God’s gift of . . .
The People God Places in Your Life
“We know that God makes all things work together
for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.”
Romans 8:28
Have you ever thought about the people God has, and continues to place in your life?
There are all kinds of people we meet along the way in our lives . . . some good, some bad . . . each affects us in how we continue once we have encountered each one . . . but our faith and our trust in God prayerfully helps us learn, grow, and continue forward each time.
Then there are those people who have helped us grow in that faith, shown us how to deal with all types of people in this world, and who have helped us develop and mature our relationship with our Holy Father . . . some are still with us, some are with Jesus . . . these are our witnesses of Christian faith, our “saints.”
Some of our greatest blessings are the people God has placed along the journey of our lives . . . We can all think of people who have played instrumental roles in our lives and hopefully can think of people who have influenced our faith and our walk with Christ.
I want to share a story of Steve Hoyt . . . a man who came into the life of my family and the life of our church, and changed our hope and faith for the better, because of his never-faltering faith.
A STORY OF A SAINT I ONCE KNEW . . .
He walked into the Church and sat in the very last pew in the back of the room. He looked tired, was dressed in tattered clothes, and he needed a shave, and his graying hair needed a trim. No one said much to him, not sure who had come into their Sanctuary. Over the next few months, he quietly began to participate around the church, more and more . . . singing with the praise choir, joining the Men’s Wednesday Night Bible Study, visiting our Sunday School class . . . and one by one, people began to discover who this tattered man was. During those first few months he looked so worn and tired . . . We eventually learned he had just lost his precious wife to a long bout of cancer, and not long after that his canine companion. But if anyone asked him how he was, he always answered “Well Blessed.”
Over the next few years, we got to know this odd man more and more. He became precious to each and every one of us, as we learned how deeply devoted he was to God. He would read a different translation of the Bible every year, his knowledge was deep, and he could discuss anything in the Bible with intelligence and wisdom. He also had a huge servant’s heart and cared about others before himself. And every day . . . How are you today? . . . “Well Blessed.” . . . “Well Blessed” through the ravages of cancer and surgery, through all the testing, doctors’ appointments, horrible side effects of radiation, and until chemotherapy took him from us all. How are you today? . . . “Well blessed.”
A friend once said he taught her that you truly cannot judge a book by its cover. He was a good friend, this tall, thin, tattered man, and he taught us all so much about how to keep the faith and fight the good fight, no matter what life throws at you . . . we miss him—our saint who still affects our daily walk even though he has been with Jesus a very long time.
How about you? . . . Who fills in this blank for you?
“I can deeply and honestly say with love,
I am a better person
and a better Christian because I knew _______________.”
What change happened in your life because of this person?
How do you live differently today than you did before you met this “saint” in your life?
Pray about this, listen to your heart . . . each of us has a “saint” to be thankful for in our lives.
INSIGHT . . .
All Saints’ Day (November 1st) is one of John Wesley’s favorite holy days . . . He felt the day was important because it’s an annual reminder that Christian faith is a gift from God that’s passed on from generation to generation . . . All Saints reminds us that we are who we are in Christ because of all those faithful witnesses who have gone before us.
It’s a day of remembrance . . . and it gives us the opportunity to thank God for those who have labored here with us as colleagues, family, and friends as we have shared this journey on earth . . . Through their perseverance and sustaining trust, we know with certainty that “sorrow may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5) . . . and we remember and honor the saints in our lives who have given our hearts and souls meaning and purpose, and provided the ability to believe in ourselves and to believe in God.
Heaven is filled with people who have already faced the enemy and won their fight . . . They faced the impossible . . . they accomplished the unthinkable . . . and they stand as proof that we can make it too . . . Listen with the ears of faith, and you’ll hear them saying, “Go for it! You can do it! Your faith will carry you through!”
Pause for a moment . . . take a deep breath and let it out slowly . . . think through your past.
Who affected your spiritual walk? . . . Who made sure you knew Jesus?
Who have you forgotten that you need to thank God for, because He placed that person in your life?
INVITATION—TO TALK WITH GOD . . .
Have you talked with God lately? . . . Really talked with Him?
He is waiting with open arms . . . to hear your concerns and struggles, joys and praises.
You see, “To Pray of Not to Pray?” should never be a question.
What do you need to talk about with God right now?
What have you been holding onto that you need to let go of and let God help?
We know and experience God’s love through the people God gives us in this life . . . God is revealed and made real to us through people who love God enough to allow His grace to flow through their lives outward to us . . . and we can be stronger and have more courage because of this person, or these people . . . because God knows what we need . . . He knows who we need.
God places individuals in our lives for various purposes, . . . to teach valuable lessons . . . help each of us grow closer to God . . . to offer support or a new perspective . . . And the arrival of a new person, or new people, can signify the time of a transition into a new phase of life . . . and the removal of others can signify the end of a particular season.
“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
What season of change are you experiencing right now . . . or have you experienced lately?
Ask God to open your heart and soul to see what He is doing in your life . . . ask His guidance so that you can accept the change with grace and understanding . . . and know He is with you.
ILLUMINATION . . .
Pause for a moment . . . let go of all the turmoil in your mind and think about those people who have made
a difference in your journey of faith . . . is there one person you would love to spend a little more time with?
. . . One person you would like to ask questions you wished you had asked before . . . Would you love to
feel a hug or see a smile one more time?
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him;
he ran to his son, threw his arms around him.”
Luke 15:20
Close your eyes and ask God to let you feel that hug once more . . . to let you see the smile of love in the eyes of the one you are thinking of . . . and know you are not alone . . . your “saint” is with you in your heart and soul, in precious memories and spirit . . . watching you, loving you, and waiting to hug you again.
INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . .
"Where there is devotional music, God is always at hand with His gracious presence."
(J. S. Bach)
I encourage you to take time to listen to one or both of the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too.
♪♬♪ Current . . . Remember Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JD-2HfeWcY
♪♬♪ Traditional . . . Shall We Gather at the River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1qnjd23YQM&list=RDv1qnjd23YQM&start_radio=1
INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . .
God has said, “Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
Remember—you are never alone—Christ is always with you . . . and the saints from your journey of life are in your heart and soul—You are never alone! . . . Think about the people who have played an important role in your life . . . Realize you wouldn’t be where you are without their help and support . . . So, thank God for them, pray for them, and take courage from them!
Many of our departed friends and family members are a part of the cloud of witnesses that surround us and watch us from heaven . . . they help support us in our spiritual journeys . . . They’re simply caring brothers and sisters in Christ who want to inspire us to live with faith, just like they did . . . They are witnesses to the wisdom of choosing faith in God . . . They serve as inspiring examples of what faithful lives look like through the way they relied on God through victories and defeats, joy and sorrow, celebrations, and challenges.
Who are the “saints” in your life?
Who are the people through whom the grace of Christ has flowed for you, introduced you to Jesus and His love, and brought you to faith, repentance, and assurance?
Who are the people whose lives have shaped and formed yours?
Who are the “saints” still reaching out and watching over you today?
Lord, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
Strengthen us to run the race that is set before us with diligence and dedication.
Help us remember what they have taught us and help us be witnesses of faith for others.
Help us never forget the influence each has had on our journey of faith.
And Lord, help keep our focus on Jesus, always feeling “Well Blessed” in His presence.—Amen
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