April 01, 2018

Sunday Morning Devotional With Mr.E: AFTER

I have friends I went to college with that studied art, graphic design, and art education, but they never used their degrees.  There are many reasons for this, and I'm not speaking poorly of them at all.  Life happens!  Some were in an area that the job market could not support their chosen profession.  Others got married & started their family instead of entering the workforce.  While some realized that they just weren't cut out for their field of study after graduation.  

I knew I wanted to be a teacher from the time I was in the first grade. I was kind of a "unicorn" in college.  While many of my friends changed their major multiple times, I only switched from BFA Teacher Prep to Art Education(and that was only because it would allow me to start teaching sooner!). I knew what I wanted to do.  I kept in mind the "AFTER" throughout college so that I'd get the most of my classes, experiences, and opportunities.  Even the tough times were learning experiences, and made me more understand of my future students.  The "AFTER" is mindfulness.  The "AFTER" is perspective.  The "AFTER" is motivation.    



Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Mark 16:20

I cannot imagine what the disciples were going through in the "AFTER" following the death of Jesus.  This was not what they signed up for....this was not suppose to happen....what would they do now?  That was not the "AFTER" they imagined, because it really wasn't the "AFTER".  God was about to do a work that would rewrite the "AFTER" for us all! 

Sometimes we get caught up in the moment, the day, the week, the month, the year....and we lose sight of everything except our current situation.  Life happens & can be extremely overwhelming.     Financial, health, family or a multitude of other situations that can cause us to lose site of the eternal & focus on the temporary.   At times, there are things that demand us to pay attention to them & deal!  The cancer patient must focus their attentions on becoming well.  The person in financial hardship that must concentrate on working and pulling themselves out of that struggle.  A family member dealing with mental health issues needs our time & attention to help them get to healthier place.  Yet, even in the midst of any of these trials/struggles....we must keep the "AFTER" in sight.

  Knowing that we serve a risen Lord.  Knowing we follow the God that knows our pains, knows our trials, knows our struggles,  and knows our heartaches. Knowing that we are loved right where we are....with all our imperfections....we are loved perfectly.  Knowing that our place is in heaven.  The "AFTER" changes everything.....after we come to know Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior....our lives are never the same.  We can take the things we're going through....and because of the "AFTER" use them to bring Glory & Honor to the Father!  They become ministry opportunities!  The message of hope is needed so desperately in our world today. If you are going through a hard time...see the "AFTER", and know God is enough to get you through.  If you have this perspective, you will be like the disciples.....and there will be signs that accompany you everywhere you go & in all that you do.









3 comments:

  1. Your teaching spirit caries through with your devotionals:)
    I'm growing as I wait for the "after" thank you for the reminder.God sent this needed reminder to me through your devotional.Thanks for letting Him use you.

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  2. This is a deeply profound reality for those of us who trust and love Jesus. It would have been unimaginable to me that I would take up teaching art as a third career at 60. I practice and am learning my trade everyday. After all, God provides!

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  3. I believe that God put me in the classroom. I believe he has more for me to do now after my retirement. My struggle is with trying to "guess" what that is and point myself in that direction. I need to relax and remember it is not a race, nor a puzzle for me to solve in a given time. The "after" should inform my every day dealings. Thank you for the timely (as always) reminder. I agree with Kim Deviney- He is working through you.

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