Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Restoring Christ
Psalms. 126
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy (Psalm 126:3)
Whenever I read Psalm 126 and verse 3 in particular, I find myself thinking about a man I met few years ago during a voluntary financial counseling meeting in a local Church. For the sake of anonymity, I will keep his identity unknown and call him John.
About a year before John and I met, he was a very rich real estate developer enjoying the luxuries of millions. However, during the real estate bubble he lost all his investment and was forced to declare bankruptcy. His family was evicted from their multimillion dollar house and soon were living in a 3 bedroom apartment. He indicated that they never lost faith in God’s providence even whenthey were going through this difficult phase of life. Without getting discouraged,John started a lawn servicing business during the summer of 2009 and started earning enough to pay for their living expenses. About two weeks before Thanksgiving when he realized he had less than $800, he started to get anxious about cash flow because lawn servicing businesses would come to a halt during the winter months. Even at that point, everyone in his family believed that God will carry them through the challenges and so they started praying more faithfully.  Few days before Thanksgiving, he heard a weather report that Washington DC area was to get few inches of snow after Thanksgiving. He immediately decided to buy a small snow blower under $600 with the intentionof starting a snow removal business. He went to the nearby hardware stores and realized that all snow blowers within his budget were sold out except for one unit in a Sears hardware store about 30 miles away. He asked them to put it on hold and reached there in less than an hour, only to find that another salesman had sold that last unit without realizing that it was on hold. Sears corrected their mistake by offering him another model they had in stock at the same agreed price. When John found out that Sears only had their biggest commercial snow blower in stock, he was not thrilled because the weather forecast was only for few inches of snow and also he had to rent a pick-up truck to haul it home. Little did he know then that Washington DC was going to see one of the snowiest winters ever and this extra-large snow blower would be his perfect business tool!John’s snow removal business was a tremendous success.  John was joyous at the great way the Lord brought him through an impossible life situation. 
Psalms 126 talks about God’s faithfulness to his people. God’s ways are unknown and amazing in human sight but He does great things. Every one of us will have many stories to share like the story that we read now. If we believe that our God is faithful and great to do wonders in our lives that will the strength that takes us forward.  Ephesians 3:20 says Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us”.
Prayer:  Heavenly Father, bless us with the wisdom and confidence to hold onto you in unwavering faith every day and in everything.
Thought for the day: Great God will do great things


Rajan Thomas, Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Virginia

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