Some musings before this blessed dawn:

What is a miracle? It's the LORD, the Almighty, doing for us what we could never do for ourselves.

The greatest miracle of all, of course, is the Resurrection, the fact that He went to that cruel Roman cross and died for our sins, and then rose again, delivering us once for all from the eternal penalty of our sin, all as a free gift, one that we don't deserve, one that we could never earn.

But every day since has been filled with additional miracles.

America itself - the fact that we were born and live in the land of the free, where there is no king but Jesus - is a miracle, come to think of it.

Miracles are occurring all around us, every day. Even in the midst of trials and encroaching darkness in the world, so much good, good that we could never bring about by our own power, continues to take place.

Take notice, then praise Him and thank Him for all that He is doing for us, no matter how large or small.

And then speak and act as if the Gospel, the Good News, really is. Rejoice! Allow Him to use you to be a miracle in others' lives, especially on behalf of the weak and the helpless, doing for them what they cannot do for themselves.

God's heart is to save, to give, to help, to heal. Be an instrument of mercy and love in the nail-scarred Hand of the God of Miracles.

-- Tom Hoefling

Think of the greatest joys and pleasures you have ever experienced in life. They all pale in comparison to the joys and pleasures of eternity with God our Father, in Christ.

Think of the greatest pain and loneliness you have ever experienced. No matter how excruciating, that is as nothing compared to hell, an eternity separated from God.

Seek Him now, while He may be found.

Isaiah 55:6-13

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”