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Ray and I went out of town briefly over the weekend. We got to enjoy hearing two of our grandchildren sing in a concert.

Before we left on Friday morning, we ran by Notgrass History headquarters. Right after we got there, our team member Josh told us the good news that had just been announced in Washington. Ray and I were elated and grateful. I began praying for peace in our country.

Ray and I were happy to share the good news moment with Josh. When I walked through the adjacent room where team members prepare books for shipping, Phil was listening to the news live. He and I got to share the good news, too.

Ray stayed at headquarters while I ran some errands in town. While I was gone, I called each of our children. They all keep up with the news better than I do, so I was especially happy that I got to be the first to tell each of them what had happened. Unless the Lord comes back before then, I expect many Americans to remember years from now where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the momentous news. I look forward to remembering that I got to share it with people who are special to me.

I soon began to wonder, “What should I write for Monday?”

“I’ll let God’s Word speak,” I decided.

I also wondered what Ray would say in his sermon yesterday morning. I was happy to learn that he had made the same decision that I had. He also shared Scripture.

So here goes. First, a psalm of King David:

For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You,
because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in Your book were written
All the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
Psalm 139:13-16

By American artist Jessie Wilcox Smith. Courtesy Library of Congress.

And then an incident from the lives of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, who was the mother of John the Baptist:

Now at this time
Mary set out and went in a hurry
to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 
and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the baby leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 
And she cried out with a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 
And how has it happened to me
that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 
For behold, when the sound of your greeting
reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.”
Luke 1:39-44

And then words of hope for those who live with the reality that they made a decision that they now regret with bitter guilt, agony, and tears:

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
among whom I am foremost. 
Yet for this reason I found mercy,
so that in me as the foremost sinner
Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience
as an example for those who would
believe in Him for eternal life. 
1 Timothy 1:15-16

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