|
Tender Mercies-LL&L Monthly-Aug 2005
|
Benjamin Devey
|
Aug 11, 2005 16:50 PDT
|
Learning Love and Life
Monthly Relationships Newsletter
No. 139
August 11, 2005
----------
Learning Love and Life is a free e-mail newsletter sent monthly to
subscribers. If a friend forwarded this file to you and you’d like to
receive your own free subscription, you can get it online at:
http://LearningLove.com
----------
Tender Mercies
Copyright(c) 2005 by Benjamin Devey. All rights reserved.
Before Jesus was to leave, he told his followers, “I will not leave you
comfortless: I will come to you.” He promised another comforter to abide
with his followers forever. You may have felt assurances of divine
compassion in your life. These are deeply personal events that give you
reassurance the Lord is there and cares for you personally.
When my second son was about to be born, my wife thought she was in for
a day of labor, feeling it would be something like her first delivery.
She told me to take my first son and get some lunch. When we came back
home 30 minutes later, my wife was in transition. I called the midwife
to come, but the baby didn't wait. I helped deliver him before anyone
came to assist. About the moment I caught his slippery little body, I
felt an overpowering sense of calm that I recognized as divine
assurance. Everything was fine. The baby and mother were safe.
David Bednar describes such experiences as the tender mercies of the
Lord, “the very personal and individualized blessings, strength,
protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation,
support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and
through the Lord Jesus Christ.”
A friend of mine was in difficult times after an illness, and his
personal business suffered. But an earlier associate thought of him as
the person he needed to manage his sales force. The associate dismissed
the thought, because it was the position his business partner occupied.
Then his partner said he needed to move on to other things. He then
asked my friend if he would join forces with him. It was exactly what my
friend needed.
When I was in Germany, writing a letter to a dear friend, my pen went
out of control, describing a box, happiness, and lifelong fulfillment.
The ideas came out of nowhere, and I apologized for the divergent
thoughts. But my friend wrote back, saying she had a dream about the
very things I described, and she hadn’t understood what they meant until
my letter arrived.
“The Lord's tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by
coincidence,” says Bednar. “Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite
tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that
enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings.”
These blessings may come unnoticed. When I wondered if I would find the
love I dearly hoped for, an image or impression would come to mind, and
a spiritual hope came into my heart. I knew I would find love again.
Divine assurance is personal and individually-suited to your inner-most,
heartfelt needs. Your Father in Heaven has known you eternally. He cares
about you, feels for your concerns, and understands how to comfort you
in your need.
The tender mercies of the lord come in infinite variety of ways: a
comforting thought, an impression to take action, a desire to help
someone else. Our hands may be called on to give a specially-suited
blessing to a loved one. Miracles are common-place occurrences that
happen when we keep hope. You may be the means someone else feels the
tender mercies of the Lord today.
Bless Those You Love,
Benjamin
----------
READERS' FORUM:
Have you felt blessings come into your life that you knew were more than
random occurrences? If it isn't too personal, and you’d like to share it
with others, you may strengthen others who need hope.
In the Readers’ Forum we respect everyone’s opinions, so feel free to
say what you think. Share your ideas with the Love Discussion group.
Post your responses (to the whole group) at:
http://www.topica.com/lists/LoveTopics
Your comments and thoughts are welcome. If you would like to be included
in the newsletter, please mention in your e-mail: "You can print my
submission in the Reader's Forum section." Also, please write whether or
not you want your first name mentioned and the state or country you're
writing from. You can post online or send your comments or submissions
to: lear-@4u.net
----------
Thank you for sharing newsletters with your friends. The website has an
easy link for your friends to join for a free newsletter subscription.
The Learning Love and Life site can be found at:
http://LearningLove.com
Learning Love and Life is a secure e-mail list, used only for this
newsletter. The list server doesn't provide subscriber information to
any outside party, including me (the list manager). The list is not
shared for any other purpose. We thought you would like to know that
subscribers to "Learning Love and Life" share an exclusive community of
ideas and thoughts that you won't find anywhere else. We maintain our
commitment to share principles and to focus on issues that nurture love.
----------
Copyright (c) 2005 by Benjamin Devey. All rights reserved. Permission is
granted for use on web sites, in news groups or mailing lists as long as
this file is left intact.
|
|
 |
|
