Restoration; May 12, 2022

Posted on May 16, 2022 by jgarrott

Zechariah 9:12 Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

This verse has been loved as a promise of restoration ever since it was recorded, but it has been misunderstood at least as much as it has been received as God intended it. It is clearly in the context of the coming Messiah, since verse nine was explicitly fulfilled by Jesus on Palm Sunday, but the mention of “a warrior’s sword” in verse 13 led the Jews of Jesus’ day, at least, to expect this to be fulfilled in a strictly materialistic, military way. The fact that Jesus refused to lead a military rebellion was a major cause of many Jews rejecting Him. However, as Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36) It’s not that the material is unimportant, but that it is entirely secondary. As Jesus so famously said, God will supply all our needs, but only if our focus is on Him and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33) Coming back to this verse in Zechariah’s prophecy, we need to understand what has been taken from us in order to understand what will be restored to us. The simplest way to understand it is to consider the fruit of the Spirit. Paul listed that as, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Those are precisely the things the devil tries to take from us, and they are certainly the ingredients of a truly blessed life. God will indeed restore them to us in double measure if we are submitted and obedient to Him.

I’ve heard this verse quoted most often in terms of spiritual revival, such as the Great Awakening that happened just before America’s Revolutionary War, or the Shantung Revival that happened in China just before WWII, and that’s certainly appropriate, but I have also heard it quoted in terms of material goods. Jesus did mention that in talking to His disciples, (Matthew 19:29) but even then he capped it off with “eternal life,” which is a spiritual value. I would dearly love to see a spiritual revival in Japan that would dwarf all others in history, but I obviously can’t make it happen. I follow my parents in that desire, and they didn’t see it happen with their physical eyes. However, none of that precludes God bringing it about in His strength on His schedule. I am to maintain hope, however much of a prisoner of my flesh and my circumstances I might feel, and trust God to bring it about on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I pray that I would be fully available to You for whatever You want to do through me, but not get in Your way when I’m not on the agenda. May I always have hope and strive for Your kingdom and Your righteousness, leaving everything in Your hands, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Peace in Turmoil; May 11, 2022

Posted on May 15, 2022 by jgarrott

Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.

What a magnificent statement of faith! Micah has just described complete societal breakdown, but he still declares his faith and trust in the Lord. I certainly see many parallels to American society today. The particular mechanisms might be different, but rampant defiance against God and His rules is certainly in evidence. There is plenty of room for Micah’s kind of faith! Like him, we find ourselves hesitant to trust the people around us, not knowing how they would respond to what we might say. However, we serve a God who is totally trustworthy, and this is more opportunity to learn to trust Him. It is when we rest in Him that we can have peace regardless of what is going on around us. That’s why Jesus said so clearly, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) At times the world seems to come loose from its moorings. I’m sure the people of Ukraine feel that way right now. Regardless of the turmoil, the anarchy around us, those who know Christ have a foundation that can never be shaken. There are many, many hymns that rightly celebrate that glorious reality. It would be nice not to need turbulent times to grasp it fully!

Of course I’m no exception to this. I have discovered that I have friends with whom I have been close that I have to guard carefully what I say to them, and relatives likewise. The forces of division are indeed running wild. I am always to speak the truth in love, regardless of the consequences, but I need God’s wisdom as to when to speak (or write) and when to be silent. I am not to let their response be the determining factor, however. My words might be what God wants to use to introduce the truth that will set them free. I am to pray for every person and every situation, that God’s name would be acknowledged as holy and His rule and reign established as His will is done, by me first of all, since I can’t control anyone else. I have no room to criticize others if I’m not humbly submitted to God myself, and even then I must remember that “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” I’ve got to remember that great turmoil can bring great blessing, and keep my focus on my Lord.

Father, thank You for this reminder. In this Information Age I’m aware that my situation is almost infinitely better than that of so many people around the world. Help me not fail to pray for them, lifting them up and praying in Your kingdom on every level, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Acknowledging God; May 10, 2022

Posted on May 15, 2022 by jgarrott

Hosea 2:15 “There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

This chapter, indeed this whole book, is a remarkable and in some ways heartbreaking story of a marriage that was a fitting parable for the relationship of Israel to Yahweh. I’m very thankful God didn’t call me to serve Him in the way He called Hosea! That said, there are a number of things in the story that are very pertinent to all who seek God. What stands out to me in this verse is the Valley of Trouble (which is what Achor means) becoming a door of hope. I’m reminded of Andrae Crouch’s song, Through It All. Often we don’t recognize God and all that He has for us until we get into a really hard place, generally through our own stupidity and rebellion. However, when we do repent and turn to God we find that He is incredibly gracious and loving, and we can be as responsive to Him as a young bride is to her husband. (Rather than “sing,” the Japanese goes with “respond,” which the NIV gives as a footnote.) The issue with Israel was that they attributed God’s blessings to idols, and so chased after the idols. We actually do the same, though it’s not generally in terms of statues and the like. We attribute modern affluence and luxury to science or technology, not acknowledging that it is God who makes those things possible. We claim “the God of Spinoza,” a Creator who isn’t interested in the activities of His creatures, as a way to avoid (we think) accountability to Him, when the Bible is clear that He is our heavenly Father who cares enough about us to send His Son to die in our place. We need to acknowledge Him in order to get the full benefit of all that He provides, and not have to go through the Valley of Trouble in the process.

Of course this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I’ve always had problems with intellectual pride, and that’s what tricks people into trying to relegate God to an indifferent Creator. I need to remember constantly that I am accountable to Him, and so live my life for His glory by the guidance and power of His Spirit. He is indeed incredibly gracious, and He hasn’t given up on me in spite of my many failures. I am to respond eagerly to Him, delighting in His presence, so that His presence may radiate through me to draw others to Him as well, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me live it out consistently, whatever is going on around me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Miracles; May 9, 2022

Posted on May 11, 2022 by jgarrott

Ezekiel 37:3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

It’s hard to pick just one verse to write about from this story, because it’s so famous, dramatic, and meaningful. However, with this verse we see that Ezekiel got off on the right foot to begin with. If God ever asks us about something, we can be sure He already knows the answer! Humanly speaking, the answer to God’s question here would be a resounding NO. I’m reminded of a story I read just yesterday about how police were called when about 150 human skulls were found in a cave in southern Mexico. Those who found them, and even the police, thought they were the result of drug gang activity, but further investigation found that they were at least 500 years old, and were from people who had been ritually sacrificed. That was not the situation here, but to Ezekiel’s eyes it probably looked equally hopeless. However, as the Bible says repeatedly, nothing is impossible for God. One linguistic factor it is helpful to remember in reading this story is that in Hebrew the same word, ruach, can mean wind, breath, or spirit, depending on context. It obviously appears with all three meanings in this story. There is a very good Japanese worship song that says, “The Holy Spirit is going to blow from the four directions and bring life to this nation,” referencing this story, of course. We are very prone to look at situations and say, “It’s impossible,” forgetting to add, “but God…” Another thing to notice about this story is that things needed to happen in sequence. First the bones came together, then they were knit with tendons, ligaments, and muscles, then skin covered them, and then breath/wind/spirit came into them. We often fail to recognize what God is doing when it’s still in process. America is a mess right now, but with eyes of faith we can see that God is indeed moving, and what happens in America impacts the whole world, whether we like that fact or not. God has not yet completed His plan, and nothing can stop Him from doing that. 

This is very pertinent to me, because Japan has certainly been a “dry bones” nation. I’m very grateful that a Japanese song has been created from this story, because all of God’s children in this nation need to have the faith to catch the vision of God’s Spirit being poured out here. That is neither passive nor pie-in-the-sky; we need to be active in offering ourselves to God for Him to use in accomplishing His miracles. I’m reminded of a friend who wanted me to pray for him to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the gift of tongues. I prayed for him and then told him to start praising God and let God give him the words to say in whatever language, but he wouldn’t do it. He wanted God to move his mouth! That’s a sad misunderstanding of our part in God’s plans. I need to be active in my obedience to God, eagerly seeking to do whatever He wants me to do and not just sitting like a bump on a log until He knocks me off the log! Even if the situation looks as impossible as a valley of dry bones, I’m to keep moving in whatever the Lord has shown me is the task at hand, talking to the bones as directed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You indeed for what You are doing in this church. Thank You for enabling me to get the flier for the barbecue made and taken around to the neighbors, and that the response seemed to be much better than last year, when nobody actually came. Thank You especially for the response yesterday when I insisted that we needed to plan the program to do before the barbecue, and believers took the ball and ran with it. I was so out of my comfort zone, but one man said to me, “And you’re not to do anything.” I was floored, but totally relieved. May this indeed be a time of Your breath, Your Spirit, blowing through this church and this neighborhood, bringing Your life for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Waiting on God; May 8, 2022

Posted on May 11, 2022 by jgarrott

Lamentations 3:25-26 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

I was struck with how many times the word hope came up in today’s reading. If there was ever a hopeless situation, Jeremiah was in it! Most people have trouble even imagining the devastation of Judah and Jerusalem at that point. I’m reminded of the pictures of Northeastern Japan after the tsunami in 2011. The book of Lamentations was written as Jeremiah’s response to his situation, and some of it is bitter indeed. However, in the middle of it is this magnificent, even amazing, expression of faith and hope. This is essentially the middle of the book, since it has five chapters, and by the end of it he is quite depressed again, so we must not think that Jeremiah was an unshakable tower of faith; he was as human as we are. That should actually be very encouraging to us, because God revealed His truth to this very human man, and the whole world has been blessed as a result. This specific passage deals with our human tendency to get frantic. We aren’t to be fatalistic, but we need to remember that when things are totally out of our control, they still aren’t out of God’s control. Waiting quietly for the Lord’s salvation can be the hardest thing at times, but you could call it an essential survival technique. Thinking “I’ve got to fix everything” will destroy us.

I have an odd personal connection with Lamentations. My family was in the US when I was in the 5th grade, and my Sunday School teacher was a friend of my older brother. We had a lesson on Lamentations, and the teacher asked if anyone knew what the word meant. I blew him out of the water by replying, “To lament is to be very, very sad.” That was a better answer than he could have given, and for a while he called me “Lammy-pie!” However, understanding vocabulary isn’t nearly as important as understanding God’s truth, and that has come more slowly. Men in general tend to have a “Mister Fix-it” mentality (which can lead to a lot of marital conflict), and I’m no exception. I certainly get satisfaction in fixing all sorts of things, both physical and otherwise, but that’s not always the best approach. I too have to work on waiting quietly for God’s answers! That’s not to say that I’m to be passive; waiting can be very active! However, it is to say that I’m never to think that it’s got to be my strength, my wisdom that brings the solution to whatever the issue is. God is more than able to handle it, and He will. He might even use me in the process!

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do ask for Your perfect will to be done, not just for this morning but for the barbecue on the 22nd as well. Help me not run from my responsibilities in that, but rather recognize Your solutions to whatever degree they involve me or not. May Your will be done, for the salvation of this neighborhood, this city, this nation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Leading; May 7, 2022

Posted on May 10, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 50:8 “Flee out of Babylon;
leave the land of the Babylonians,
and be like the goats that lead the flock.”

Goats often get a bad rap, particularly in light of Jesus’ famous story in Matthew 25 about the sheep and the goats, but here they are used with a very good connotation. The line about “Flee out of Babylon” is famous, but the “goats” part is important too. In Jeremiah’s prophecy there was a specific geographic designation to Babylon, but today we do much better to think of it in terms of “the world system.” After all, not many of us live in Iraq! Many people have, rightly I think, connected “Babylon” with “the world” that John warns us about in his first letter. (1 John 2:15) It’s interesting that John wrote that when he also wrote John 3:16, but I think it’s clear that he was talking about different meanings of “world” in the two places. If then we connect “Babylon” with the “world” of 1 John, then the command to flee becomes quite applicable to us today. We aren’t to be seduced by society around us. A recent study found that a shockingly small percentage of professed Christians in the US have a Biblical world view. In other words, they have violated Paul’s express instructions: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) Many Christians seem to have trouble discerning God’s will about many social and societal issues, but the second half of that verse clears that up. “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” But now we’re back to the goats in Jeremiah’s prophecy. Sheep are famous for following the leader, for being led around. Through Jeremiah, God is telling us to stop being sheep but be leaders, to go the right way whether anyone goes with us or not. Recently “sheeple” has become a popular term in political circles for those who decline to do their own thinking, and I think it’s appropriate. Not just in politics but in all areas we are to seek God and His truth, regardless of what is being pushed on us by media (social and antisocial) and society in general. If we will do that, not only will we “get out of Babylon,” we will lead others to do so with us.

Of course this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. I have a bit of an advantage because as a Missionary Kid I never did “fit in” completely in just about any setting, which made it easier perhaps to chart my own course, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t want to fit in, whether the group was good or not. I am not to be obnoxious for the sake of being different, but I am to take my values from God and His Word, and not from the world around me. That’s easier said than done, but I know that as God makes me successful in it, others will be encouraged that it is at least possible. As a teacher and as a pastor I am seen as a leader, whatever I feel like, and my leadership must be submitted to God, following the Holy Spirit and not the spirit of this world. I can’t do it right on my own, but God is able to do it in and through me, and that is to be my goal and my desire.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You know the struggles I have with leadership and authority! Right now we’re planning a church BBQ as an outreach, and being in charge of that is very much outside of my comfort zone. Keep me from trying to run away, but help me do each thing You want me to on Your schedule so that people will be blessed, and above all drawn to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Rewards; May 6, 2022

Posted on May 10, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 31:16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”
declares the Lord.

It’s significant to remember that Jeremiah ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah, but here he is writing about the northern kingdom of Israel, which had been carried away to exile by Assyria. Judah’s time was coming, when they too would be exiled to Babylon, which supplanted Assyria, so that when they returned from captivity there were indeed representatives of all 12 tribes, since the geographical areas largely overlapped. Some people from both the northern and the southern kingdoms indeed went very far away, but the whole idea of “lost tribes” is an invention of Europeans who didn’t know their geography. All of that aside, this verse about labor being rewarded meshes perfectly with statements throughout the Bible to the same effect. Both Jesus and Paul mentioned the idea repeatedly, with Jesus saying, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done,” (Matthew 16:27) and Paul saying, “The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.” (1 Corinthians 3:8) God is not a cruel taskmaster, and our work is not meaningless. Hebrews says that is an essential element of our faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Sadly, the whole concept of rewards is losing ground in modern society, with people thinking they are entitled to good things without having done anything for them. God’s grace indeed gives us far better than what we deserve, but that’s not at all the same as an entitlement mentality. Giving people participation trophies isn’t bad, provided 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies are even better. There is a hymn that speaks of giving God our best, and that is a very good metric. One person’s best will not be the same as that of another person, but God knows our hearts and our abilities, and His rewards are abundant.

This certainly applies to me. Japan is not the place to be if you require massive results for your ministry! I was talking with one of our newer church members yesterday (he moved from another part of Japan) about our 40+ years here, and how people have accepted and liked us, but haven’t felt that the Gospel we shared was for them, because we were foreigners. That has been painful, certainly, but I have to leave it in God’s hands. I have to believe what the Bible proclaims: my work will be rewarded. Recently I’ve been getting a lot of satisfaction from working in our vegetable garden, because the rewards for my labor are visible, tangible, and tasty! I have to leave the rewards for my spiritual labor in God’s hands, trusting that He will bring good even from my mistakes and failures (Romans 8:28). As He told me personally, I am to rest, relax, and rejoice. He’s in control!

Father, thank You for this reminder. I do thank You for the garden to help me get through some of the other stuff. Thank You for all the things I haven’t planned, such as the conversation yesterday that I feel built up this church and advanced Your kingdom. I pray that each believer would grasp that there are things that You have equipped them to do for which You haven’t equipped me, so that they too may indeed give You their best, for their great blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Gratitude; May 5, 2022

Posted on May 8, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 29:7 “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Two things here. One is that, as it says repeatedly in this letter, God is the one who carried the Jews into exile. The immediate agents were the Babylonians, but God was the mover here. The Jews had earned this exile, though they didn’t want it. When we spend our time grumbling about our circumstances we are wasting energy and time. We need to seek God’s purposes for allowing our circumstances, and ask Him how we’re to use our time. The second thing is that the better our environment becomes, the better it is for us. If your employer does well, you’re more likely to get a raise. One reason America has prospered so much is that many of the immigrants took this principle to heart. Elon Musk is a case in point. He has greatly benefited the nation, providing good jobs to tens of thousands of people, and in the process has become one of the richest men on the planet. He chose to move to America from his native South Africa, but the Jews certainly didn’t choose to go to Babylon. Regardless, the principle is still the same. Complaining is the opposite of gratitude, and many studies, along with personal experience, show us that gratitude is the key to happiness. And who doesn’t want to be happy? That’s one reason wealthy people, especially with inherited wealth, are often unhappy: taking their wealth for granted, they fail to be grateful. The Jews in Babylon needed to be grateful that they were at least alive, and that God was still God, though they had been ignoring Him. Verse 11 of this chapter very famously speaks of God’s plans for His children, and the next two verses are deeply comforting as well, though they again state that God has put them into this situation. We need to let go of our pride and be grateful for God’s mercy and grace, understanding how dependent on it we really are.

This certainly applies to me. God has been incredibly gracious to me all my life, but my gratitude for that hasn’t been constant. I have done my share of complaining! That said, I think I have been more grateful than many, and so have been more happy than most, perhaps. I’m reminded of a video I saw a while back of a young boy at Christ­mas, I think it was. His parents thought they were pranking him, telling him an empty box was his gift, but he was absolutely delighted with the box, and overflowed with joy. I know that God doesn’t give me anything I don’t need or can’t use, but I forget that at times. I am to focus on thanking and praising God for everything in my life, knowing that if I will do so, His peace will indeed guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Father, thank You indeed for Your incredible grace and mercy toward me. Help me recognize it consistently, always walking in gratitude so that I will be available for You to do through me whatever You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Prophecy, False and Real; May 4, 2022

Posted on May 7, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 23:16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the Lord.

Several of the Old Testament prophets had to deal with false prophets, and the New Testament indicates that the problem hadn’t disappeared, though the term was broadened to false teachers. Actually, the problem is sadly evident today. Some people miss-hear God, or are honestly deceived by the devil, but it is even worse when some do this knowingly, teaching their desires and ideas with no thought of confirming it with the Lord. They use the Bible strictly for “proof texts” to prop up whatever they want to say, all the while maintaining a public veneer of religion. As Jeremiah says, their end will be horrible indeed. Speaking in the Name of the Lord is a high privilege indeed and never to be taken lightly, much less misused. However, some people draw back because of this and fail to speak what God is wanting to say through them, fixing their attention on their own imperfection instead of on God’s power and faithfulness. If you are called by God to be one of His spokespersons, then speak as He directs! The existence of the false doesn’t invalidate the true.

It wasn’t until I encountered the Charismatic Movement in 1973 and following that I really thought about modern prophets. I thought that was strictly a Biblical phenomenon! However, in the years since then I have read, heard, and experienced a good bit of prophecy, both genuine and man-made. The man-made certainly leaves a bad taste in my memory. I have been used in prophecy numbers of times, and I have even experienced continuing to talk after God stopped. That’s a horrible feeling. Never wanting to repeat that, one time I was in a meeting and was speaking out what the Lord laid on my heart, and when He stopped in mid-sentence, I did too, and someone on the other side of the room picked it up without missing a beat. That was certainly confirmation, to me at least, that it was the Lord! These days I very seldom use terms like, “The Lord says,” but I strive never to say anything in an official capacity that God isn’t saying. He has called and sent me, and I must never misuse that or allow it to puff me up. Rather, it should drive me to ever-deepening humility, so that I will in no way disgrace His Name.

Father, thank You for the incredible privilege of sharing what You are saying. Help me never draw back, but also never insert anything that is not of You. May Your Words through me accomplish everything for which You send them, (Isaiah 55:11) for Your glory alone. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Depending on God Alone; May 3, 2022

Posted on May 7, 2022 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved,
for you are the one I praise.

From verse five on, this passage is one powerful verse after another. I have long been struck by the line in verse six that says that a person who trusts in man “will not see prosperity when it comes.” The implications of that are immense. Verses seven and eight echo Psalm 1, an enormously comforting and encouraging Psalm. Verse nine is an extremely pointed comment on the human condition, and verse 10 reminds us that there’s no escaping our accountability before God. Verse 11 speaks of motivation in financial dealings, and then verses 12 and 13 shift the focus to speak to God, rather than being what God is speaking to mankind, and this verse is a continuation of that. All of the previous content has made Jeremiah very aware of his own foolishness and unreliability, so here he declares his trust and dependence on God. He’s saying, in effect, “If God does it, it’s done, period.” We all need that kind of conviction. The earlier verses should put us in the same frame of mind as Jeremiah, because we too are prone to trust in man and depend on flesh, either our own or that of someone else. We too should realize that we can’t trust our own heart, and so cry out to God. The good news is that God is incredibly gracious, and if our choice is to trust in and obey Him, verses seven and eight indeed apply to us, however imperfect our obedience might be.

I find my heart rising up in a huge AMEN at this. The longer I live, the more unreliable I recognize myself to be, when I am operating in my flesh. I realize that my heart is indeed deceitful, and is not to be trusted. However, I have also tasted more and more of the Lord, and know that He is totally reliable. For that reason, even though I can see that “the world is going to hell in a hand basket,” I have no worries for myself personally. The whole COVID business has left me untouched emotionally, because objectively I have no co-morbidities, and I decline to be ruled by fear. Besides, leaving this earth is being with my Lord! (2 Corinthians 5:8) However, I must not be complacent or take things for granted, but walk always in humble gratitude, knowing that not only is this verse true, the reverse is true as well: if God doesn’t heal me I won’t be healed, and if He doesn’t save me I am totally lost. Gratitude toward my Creator and Savior should totally control me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me walk in Your truth more and more consistently, not trusting in or depending on my flesh but clinging to Christ alone, as the song says. May I be Your agent to do Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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