~ Cowlicks ~

[Lani]

Philippians 1:1-11
1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.


[God] who began a good work in you will carry it on to completeion undtil the day of Christ Jesus. Philippeans 1:6 (NIV)




My hair has finally begun growing back following chemotherapy treatments. It has been a slow process, and I only recently stopped wearing a wig or scarf to cover my head. As my hair grows, I have discovered several troublesome cowlicks. Today, I was especially frustrated with on tuft of hair that persisted in standing straight up. Thinking of cutting that patch of hair, I eventually resorted to using hair spray to force the difficult lock to lie flat.

As I worked to create the hairstyle I envisioned, I recognized how these defiant wisps of hair can resemble sin in my life. Snippets of jealousy, anger, and selfish ambition can poke out in my day-to-day dealings with others.

Thankfully, God is never tempted to cut me off because of my sin. Instead, through my Bible study, prayer and fellowship with others, God tames the unruly parts of me, gradually replacing them with peace, joy and love for others.

As we surrender our will, God continues to work on us, styling us as beloved creations.


Prayer: Loving God, thank you for continuing your work in us. Help us as we seek to know you and to do your will. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day: Those struggline with Anger

Thought for the Day: As we continue to seek God, we will see God more clearly day by day.

Story shared by: R. Howe (ID)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional: 9/14/11