obey them faithfully and this will show the people of other nations how wise you are. When you hear of all these laws, they will say ‘What wisdom and understanding this great nation has.’”
“No other nation, no matter how great, has a God who is so near when they need him as the Lord our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help. No other nation, no matter how great, has laws so just as those that I have taught you today. Be on your guard! Make certain that you do not forget, as long as you live, what you have seen with your own eyes. Tell your children and your grandchildren about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mt. Sinai.”
“You will look for the Lord your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. When you are in trouble and all those things happen to you, then you will finally turn to the Lord and obey him. He is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you and he will not forget the covenant that he himself made with your ancestors.”
“The Lord has worked miracles to prove to you that he alone is God and that there is no other. He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you.”
“So remember today and never forget: the Lord is God in heaven and on earth. There is no other God. Obey all his laws that I have given you today, and all will go well with you and your descendants. You will continue to live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to be yours forever.”
“Never forget the Lord your God or turn to other gods to worship and serve them. If you do, then I warn you today that you will certainly be destroyed. If you do not obey the Lord, then you will be destroyed just like those nations that he is going to destroy as you advance.”
“The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty and he is to be obeyed.”
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