A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Thursday, June
6, 2019
Yesterday
we had a traffic jam on the road in front of our house
with some construction vehicles temporarily blocking
this harvester.
(Click
to enlarge)
"A Lesson From
Embedded Rock"
Message
summary:
Most of us have some
"embedded rock" in
our lives, some way
more than others.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
When we bought our home in 2002 a feature we highly valued is living across from "preserved farmland". This means the property has a deed restriction so that it will remain agricultural. The large field across from our home has been planted with a variety of crops since we moved here; corn, soy beans, wheat and rye. It's relatively flat but still drains well. Presently the baby corn is just starting to show. I have often used photos here in this series of this field view from our front porch.
In the field is a large pile of rocks about 20 feet wide by 100 feet long. I initially assumed a farmer many years ago piled the rocks there and wondered why he would make a rock pile in the field to plow around rather than off to the side or in a corner where it would be less obstructive to farming.
So I asked my neighbor, who farmed for many years, about this matter. He explained the pile is a very large outcropping of embedded rock buried deeply into the soil that could not be removed without great expense and effort. So the farmer just works around it year after year. For many years it has also provided me with a convenient place to take yard waste like I did yesterday morning.
When I view this pile of rocks I consider a spiritual application. The farmer could get really discouraged about this. It could just eat at him, year after year, having to work around this obstacle. He might mutter under his breath, "Why in the world did the Lord allow that outcropping to be there anyway!"
Most of us have some "embedded rock" in our lives, some way more than others. In this illustration embedded rock are those hardships in life we can do little about and must learn to live with.
For some it's a physical disability. I consider Andrea from our church in New England who is a paraplegic as a result of an auto accident when she was a baby. For others it's a family situation such as being born to drug-abusing, abusive parents or an unwed teenage mother and never knowing one's father. For some, although they are very unlikely to be reading this material, it's being born and living in a desperately impoverished land and/or living under horrific persecution. The Christian believers in places like Sudan and northeastern Nigeria come to mind.
A great example of an overcomer is Joni Eareckson Tada, who has lived with a disability since a diving accident as a teenager. She will turn 70 this year (the day after my birthday). She has had a remarkable ministry in spite or should I say in great part because of her embedded rock. Later this month Brooksyne will serve as a short term missionary at a Joni and Friends retreat for the disabled at Spruce Lake in the Poconos.
Now let me make it clear, God is certainly able to remove any form of embedded rock in our lives and amazingly He often does. But often we are called to work around it and even put it to use so that God may be glorified. There are matters that in God's power He could remove, but in His providence he does not. But He does provide needed strength and grace to work around it or through it. Millions can testify to that grace.
Are you dealing with some embedded rock today? Are you in the midst of a trial that just goes on and on? Is there a major rock outcropping in your life or an embedded rock weighing you down? God's grace is absolutely sufficient to sustain you and teach you through the trial. Paul kept the faith and so can you. In fact you will be stronger as a result of this trial and God will be glorified through your faithful response to His testing. The daily text is surely one of the greatest assurance verses in the entire Bible. "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
When we bought our home in 2002 a feature we highly valued is living across from "preserved farmland". This means the property has a deed restriction so that it will remain agricultural. The large field across from our home has been planted with a variety of crops since we moved here; corn, soy beans, wheat and rye. It's relatively flat but still drains well. Presently the baby corn is just starting to show. I have often used photos here in this series of this field view from our front porch.
In the field is a large pile of rocks about 20 feet wide by 100 feet long. I initially assumed a farmer many years ago piled the rocks there and wondered why he would make a rock pile in the field to plow around rather than off to the side or in a corner where it would be less obstructive to farming.
So I asked my neighbor, who farmed for many years, about this matter. He explained the pile is a very large outcropping of embedded rock buried deeply into the soil that could not be removed without great expense and effort. So the farmer just works around it year after year. For many years it has also provided me with a convenient place to take yard waste like I did yesterday morning.
When I view this pile of rocks I consider a spiritual application. The farmer could get really discouraged about this. It could just eat at him, year after year, having to work around this obstacle. He might mutter under his breath, "Why in the world did the Lord allow that outcropping to be there anyway!"
Most of us have some "embedded rock" in our lives, some way more than others. In this illustration embedded rock are those hardships in life we can do little about and must learn to live with.
For some it's a physical disability. I consider Andrea from our church in New England who is a paraplegic as a result of an auto accident when she was a baby. For others it's a family situation such as being born to drug-abusing, abusive parents or an unwed teenage mother and never knowing one's father. For some, although they are very unlikely to be reading this material, it's being born and living in a desperately impoverished land and/or living under horrific persecution. The Christian believers in places like Sudan and northeastern Nigeria come to mind.
A great example of an overcomer is Joni Eareckson Tada, who has lived with a disability since a diving accident as a teenager. She will turn 70 this year (the day after my birthday). She has had a remarkable ministry in spite or should I say in great part because of her embedded rock. Later this month Brooksyne will serve as a short term missionary at a Joni and Friends retreat for the disabled at Spruce Lake in the Poconos.
Now let me make it clear, God is certainly able to remove any form of embedded rock in our lives and amazingly He often does. But often we are called to work around it and even put it to use so that God may be glorified. There are matters that in God's power He could remove, but in His providence he does not. But He does provide needed strength and grace to work around it or through it. Millions can testify to that grace.
Are you dealing with some embedded rock today? Are you in the midst of a trial that just goes on and on? Is there a major rock outcropping in your life or an embedded rock weighing you down? God's grace is absolutely sufficient to sustain you and teach you through the trial. Paul kept the faith and so can you. In fact you will be stronger as a result of this trial and God will be glorified through your faithful response to His testing. The daily text is surely one of the greatest assurance verses in the entire Bible. "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, I want
to keep my
life embedded
in the Rock of
Ages.
Whether our
trials are
emotional,
physical,
spiritual,
financial or
relational we
are absolutely
dependent on
You for
everything
that we have
need of. You
work in the
supernatural
realm while we
are confined
to the natural
unless Your
power is
manifested in
our lives.
Help us not to
resent or be
embarrassed by
our
weaknesses,
but invite
Your Holy
Spirit power
to work
through
them, so that
we can learn
endurance,
find strength
and so You may
be glorified.
Give us
confidence in
the truth, "In
all these
things we are
more than
conquerors
through Him
who loved us."
Amen.
A
great
reminder!
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"In Christ
Alone" Video
Booth Brothers
This Sunday evening we plan to attend a Booth Brothers gospel concert in Lebanon, PA. Any local readers who may be interested in attending this concert and others in the summer "Music In The Park" series see this site. These concerts have no admission charge and a free-will offering is received. The concerts are held in an outside amphitheater in a beautiful setting.
"Fall On My Knees" Video The Browders A very thoughtful song.
"Yes And Amen" Video Calvary Church worship team
Joni and Friends family retreats Brooksyne's note: I am looking forward to serving as short term missionary at this retreat. I got my clearances and references and finally today the notification that I'm expected on June 23rd for a week of ministry. My personal thanks goes out to a couple readers that I used as references.
"Grunau Family" Here's a video of a family that went to the retreat that is very touching and also illustrates today's message.
Spruce Lake (retreat location in the Poconos)
This Sunday evening we plan to attend a Booth Brothers gospel concert in Lebanon, PA. Any local readers who may be interested in attending this concert and others in the summer "Music In The Park" series see this site. These concerts have no admission charge and a free-will offering is received. The concerts are held in an outside amphitheater in a beautiful setting.
"Fall On My Knees" Video The Browders A very thoughtful song.
"Yes And Amen" Video Calvary Church worship team
Joni and Friends family retreats Brooksyne's note: I am looking forward to serving as short term missionary at this retreat. I got my clearances and references and finally today the notification that I'm expected on June 23rd for a week of ministry. My personal thanks goes out to a couple readers that I used as references.
"Grunau Family" Here's a video of a family that went to the retreat that is very touching and also illustrates today's message.
Spruce Lake (retreat location in the Poconos)
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