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4月17日 The Greatness of HeavenI love to read Jesus’ parables in the Bible. Drawing parallels is a favorite thing for me to do, and what’s better than reading those that my Lord has drawn? When I was younger, my grandmother and I used to play Bible trivia games. We would often run across the same question, “What is a parable?” We would always give the “official” answer and say, “An earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Though sounding nice, I like to think of them more as “Jesus’ way of trying to make the people understand.” Or, “Lessons Jesus taught in an attempt to speak to the finite minds of the people.” Quite frankly, that’s what parables were. The people at the time (and even now) couldn’t fathom the depths of what Jesus was saying. So, instead of getting upset with their mortal brains, Jesus spoke words they could understand, using stories they could relate to. Now, I’ve titled this blog, “The Greatness of Heaven,” so I better get to talking about Heaven. As of late, I’ve been just sitting of the edge of my seat, waiting for Jesus to come again so I can get off this earth and get to Heaven. I’m so tired of dealing with the issues of life – and yet I know that I’m here for a purpose and God is molding me into what He wants me to be in His Kingdom when the time is ready. But my yearning for Heaven reminds me of a couple of those parables Jesus told. There was once a man who found a treasure in a field. Wanting that treasure so badly, he buried it again, went home and sold all he had, just so he could afford to buy that field and gain the treasure. Another man was in search of fine pearls. Finding just the right one, he went away, sold all of his possessions, and returned to purchase the pearl. In today’s world, we might wonder about the competence of these two men. But think about things you’ve wanted bad enough that you’d do almost anything to get it. You dreamed about it. You talked about it. You ate and slept it. Now…what if that energy was put towards the reward of Heaven? What if getting to Heaven was so important, that it consumed one’s life? What if the goal of Heaven could be dreamed about, talked about, and just about ate and drank? Jesus’ point in those two parables wasn’t that the men were foolish. Instead, he wanted the people to understand that Heaven is something to be sought after. It’s not just something “up there” in the clouds that maybe we’ll see some day. It’s a place very real that Jesus is preparing for His followers. Those who do not follow Him will never get to see it. Who are you? Are you willing to put your heart and soul into reaching the goal of Heaven? Or is your soul already bought by things of this world? My eyes are set on Heaven. I hope to see you there. 3月12日 Another Lesson From My CatNot too long ago, I shared a devotional thought based on my cat, and how she’s ready for anything. Just as Jazzy has many personality traits, so too I’ve found I can draw many different parallels from her behavior to every day life as a Christian… Jazzy, like many cats, can be a bit skittish and shies away from loud noises or things she is unfamiliar with. But the one “enemy” she has acquired by the sheer force of fear is our vacuum cleaner. She is terrified of any of our three vacuums, and whenever she sees or hears them coming, she takes cover behind the couch, under a bed, or in a closet where she feels safe. When she hears the vacuum stop, she appears out of nowhere as if nothing has ever happened. Of course…this fear wasn’t half as bad until someone in our household (for the fun of it) sucked her tail up into a vacuum tube. It was quite harmless, but Jazzy never was the same after that…but that’s a whole ‘nother story. The point is Jazzy’s reaction to the vacuums. She runs. She gets away as fast as she can and avoids those loud cleaners at any cost. I had to stop and wonder why I don’t flee satan with such vigor. Now, the one difference is that I don’t have to fear satan. He is a lowly being, soon to be destroyed by God, whose side I’m on. But why don’t I flee satan’s temptations more often? Why do I play with fire, get as close to the line as I can, or even go through with the temptation and fall into sin? When satan tempts me in any way shape or form, I need to run to a safe spot, wherever that may be. It might simply be a place in my mind, reserved for peace, where I can go and ask God for the strength to resist the temptation. It may be a physical action of removing myself from a place or situation that is leading me into sin. Whatever the case may be, I need to flee from satan as Jazzy does the vacuum. I have to get away before being sucked into a trap. The greatest peace is knowing that whenever temptations arise, God is there and He can help me through. For all things are possible with God, and no task is too small or too big for Him to handle. Are there situations or actions you need to flee from? Ask God for help…He’s only a prayer away. 2月12日 A Lesson From My CatI have a white and tabby-patched cat named Jazzy. It’s funny getting to know an animal sometimes. Jazzy has a personality all her own, and yet sometimes I do believe she thinks she’s a dog, and at times even human. But despite the odd characteristics she may have, it often amazes me how many lessons I can learn from her, that are actually applicable to my own life. Take Jazzy’s viewpoint, for example. She’s extremely alert (as most cats are) and watches everything. When she’s in the living room, the kitchen or my bedroom, she likes to find a spot in the corner. Eventually I realized she did this so she could see the entire room, and so she has a quick route when wanting to leave. She’s constantly ready to spring off her perch and head to the next event. No matter who makes a move, Jazzy knows it, because she’s found the perfect vantage point. When I put food in her bowl, she hears it and comes running. If I open the door, she can see it and is ready to scurry outside if she needs to. If I sit down at the table to eat, she’s right there, hoping I drop some of my food! Jazzy is always watching, ready and waiting for the things she lives for. Mulling these things over in my mind makes me want to be like my cat. No, I don’t want to sit in the corners and go dashing about the house when there’s something exciting going on. But I do want to always be ready like she is. Not for food or to go outside; I want to be ready to face my Lord when He returns. When Jesus comes back, I want to be able to have the confidence to run into His arms and know exactly where I’m going. I want to sit in my corner of the world and watch for His return. But being in the constant state of readiness takes determination, patience and endurance. One must read the Word, follow Jesus’ commands, and live every day with heart and mind in tune to God’s presence. It’s a wonderful place to be. I hope you’re ready too. Have you given your life to Jesus? Have you taken that step toward peace and joy in your life? If you have, I’m so glad to share this gift with you. If you haven’t, why not? Salvation is the greatest gift you can ever receive. Accept it. Live it. Love it. No one knows the day or hour that the world as we know it will end. 10月15日 Created in BeautyGod took a deep breath, enveloped in the rich earthy aroma of His newly formed globe. He ran a finger over the soft fields of waving grass, creating rolling hills and valleys, worthy of paintings and photographs that were to come. The landscape was good. But it lacked one final touch. An addition that would symbolize both joy and pain, both love and sorrow. With a tender touch, God formed the soft daisy petals, caressing each tiny detail as it was shaped and finished with perfection. It would adorn tables, trimmed and arranged for vases of all sizes. It would decorate walls, painted with great skill to lighten the darkest of rooms. God smiled as He saw Susie clutch her wilting bouquet in her hot chubby hands, and race across the yard to give her mother the gift that would be treasured forever. For love was being shown in the simplest of ways, presented in a tangible light of white and yellow. For a splash of spring color, God set about molding a uniquely shaped flower. Long and slender, its stem rose high, its crown a vibrant orange to meet the morning sun. With a twinkle of humor in God’s eye, He splashed the lily with dark oblong spots, knowing that it would be named after the large cat He so adored. Waving in the warm spring breezes, the lilies opened toward the heavens, watching the sun make its way across the great expanse of sky. With great care, God took a bit of purple and rubbed it thoughtfully between His fingers. A violet came to life, its dark hues sharing warmth wherever it was placed. The tiny pedals brought a questioning glance to the little girl’s face as she fingered the tiny flower. A smile formed on the lips of her grandmother as she gazed upon a story that had not been told in years. As the past was brought to life, the fragile flower was lifted from the yellowed pages of the book. Each leaf was still perfectly in tact, a symbol of time gone by, captured in delicate beauty. In a whirlwind of color, flowers dotted the landscape, growing wild and free, or being raised within the fences of prized yards and gardens. Set in arrangements for joyous occasions, they accented the crown of a bride, or the gift of someone whose birthday was to be celebrated. Plucked, clipped, pruned and bent, they were mixed and matched in a flower shop window, beckoning to anyone who passed. A bouquet of one’s favorite flowers brought on a wave of melancholy as it was placed atop the casket and mixed with tears that fell unchecked. More flowers filled the room, all expressions of grief and love. The sweet scent wafted through the air, in an attempt to sooth those that cried and mourned the loss of a loved one. God stood back and gazed upon the bright colors that complimented His new sphere. Some were bold and planted in places that people were sure to notice. Some were small and hidden that took fine concentration and stillness to see. But something was still missing. A creation that symbolized the deepest of emotions, a true splendor within a world of turmoil. God stroked the velvet-smooth petals, bringing them tightly together in the center, and spreading them outward in a perfectly shaped rose. He watched in anticipation as Dan stood nervously on the porch after ringing the doorbell. The rose behind his back trembled in his hand as he rehearsed his confession of love. The dark red flower would bring his emotions to life in a gesture of giving and eternal respect. Running a finger down the sturdy stem, God paused as He touched the sharp thorn. He watched in anguish as a whole crown of thorns was pushed onto His own Son’s head, just before the brutal crucifixion on a cross. As the rose withered over time, so the life was removed from Jesus’ body. But death would not prevail. Pushing forth from the ground, a new rose bloomed into beauty. So too did God’s Son rise as a Savior to man, bringing new life and new birth to those who believed. God overlooked the earth and smiled. In a dark and troubled world, His flowers shone brightly. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 7月24日 A Devotional Thought: Trust
The other day, I took my mare and week-old foal out for some exercise. I kept the mare on a rope so she wouldn’t overexert herself, and let the foal romp around in the yard. My mare was none too happy. She wanted grass over somewhere else, she wanted to go back in the barn, and she didn’t like being on the rope. She fidgeted and stomped around, the heat and flies not helping any. After about an hour of traipsing around the yard, I had sweat running down my face and neck, my arms were tired from swatting flies, and my legs were getting cramped. I wanted to sit down! But I still had my mare to contend with. Fed up with the whole thing, I plopped down in the grass, telling myself that this was where I was going to stay, and my horse had better just start behaving. Not five minutes later, my mare was grazing peacefully beside me. That in itself surprised me. And then the reason dawned on me. Trust. That was the key. As I looked up at my mare, whose hooves were only inches from my legs, I realized that I’d just placed my life in her…hands. At any moment, she could take a wrong step, purposely or by accident, and crush my bones or worse. Her nose brushed by my feet as she munched away at the grass, and I was reminded of how strong her jaws were too. One bite could cripple my fingers. But she never stepped on me, and never bit me. Her rope was short, and she grazed, carefully stepping around me, so she wouldn’t hurt me. If I would have been nervous, or untrusting, she would have known it, and wouldn’t have been that calm. In that instant, I realized that my relationship with my horse was built on trust. I trusted her not to hurt me, and she trusted me not to put her in harm’s way. We have a bond that’s been built over at least eight years of growing and learning to trust each other. I’ve already started to work on bonding with her foal too. As I sat in the grass, her foal cautiously approached and nuzzled my face and head, getting used to my touch and scent. I know it will take a little bit of time and effort for her to fully trust me, but I understand that’s the key if I want to have a trustworthy mount in a few years. As I thought about this situation, I pondered a parallel between my relationship with my horse, and my relationship with God. In order to fully experience the peace that God can offer, I have to trust Him not to give me more than I can handle. In order to embrace the love that He offers, I have to trust Him not to let me down. In order to give my life over to Him completely, it takes complete trust. Sitting in the grass with my horse, I experienced a rare moment of peace, despite the heat and flies. I was content, happy, and enjoying every moment of it. I was reminded of my bond with my horse, and I was able to feel the exhilarating emotion and physical sensation of forming a bond with a foal. I can feel that same peace ten times more intense, and ten times more often, if I simply sit down in the grass at God’s feet. The troubles I face every day - traffic, work, arguments, worries - those are the heat and flies of my life. They’ll still exist when I know God. But when I find the peace with Him, those troubles no longer get in the way of my secure rest. I can know that God will take care of those troubles, if I will just trust in Him. Trust doesn’t come easy for humans - we don’t want to depend on anyone else, for the fear of getting hurt. But even though people will let you down time and time again, God will never leave You, if you trust in Him. Do you want peace in your life? Trust in God - He can give you peace beyond all understanding. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; |
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