SPARROWS AREN'T ANXIOUS

The call came. My father-in-law was getting worse. He was in the last stages of cancer and it was time to make plans for my mother-in-law. At the age of 78, her children and their spouses were unwilling to have her live alone after her husband died. She wasn't able to even walk to her mailbox. How would she do laundry? Would she even bother to fix meals for herself?

Some of her children suggested that I and my family relocate 150 miles and move in with her. But that meant our son would have to live with an uncle. It didn't make sense to split up the family. Perhaps she could come live with us. How would that work? Our little house had barely enough bedrooms for the four of us. What to do?

While these questions swirled around unanswered, outside on the clothesline sat a sparrow. He was cocking his head this way and that. It was almost like he was saying, "Don't be anxious, our heavenly Father takes good care of me and He will sort it all out for you. Trust Him."

Look at the birds of the air - they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Matthew 6:26

Heavenly Father, thank You that You teach me in such simple ways about Your kind, compassionate care for me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

HOW IS YOUR HEARING?

Recently my son told me about a program he had watched on television which detailed the lives of those who were deaf but, due to modern medicine, could now hear.

I don't know about you, but I assumed - how good, now you can hear and life can go on.

No, that is not what happens. Apparently when one has not been able to hear since birth, it takes extreme effort for them to understand the sounds and language they now are able to hear. Often they must continue to see signing so they understand what is being said. From what researchers are finding, it could take years....

Maybe we should not be so hard on ourselves or on others in the spiritual realm. We were born not being able to hear God's voice for ourselves at all. We needed others to translate to us what He was saying. Then one day we hear Him for ourselves but may be unsure of the sound of His voice, exactly what He is saying, how He is saying it and what we are to do about what He is saying. It will take extreme effort and intense practice at listening to Him to get it right.

And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. I Kinds 19:11-12

Let's not only hear His voice. Let's take extreme measures to hear aright and then to obey.

Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking clearly to me so I can understand what You are saying. Thank You for being so patient with me until I finally 'get it'. Please instill in me the desire to hear You and to obey You. In Jesus' name. Amen

RECEIVING FROM OTHERS

Written last year about this time:

How are you about receiving from others? Horrible? I know that I need some work in that area - the receiving part of it all.

Usually I am the one more than glad to offer rides, a meal, a listening ear but maybe, just maybe, the some recent experiences have been given to bring me to the point of receiving from others without squawking in protest. Here's what happened:

The refrigerator stopped. Dead. Where I live, it is not an option to have it repaired, they just bring you a 'new' one. So, I not only had to stand by to receive a 'new' refrigerator, I had to receive the entire swapping of refrigerators, food out and in, clean-up, the works - received from my son and others who helped because it happened during my work hours.

Soon thereafter my vehicle stopped. Dead. A new battery was needed. Again I stood by as my boss tried to use his jumper cables to no avail, the tow truck man hooked it up, took it away and the mechanic fixed it. Again I received. (Sure it cost but I was the recipient of kindnesses all around.)

Next my vehicle stopped again. Dead. A new radiator was needed. Again offers of help - rides from others, lunch, a tow truck and a mechanic's expertise - that day I received BIG.

Was it over yet? Nope. Next was the stove. Dead. The only thing left running was the clock. No heat came from oven or burners. But I hope that I am learning . . . .

The lessons: Stand still and see the salvation of God which He will work for you this day.
Exodus 14:13

When all fails, receive from the hand of God what He freely offers.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving to me in so many ways. Thank you, also, for letting others be Your hands and feet in this world. Please. when it is my turn to receive, help me to graciously receive - and learn to just say with a grateful heart, "Thank you." In Jesus' name. Amen.

CALL FOR HELP

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by the problems in your life? Of course you have. We all have at one time or another.

Sometimes there seem to be so many problems, it feels like we are drowning in them. At home there are problems. At work there are problems. In those you love, problems. In yourself, problems. Being in the middle of the swirling , rising muddy waters of problems is a dangerous place to be. How ever do you get free from it all?

It may be time to call for help. Maybe help should have been called upon before this
. . . long before this. But now you know that it is time and it is as easy as yelling (out loud or quietly in your heart is good) with all your might,
“Help, Heavenly Father, I need Your help.”

If you lack words of your own to call for help, try these:

“Save me, O God, For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.”
Psalm 69:1-3

I love this part - now listen to what happens:

“In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.
From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears.

THEN the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked….
Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from Him.
He bowed the heavens, and came down;
thick darkness was under His feet.
He rode on a cherub, and flew;
He came swiftly upon the wings of the wind….
He reached from on high, He took me,
He drew me out of many waters. Portions of Psalm 18

THAT is what happens when we call upon God for help. All of the power of heaven is sent.

God’s joy is to hear our voices requesting His help. Our part is to cling to Him with all of our might and cooperate with Him one step at a time until we are free!

Heavenly Father, HELP! If I don’t seem to need help right now, I know that I will in the future so I am asking for it right now and ahead of time. Please HELP me all of my days and nights until I am safely Home with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

When in the midst of a batch of hard work or a tedious project, have you ever asked yourself, "What's the point?"

When in the midst of life, have you ever asked yourself, "What's the point?"

Sure you have, we all have.

Some things we do just seem eternally so insignificant - washing the floor for the hundredth time, only to get dirty again. Entering data into the computer only to be compiled in a report that will be outdated sooner than it is completed. Weeding the garden, knowing that the weeds will return and grow faster than the vegetables. Raking leaves, knowing that you will have to get out there and do it all over again the next day. Loving a child who seems so ungrateful for all you do. Dressing nicely to please the one you love, knowing they won't even notice. "What's the point?"

Well, the point may not be seen easily, here and now. Some points remain unseen by human eyes. In scripture it says,

Worthy art Thou, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou didst create all things and by Thy will they existed and were created. Revelation 4:11

Can it be enough that we wash the floor to the glory of God? Can it be more than enough that we do meticulous details that only God will ever see? Can it be more than sufficient just to love because He told us to? YES, it can! And that's the whole point anyway - to bring glory to God by our lives.

Heavenly Father, thank You that YOU know the point of every detail of my life. Please, somehow, add glory to Your Name because of it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

EMERGENCY

Years ago, I ran a home-based business, creating veils and hats for brides. Sometimes, due to poor planning on their part, a bride would call at the last minute, needing a veil...”yesterday”. I wanted to say “no” yet found myself saying “yes”.

Half way into the project, I would see the foolishness of saying “yes” to these emergency demands. My family was being neglected, meals were rushed and I felt stressed. Finding myself beginning to grumble, I needed to reign in my emotions and prayerfully decide how to stand firm in the future.

The Lord, in His kindness, showed me how to meet any future emergency by establishing guidelines ahead of time and then sticking to them. He didn’t want me to vacillate by sometimes saying yes and sometimes saying no. He knew what would be needed in each situation. All I had to do was to fit in with His plans.

Scripture says:

You may be asking why I changed my plan. Hadn’t I made up my mind yet? Or am I like people of the world who say yes when they really mean no? As surely as God is true, I am not that sort of person. My yes is yes. II Corinthians 1:17 NLT

Heavenly Father, please teach me when to say “yes” and when to say “no”. When I do say “yes”, help me to work with a willing, glad heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

PROTECTED!

Recently, as I was driving down the country road, the wind was whipping the snow across into the next field. Snow drifts were piling up, the windchill was minus one. It was bitterly cold and dangerous out there. How thankful I was to be within my vehicle, protected from the elements - above, below and all around. Protected!

How similar that is to experiencing God’s protection. Amidst the swirl of difficulties and heartache we may experience in this world, God wants to be our Protector. He wants us to go to Him, have Him wrap His loving arms around us - to protect and nurture us - until He sends us back out there - ready to face any kind of storm - warmed by His unfailing Love.

Have you gone to Him for His protection lately?

The eternal God is our dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Deuteronomy 33:27

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. Psalm 2:12

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Let’s say with the Psalmist: “For in Thee my soul takes refuge, in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge, until the storms of destruction pass by.” Psalm 57:1

Let’s go to Him who loves us beyond measure - for protection and for all else we need.