The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Jeremiah 10:23-24, “I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself; Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

24 Correct me, O LORD, but with justice; Not with Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing.

I saw a religious telecast the other night in which the host of the program interviewed a man of science. There can be no doubt that the man interviewed was a man of great intellect. He quoted (allegedly from memory) huge numbers that left my mind numb trying to keep up. In fact, he was so “scientifically intellectual” that he numbered the distance of

stars and galaxies to the ten millionths of ten millionths of ten millionths.

He acknowledge the LORD as God of the Created universe, but it was undeniably apparent that “his way was in himself.” Jeremiah knew better. He knew that “a man’s way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.” In other words, the man who knows the LORD, knows that it is the LORD who directs his way –his life!

I had reason today to be angry at someone whose direction I believed was not in my wife’s best interest. I expressed myself verbally with some fortitude, but without what I trust was noticable anger. For a reason that will become apparent in a few lines, I reminded my wife that she had not read the recent Grands Letter –an omission that I elected to correct. Yet, I had read only a few lines when I choked on my own words! The very words I had written for others convicted me of a wrong in my own life.

Jeremiah said, “Correct me (admonish me, discipline me), O LORD, but [do it] with justice.” Had the LORD corrected Jeremiah (or me!) with justified Divine Anger, we would have been more than crushed! Such correction would have been devastating, reducing us to total insignificance!

I learned something today: Don’t walk in your own way, Jeffries! The Holy Spirit lives within you to balance and direct and control your life. Just get out of His way!! After all, who is really LORD? It’s certainly not you.

We love and pray for you daily. We need you to love and pray for us.

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. There is talk of releasing Rose Marie from hospital on Wednesday. She received another

unit of blood late today. Our dear Valarie (Robert’s wife) needs your prayers, too. We

are all under some heavy burdens, yet none beyond the strength of our LORD.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”