The Return

 Hello again all, and God bless!

        Even in what we get annoyed by, God uses for His glory and the furtherment of His kingdom. I ordered a new Bible (I have to admit, I have far too many Bibles as it is, but I find a need for a new one from time to time) from Amazon with wide margins to start taking notes in and marking. I've never really liked marking my Bibles, but I want to see how much I grow year to year by seeing my markings and what stood out to me previously, so now I am starting to study more with Logos (Bible software), reading my new Bible, reading the comments and articles in my ESV study Bible, and marking insights and inspirations in the new Bible I just purchased. 

        Back to the annoyance, I ordered an ESV preaching Bible in paragraph format with wide margins. I received it the next day and what did I get? I received a USED verse by verse (instead of paragraph format) ESV Bible with notes already written in it with someone's pencil. I admit, it probably shouldn't have annoyed me as much as it did, but I've had a recent string of bad experiences with Amazon deliveries so this was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back. I later repented of my silly anger at someone's simple mistake and went to Kohl's to return the Bible; a new correct one was already on the way from Amazon again. I am in line with the used Bible in hand, one person in front of me, and my "Are you good enough for Heaven" tracts in my pocket. I pray silently for God to use this opportunity for His Glory and then return the Bible. As I get my tracking receipt from the kind lady that was waiting on me, I pull out the tract and hand it to her with a smile, asking her if I can give her one of them. She immediately smiled wider and said, "Of course, thank you!". She sounded really genuine in the thanks so I hope and pray that if she's not a Christian, she will read God's message in the tract and come to know Him. If she is a Christian, perhaps she will pass along the tract. Only God knows what will happen and I trust Him fully to use this attempt. I think that he used this annoying situation to get me out and spread His Gospel more. I hope to one day find out how all my attempts ended up in the long run, but until then, I will serve God every opportunity that I get. To Him be all Glory forever. 

        Until next time:

    With love in Jesus,

Michael