PATHS OF IMAGINATION

My daughter woke in the night with an extremely painful earache. I applied warm, moist compresses to the area, the proper thing to do. As I sent her back to bed, I stayed awake imagining . . . . By the time I was finished imagining, I had my daughter deaf in both ears and enrolled far from home in a school for the deaf.

How silly, I thought, as I awoke the next morning, realizing that my daughter was better . . . not totally deaf.

I began to wonder on what other paths my imagination takes me throughout each day? How about your imagination? Where is it taking you?

We need to commit our every thought into God’s keeping or our imaginations truly will run away with us - far from God.

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5

We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ . . . . II Corinthians 10:5

Heavenly Father, I place my thoughts and imagination into Your hands for safe-keeping. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

PROBLEMS IN PEACE

Recently a friend made this statement: “Maybe I just need problems to make me happy.”

I am reminded of a knight from olden days. When he was in battle, he was magnificent - full of courage, riding on his steed to defeat dragons. In peace time, however, he crumbled into a whining baby. As he returned home to his wife and children, he became unbearable. He just couldn’t seem to get his hands around a rake in the garden, on a hammer to repair the roof, or his arms around his family to love them. He fussed and fumed, impatient to be off to the excitement of the battle once again. He needed “problems” to be happy.

What is there in some of us, as humans, which craves the excitement of “problems” but rebels against the peace of ordinary days? Don’t we realize that the times of peace are precious? So precious that the times of peace are used by God to further train us - to make us ready for anything ahead.

May we recognize that both come from the hand of God - times of peace and times of problems.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
II Thessalonians 3:16

Heavenly Father, thank You for times of peace which help to balance out the times of problems. Oh, how I need both! Thank You. In Jesus’ name. amen.

SELF-HELP OR GOD'S HELP

The self-help section in bookstores is bulging with books to help us better ourselves. There are books detailing how to start a home-based business, how to lose weight, how to learn the newest computer software, how to learn a foreign language.

Then come the weighter matters such as how to fix the damage to our souls, how to forgive, how to know our personality type, how to deal with stress.

We could spend 24 hours a day reading and trying to apply what we learn. We so much want to be wise, better, healthier, smarter, more loving, kind and forgiving.

Isn’t it good to know that God is at work in us day by day - to make us into the people He created us to be? Yes, He can use self-help books, seminars and workshops to teach us, but our responsibility is to allow God to do His work in us.

God is at work in you . . . Philippians 2:13

Heavenly Father, please continue to work in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen

WELCOME ONE ANOTHER

Many of us, over the years, have been doing better at welcoming people into our homes. Because the Scriptures admonish us to practice hospitality, we have certainly tried.

How are we doing, though, at welcoming members of our immediate family into our homes? When summer or holidays approach and school is out, do we groan in dread of having everyone under foot or do we welcome our young ones home, seeing an opportunity to enjoy the days together? As a husband is laid off at work and is home all day, do we become irritable and voice our dissatisfaction thinking he is in “our space” all day, wishing he would just go away - at least to the garage?

Yes, we may be good at being hospitable to those who drop by just for a few hours or days, but let’s extend that God-pleasing hospitality to those in our own households. Let’s make them feel welcome!

Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Romans 15:7

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for being so inhospitable to the ones I love the most. In Jesus’ name. Amen.