Tag: anniversary

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Election

“It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. Or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.”  (Deuteronomy 11:13-17, NASB)

Yesterday was Sue’s and my 45th wedding anniversary.  I remember a year ago writing that, God willing, I’d be here the next year.  She’s put up with me all these years.  Well Sue, thank you for a wonderful 45 years!  God willing, I’ll be here for 46! 

The Bible passage above is from the book of Deuteronomy.  Deuteronomy is mostly a recap of the previous laws and precepts given by God to His servant, Moses.  In this passage, Moses is reminding the Israelites of the benefits of adherence to God’s laws; and the consequences of forgetting them.  

Deuteronomy 11:13-14 image.  Found at Daily Bible Inspirations, https://dailybible.co/p/r1CtJJp1XTZ/

Simply put, the nation that follows God’s commandments will be blessed.  The nation that ignores God’s precepts will be cursed.  When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, they made a covenant with God.  How times have changed!  We have fallen away from God.  We’ve not followed His laws.  There’s an election next week, and my prayer is for healing and reconciliation with our Father.  Would you pray with me? 

Father, we as a Nation have fallen away from You.  Would You please forgive us?  Would You please take Your country back?  We have sinned against You.  We don’t deserve to be forgiven, but You love and forgive anyway.  Father, we’ve killed our children.  We’ve normalized, and celebrate deviant behavior that Your word says is an abomination.  Up is down.  Down is up.  “Men” can now have babies.  Would You forgive us.? We are Your people, and I pray that You will forgive us.  I pray that God will bless America, and that America would bless God!  I pray for revival in our land, for another Great Awakening.  Father, there’s an election in our land next week.  I ask that people would vote for candidates who will govern according to Your laws and statutes.  I pray that the results of the election would unite us, that we would be “one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!”  In the precious Name above all names, Jesus, I pray.  Amen. 

Worship:  “Heal Our Nation,” by Heartbeat

This past Monday was Halloween.  My costume:  I was a tee box.

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Remember

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night.  You shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord chooses to establish His name.  You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may REMEMBER all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.  For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning.  (Deuteronomy 16:1-4, NASB, emphasis mine)

Today is Sue’s and my 44th wedding anniversary.  Forty four wonderful years of marriage!  I thank God every day for putting this wonderful woman in my life, for putting us together!  This is a day to remember.  To remember our wedding day; all the wonderful times since we were married; and how we navigated, and God brought us through, the tough times.

It’s also a day to look forward.  To count God’s blessings.  With my ALS, I often wonder how many more anniversaries I’ll see.  On my birthday three years ago, after my diagnosis, for the first time, I wondered if I would still be here for my next birthday.  I’ve celebrated two birthdays since.  We’re familiar with a neurologist at the Duke University Medical Center, who specializes in ALS.  He  encourages his patients to make a bucket list.  My bucket list list includes celebrating our 50th anniversary.  Of course, God may call me home before then in His perfect timing.

God established specific dates for His people to remember.  In Deuteronomy 16, Moses is reminding the Israelites about the feasts and festivals that God had established for their observance.  In the text above, they’re told when and how to observe the Passover, so as to “REMEMBER all the days of your life the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.”  (emphasis mine)

Deuteronomy 16:3, found at scripture-images.com

Think of it:  The Creator hung billions and billions of stars in the sky.  He knows the names of each of them.  He also placed the moon in its orbit around the earth.  All these celestial miracles were put there, in part, to help measure time.  It’s God’s calendar!  During their 40 years of wandering, God established with Moses the times of the festivals, based on His calendar.  All for the purpose of REMEMBERING God’s infinite blessings and mercies on us!

So, Happy Anniversary Sue!  God willing, we will celebrate more.  I am in His hands.  I REMEMBER God’s blessings in my life.  Today, especially, my wonderful wife!


Worship:  “Remember,” by Lauren Daigle