The Shadow of Your Smile - Tuesday May 05, 2015
So we make it our goal to please him. 2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV
"Quick, get the camera!" I was at our family's lake cabin with some of our children and our grandson Max, and this was a moment I wanted to capture. You see, three-year-old Max was smiling the big, toothy grin that flashes every so often when I am with him.
Max was born with severe brain injury due to oxygen deprivation. For the first few months his eyes were closed, and his face was solemn. There was no eye contact; there were no smiles. I prayed that God would open his eyes and bring smiles to his face.
As the months passed, his eyes indeed opened more and more. Then one day, a faint smile crossed his face. More smiles came, and our hearts were warmed. Max was expressing pleasure!
Max and I have bonded deeply over the years. When I help with feeding and diapering him, or my favorite- reading and singing to him while massaging his legs and feet, I am blessed. But I will say that when Max smiles, I am delighted. My motivation soars, knowing that I have so obviously made him comfortable and happy and that he appreciates what I am doing for him.
This is so true with others whom I serve as well, and is especially true with God.
Knowing I can bring a smile to God's face when I choose to obey and serve Him motivates me like nothing else. He sees all the sacrifices and all the deeds of service, big and small, and He remembers. One day I will see His smile and hear the words, "Well done!" and my delight will be complete. For now, I live in the shadow of His smile.
Submitted by:
Dawn Bovenmyer
Stonebrook Community Church
Ames, Iowa
One-Year Reading Plan:
Judges 21;Ruth 1:1-22
John 4:4-42
Psalms 105:1-15
Proverbs 14:25
[Read
Online]
© 2024 Great Commission Association of Churches, Inc All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher.
Online Bible Services provided by
The Bible Gateway (TM) a service of
Gospel
Communications Network.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCB-ES: Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible B) The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy, Bible, New International Version, copyright B) 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternaB-tional Bible Society; (NKJV) are from New King James Version B) 1982 by Thomas Nelson; (NLT) are from the New Living Translation, B) 1996, Tyndale House Publishers; (ESV) are from English Standard VersionB., B) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers; (TM) are from The Message B) 1993 by NavPress Publishers.