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The Devotional Diva - Almost Carries No Weight
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The Devotional Diva - Almost Carries No Weight
By Barbara Gobbs
Executive Assistant and Ministry Partner - Pocket Full of Change Ministries
“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Acts 26:28 (KJV)
I trust each of you had a blessed Christmas Day. I know our family did. Bob and I participated in our church’s Christmas Eve service where we had the Lord’s Supper. During this service, we commemorated that Christ was born and what He was born to accomplish.
On Christmas morning, we thanked the Father for the blessing of Jesus. Mid-morning we drove to our daughter’s house and ate a fabulous Christmas brunch. Afterwards we giggled as we watched our granddaughter open her gifts from Nana and Papa.
As part of my personal holiday tradition, I anxiously look forward to watching “The Christmas Carol.” I relish it each year as Scrooge receives a second chance to make a difference in the world all for the sake of Christmas. As I watched again this year, I came to ponder on a line I never pondered before.
At one point, the Ghost of Christmas Past had Scrooge reliving the day his fiancée broke their engagement. Money and business stole his affection from his lady fair. Brokenhearted she released Scrooge from his vow to marry and walked away in cold silence. Scrooge looked at the Ghost of Christmas Past and wearily stated, “I almost went after her.” Christmas Past replied, “Almost carries no weight.”
We are a few days into 2009. In pondering over 2008, I wonder how many almost’s I allowed to incapacitate me from the Father’s service.
I almost wrote that card
I almost made that call
I almost took them a meal
I almost made that visit
I almost helped out
I almost contributed
I almost spoke up
(and I almost kept my mouth shut!)
I almost committed
I almost mentioned Jesus
I almost was persuaded to . . .
How many almost’s did we let overtake us this year? How many blessings and opportunities did we miss because we almost did something?
The characters in the Christmas Carol are fictional, the lesson’s are not. God is not fictional and I think I can expect that “almost” carries no weight with Him.
Back to the Christmas Carol: The visiting spirits (past, present and future) indicated to Scrooge that what he saw would happen if not somehow altered. Eventually Scrooge got the message and made good on all his promises to the Christmas spirits. Thus, the movie ends with the proverbial happily ever after scenario.
On the other hand, a real-life King Agrippa had the apostle Paul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to testify of God’s greatness and life transforming power. The King told Paul, “You almost got me.” Almost. Dare, I repeat in the heavenly kingdom – almost carries no weight.
At the end of every year, we traditionally review the old year and make “resolutions” for the year to come. I think this year I need to turn my almost’s into well-done's!
One of my BFF’s (best friends forever) presented me with a book this year entitled “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. Brother Lawrence worked in the kitchen of a monastery for fifteen years in the 17th century. Each day he would entrust the day, himself and his duties to God. This is what he wrote about the completion of his daily tasks:
“When I had finished, I would examine how I had performed my duty. If well, I gave Him thanks. If ill, I besought His pardon. Then, without losing heart, I set my spirit right, and returned anew to His presence, as though I had never wandered from Him.” Page 5
What could God do with each of us if we sought His pardon for all the almost’s in 2008, refusing to wallow in self-pity and guilt over our mistakes, then set our spirit right and returned to His presence seeking to turn every almost in 2009 into a well-done thy good and faithful servant!
Good-bye almost!
Barbara
Barbara Gobbs is a ministry partner with and the Executive Assistant of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information, to schedule a speaker for an event, or to request a newsletter, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden, Publicist at 904 316-5462. This ministry is supported by donations. If this ministry helps you or others, and God calls you to help support this work, you can make a donation to Pocket Full of Change Ministry at POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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