EMPTY HANDED

In our minds we know that “we can’t take it with us” when we die. That truth was made real in my heart as my hand rested on a small maple box which held the cremated remains of my father.

Back at the house Dad’s favorite shirts still hung in his closet. On the floor by his chair were his well worn shoes. His dresser held all of his precious momentos - his watch, cuff links, letters from family. The house was still full of the beautiful maple furniture for which he and Mom saved and bought after World War II. In the driveway sat the car he purchased recently. His tool shed doors stood open, his father’s and grandfather’s tools still hanging safely on their hooks. Even the rosebushes Dad so carefully tended over the years remained.

My heart saw for itself the truth - when it is time to go Home to be with the Lord, we will only have ourselves to present before Him. May we present souls which are pure in His sight.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly and my your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 5:23

Heavenly Father, please help me - starting today - to loosen my grasp on those things which do not have eternal value. Help me to hold onto those things which are valuable in Your eyes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

TOO LATE?

My father had been extremely ill for weeks with complications from surgery. An infection was raging in his chest which seemed to be sapping every ounce of his strength.

My mother called me from 2000 miles away, asking that I fly to California to be with her and Dad. Needless to say, I was on the plane the next morning.

At the airport, my siblings greeted me with red and swollen eyes. I was too late. Dad had gone home to be with the Lord as I was boarding my plane earlier that morning.

My first reaction was, “I’m too late!!!”

Then I remembered that the Lord’s timing is always perfect. There is no possibility of being “too late” in His divine design. His ways are wise and, yes, sometimes past finding out - but always perfect.

My next reaction was, “It’s OK....”

As difficulties surround us and we utter, “It’s OK,” we are in actuality submitting to God’s wisdom in the situation. May we readily, especially when difficulties arise, say, “It’s OK” when needed.

Submit yourselves therefore to God . . . . James 4:7

Heavenly Father, help me submit and bow to Your ways in my life. You know what is best even when I don’t understand. It’s OK. In Jesus’ name. Amen

DON'T GIVE UP

When we owned sheep, we needed to constantly be on the look-out for their safely. If one of them became caught in a fence or stuck in a woodchuck hole, they would struggle until they were exhausted. If they couldn’t get themselves out of a difficult situation fast enough or if help didn’t arrive quickly enough, down would go their heads in utter defeat. They would just give up. If they weren’t found in time, death was imminent. Those creatures were so easily discouraged and defeated.

May we not be like sheep in that regard. May we, if we find ourselves in any difficult situation, cry out for help to our heavenly Father. If we find that we are truly stuck, unable to get free, may we prayerfully await God’s direction and help. Let’s never become so defeated that we bow our heads and give up. Even in the midst of the most difficult situations, let’s keep looking upward to Him who loved us enough to die for us.


But, as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

Look to Him and be radiant.... Psalm 34:5

Heavenly Father, please help me always to look to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD

Like Job, my father was a man of integrity, a man who loved God. As a boy, he joyfully sang in the church choir. In World War II he served his country faithfully, married his sweetheart and eventually had three children.

Like Job, my father experienced life’s trials, too. When my father and mother were newly married and were still in their twenties, my mother was rushed to the hospital, returning home never to be the same again due to brain damage. Dad spent long hours working a job, arriving home to care for his children until well past nightfall. Dad, a faithful employee, was eventually squeezed out of his position by the boss’ son. Moving to the west coast to start over, he found a job which he loved but which was eventually taken from him as he was forced into an early retirement. Over the remaining years, ill health became evident which resulted in his death at age 78.

Like Job, however, my dad knew that the Lord gives and the Lord allows some things to be taken from us. He knew that he came into the world with nothing and that he would go to meet his Maker with empty hands.

What a good example my Dad was to me. Through it all, like Job, Dad’s attitude was one of “Blessed be the name of the Lord” because he knew and experienced God’s love first hand even though life wasn’t always easy.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Job 1:21

Heavenly Father, even when our lives aren’t filled with ease, let us continue to declare with Job, “blessed be the name of the Lord”. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

WEAVING A LIFE

Learning to weave is a complex task.

First, the weaver must chose the thread, strips of fabric or yarn which are to be used.

Second, the loom must be prepared with the warp threads.

Third, the proper sequence of pedals must be used for the desired pattern to emerge.

One step is built upon another until the finished piece emerges.

Weaving is much like life. As in weaving, each step in life is built upon the previous steps. Slipshod work at one stage will surely show up later. If, however, we live our lives prayerfully and carefully, God will show us step by step how to build a beautifully finished piece - us!

For it is precept upon precept. . . line upon line here a little, there a little. Isaiah 28:10

Heavenly Father, please show me how to carefully weave together a life which is pleasing to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

STRESSED BODIES

It was the end of April. Some friends, who are printers, asked if we would help them collate 1000 books with 39 pages each. We emptied the calendar and cleared the house to make room for 3-4 work stations. What we didn’t take time to plan were the meals we’d be eating on-the-go for the next week. Thus, we’d bring in burgers or grab a quick sandwich, burning thousands of calories as four of us worked through the week at lightning speed. Our bodies could feel the stress put on them by the prolonged, repetitive movements of gathering page after page. Finally the books were boxed and placed in the kitchen for our friends to pick up. We, and our overworked muscles, were grateful to be finished.

Isn’t it strange that when life gets rushed and hurried, that one of the first things we neglect is care of ourselves - sleep, rest, nutrition, time out-of-doors?

According to the Scriptures, our body is God’s temple where His Spirit dwells. Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate what we are doing to ourselves. The Lord has given us each a magnificently created body. May we treat it with kind, loving respect so it can serve us for many years until the Lord returns.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
I Corinthians 3:16

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me such a magnificent tool to use - my body - for Your glory. Please help me to wisely care for it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

SHADE

The temperatures had gone from the chilly 40s into the upper 80s. This particular spring there didn’t seem to be the usual gradual rising of temperatures which would allow our bodies to acclimate themselves to the sudden change.

I set out for our daily walk down our country road. The sun beat down on fields, asphalt and on me. It was hot!

Suddenly I noticed that I was in the shade, in the shadow of clouds blocking the sun. As I moved ahead, so did the shade. Oh, what a special moment it was as I felt like the apple of God’s eye - personally protected under the shadow of His wings.

No, life isn’t always filled with times of walking in the cool comfort of the shade on a hot day. Some days are full of heavy burdens and hot tears. Especially during those times, let’s take a lesson from the psalmist asking to be special in God’s eyes, asking for His protection.

Heavenly Father, please “keep me as the apple of Thy eye; hide me in the shadow of Thy wings." Psalm 17:8 In Jesus’ name. Amen.

IT'S OK

How do I react when the Lord sends adversity my way?

Do I fuss and fume and stomp my spiritual foot? When the weather is below zero and the car won’t start, do I grumble at Mother Nature, forgetting to stop and enjoy the crystals sparkling in the air, realizing that Mother Nature is God himself?

When the snow is knee deep, the car gets stuck and we have to dig our way out, do we rebel against our circumstances and wish ourselves back in bed? When the kitchen plumbing backs up, do we boil over in anger?

Don’t we see that both come from the hand of God - the good days and the difficult? How long will it take to learn to thank Him for both and when the difficulties come, to bow our hearts and souls before the Lord, accept it, say, “It’s OK,” and wait for His direction out of the difficulties?

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that in due time he may exalt you.
I Peter 5:6

Heavenly Father, please give me the grace to say, "It's OK" and bow my heart and will to You no matter what comes my way. In Jesus name. Amen

PASTURE CARE

The pasture fence line was checked carefully. Any gaps or holes were re-wired. Woodchuck holes were filled in. Rocks were moved. Poisonous plants were cut down, dug up and carted away. Our sheep were to be moved into their new pasture soon. All must be thoroughly readied for their arrival. Proper care of our woolly friends would yield healthy lambs and thick fleeces.

As my daughter and I were walking the fence line inspecting every square inch, I thought of our Good Shepherd and how, under His watchful eyes, all of life’s circumstances are readied for us before we even walk through them. Then, to our delight, we find the Good Shepherd nearby each day, guiding and leading us.

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Hebrews 13:20-21

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your watchfulness over my path before I even walk it. Please help me to see more clearly Your kind care for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.