MONDAY DAY 9
Scripture Reading: Genesis 21:15-19
May our eyes be opened to the opportunities and solutions around us in the name of Jesus-Amen. Our scripture reading tells us about the great distress Hagar and Ishmael suffered in the wilderness after being driven away from Abraham’s house. Their provisions had finished, and Ishmael was hungry and thirsty, tears ran down their eyes. Hagar had despaired that her son would die. Hagar forgot that God had told her, before Ishmael was bom, that he shall live to be a great man (Genesis 16:10-12). We easily forget the promises of God, when our present experiences seem to contradict them. The angel assured her of God’s awareness of the distress: God has heard the cry of the boy. God heard their cry and opened her eyes (which were swollen and almost blinded with tears), and then she saw a well of water.
Dear friends in Christ, many have enough reasons to be comforted, but go on mourning from day to day; because they do not see the reason they have for comfort. There is a well of water around them, but they are not aware of it; and cannot benefit from it. So many times we allow the search for solution to the distress and problems in our lives to block our reasoning, our visions and our judgments. How often do we over exaggerate our problems, thereby blowing it out of proportion that it seems to defile all solution? How often do we place our gaze on our problems instead of looking on to Jesus? (Heb. 12:12).
How often do we ignore knowingly or unknowingly the solutions and opportunities before us because of spiritual and mental blindness? In Luke 19:11-17, the Apostles never knew that the materials needed for a miracle were within, until Jesus directed them to look around. It was the love shared by a little boy that provided the platform through which God demonstrated his love and care for those around. The solution to the problem of the crowd was around the crowd. Some problems persist because of lack of love and trust that persist around us. Some problems have defiled solutions because we have failed to explore the opportunities around us. We must stop focusing on our problems, and start gazing on God who will open our eyes, clear our vision from all hindrances and direct the eyes of our minds to the solutions we seek, even as they are around us. St. Augustine would say, “For many years I traveled long distances looking for God, little did I know that the God I was looking for in distance places was inside of me. ” The solution to your problem is around you. Turn to God to show you!
- Thank the Lord for His words today.
- Ask for God’s pardon for the times you have focused your gaze on your problems rather than on God your Provider.
- Pray, Oh God, open my eyes to the solutions and opportunities around me.
- Tell God to help you not to despair in your experience of difficulties.
- Pray that God should help you to create an atmosphere of love wherever you find yourselves.
- Pray for all Daily Strength Users who are finding things difficult.
- Pray meditatively the Prayer of St. Benedict (meditate on it for some time)
Exercise: Always form the habit of prayerfully looking inward and around you for solution to your problems
Memory Verse: Psalm 62:1 – 7