“Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. And he said, ‘Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.’ They said however, ‘no, but we shall spend the night in the square.’
“Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all of the people from every quarter; and they called out to Lot and said to him. ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.’ But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him,” Genesis 19:1-6
“from a sermon by Frederick Buechner: “..’about a boy of twelve or thirteen who, in a fit of crazy anger and depression, got hold of a gun somewhere and fired it at his father, who died..When the authorities asked the boy why he had done it, he said that it was because he could not stand his father, because his father demanded too much of him, because he was always after him, because he hated his father.
“’And then later on, after he had been placed in a house of detention somewhere, a guard was walking down the corridor late one night when he heard sounds from the boy’s room and stopped to listen. The words that he heard the boy sobbing out in the dark were, ‘I want my father, I want my father.’
“We have killed off our Father. Few thinkers or writers or moviemakers or television producers take God seriously anymore. He’s an anachronism, something we’ve outgrown. The modern world has accepted The Wager and bet against God. There are too many unanswered questions. He has disappointed us once too often.’”*
And ‘Lot went out to them ...and shut the door behind him’. That struck me as I read God’s Word, because doesn’t it seem often that’s how it is today - a definite separation of what we say we hold dear and our actions in the “real world”?
Take care with love, especially His! Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene
PS: ANY PRAYER UPDATES TODAY? For any of you who wonder if prayer is worth taking time for, just page back through previous entries and see the hand of our loving Father in action!
NEW PRAYER REQUESTS: For the world-wide economy and that people will remain calm and hopeful.
PRAISE & THANKSGIVING: Reg for his ministry and patience. Adrian is out of ICU, but still hospitalised. Please continue to pray for those who care for him. (Here is a text message he sent: “I am so grateful to our loving Father and the most wonderful medical team. I literally consider and feel overwhelmingly well. Thank you so much for the prayers and real love support expressed to me in these difficult days – blessings for you this day!”)
PRAY FOR THOSE WITH HEALTH CONCERNS: Michael recovering from deep vein thrombosis – a new life change for him (he’s offered to go visit Adrian for me too!). For Carlton’s recovery from surgery. Gwen, a 13-year old with serious headaches. Deb, special friend with multiple Myeloma (please see her blog at this LINK. (http://debdarley.blogspot.com/) Wisdom for doctors caring for Tim, Doris, David, Poetry and Gary, Annette’s friend Sue.
ONGOING PRAYER REQUESTS: Jack’s family is grieving his loss. That Tim secures a disability pension with his coronary pulmonary artery disease. For Jen as she copes with her friend’s passing & for the hope of her future. For Susan in Bulgaria, struggling to provide for her husband and two children.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD: (Please do not get bored with this request). Those putting their lives together after the many natural disasters, especially for the volunteers and governments in: Japan, USA and New Zealand. For Middle Eastern nations dealing with unprecedented internal conflicts. For the rest of the world to stay calm with regard to war, the economy and most of all for those who are believers, to pray and help others have peace during this time.
OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS: Help for Cris. Isaias (family safety and his mission work in Philippines); God’s grace on USA & REVIVAL for His children. For Kevin (Godly wisdom with his son), Michael.
ONGOING JOB RELATED: Paul needs work. That Tim might find satisfying work. Randy needs a new job in Canada or Australia. I need a new project to tackle for my work. Working on a new book and pursuing a new publisher in the UK for my other book!
*Disappointment With God, by Philip Yancey
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