{"id":3763,"date":"2019-06-22T00:01:21","date_gmt":"2019-06-22T07:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/?p=3763"},"modified":"2019-04-29T09:10:08","modified_gmt":"2019-04-29T16:10:08","slug":"unexpected-showers-of-tenderness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/unexpected-showers-of-tenderness\/","title":{"rendered":"Unexpected Showers of Tenderness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Unexpected-Showers-of-Tenderness.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-474\" src=\"http:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/SEV-CampfireAudio-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" srcset=\"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/SEV-CampfireAudio-300x86.jpg 300w, https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/SEV-CampfireAudio.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>The late Pastor, Robert H. Shuler, of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, shared a wonderful story with me one day about God\u2019s love to all people and about how, no matter what is happening to you in your life, God will never leave you or forsake you.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Permit me to share the story with you just as he shared it with me.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I believe it is as applicable with and to you as it was years ago when He shared it with me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">In the course of living your life (even as a believer) there, of course, will be good days and some other not-so-good days.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>There will be ups and there will be downs.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>People, places, events, and activities will go your way and others will go against you.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><b>And while you may think during the most terrible lonely times in your life that you have been abandoned, the real truth is that you have not.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>As a Christian, God promises you that you will never be lost or abandoned.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Consequently while you may feel like you are lonely for the company of other Christians (which is a normal thing) you will never be alone!<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b> The Lord Jesus Christ will always be with you.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>You can bank on it!\u2014remember what He said to you: <b>\u201cI will never leave you or forsake you.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>God keeps all of His promises, everyone one of them!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">A story please\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">\u201cAt the darkest time in life, and at the weariest moment of our existence, when it appears that God Himself has forsaken or forgotten us, when we cannot comprehend or see evidence of the goodness of God, He will come and bestow mercy and tenderness upon us.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><b>If, in your time of tragedy or loneliness, you will cling with a childlike faith to God, He will visit you with a tender kiss of mercy, and your personal spirit will be calmed, warmed, and comforted.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">I well remember the day when I endured a weird assortment of irritations, conflicts, and tensions.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>My workday in my office had been long, intense, argumentative, trying, and unrelenting.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I finally arrived home around five-thirty in the afternoon, went into my bedroom, tried in vain to relax and calm myself, and prayed long and hard without receiving any apparent relief.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Then, suddenly, God answered my prayers in a most remarkable way.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>My bedroom door softly cracked opened.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Slowly, cautiously, my little daughter peeked through the opening of the doorway.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Her big brown eyes appeared through the slot in the door and, judging that it was safe, she suddenly threw the door wide open, ran to the edge of the bed, and the next thing I knew her ever-so-soft silky hair was flowing over my eyelids and caressing my lips.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Her soft cheek was touching mine.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>She kissed and hugged me, then drew swiftly back as if she was expecting me to say, \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>And then she said with a full grin across her face, \u201cI just wanted to kiss you, because I love you, Daddy.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>And abruptly she whirled out, skipping and running, and the door swung closed behind her.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>She was gone, but I found myself relaxed and all calmed down; totally rested and well on my way to complete recovery from the trials of my day. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>I drew great and powerful strength from this unplanned and unexpected invasion of affection.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>In a like kind manner and way so God comes into our lives, at the trying times we are experiencing, with an unexpected shower of tenderness.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We are blessed, and rejuvenated.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We are refreshed and recharged and readied to take on new challenges and tasks that need to be accomplished and performed.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>The Spirit of God is all the medicine we will ever need to be completely healed of whatever has gripped us.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>His medicine of lovingkindness is the great elixir to and for all human afflictions.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It is always available everywhere you go and you can get it without a prescription.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Oh, and by the way, there is no charge for any dosage you desire.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Free samples are always ready for your request and\/or acceptance!<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\">Thank you, Father God, for always knowing when, where, why, and how to recharge my dead batteries.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Thanks for the refueling of my Spirit.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>You truly are the \u201cLight of my life!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;\"><b>Peace And Love to All of You\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.Poppa<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Bear<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The late Pastor, Robert H. Shuler, of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, shared a wonderful story with me one day about God\u2019s love to all people and about how, no matter what is happening to you in your &hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/unexpected-showers-of-tenderness\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3763"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3768,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3763\/revisions\/3768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davesevern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}