Good morning, brothers and sisters.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 9:35, “And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”
So much of life seems to be cause and effect. Name something that you have done recently or are going to do today, and you can probably point quite easily to the cause of that action. We jump in our warm cars and immediately the air conditioning gets turned on or the windows go down. All of advertising attempts to be the master cause in how you spend your dollar, and people at their rope’s end or facing a potentially unsavory verdict will blame just about anything for their plight. And you certainly know someone who has an immediate effect on you when you see them, whether pleasant and inviting or one that might cause you to pretend you don’t see them or avoid them altogether. I do not recall the distinct and overwhelming cause that led me to believe in Jesus back when I was a kid. I remember my older brother walking up the aisle during the invitation time of the worship service to tell our pastor he believed and wanted to get baptized, and then just before he concluded the service, I scurried up there to join him. But I don’t remember what was going on inside of me, or what caused me to get out of my seat and walk up front. It is a moment I have thought about countless times, especially since I also don’t recall any drastic changes that swept through my life at that point. But somewhere along the way, something took hold, and I turned to the Lord.
But saying that doesn’t mean that I don’t still need to turn to the Lord repeatedly. For there are causes too many to number that have a detrimental effect on my relationship with Him. When I see this or hear that, the effect can be immediate, powerful, and undesirable. And it’s probably the same kinds of things that you’re seeing and hearing as you live, drive, work , and relax. Our eyes welcome them into our souls, and then the real struggle is on. Our lips can’t remain shut and the damage is done. Our ears lap up the noise, and our minds are off to the races. So it really does come down to cause and effect. What causes you to turn to the Lord, when so many other offers are available for you to turn their way? You know all too well what has the opposite effect on you, so what can you do to evoke the actions, decisions, and responses that turn you right to Jesus and away from everything less?
As we seek Him today, choose the causes that have the right effects.
Have a terrific Monday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
