The stain of oil, the stain of sin

By DAWN REED

doing it. The past three years, with this pandemic shutting people off from family and friends, have not been easy. It was a test for sure. Counselors’ offices were probably overflowing trying to figure things out.

Whatever it is that has you down, keep talking to God. I know that doesn’t sound too many to be much of a solution. Don’t turn your back on God. It is pretty hard to do life without leaning into Him.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for family and friends. I don’t take them for granted. I thank you for my Bible and freedom. Help me run towards the cross and away from Satan’s lies and tricks. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

God’s Lemonade Stand is written by former Madison resident Becky Miller. Her daily devotions appear on Facebook or at godslemonadestand.blogspot.com.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

The clanging alerted me that there was a problem. Some sounds are not ever supposed to come out of the dryer. I hurried to the laundry room.

Yanking open the dryer door,

I began pulling out my beloved’s dress pants and shirts. (The load was his good stuff for church.) In the still damp pile, I found a small black lid. And then something much worse: dark greasy stains on all of the clothes. “Aww man!” I groaned loudly.

I searched through the load again trying to find the source. The black lid belonged to something.

“Your clothes are all greasy!”

I called to him from the laundry room. “Do you know what this lid goes to?”

He studied the object. Then suddenly remembered. It went to a small bottle of anointing oil.

My beloved is a pastor. A few days before, he and a deacon had gone to visit a very sick friend in