Old Bridges Diets, by DianaDee Osborne

January 2

I live near an old city with very old bridges.
I find it amusing to read the city's main newspaper whenever
 yet again some bridge repairs are being done on the huge span that crosses a major river.  
Motorists keep writing in to say "The bridge keeps shaking!  Are we safe on it??"  
And the Department of Transportation keeps responding in the paper with the same words:

"We're working to improve the bridge -- but it's safe.  
The shaking is part of the design so that it is stronger 
by moving with the vibrations of heavy traffic.  
We made the trusses strong enough to endure the weight, 
and we keep checking them and strengthening them."

People looking at me on the outside 
see only the repair  MESS.  
They see how, too often, 
I've let the stresses trafficking through my life 
lead me to foods that assuredly do not strengthen me.  
              Maybe that's the same for you.    
But what they don't see is:
When we turn to God again for help, 
He begins the repair process!              
God begins rebuilding our dependence on Him instead of "comfort foods" -- 
or on TV or internet or The Home Shopping Network or the MALL, or whatever.  
Remember Peter? 
Of course.  Peter was shaken after Jesus was seized.  
But his turning away was no worse than ours, 
for God does not measure our sins in size or time.  
And Jesus lovingly called to Peter even before Peter's sin, the words below.  
The words that our Loving LORD shares for each of us.... John 17: 9-10  Click for LINK
He's praying for you and me.

ENCOURAGEMENT from God's Word for us dieters too:

"And the Lord [JESUS] said,  "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."  -- Luke 22:31-32,  encouragement and not condemnation even to Peter.  Even to us who tend to become self-focused including with food.

PRAYER
Lord, I get so discouraged.  I see all the things wrong with me, with this "bridge" of mine.  Please open my eyes to see that You dearly love me and eagerly will repair whatever is broken, if I ask you.  Oh, LORD, I ask.  Help me to love You back more and more than I already do.  To trust your love as my One Comfort, I pray.

HINTS

"When He [Jesus] came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."
We frequently hear the truth that God helps us IN temptation.  But this Word of God in Luke 22:40 directly tells us:
When we arise in the morning,
as we walk through the day,
before it ever happens we should pray 
that God will help us not even ENTER into any temptation
that comes our way.
THIS,  Dear LORD,  I do pray.

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©2012, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),  
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org  for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Earlier format published  1 Dec 2012. Additional encouraging resources at 
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com