Cozy in my warm house, I’m watching my ducks and geese from my window. They are exploring their frozen pond.
They waddle and slip and slide as they walk out on the unfrozen water they have kept stirred up and liquid by swimming around and around in it. There’s a lot of wing flapping and discussion among them as they paddle, dive, and kick in the cold water. Why can they enjoy such cold?
God made them that way. Their feet don’t have feathers or lots of layers of fat; they actually have literal cold feet and don’t lose much body heat as they kick in cool water.
Their fat is good! It keeps them warm along with the down feathers under the waterproof outer feathers. They were designed for cold weather.
As most of you, I have been thinking about the new year before us. As I’ve accumulated lots of birthdays, I have found myself wanting to try new things and keep my brain solving problems and being creative. Being healthy has also become a priority as my body gains more and more miles on it! A desire for my spiritual life to be deepened and broadened is a top priority.
Remember the popularity of the little book, The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson?
If you read I Chronicles 4:9-10, you will find his prayer. The Bible says that Jabez was “more honorable than his brothers” and that his mother named him Jabez “because I bore him with pain.”
As a grown man Jabez prayed this prayer: “Oh, Lord, bless me indeed and expand my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”
Jabez was bold in asking for God’s blessings, and he asks for God to do it His way.
However, Jabez has a specific goal with what he asks for---he had a vision for what he wanted to do and be. Jabez asked God to give him more opportunities, more ability to influence, and an expanded way to bring God glory. What exactly Jabez was asking for, we don’t know: wisdom, health, land, peace, joy, strength, his character?
In asking for much, Jabez asked for God’s great help in handling much! He also wanted God to keep him from “causing pain”-maybe to himself by falling into temptation as he was led to success, or that others would not try to bring him pain. Jabez didn’t want to harm others or bring suffering to others as he asked for more responsibility and opportunities.
The Bible says God granted Jabez his prayer.
The geese are out there in 2018 designed to thrive and survive as they battle the ice for their pond.! We, as Christians, are designed to thrive and survive the battles we will face in 2018.
Shall we pray the prayer of Jabez, and ask for more under the leadership and protection of our holy and loving God? More to give Him Glory?
