August 12

Today's Reading

Nehemiah was a warrior at heart. First he attacked the problem of the Wall. Then he began to deal with the spiritual blight upon his fellow Jews. I'm not sure which victory was more important, but I would probably choose the one in the peoples' hearts.

This chapter in 1 Corinthians is like a Christian user's guide to marriage. It is full of wisdom. You will notice that Paul seems very convinced that our time on this planet is short. You might think he made a mistake on that one, given that he wrote this almost 2,000 years ago. However, anyone who is getting into their older years will tell you: "Life flies by. Invest it carefully."

Psalms. As a boy, I would often stand rigid during altar calls at church. I knew in my heart that I needed to set some things right with God, but I didn't do it. Only when I finally gave in and fully yielded myself to God did I find peace. That was many years ago and I still have to be careful of that same rigid attitude.

Proverbs. "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." That's one of life's great lessons. Some people take action too quickly and fail the "good planning" step. Others wait for everything to be perfect and never take the "hard work" step.

What steps do you need to take today? What in today's reading speaks to your heart?