In an early morning text exchange I learned today that one of my daughters is suffering the lingering effects of a migraine headache. After promising prayer, I teased: "You need to be restored to 100 percent for today's divine appointments."
In fact, that is far from the truth, as any seasoned believer knows. It is often in times of physical duress that we serve most effectively as followers of Christ!
It is our illnesses, injuries and challenging emotional times that draw us closer to the Lord. These are the times that build our sense of empathy, the perspective that serves us mightily in our relationships with others.
These are the times that make it clear to us there are countless circumstances beyond our
control!
But Jesus is always at hand ... never "separated" from us
regardless of the situation. We do not necessarily invite life's physical challenges, but we are called to embrace them as an undeniable part of God's plan.
Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness in our lives, often most evident as you restore us from illness and injury, or teach us to persevere in our pain. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your comfort and healing. May we learn what You have to teach us from each of life's challenges.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Monday, September 2, 2019
Another gift from Dorothy
My morning "to do" list included removal of a stack of books in a corner of the bedroom. The stack was soon displaced, dust eliminated ... and I was immediately rewarded for my effort!
Among the books was a small, soft-cover book titled: "The Daisy Woods, and Other Island Verse." It was a treasure signed by dear author and friend Dorothy Neil.
Among the poems included on these precious pages was the following:
Among the books was a small, soft-cover book titled: "The Daisy Woods, and Other Island Verse." It was a treasure signed by dear author and friend Dorothy Neil.
Among the poems included on these precious pages was the following:
Not Expected
I dreamed Death came to me the other night,
And Heaven's gates swung wide,
With kindly grace St. Peter
Ushered me inside.
And there to my astonishment
Stood friends I'd known on earth,
Whom I had judged and labeled,
'Unfit ... of little worth.'
Indignant words rose to my lips
But never were set free ...
For every face showed stunned surprise,
No one expected me!"
Dorothy has since gone home to be with Jesus, but I can see the twinkle in her eyes as she pulled this fresh-written poem from her manual typewriter. Her gifts to me, particularly during some lonesome post-college years, were many. How wonderful to discover her words today, and to be blessed yet again.
Lord, I am grateful to you for the friendship I had with this loving Christian sister, a widow who shined your light daily in word and deed. I am grateful to be reminded this morning of her wit, of a God-given sense of humor that was often employed to "counsel" others in a loving way. Humor aside, Lord, I live in awe of the truth that my place in Heaven is established. You will greet me, "white as snow," because I have received Jesus as my Redeemer King. May I be reminded each day to see others through Your eyes, even when my flesh resists. May I never presume to take Your place as judge, humbled by the knowledge that my eternal fate is not what I deserve, but what You promise to all who repent and walk into Your Son's outstretched arms.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Deny the lie, read the Word
Recently I woke up to a pleasant surprise: a word from Christian brother Paul Perry regarding God’s Word. With his permission, I share the following
excerpts of his thoughtful message:
“This morning Psalm 119:105 was on my mind, so I wanted to take
a moment to talk about guidance. From cover to cover we see in scripture the
Lord’s hand in directing and guiding his people. With Abraham, He spoke a word,
with Moses, He spoke a word, with Joshua He spoke a word. And when He directed
Paul, Peter John the apostle, and others, He spoke a word. Peter said it best: ‘Where
can I go from your Word, O Lord, for you have the words of eternal life.’
“As we embark on our weekend, let us be reminded about the
importance of keeping God’s word in our mind and hearts. Matthew 4:4 teaches
us: ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that
comes from the mouth of God.’ Joshua reminds us of this as well in Chapter 1:8:
‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate
on it day and night, so that you may be
careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make
your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.’
“Remember, just a little bit of Word will always go a long
way. Sometimes we may meditate on one verse for weeks. That’s perfectly fine,
because quality of time spent with the Lord can outweigh quantity. In this life
we walk with the Lord, not race with the Lord. The enemy always creates reasons
for us not to be in the Word.”
“I would like to end with Paul’s words to young Timothy: “All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God
may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16).”
“May the Word of God dwell in your heart richly as you go forward.”
Well said, Brother!
Lord, I give thanks this day for brother Paul, whose heart
prompts him to share with others even in the midst of the busy-ness of days
filled with work, family and miscellaneous other responsibilities. I have
learned that even in the season of life after children are gone and the
career workload has grown lighter, the enemy still whispers: “There is no time for the
Word!” Thank you for all of the evidence among Your people that there is ALWAYS
time, and Your Word is ALWAYS precious.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Little ones reflect Jesus, too!
Ideally, we as believers reflect Christ daily, even in the "routine" comings and goings of the day.
I admit, however, that I am too often caught by surprise when I see Christ in the lives of children and young teens.
Such was the case two days in a row this week: the first via a mother's blog entry and the second "up close and personal" in a nighttime moment with my grandchildren.
In the first story, a young son is hiking with mother and others on a hot summer day complete with irritating insects. With two miles remaining yet on a 9-mile hike, he expresses his frustration in dramatic fashion. Mother, who is experiencing her own challenges with fatigue and bugs, opts to create some physical space to give her son an opportunity to go solo with his grumbling.
Minutes later, the boy runs ahead to join his mother. "Mom!" he exclaims. "Guess what?"
He then shares that in the peak of his frustration, he called out to God in prayer. Shortly after the prayer he looked down to trail's edge to discover a can of insect repellant!
"God really does care about the little things," he said to Mom, extending the can of repellant so she too could experience relief from pesky insects.
As Mom noted in her blog, it was exciting 1) to see God's "delivery" from an uncomfortable situation, and 2) to know that her son opted to pray to his heavenly Father in the midst of his predicament.
My second story involves a "sleep-over" at our house while our grandchildren's parents enjoyed a weekend anniversary trip. Shortly after sending them off to bed, I followed with the intention of leading a nighttime prayer.
I discovered I was late, and the 9- and 12-year-old were already in the middle of prayer together. Not only was I encouraged to see my "leadership" was not required, but I was delighted to hear them intercede on behalf of a sister in Christ struggling mightily with the ravages of multiple sclerosis.
Grandmother and I were greatly encouraged, and we shared news of the prayer with our ailing sister via email, knowing that nights can be particularly difficult for her.
The next day our sister expressed her gratitude, and reported with joy that the previous night had been more restful than previous nights.
Faith, the gift of God, demonstrated by young believers who are too often discounted. Precious examples of children used as instruments of God to bring joy and encouragement not only in their own lives but in the lives of adults watching on.
Thank you, Lord, for Your love and involvement in the lives of all who surrender their hearts, regardless of age.
"But Jesus said, 'Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven'." Matthew 19:14
"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 your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
I admit, however, that I am too often caught by surprise when I see Christ in the lives of children and young teens.
Such was the case two days in a row this week: the first via a mother's blog entry and the second "up close and personal" in a nighttime moment with my grandchildren.
In the first story, a young son is hiking with mother and others on a hot summer day complete with irritating insects. With two miles remaining yet on a 9-mile hike, he expresses his frustration in dramatic fashion. Mother, who is experiencing her own challenges with fatigue and bugs, opts to create some physical space to give her son an opportunity to go solo with his grumbling.
Minutes later, the boy runs ahead to join his mother. "Mom!" he exclaims. "Guess what?"
He then shares that in the peak of his frustration, he called out to God in prayer. Shortly after the prayer he looked down to trail's edge to discover a can of insect repellant!
"God really does care about the little things," he said to Mom, extending the can of repellant so she too could experience relief from pesky insects.
As Mom noted in her blog, it was exciting 1) to see God's "delivery" from an uncomfortable situation, and 2) to know that her son opted to pray to his heavenly Father in the midst of his predicament.
My second story involves a "sleep-over" at our house while our grandchildren's parents enjoyed a weekend anniversary trip. Shortly after sending them off to bed, I followed with the intention of leading a nighttime prayer.
I discovered I was late, and the 9- and 12-year-old were already in the middle of prayer together. Not only was I encouraged to see my "leadership" was not required, but I was delighted to hear them intercede on behalf of a sister in Christ struggling mightily with the ravages of multiple sclerosis.
Grandmother and I were greatly encouraged, and we shared news of the prayer with our ailing sister via email, knowing that nights can be particularly difficult for her.
The next day our sister expressed her gratitude, and reported with joy that the previous night had been more restful than previous nights.
Faith, the gift of God, demonstrated by young believers who are too often discounted. Precious examples of children used as instruments of God to bring joy and encouragement not only in their own lives but in the lives of adults watching on.
Thank you, Lord, for Your love and involvement in the lives of all who surrender their hearts, regardless of age.
"But Jesus said, 'Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven'." Matthew 19:14
"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 your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Serving The One Who loves me
This morning I want to share an excerpt from a sermon he titled, "Serving God in Heaven:"
"When man serves God, he acts most according to his nature. He is employed in that sort of action that is most distinguishing of him from the beasts. He acts then in a way most according to the end of his formation, and most agreeable to his make and formation of the human nature itself. A man never acts so rationally as when he serves God. No actions (are) so agreeable to reason, and all that are contrary to reason. And therefore, doubtless, his happiness consists in serving God."
May my "works" of this life, Lord, be in service to You ... out of gratitude, joy ... by Your inspiration, in preparation and anticipation of a life eternal worshiping and glorifying You. "Show me the way I should go."
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Light or heavy, near or far
A special thanks this morning, reflecting on a recent day that included face-to-face and long distance telephone time with several brothers in Christ.
They were back-to-back "sessions," the first primarily fellowship over coffee; the second in discussion and prayer regarding "business" in the church; the last a lengthy phone call between brothers in the Northwest and Florida!
Whether in lighthearted conversation or serious deliberation, I take great joy in knowing that Jesus is among us when He brings sisters and brothers together in fellowship.
Today I pray thanks for the amazing "gathering power" of a God who converts "motley crew" into God-fearing band of brothers. I thank Him for brothers gifted and called into leadership, pondering, praying, searching the word and taking action when necessary in the face of challenges posed by life in this fallen world. I am thankful for the fact that although the pain of physical separation from loved ones is real ... NOTHING can separate us from the love we have in Christ. Our God is an awesome God!
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers." Acts 2:42
"Love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12
"Be devoted to one another with mutual affection. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10
They were back-to-back "sessions," the first primarily fellowship over coffee; the second in discussion and prayer regarding "business" in the church; the last a lengthy phone call between brothers in the Northwest and Florida!
Whether in lighthearted conversation or serious deliberation, I take great joy in knowing that Jesus is among us when He brings sisters and brothers together in fellowship.
Today I pray thanks for the amazing "gathering power" of a God who converts "motley crew" into God-fearing band of brothers. I thank Him for brothers gifted and called into leadership, pondering, praying, searching the word and taking action when necessary in the face of challenges posed by life in this fallen world. I am thankful for the fact that although the pain of physical separation from loved ones is real ... NOTHING can separate us from the love we have in Christ. Our God is an awesome God!
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers." Acts 2:42
"Love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12
"Be devoted to one another with mutual affection. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
His unfailing love
How wonderful it is to love a Shepherd Whose desire is not only to show me the way, but to walk with me as I tread this earthly path in anticipation of life eternal with Him in His new creation!
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