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Archive for the ‘Devotional’ Category

Apple Seed

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , on August 2, 2016| 5 Comments »

I have had this refrigerator magnet for years… I won’t say how long, but I know it’s been on at least nine refrigerators in five cities and three states.  Yesterday, while I was waiting for the microwave to tell me my dinner was ready, it’s simple profoundness struck me again.

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Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.

Isn’t that comforting? It means God knows your future. He values your fruitfulness capabilities. Our Lord knows how much fruit you can bear from the little seeds you plant in your day, even if you don’t.  The advice to a friend, the smile to a stranger, the kind word to a service clerk, the held hand and wiped tear. None of it is in vain. What you teach your children by example, or your grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Even the wiggly kid who always sits in the pew in front of you.

Long after we are gone, our seeds will still grow. Our efforts will multiply.

Paul knew it. He told the Corinthian church,  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (ICor 3:6)  Over two thousand years later, it still is growing. Paul’s letters convert hearts and strengthen faiths daily, maybe even hourly.

So keep planting, my friend. God knows what will happen.

 

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A Lesson from Ants

Posted in Devotional, Nature, tagged , , , , , on July 26, 2016| 3 Comments »

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.  Proverbs 6:6

ant-44588_1280I watched in wonder at the scene laying out a few inches from my feet. As some ants scurried in a line over the sidewalk to carry minute morsels back to their mound, one little ant dragged a piece of straw three times his length. At first the others skirted around him coming and going. I could almost hear their grumbling. “Look at that guy?” “Leave it to Joe to drag a stupid twig.” “Please, can’t he fall in line?”

On he trudged with his prize, not wavering in his quest. (I guess it was a “he”.) What tenacity. Finally, when he got to the entrance he stopped. How to get a stiff, horizontal piece of straw to bend and fit perpendicularly down that hole? He tried. Failed.Tried. Failed.

I held my breath. I almost reached down to help, then thought better of that idea. I might get stung!

Soon, three more ants came to his aid. Then a few others. The small stick  became covered with insects, each lending their strength to the task. At last, enough of them tugged, lifted and dragged the straw into their nest.

I cheered. People stared. Shrugging, I continued my walk.

But I saw a God-lesson in it. If we don’t give up, if we keep trying our hardest, eventually we will be able to proclaim, as Paul says: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7  Yet, Paul admitted he couldn’t do it alone. He had help from God, and from his followers.

There will be times we may have to accept help—just like that ant. If you are faced with a task and it is harder than you thought it might be, will you accept assistance, or stubbornly hiss between your teeth that you are bound and determine to do it yourself? I think sometimes God sends others to help us not only to benefit us, but them as well.

I wonder if the ants celebrated and patted each other on the back? Who knows? But, I bet like me, God cheered.

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The Difference of Two Letters

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , on July 20, 2016| 2 Comments »

One letter can totally change things.  In a recent game of Words with Friends, I had two options. Spell prey or pray.  One letter difference, but oh, what a difference!

That got the grey cells activated…

falcon-1329991_640PREY – the E stands for EVIL. Scripture tells us Satan prowls around seeking his prey. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I Peter 5:8   If you are the prey, you are helpless, hopeless, and vulnerable. Evil lurks and you cower, defenseless and weak with fear. Birds of prey seek out the ones least likely to resist. they intimidate and then swoop in.

 

PRAY – the A stands for Almighty. Instead of cowering in the face of evil ,if we pray God will prevail. He has conquered evil. He’ll provide us the spiritual (and perhaps physical) tools we need to fight it, or He will battle it for us. Psalm 62:2 says:  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.  

Paul tells the people of Phillipi: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (4:6) 

When we pray, I envision an invisible dome of mercy and power over us. We are shielded from the effects of this world. Bad things will still happen because we live in a post-Eden place. However, God is with us. He will either give us the strength to battle it, remove us from it, or make good out of it.

And the cool thing? A comes before E in the alphabet. So why would we not choose the first letter over the fifth one down the line? When evil threatens the parameters of your life, remember God the Almighty comes first.

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Hit Me

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , on June 17, 2016| Leave a Comment »

HIT- it can be past tense, future tense or present tense verb. Perhaps because when you are hit, physically, emotionally or spiritually, time doesn’t matter. The impact is still vivid.

hand-36759_640Words can smack us in the heart, and once uttered cannot be taken back. Victims of abuse can tell you the exact time and place when that first whack from someone they thought loved them occurred. In most cases, the hurt is very real and can last a lifetime if not dealt with. You might say “hit” is Hurt Intentionally Targeted.

Sometimes, the hit is out of carelessness and is unintentional. A friend lashes out in anger with their tongue, then feels bad about it. Anyone who has been in a wreck cringes at the sound of automobile metal hitting each other. It is a very unmistakable sound. We have all seen the bloopers where a child misses an aim and hits the parent in the head or groin.

But a thought just hit me–“hit” is not always a bad thing.

Sometimes we need something to smack us to jolt us out of our complacency, or to get our attention, or to stop us in our tracks. I believe God can use these surprise hits, these blind-sided whomps, to His glory.  It may be the truthful words of a trusted friend who knows us well enough to speak them.

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it, for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers. Psalm 141:5

Yes, to “hit” someone with the intention to hurt them is wrong, no doubt. But to smack them with God’s truth in order to steer them back to His side is a good thing. Never strike out in anger, even if you feel justified. But, if the Holy Spirit prompts you to speak truth, even if you think it may cause hurt, pray on it. If your motivation is their welfare and not your own, then ask God to help you find the strength, the timing and the words to speak. Jesus at times was harsh-tongued, but all His words were said in love.

And if someone whacks you with Truth, no matter how much it hurts, take it to God and learn His purpose for it. Examine the validity. Ask God to shine the mirror  reflecting His Light onto your heart and show you what changes need to be made. Never hold a grudge on the person who brought your personality flaw to the surface.

Above all else, if someone hits you with the intent to cause pain, forgive them. Pray for them. (That doesn’t mean condone their behavior or allow them to abuse you.) Pray for our Lord to shield and shelter you, and also that He may touch the heart of the person who has hurt you. Their actions are most likely because, deep inside, they are hurting, too.

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Eternally Young

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , on June 7, 2016| 4 Comments »

“This statue shows a Christian woman who is old at death’s door. As she passes from this life to the next, she is no longer sick or old and does not carry the burdens of this mortal life. She is welcomed by her Savior into eternal life whole and strong to live forever in heaven.”

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Perhaps you have seen this on Facebook, as I have. Looking at the down-slide of my life ahead, how ever long that will be, this spoke to me. Getting older, I have aches, pains and diminishing energy. I am faced with the reality  that I just can’t do what I did at twenty, or even forty. And it frustrates me. To one day be out of pain and beyond the limitations of my body gives me hope. But does that mean I can’t have hope now?

I see my older friends in two categories:

1.They’re even more frustrated than I am and their conversations are what my mother called “organ recitals”= always about their physical maladies.

2. Or, they have a quiet contentment, which my mother also called “being thankful they still have parts, even though they ache.”

In fact, she had a plaque on her fridge: Age is Mind over Matter. If you don’t mind, what does it matter?

And that is where this wonderful sculpture errs, in my opinion. Physicality is so emphasized in our society. Youthfulness rules. Aging is taboo. Take this pill or have this procedure to halt it, you don’t want it. Stop it in it’s tracks. You have the right to feel young and energetic again.

Where did that come from? Other cultures honor their elderly.

Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? Job 12:12

Aging is a natural process. From the moment we are born, we age. Bodies and minds wear out, but souls do not.

I am not sure my spiritual body will be young, skinny and tall as depicted in this sculpture. I have never been skinny or tall here on earth and I always wished I had the metabolism of a cheetah instead of a sloth, so it would be nice. Living with chronic pain for decades, to no longer have that thorn in my flesh would be great as well. But that it temporal thinking.

There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.  I Corinthians 15:40

Scripture says my spiritual body will be new, eternal and not subject to illness. I am not sure I will have legs and arms, long flowing hair, or even eyes and ears. What I do know is whatever shape my spiritual body is, it will exist to reflect God’s glory.

But in the meantime, God has use for me here.

I can do His will and reflect His glory at every stage of my life, even if I end up drooling in diapers. Yes, I have the responsibility not to abuse this body He has given me, but I also must accept it is a temporary shell which is made to wear out. That is not where my primary focus should be. Too many people turn fitness into an idol and food into a demi-god.

Aging doesn’t make me less a person, and it shouldn’t affect my attitude of gratitude. At every stage, I can serve in some capacity, even it is just to be a sweet, kind and patient person whose love for the Lord shines through her dimmed eyes and diminished memory.

Which person do I choose to be from now on – someone focused on her pains or someone focused on the One who suffered the ultimate pain for her so she can have life beyond this one?  Will my main focus be on my feeble body or His glorious one ? The aches dwelling in my joints or  His Spirit dwelling in my soul?

Which do you choose to concentrate on, and which will you reflect?

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A Steady Diet of M&M…and M

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , on May 24, 2016| 2 Comments »

When I went through catechism, to discern if I would claim IMG_20131030_075636_787my parent’s faith as my own before God and the congregation, they taught us that Scripture should be read, marked and inwardly digested.

Jesus, according to John’s Gospel, is the Word, and He said He is the Bread of Life. We need a steady diet of the Bible in our lives. We need M&M, and M.

Mark – not just underline verses in different colored highlighters, but memorize them. Make them an important part of your thought process so at a moment’s notice if the devil is tapping on your shoulder you can respond by praying with Scripture. Let it leave a mark on your life.

Meditate – think on that verse and what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you through it. What lesson is there in it for you, or an answer to prayer, or perhaps a head-thunk revelation? Truly learn it.

When we combine the two, then an amazing, positive, calming power envelops us and seeps through us, does it not?  Scripture comes alive, and we feel God’s hand gently upon our shoulder. The words are now personalized. We smile and whisper, “That is my verse. God wrote it for me.”

The final “M”? Masticate.  It means to chew. Chew on what has occurred, or continues to happen, in your life because of that verse. What has impacted you? How? Is there an action you should now take? Or maybe one you should not?

Mull it over for several days in prayer until you totally digest it inwardly. Let it flow through your system giving your spiritual nourishment. Feel God’s grace as it courses through your life.

MP900443254[1]_cropA steady diet of M&M, and M when it comes to God’s Word can do wonders for your health, your faith, and your attitude.  Try it.

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LIGHT

Posted in Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , on May 10, 2016| 2 Comments »

Reading Gail Pallota’s eye-opening novel about dealing with a chronic hard-to-diagnose disease, Barely Above Water, one sentence popped out at me. The alternative doctor told her part of the process of getting well was to bring her issues to light – letting in God’s healing touch.

???????????????????????????????????????Jesus said He is the LIGHT of the world. How many dark crevices do each of us have we’d prefer He not shine into? Areas of hidden shame, character flaws, deep hurts we cling to out of habit, justification, denial, or fear of letting go.  I have a few, don’t you?

“Let’s not work on that one now, Lord. Let’s work on an easier one. It would be too painful to tackle that right  now. I really don’t want to go there.”

But without LIGHT, how can we pinpoint the areas in our lives that are stunting our growth, our witness, our potential to do His will?  Doctors use lasers to help eradicate diseased cells. Jesus’ Spirit uses His healing touch to cauterize the places we secretly bleed.

Like peeling off a band-aid, we need to expose the area to the light so it can fully heal.  That means others may notice the  process. That’s alright. They will see LIGHT at work. And isn’t that what is supposed to happen? Perhaps it will encourage them to expose some areas in their lives.

And remember, scar tissue is tougher. So let in God’s healing touch to that wound, whatever it may be.

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Hit the Ceiling

Posted in Devotional, Life Experiences, Nature, tagged , , , , , on April 6, 2016| 6 Comments »

Have you watched a loved one or friend go round and round in circles? You want to help, but they won’t respond. In their anxiousness they keep circling over and over, making the same mistakes and trapped with no way out in sight.

courtesy of Church of the Holy Apostles

courtesy of Church of the Holy Apostles

In the church where I work, there is a meditation garden, called a Garth,  surrounded by a covered breezeway.  My office window looks out onto it. Yesterday, a chimney sweep flew into the breezeway. It circled around and around, flying up to the ceiling and back down over and over. After about three passes, I tried to swing my arms to get it to divert to the left and out into the garden’s open sky. But it just continued on it’s frantic course.  I realized, even  though my efforts were noble and kind, I made things worse.

I worried the thing might die from exhaustion or break a wing as it kept banging against the ceiling looking for freedom from it’s plight. But my presence made it panic even more. My good attempts futile.

Discouraged,  I went back to my desk. And yes, I prayed for the little guy.  Within a few minutes, a juicy bug or perhaps the spring-flower filled breeze coaxed the swift into the garden. It lifted its wings and soared to freedom.

Lesson learned. Sometimes the best we can do is pray and let God coax them out of their circumstances. He knows what will get their attention even when we do not.

And the coolest thing? God made those fragrant flowers or tasty bug long before the swift became trapped.  He knew when they would come in handy to entice the little bird at just the right time. Will he not do even more for those for whom we pray?

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.     Psalm 48:14

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From Salvage…

Posted in Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on March 15, 2016| 4 Comments »

I’ve been watching a show on Netflix- Salvage Dawgs. They take old things and re-purpose them. What others see as trash, worn-out or useless, they see of value. One of the workers said they take a piece from salvage to salvation. Aren’t we the same way?

Kerrville, Tx cross made out of re-bar iron

Most of Lent is a pensive time. We examine our walk and see where we come up short. What sins have we harbored? What bad habits have we taken up and what things should we release? All this introspection could be a downer, except for one thing. We know Our Lord is in the salvage to salvation business.

Without Easter, there would never have been Lent. Living this side of the Resurrection, we know the Good News that is coming as we weave through the Gospels and journey from Nazareth to Galilee to Jerusalem to Calgary. Sunday will come. We are not lost causes. God sees us not as the junk we’ve made ourselves but as what we can potentially become – a re-purposed work, restored to our originally intended glory through the efforts of the Son.

Guess that old saying is true. God doesn’t make junk. He re-purposes it to His glory into something desired and valuable.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Salvage to Salvation. Praise God!

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Walking right through

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , on February 2, 2016| 3 Comments »

Jesus rejected at Nazareth by Alexandre Bida

Jesus rejected at Nazareth by Alexandre Bida

As I sat in church and listened to the Gospel lesson, one verse jumped out at me. It was the passage about Jesus being rejected in his own hometown. He angered them so much the mob dragged him to the edge of the cliff to throw him off….But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. (Luke 4:30)

That is the verse which grabbed my heart. Can you picture it? These men all yelling at once, turning to each other, egging the others on. The voices escalate. A few curse words and shoves ensue. Their angst brewed to a tempest in a teapot and hey were so caught up in their anger and hurt they didn’t notice him pass through them, calm, quiet, unscathed.  Reminds me of those old Westerns barroom brawls.  The two cowboys who started it shakes hands, shrug  and walk out, leaving the others in the midst of their ruckus.

I wonder how many times I’ve gotten so caught up in the moment that I fail to recognize Jesus standing there.  Do I let my anxiety, anger, hurt or frustrations consume my attention to the point  that I not only do not hear the message He has for me but perhaps turn my anger towards Him?  Like the men in Nazareth, do I want Jesus to do things my way more than I want to listen to His wisdom?

.Jesus backs off.  Not out of fear for His well being, but because He knows, as any of us do, when someone is riled up they lose any ability to think rationally. No use trying to talk any sense into them. He lets lets me stew in my juices a while.

Emotions are not bad in and of themselves. But when we simmer  on issues and stir them into swirls of bubbling gripes, do we not lose perspective? We cannot think clearly through the problem because our brain is clouded. Worry, frustration, anger fogs the reality. Molehills loom into mountains.

If only we can take a slow, deep inhale and exhale, perhaps we can simmer down and then open our faith ears to His message, learn the lesson, feel His healing power. The difference between the men at Nazareth and those at Capernaum was one simple thing- reception.

The next time, I hope I remember this Gospel lesson, stop and say, “Wait Lord. Come back. Sorry. I’ll listen to you now.”

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