Good Gifts!

MUSIC BLOG

April 10, 2025

Good Gifts

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 

Isaiah 59

59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.

Joshua 1:6-9

 ⁶ Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I’m the king of reminders.  If someone needs me to do something and they announce it in the sanctuary on Sunday or during choir, I’ll often reply with yes, but end me a text!  I don’t trust my memory, I get distracted, and I don’t want to let the person down for whatever the request is.  If I want to be productive, I make a list and start checking things off. Case in point, as I was writing this blog, I reminded myself of a few tasks that I had promised to take care of!  I need reminders.  The truth is we all need reminders. 

In the church, we have reminders built into our church calendar.  Christmas is a reminder of the awesome presence of God in human form.  Emmanuel.  Easter is the most important and far-reaching reminder for the church.  It reminds us of the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth.  It reminds us of the full penalty of our sin.  It reminds us that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and finally, it reminds us that Jesus, as the Christ, conquered death and by His resurrection proved to all the world that He is more than able to do what God promised so long ago to the Hebrew nation.  This season of the church calendar reminds us that Jesus is Savior, Redeemer, Sacrifice, and Risen Lord.  He is our ALL in all.

The scriptures that I shared are the reminders that I needed today from God’s Word.  The devil is always trying to undermine our faith with his incessant lies and deception.  In our weakness, Jesus is our strength.  In our doubt, He is the answer. In our failure, He is the faithful one.  In our lack, He is our supply. In our loneliness, He is our friend.  Just try and name a need that Jesus is not able or willing to provide. 

May the completeness of Jesus fill your life today.

Blessings,

Marty