Reward; March 22, 2024

Posted on March 23, 2024 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.
“They will return from the land of the enemy.”

Verse 15 is famous because it is quoted by Matthew in relation to the killing by Herod of all the boy babies in Bethlehem, (Matthew 2:18) but we see here in context that it was spoken in relation to the Jews being carried off into exile. The thing is, the Bible speaks many times about our work being rewarded. The two passages that jump out at me are, “You know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free,” (Ephesians 6:8) and, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” (Hebrews 10:35) We can’t “work our way into heaven,” but that doesn’t mean our work is meaningless. To emphasize, this isn’t the same as salvation. Paul spoke to this very clearly to the Corinthians: “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15) We sometimes have trouble balancing it all out in our minds. How much is it our faithfulness? How much is it God’s grace? To be honest, I don’t think we will know the answer to that completely until we stand before God’s throne, but I don’t think we need to be anxious about it. As it says in Hebrews, we will be richly rewarded! The point is to remember that in the middle of all the trials we encounter, because as Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33, emphasis added)

This feels very “up close and personal” right now. We will shortly be celebrating 40 years since the founding of this church, and our attendance has shown wide swings throughout that time. Sometimes it really does feel like we are building sand castles, and the waves keep crashing in. When we celebrated our 25th anniversary, within a couple of months many in our congregation had left! The devil is working overtime to tell us the same sort of thing is going to happen now, but he’s no match for the Holy Spirit who is in us. God’s plans are going to be fulfilled! Our former members are scattered literally around the world at this point. Those who left for work reasons we generally have good communication with, courtesy of the Internet, but the ones who left disgruntled are often much closer by. God hasn’t forgotten them, either! We don’t know when or how God will draw those people back to Himself, or whether that will involve us, but we can safely leave it in His hands. What we are to do is recognize the task at hand and do it with our whole heart, as unto the Lord, (Colossians 3:23) knowing that we will be rewarded in His time.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s important! Thank You for being able to meet up with our missionary friends yesterday, and for the huge encouragement that was. They too are facing “terminal issues,” and they have gone through very similar things as we have. I pray Your encouragement for them and for all of Your faithful servants in this nation in particular, that we may never lose hope, but rejoice to trust You who alone are totally faithful. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Consequences; March 21, 2024

Posted on March 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 25:7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have provoked me with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.”

A major reason for the study of history is the awareness that actions have consequences. It says in Hebrews, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:11) If we don’t know what that example is, we are open game for the devil to trick us into doing the same thing. That’s precisely why the Left has been working to remove the study of history from US schools, or at least distort that history to a caricature of actual events. The historical sections of the Old Testament teach us that, in general, A+B=C, whether C is something we want or not. Throughout history God has told mankind what activities would bring blessing and has warned them what activities would bring disaster, but all too often we have been deliberately deaf. The record of events leading up to the Babylonian captivity are a stark example of that. Jeremiah had the unenviable task of informing the people of what was going on, several times quoting the actual words of God, as in this verse. We shake our heads at the stubborn foolishness of the people, but are we any better? The state of America, and the world, right now is an indication that we are just as stubborn as our ancestors. We need to rise up and insist that our children be taught history as it actually happened, so that they may avoid the pitfalls and reap the benefits of what has gone before. Jesus’ words, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” (John 8:32) apply to far more than theology. We need to be truth seekers indeed, in every area of life, so that we may walk in the freedom God intends for us.

I like to think of myself as a truth seeker, but I have demonstrated that I am quite adept at deceiving myself. (James 1:22) That should keep me from looking down at others, but I should not be hesitant to share the truth I know, particularly in terms of the consequences of our actions, both good and bad. What makes that easier is the message of God’s grace, but we shouldn’t be in the position of demanding grace when we know good from bad in the first place. I am to walk in both humility and assurance, knowing that I don’t know everything, but God has imparted a good bit of truth to me, and it is a privilege and responsibility to share that truth with others. And above all, I need to walk in the truth I know!

Father, thank You for Your patience and grace toward me. Help me walk more and more fully in Your way, not insisting on my own way, so that Your plans may be fulfilled in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Trusting God’s Plans; March 20, 2024

Posted on March 21, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 24:7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

As Gilbert and Sullivan famously wrote in HMS Pinafore, things are seldom what they seem. The people being taken to Babylon as prisoners were probably bemoaning their fate, envying those left behind in Jerusalem, but this whole revelation, comparing the groups of people to baskets of figs, turned that on its head. Being taken as forced exiles seems to have shocked the group taken into genuine repentance, and as the Lord says here, they truly came to know Him as Lord. Thinking about it, Daniel was part of this first group, and he was one of the most upright people in the whole Bible. We don’t see the end from the beginning the way God does, so we don’t recognize which things are tragedies and which are actually blessings. What this chapter shouts to me is that we need to trust God and indeed thank Him for everything, just as Paul said to do. (Ephesians 5:20) That can be a real faith-stretching exercise at times, but the results are out of this world!

I have experienced this in various ways, though not to the degree of the people in this passage. I well remember my response when my father went directly to heaven from anesthesia at 64, that he wouldn’t have to retire, and knowing that it was a blessing for him. It felt like a huge loss at the time, because I had just had 2½ months of deep fellowship with him, adult to adult as well as father to son, and I wanted more of that! However, the experience was ultimately a blessing to me as well as to him, and talking about it has impacted many people in the years since then. Just yesterday I had a much more minor incident, where I was shopping and left one of my wallets at the store. (I carry two, because I have so many cards of one sort and another.) It was a big deal, because it had my driver’s license, insurance card, and other legal paperwork in it that would have been a major headache to replace. However, when I realized my loss I called the store and they had my wallet, and despite being nervous about it, my drive back to the store was uneventful. I had visions of needing to produce my license for one reason or another! I don’t know of any specific benefit from the experience at this point, but at the least it was further training to trust God and not panic. And I am certainly glad I live in Japan, with such a high level of public safety!

Father, thank You for Your love and grace that always plan good things for us. (Jeremiah 29:11) I do continue to pray for my brother in Christ who wrote a song based on Jeremiah 29:11-12, and who just lost his wife. Thank You that he is indeed walking in faith, and that You will continue to bless and use him for as long as You keep him here, before letting him join his wife before Your throne. Thank You for the example that he is to me, and to all who know him. May we all grow in faith and obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Human Stubbornness; March 19, 2024

Posted on March 20, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 18:12 “But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; each of us will follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.'”

This is the recurring tragedy throughout the history of mankind. God has laid out the way of blessing for us, in His Word and in our hearts, and we stubbornly go our own way anyway. An example of that was brought to my attention yesterday, when I watched a video on YouTube presented by a very compassionate Christian man. He was talking about the epidemic of suicides and drug overdoses among those involved in producing pornography, and he had interviews with several such who were bitterly regretting the choices they had made. As he said, the consumption of porn is demonstrably destructive, but it is even more horrible for those who choose to be involved in producing it. The devil uses such lies as “liberation” and “empowerment,” but those caught in that trap end up regretting it indeed. The thing is, repentance and forgiveness are always available, if we will accept them. As I said a few days ago, repentance is recognizing that we have been wrong, acknowledging that God is right, and changing our behavior. If we will do that, then forgiveness is indeed available, as Jesus demonstrated in His ministry multiple times. He was pejoratively called a “friend of sinners” by the Pharisees, who thought they didn’t have anything of which they needed to repent. Jesus said of them, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (John 9:41) Claiming righteousness apart from the shed blood of Christ is one of the most dangerous things we can do. Like the people Jeremiah was talking to, that is saying that we know better than God.

As I keep being reminded, for many years I walked in a level of pride that is now astounding to me. How could I have been that stupid? However, God in His absolutely amazing grace has worked patiently with me, and on me, much as the potter in the first few verses of this chapter. I’m not finished, and I’m at times manifestly “half-baked,” but God uses me in spite of myself. Now, I have the opportunity to tell other people of God’s grace, helping them understand how far they have strayed from Him, either in ignorance or willfully, and letting them know that repentance and forgiveness are possible, bringing eternal salvation. That is good news indeed, and I want everyone to know it!

Father, thank You for yesterday and all it held. Thank You for that video, and thank You for the extended conversation I was able to have with someone. It went all over the place, but You guided it to spiritual matters, and I’m grateful. I pray that the words that were said would work in the heart that person, opening their eyes and drawing them to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Depending on God; March 18, 2024

Posted on March 20, 2024 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.

The passage from verse five on is very rich, with many beautiful and justly famous verses, but it is a little surprising that it is in Jeremiah. It seems more appropriate to Proverbs, or perhaps Psalms. We don’t often think of Jeremiah as a poet! However, he was certainly a major prophet, and we forget how much prophecy was intertwined with poetry and even music in Old Testament days. All of that aside, this is certainly a beautiful testimony of dependence on God. Advances in science and medicine are things to be grateful for, but we run the risk of depending on those things instead of on the One who made them possible. It is not wrong to go to the doctor, or, for that matter, to drive a car or use a computer or smart phone, but we must remember the God who not only makes all those things possible, He created every atom in our bodies, and apart from His will, nothing would even exist. That understanding is fundamental to the “fear of the Lord” that the Bible talks about so much. Sadly, that’s precisely what people today seem to have lost. Human achievement has come so far, we think we don’t need God! It’s not at all that we aren’t to recognize and appreciate all the things God enables us and others to do, but if we forget the Source of it all, it becomes completely empty. After all “You can’t take it with you” applies to all of that, not just financial wealth. There is peace and liberty in the true fear of the Lord, in recognizing that we can do nothing completely on our own, but there is no limit to what He can do through us.

This is an understanding that I have grown in over the years. I was mired in pride for too many years, having been given a high IQ and a variety of other abilities. I didn’t earn any of those myself! What I have done with them is my responsibility, and I will have to answer to God for it all, but it has been very liberating indeed to realize, on an ever deeper level, that absolutely everything comes from God, and I am only given the privilege of being the expression of it. I enjoy technology, and I am excited to see the advances in space flight and countless other fields, but I know that they will seem like stone-age tools when I am liberated from my current body. Likewise, I am grateful for the medical care I receive, but know that all of that will be unnecessary when I am resurrected. Right now, I am to seek God for what He wants me to do with what I have at hand, from physical health on to material goods and human interactions, knowing that it is all from Him and depends on Him, that I may be a good steward in His eyes.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how You have grown me over the years. Thank You for the awareness that I still have plenty of room to grow! May I receive each lesson You give me with gratitude, so that every part of my life may be pleasing to You, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Word; March 17, 2024

Posted on March 18, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 15:16 When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O Lord God Almighty.

There are several Biblical references to eating God’s Word. The Psalmist said, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103) God told Ezekiel, “‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.” (Ezekiel 3:3) And then John on the island of Patmos had this experience: “So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, ‘Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’ I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.” (Revelation 10:9-10) All of these are in reference to speaking for God, and they contain a very important truth: we need to internalize and absorb God’s words before we can speak them with power. It is possible to admire the Bible as a work of literature, and it certainly is a magnificent one. However, until we take it in as spiritual nourishment, as God’s Word to us personally, it does us very little good. Even memorization, if it is just an intellectual exercise, does us little if any good. It needs to be absorbed and digested, if you will, for it to have its full effect in us. However, if we do take it in that way, then “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

I grew up in an environment steeped in the Bible, and I am deeply grateful. However, I have learned the hard way that just having it in my head, without really making it part of me, does very little good. That’s why I “eat breakfast” every morning, reading the Bible and asking God what He is saying to me through it. I recently got a new bilingual Bible, because my old one was falling apart, and it’s an interesting adjustment. Not only is this one not underlined, the En­glish is ESV rather than NIV, and the Japanese is an updated translation from the one I’m used to. Those two factors are “stimulating my tastebuds,” so to speak, shocking me out of my ruts and causing me to listen more attentively. That’s a good thing! Several years ago one of the believers in this church, a recovering alcoholic, said in a Bible study group, “You’re addicted to the Bible. I know addiction, and you are addicted to the Bible.” I was so happy to hear that, I completely teared up. I am a man of words, but I know that unless the Lord is speaking through me, my words are worthless. I desire that His Word would flow through me unhindered and undistorted, to accomplish exactly what He desires, just as He told Isaiah.

Father, thank You for Your Word, in printed form and as You speak it to my heart. May I indeed take it in, to make it part of me and to perform it, so that Your will may be done indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Reading the Bible; March 16, 2024

Posted on March 17, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 8:8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?’

The passage as a whole is describing a refusal to repent, but this verse is a bombshell. Jeremiah is saying outright that some of the scribes, who were responsible for hand-copying the Torah, deliberately changed things to fit their own ideas. We have no idea how many generations of such copying had already occurred by this time, but the very idea is scary. They had no other method of transmission, so the job of Scribe was a very important one. It seems unthinkable that some of those scribes would deliberately change the words of the Law of God, but that is what Jeremiah is accusing them of. Actually, that sort of thing happens today, and probably with much greater frequency. We aren’t limited to hand-copying the Bible, but we read it in translation, and that gives many opportunities for error. Different languages have different strengths, and sometimes there is no direct equivalent for something in the original, but an honest translator will concede that and probably give footnotes about it. When it gets bad is in deliberate distortions of the text to fit a particular viewpoint, such as the New World translation used by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, that tries to hide the deity of Jesus, and a translation that came out a few years ago that changed all the pronouns to make God female. Those who do such things have no real fear of God, and no real grasp of the fact that they are handling His Word. When we read the Bible in any translation, or even in the Hebrew or Greek, we need to seek the help of Holy Spirit to straighten out our understanding. After all, He is the Author! Reading multiple translations is often very helpful, but we don’t always have that luxury, because of time or other factors. However, Holy Spirit is always available, if we don’t quench Him or grieve Him. Human factors are present in any Bible we read, but God is able to protect His Word, if we treat it as that and not just as literature or philosophy.

As I have written before, I am probably as aware of the difficulties of Bible translation as anyone. I don’t know either Hebrew or Greek, but I’m bilingual in English and Japanese, which are two totally unrelated languages. Going between the two is sometimes a real challenge! My father taught both Hebrew and Greek to Japanese seminary students, in Japanese, and I never felt I could approach his level of linguistic prowess. That, however, was not the issue. The point was and is to transmit what God has said, without distortion. I currently preach in both languages, alternating between Japanese and English as I speak. Sometimes I forget what I’ve said in Japanese and fail to say it in English! (My wife generally calls me to account for that.) Often, an idea is expressed very simply in one language but requires a lot more explanation in the other. That’s why going between languages verbally is called interpreting, whereas in written form it is called translation. I have interpreted for numerous speakers over the years, even including a member of the Japanese imperial family, and frankly, interpreting for myself is easiest, because I always know what I mean! That’s why I seek the guidance of the Author when I read the Bible, whichever language I’m using. As I transmit God’s words in various ways to others I must always be careful to let it be His Word, and not interject my own ideas. He alone is worthy of total acceptance.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for causing me to be bilingual, so that I understand this issue. Help me be a faithful “scribe,” a transmitter of Your Word, so that more and more people may know Your truth and be set free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Consequences of Sin; March 15, 2024

Posted on March 16, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 5:12 They have lied about the Lord;
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
we will never see sword or famine.”

It is a very dangerous thing to deny that God judges His people. We like to pretend that sin has no consequences, when nothing could be further from the truth. Immediately after the 9/11 attack churches saw a sudden increase in attendance, but that didn’t last long. Every time there is a hurricane or a wildfire, people are quick to deny that it could be in any way divine retribution for the sins of society. Rather than confessing moral issues, we twist science into a pretzel and blame it all on “climate change,” and in the process deny God more and more. Human hubris seems to know no limits! That’s not to say that relatively innocent people don’t also suffer for the sins of society, but it is to say that society is made up of individuals, and it is individuals who sin. We tend to think that our individual sins won’t affect society as a whole, but that is simply not the case. Repentance, likewise, is an individual matter. That’s why when Emperor Constan­tine declared the Roman empire to be Christian, persecution dropped off but very little else changed, and as a result the Church itself was corrupted. We bemoan the sins of society, and indeed, we should be vigorous in combatting various societal ills, but it all comes back to the actions and attitudes of individuals, and that includes us. When Nehemiah and Daniel recognized their respective situations, they repented on behalf of society, but they included themselves in that. We need to remember that it’s not just someone else’s fault. We serve a holy God, and we must never forget that.

Ouch! I have lived what many people watching me have considered a “holy” life, but I have ignored God and even directly disobeyed Him more times than I could even calculate. I too am totally dependent on His grace. As I pray about situations I cannot do so from some sort of high horse, but must acknowledge my own weakness. That’s not to say I’m not to be bold in the Lord, knowing that my sins are dealt with by the blood of Christ, but it is to say that I’m not to put myself mentally into some special category, immune from temptation and the consequences of sin. When bad things happen, my first response is to ask the Lord what part I had in triggering them, and my second response is to ask what He wants to do in me through them. Jesus told us explicitly that bad things would happen, (John 16:33) but if I will operate in humility and obedience, He will bring good things out of the bad. (Romans 8:28) I just need to strive to live so that I won’t be the target of those bad things, but rather no more than “collateral damage.”

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed live in full humility and obedience, acting as Your agent to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and bring Your rule and reign, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Prophets and Prophecy; March 14, 2024

Posted on March 15, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 3:22 “Return, faithless people;
I will cure you of backsliding.”
“Yes, we will come to you,
for you are the Lord our God.

The calling of a Prophet is not an easy one. Those who have only been peripherally involved in prophecy might think it is very glamorous and desirable. Imagine, speaking the very words of God! However, such people forget that God’s words are often not well received. In addition, prophets often get a glimpse of the broken heart of God, and the emotional wear and tear can be severe. Sometimes, as the saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss.” Mankind so often behaves so badly toward God, feeling what God feels about it can be devastating. Jeremiah is certainly a case in point. There is excellent reason for calling him “the weeping prophet.” However, sometimes the message of the prophet is received, and that can make it all worthwhile. That seems to be the case here. The first half of the verse is quoting God, and the second half is the response. This is a textbook example of repentance. If only we always responded to God’s correction this way! At the same time, the historical record shows that this wasn’t the response of the whole nation, and things progressed to the point of conquest by Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem. And for all his trouble, Jeremiah was eventually stoned to death in Egypt! That said, there is no question he was well received before the Throne in heaven. New Testament prophecy isn’t so much a matter of “Thus sayeth the Lord” as it is simply speaking out what God is speaking into the heart of the prophet. That’s why Paul could say, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1) However, that’s not the same as the office of Prophet, (Ephesians 4:11) which carries a great deal of responsibility. Those who have been given the gift, either as the office or more generally, need to be careful first of all to be personally obedient to what the Lord says through them, and then to pray for their hearers, that their response would be as in this verse, rather than rejecting or ignoring what the Lord is saying.

I have been used in prophecy, but at the same time I am grateful not to have been placed in that office. Last month was the first time I have spoken, “The Lord says,” in quite a few years. However, I desire that every time I get in the pulpit, particularly, I would speak only and exactly what the Lord is saying. I also desire to be available to Him in every conversation, and sometimes He indeed speaks through me in such situations. I don’t think I’d blame my puns on Him, though! I have the huge advantage over Jeremiah that I have a personal relationship with the Messiah, so I know the mechanism by which God accomplishes His salvation. That gives me hope, even when the words I speak aren’t received as I would desire. Again, my focus is on being personally faithful, and leaving everything else in God’s hands.

Father, thank You for prophecy, whoever is the channel at any given moment. May I be faithful in every role You have for me, listening to You first myself and not deceiving myself (James 1:22), so that Your will may be done in and through me as You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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End-Times Prophecy; March 13, 2024

Posted on March 14, 2024 by jgarrott

Jeremiah 3:18 “In those days the house of Judah will join the house of Israel, and together they will come from a northern land to the land I gave your forefathers as an inheritance.”

This is a magnificent prophecy that has been fulfilled twice, actually, once in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah and again just 75 years ago. It’s not at all that prophecy isn’t real, or that we aren’t to pay attention to it, but rather that human interpretation of prophecy is very likely to be off in various ways. We are living in days that seem like the fulfillment of prophecy, from Ezekiel, Daniel and the Revelation to John, and I think the anticipation of Christ’s return is building to a degree perhaps not seen since the 1st Century. That’s very exciting and encouraging, but at the same time, our primary focus needs to be on what God wants us to do right now. The conviction that “God’s going to make everything right” is something we all need, but we aren’t to sit around just waiting for that to happen. After all, we are among the things He will need to make right!


I’m not sure at what point I started having the strong feeling that I would still be on the earth at the point of Christ’s return, but it was a long time back. While we were in seminary my wife had a dream that she told me about that I’ve never forgotten. We were in a church building, but the roof was gone and people were flying up into the sky, as many have pictured “the Rapture” to be. In the dream, my wife turned to me and said, “Aren’t you going to go?” I replied, “I still have work to do.” I have no idea what that means, but I do know that simplistic interpretations are seldom right – or at least, are not complete. My current focus, particularly since I have just retired from school teaching, is to know and do what God has for me right now. The idea of Christ’s return during my physical lifetime is a very interesting one, since I am currently 75, and I don’t expect to rival Methuselah in any case. I certainly see much in the world that needs to be made right, and God has assured me personally that there is much that He isn’t happy about, but I’m not to try to dictate to Him when and how He goes about making it right. I am to seek to look at each person around me as He does and interact with them accordingly. I am to recognize my own insignificance, and at the same time rejoice that God can and does use even one such as I am for His purposes. I am to be so grounded in the eternal that I am fully faithful with everything in the temporal, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for getting me through the day safely yesterday, with all the driving. Thank You for the service station attendant noticing that my tires were low, and filling them. Thank You for Your plans for today, and that I’m included in them. May I indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, doing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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