DAY 29
DATE: 1/29/2013
Good Morning! My name is Kathy Elkins and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from the book of Joel chapters 1 and 3.
KEY VERSE:
Joel 3:17,18 So shall ye know that I [am] the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
REFLECTIONS:
The first chapter of Joel was written to the people of Judah. God sent a plague of locusts which devastated the entire land. They had become a sinful nation. Since God is holy, He does not tolerate sin.
In the third chapter of Joel, the circumstances are turned around. God blesses the Jewish people. The time is in the future, where God will punish those that cause harm to His people. This does not only apply to the Jewish people; it applies to Christians. The Lord protects His own and takes care of them.
APPLICATION:
We can all learn a lesson from this book. The locusts that invaded Judah can be turned into anything that we can imagine. They can be an illness, financial or any other type of trial that may happen to us. This certainly does not mean that every time something bad happens to someone, that it is a punishment from God. However, when we stray from God He can send a trial to get our attention. He does this because He loves us.
Any time in my life that I have experienced difficulties, I know that God did it to get my attention. Sometimes it was because I had strayed from Him, and other times it was because He wanted me to get closer to Him. I am thankful that He cared enough about me to get my attention.
Thank you for being a part of the Route 66 Challenge. Thanks for reading, and you have a blessed day!
In Christ,
Kathy
WHEN YOU GOT SAVED: November 1976
FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE: Psalm 37: 4-5
FAMILY: Husband Kyle; 3 boys, John, Tom and Brian; 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren
OCCUPATION: Retired steelworker
MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT AT VBC: Hospitality Team
DREAM VACATION: I was able to fulfill my dream vacation a few years ago. We went on a trip to the Grand Canyon.
HOBBIES: Politics and baking (mostly at Christmas)