Joey's Journal August 10, 2006

Our Father in heaven, I thank You for Your provision and protection. I am grateful that You have provided for some extra funds via commission for the palm oil business done in the Philippines and Your guiding hand on the supplier’s decision to give the commission for flexitank orders which we did not agree to in the beginning. Lord, I also want to commit my son, Joel who last night had high fever because of viral stomach flu. Let Your healing hand touch him when he is in pain and give him the confidence to understand to start calling to You for help. In my condition, I can only pray with him and I am sure You will be there to help him. I also pray that You will send a message to my wife to be with Joel in times like these when Joel needs her comforting words and embrace. I pray for Your protection be with her always when she is out. Let her be aware that You are in control of her life too. Special prayers go out to Joshua, who is becoming to be wanting more attention nowadays. He is also pushing off his big brother when I am holding him and doesn’t want Joel to join us when we are playing. Lord, as Your appointed parents and caretakers of Your two boys, give us patience every day to handle them with love and discipline and bring them up close to You.

Father, may Your guidance be on me as I reflect on Your Word. May I be able to soften some hearts so that they can seek You, believe in You and trust in Your plans for them. I ask all these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My reading- Psalm 8 The Lord’s plan for man

Lord God, I see Your mighty creation of the earth from the moon and the stars that are set in place in the heavens. Your sovereignty in the heavens and on earth and its life forms are truly majestic. Yet, who are we, humans and what is Your plan for us? You have made us second to You and crowned us with glory and honor. You put us in charge to have dominion over everything. You have made us to be of authority over all things – the sheep and the cattle and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, Your name is so awesome!

My reflections – God made us second to Him to live on this world and have dominion over all things He has created. What a privilege this is for us! We were created in God’s image. Again, we should be thankful as it’s quite an honor. This was God’s plan for creation and man. But, God also gave us the free will to decide on what is right and wrong. And, it is quite often that we decide to do the wrong thing, one that He didn’t plan for us. We offend Him for doing sinful things and this hurts Him dearly. Isaiah 59:2 says, ‘but our sinful acts have alienated us from our God; and caused him to reject us and not listen to our prayers.’ In comparison to our earthly fathers who gave us life, raised us, sheltered us and loved us more than anything else, God also feels this way and wants us to be on the right path and not do wrong and offensive things. With His unfailing love and compassion for us, He sent His Only Son to die for our sins and be restored to Him. Romans 5:8 says, ‘but God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.’

My prayer – Lord, may You keep me from taking the wrong path of offending You! I should be thankful to Your creation and the plan to be second to You. Yet, I am the one with my own free will who offends You the most. May You continue to plant in my mind Your plan for man and that is, to have dominion over all on earth and be thankful to You for this provision. May I be worthy to walk the earth and lift my head in gratitude for Your love. All these I pray. Amen.

by Joey B