CONSIDER . . .

Have you noticed that if we aren’t careful to guard our minds and hearts, anxiety will begin to consume us? We humans tend to be anxious about many things - that is why Jesus warned about that tendency of ours when he said: “Consider the lilies . . . ”.

Whenever you hear the word ‘lily’, if you live out in the country, do you think of the day lilies which bloom along the roadside in brilliant orange?

Recently I was introduced to an entire new world of lilies. My co-workers who are fanatic gardeners (in a good way), graced the office with a sampling of their backyard lilies. What a variety of colors - peach, mauve, gold, apricot, amber. Some were speckled, some were a mix of colors. Even their names reflected their loveliness - Red Hot, Stargazer, Orange Electra, D’Oro.

As I think of those lilies, Jesus’ words take on a whole new meaning as He admonishes us not to be anxious about our lives: “Consider the lilies . . . ” in Luke 12:27.

If God can clothe the lilies of the field so magnificently, certainly He can (and does) care for us!

So, this week, let’s ‘consider the lilies,’ recognizing God’s creative and kind care of us.

Consider the lilies, how they grow.... Luke 12:27

Creator of the universe, I thank You for Your kind care of me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

YOU KNEW

Have you ever found yourself blaming God when something difficult came into your life? You found yourself accusing God saying, “You knew!”

Since God is in charge of the universe . . . and of our lives, of course He knew. And you blamed Him . . . for not preventing the difficulty.

Months passed. You could sense God’s kind, loving care in the midst of difficult days. You found His strength for each step. Gradually your accusation of “You knew” turns to a declaration of breathless wonder. Now you find yourself declaring, “You knew . . . . ” as you clearly see that He prepared you ahead of time for any hard spots in your walk with Him. Yes, in His all merciful love . . . He knew. And He was present!

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for Thou art with me . . . . Psalm 23:4

Heavenly Father, please forgive my accusations against You. I fall at your feet in awe that “You knew” and You know me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

FEAR OF THE FUTURE?

Many of us, for years, have been keeping our eye on world events. We have longed for the day when Jesus, as He promised us, would return to earth. We’ve known, however, that difficult times would come first as prophesied in Scriptures. Now, in this present time, it seems that the Day of the Blessed Hope is nearer. Every few years we seem to be on the brink of war. The economy. . . .
The price of gas. . . . Wars . . . . Rumors of war . . . .

It is a time of great fear in the world and, if we aren’t careful, we will get caught up in the panic, too.
What should we do with our fears of the days ahead? Let’s declare with the psalmist:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in Thee.”
Psalm 56:3

Then, let’s follow Jesus’ instructions:

Now when these things begin to take place, look up, and raise your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:28

Heavenly Father, I don’t know what the days ahead hold but I am looking to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

PRUNED !

In the spring I found some poor bedraggled miniature rosebushes on sale - $.25 each. How could I resist? Home they came!

As the weather warmed and the forsythia began to bloom, I knew it was time - to prune and plant. Out came my pruning scissors and I set to work, ridding those sad-looking plants of diseased and dying branches.

It was a severe pruning, to be sure. Next, in the ground they went with the hope that they would grow well - strong and healthy, yielding multitudes of miniature roses throughout their season.

As I watched for the next few weeks, I saw that some rosebushes already had some lush growth. Other rosebushes, however, began to die. Each had received the same pruning - the difference was in the healthiness of their root system.

May I ask - when God prunes your life by removing those things which separate you from Him, how are your roots? Are you rooted in Jesus? May God’s pruning result in fresh new life in each of us!

...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in Love, may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

Master Pruner . . . do Your work in my life today . . . and tomorrow and in future days until You return for me, please! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

GOD'S TIMING

One day we prepared to set out on an errand about ten miles from home. Before we left, our daughter decided to have a quick breakfast so her stomach wouldn’t be empty. We waited for her to eat, trying not to become impatient with the delay. Ten minutes later, we headed out the door.

Arriving at our destination, we noticed a man and his car were imprisoned inside a fenced area. Apparently the electrical power had gone out and he was trapped. Tugging and pulling at the closed gate, the man’s consternation was readily evident.

As we witnessed the man’s struggle, it was apparent that the delay at home had resulted in a perfectly timed and choreographed adventure, staged by our kind heavenly Father. If we had arrived ten minutes earlier as planned, we would have been stuck, too.

Instead, of being trapped, we were able to lend assistance, freeing the man from imprisonment. He was gleeful. God’s timing is always perfect!

My times are in thy hands. Psalm 31:15

Heavenly Father, the next time I become frustrated by delays, help me to rest assured that You have it all under Your control. In Jesus’ name. Amen

TOO MANY WORDS

Briefly watching television to see serious events unfolding in the world, it was amazing how many words were used . . . constantly, without a pause . . . day and night, it seemed. So many details were given - the temperature, the wind speed, which forces were headed where. The commentators went on and on. Everyone seemed caught up in catching every word. And there were so many of them.

With so many words flying back and forth crowding the airwaves, are we allowing God Himself to break through and speak to our hearts? Yes, the times are serious. Yes, we need to be informed. Yet, what is God instructing us to do today to bring His Love and care to our little corner of the world? Let’s not become so caught up in the world’s words that we can’t hear Him!

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Heavenly Father, I am still before you . . . .

THE CLIMB

Have you ever watched a ski film? You know, the ones with the skier gliding down the snow-covered mountains which are etched against a cobalt blue sky.

Have you ever thought about how the skier gets to the TOP of the mountain? Often he or she is delivered to a base camp, spends at least one night in less than ideal conditions. Then the real work begins - climbing with skis and packs on the back - a long laborious climb to reach the top. Once he reaches the pinnacle, however, it all seems worth it - he has reached his goal. He is ready to soar.

In our lives, we are still climbing . . . daily. Now is the work - often the most difficult and sometimes the most tedious part - striving daily to reach our utmost for His Highest. Soon . . . very soon, we will reach the top - God Himself. In the meantime, let’s not forget why we are climbing. Let’s not grow weary but ask God for all we need to get where we are going. God Himself has promised His help - let’s avail ourselves of all He wants to give us every day so we can reach Him - victoriously!

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14

Heavenly Father, please give me the strength and courage to keep climbing. Help me to keep my eyes on You, my ultimate goal. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

DISASTER !

The headlines in the newspaper blared out “DISASTER”. And it was - to the Columbia and its crew of seven astronauts. Their families lost a son
. . . a husband . . . a daughter . . . a wife. As a nation, we mourned the losses and wished we could do something to help lessen the pain.

And, near us, every day in our own family . . . in our own neighborhood . . . in our fellowship . . . there are personal “disasters” taking place. A husband loses his job, a daughter is diagnosed with leukemia, a wife dies unexpectedly, a beloved pet is killed. The list of “disasters” is endless. For those near us, however, there are things we CAN do - a phone call to express our love, a card declaring we care, a home-cooked meal, provision of a listening ear, time spent at a bedside.

God, our Father, is an expert at comforting those in need. If we open our hearts, He will show us clearly in each situation how we can make a difference in the world around us, sharing His comfort.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
II Corinthians 1:3-4

Heavenly Father, please express Your love through me to a world which so needs
Your comfort. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

MORNING AND EVENING THOUGHTS

When you wake up in the morning, what do you find yourself thinking about?

- Your impossibly long to-do list for the day?
- The irritation of the neighbor’s barking dog?
- An out of control co-worker?
- Your child’s recurring ear infection and mounting doctor’s bills?
- The need for new tires on the car?

When you fall into bed at night, where are your thoughts?

- Still on that frustrating meeting you attended?
- Brooding over a friend’s neglect?
- Upset over the world situation as seen on evening news?
- Concerned for a special project to be completed the next day?

What does it say in Scripture about where our thoughts should be in the morning and evening?

Psalm 92:2 says: It is good to proclaim Your unfailing love in the morning, Your faithfulness in the evening . . . You thrill me, Lord, with all You have done for me! I sing for joy because of what You have done.

Heavenly Father, beginning today, please fill my mornings with proclamations of Your unfailing love and my evenings with songs of Your faithfulness to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

AN AWESOME GOD

My son videotaped an event held by an amateur rocket launching club. Homemade rockets were blasted into the air to see how high and how far they could travel over the frozen November corn fields.

When my son arrived home and began to edit the footage, he slowed the rocket launches down. Instead of the sound of a blast, we could hear beautiful music within that sound. We were awestruck.

We humans, so used to our own perspective of light and sound, don’t even realize that there is an entire world out there which is beyond our comprehension, created by a God who loves to surprise us.

God truly is awesome! He proves that fact every day!

O Lord my God, Thou art very great! Psalm 104:1

Heavenly Father, there is a whole universe out there which I don’t even know about yet. Thank You!!! In Jesus’ name. Amen

SUITCASES

Have you ever found yourself trying to carry a suitcase which is too heavy? It is so large and cumbersome that you KNOW that it can’t be carried any distance at all before you stumble and everything will come crashing down around you.

Recently I had such a dream - trudging along a dirt road, carrying a heavy suitcase filled with life’s burdens and responsibilities.

Maybe you, too, are trying to carry such a burden - facing chemotherapy, the loss of a loved one(s), a new project at work, papers due for class . . . all of the responsibilities of life on this earth. It seems overwhelming sometimes.

The good news, however, is that there is help from the Mightiest Source of all - God Himself.

First, we can rest assured in the fact that He never, ever expects us to carry that suitcase ourselves.

Second, He Himself offers to carry that suitcase . . . if we only ask for His help and then let Him.

Third, there are many people along the way who will gladly help us, too. Even if they cannot physically walk beside us to help carry the load, they certainly can call upon the Father on our behalf for His help.

Yes, we can leave that entire suitcase at the cross, in our heavenly Father's capable hands.

Let’s recognize the availability of God’s help, let’s call upon Him. Then let’s walk with heads held high as we walk with our Maker. We may even enjoy the view along the way!

May we say with the Psalmist: I am overcome with joy because of Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7

Heavenly Father, please help me this week. The burden is big. I thank You! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

PLANS AND STEPS

One day recently my plan was to make a quick stop at our village post office, loop around to pick up a few items from the grocery store and then head for home.

I pulled into a parking space on the street in front of the post office and quickly ran in to get my mail. Preparing to pull away from the curb, a huge garbage truck pulled up alongside my van and stopped. I was going nowhere. My entire plan was called to a halt.

All of a sudden I could hear yelling. The only recognizable words were, “Help, help!”

As I turned my head toward the commotion, I noticed a little boy and his bicycle underneath a SUV. The boy’s mother was frantically trying to get to him.

Quickly I sprinted into the post office, shakily yelling for them to dial 911, giving needed details. My part in the adventure was minor. Yet I could clearly see that even though I had made a plan for myself, the Lord had directed my steps to be where He wanted me to be at the exact moment of need.

The moral of the story? The next time in our lives a huge garbage truck (or anything else God sends) stops us in our tracks, let’s look around and see what He may have us do. Maybe the purpose is for us is to ‘be’ - still, holy as He is holy, thankful . . . . Whatever the reason, it is of eternal importance.

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9

Master Time Keeper, thank You for placing stops along my path. Please help me to see what You have for me at each one. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

THE COMMONPLACE

When was the last time you thanked God for:
your sink
-a bolt in your furnace that holds it together
-trees sheltering your home
-the steps up to your porch
-garbage service at your curb
-the quirky little characteristics of your family
members near and far
-your feet
-the neighbors
-work
-your dentist
-the vacuum cleaner
-a trustworthy mechanic
-Monday mornings

Yes, in this world we must cook, clean and work. Yet, if we look carefully, we can see God’s kindnesses to us everywhere - in the most common places of all. God’s glory shines out even in the commonplace!


I will thank You, Lord, in front of all the people. Psalm 108:3

But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising Him to everyone. Psalm 109:30

Heavenly Father, please fill my heart and lips with praises to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A NEW SONG

Throughout the Psalms we read: “Sing to the Lord a new song”.

How about you, are you singing a new song? Or are you singing the same old songs. Now don’t get me wrong, the old songs are precious and we should continue to sing them as often as possible. Yet what about singing a new song, learning the words, the melody, joining your voice with others? That is equally precious to the Lord and uplifts our own souls to our Maker.

What about your life? Are you singing a new song with your life? Or are you continuing to sing the old song - getting up in the morning, doing the same things in the same ways, not even looking around for something new, fresh and different to learn, in which to become involved or a new way to serve?

Let’s open our hearts to God so we may see the possibility of new songs which can flow, not only from our mouths, but from our souls.

Sing to the Lord a new song. Psalm 49:1

You, Lord, are the Choir Director. Please direct me to the songs You want sung next through me - not only the songs with notes, but the songs I am to sing with my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen

SMOKE

Have you ever been through an unusually fiery trial? Perhaps it was a season in your life of ill health. Or your elderly parents needed extra help. Or your child was ill. Or your job turned out to be a nightmare. We each know the tears shed, the prayers uttered, the struggle, the heartache of such a season.

Did you notice that once the crisis was past you may have felt that the fiery trial left you smelling like smoke? Perhaps you felt as if you needed to withdraw a while in order for the smoke to clear.

I am reminded of the Biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3:8-30. They had been in the fire, literally. What was the result?

“(they) saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke.” Daniel 3:27

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your kind care of me - even in the midst of the fires of life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

REMEMBER

My aunt, at the age of 76, could never have imagined that she would be downsized. Yet, that is exactly what happened to her. Recently she found herself stripped of her deceased husband’s benefits. Gone is the monthly pension, gone are the health care benefits and prescription coverage. She may even need to consider moving to a smaller apartment. Gone are the benefits she had counted on to last the rest of her life.

How will she be able to handle this crisis in her life? God’s Word has clear instructions to each of us in the middle of a crisis:

And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you these . . . years.
Deuteronomy 8:2

As my aunt remembers the paths in life she has walked thus far, she will see that during the Depression Era as a young child, she never knew hunger but did know a loving family with plenty of song and laughter. Although widowed twice, my aunt never knew want - God continued to watch over her, guiding her steps as she worked hard and raised two children.

May we, too, remember all the ways the Lord has led us thus far - remembering will fill us with confidence in God and will flood our hearts with hope.

Heavenly Father, please remind me of all the good You have showered down upon me in the past. I thank You for future provision. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Added note: My aunt now at 82, is helping her adult children who are now experiencing health and financial difficulties. God has provided for her and she is sharing with them gladly.

PROS AND CONS

We’ve each experienced it. Faced with a decision, we make a list of pros and cons on paper or in our minds. On one side of the paper, we list all of the reasons why we should decide ‘yes’. On the other side of the paper we list all of the reasons why we should decide ‘no’.

If we are thinking about taking a new job, we might have on our pro list: excellent pay, good benefits, upbeat environment, an advancement up the career ladder. On our con, or against list, we may have: the commute is an hour each way, overtime is mandatory, the job involves out-of-town travel.

As we look at our lists using our human reasoning powers, we seem to go in circles, not knowing what is best to do. Of course we won’t know what is best! Only God knows! Even though it is good to weigh the pros and cons about any decision, the ultimate deciding factor should be our obedience to what God wants.

God, Himself, has a perfect plan for each of our lives - shouldn’t we consult with Him in prayer and quietness until we have His answer. He wants what is best for us at all times. All we have to do is listen and obey.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Heavenly Father, I come to You for Your decisions for me . . . . In Jesus’ name. Amen.

STARS

We’ve all had the experience of moving. You remember . . . the boxes . . . the dust . . . the clutter. Moving an office with six people’s ‘stuff’ is a challenge, too - the computers, printers, copiers, fax, files...now where are the paper clips?

As the actual moving day approached, all six of us began to experience stress, not only from the move itself, but also of trying to get a newspaper printed on schedule as we worked amidst a nest of boxes.

For some stress relief, we took turns dashing across the street to the local church’s rummage sale. Treasures were found and proudly displayed at the office. One such treasure needed no explanation.

In the midst of the disorder of the move, in one cubicle there could be seen a garland of bright sparkling stars draped just so across the furniture.

What a splendid reminder - that the same God who made the very stars was with us in that office, even in the midst of the chaos of a move.

When I look at the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and stars which Thou has established, what is man that Thou art mindful of him . . . that Thou dost care for him. Psalm 8:3

Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Psalm 148:3

Maker of the stars, how majestic is thy Name!

TIMING

Recently we wondered why some family members always seemed to be late when we headed out the door. We just couldn’t figure out the problem until we realized that the clocks upstairs were five minutes behind those downstairs.

Just think how terrible it would be if God expected us to be somewhere or to represent Him doing something, if our “clocks” weren’t set to His timing of things. He may want a meal delivered to a family in the neighborhood but because our “clock” doesn’t match His, the meal wouldn’t arrive until their bedtime. Or He may want us to visit a friend in the hospital, but our “clock” is off and we don’t get there until after they had been discharged to go home. Or our child or grandchild needs a lap to sit on but our “clock” is off and we don’t realize the need until too late.

At our house, once the problem was discovered, we synchronized all of our clocks so that we were all headed in the same direction at the same time. It would probably be an excellent idea if we would do the same and allow God to synchronize our lives and timing with His master plan.

My times are in Thy hands. Psalm 31:15

Heavenly Father, I desire to live according to Your time frame. Please help . . . . In Jesus’ name. Amen.

WHY?

Do you know why you work so hard? Is it to earn money so you can pay the bills, take that special vacation and put your children through college? Or do you work because it is your ambition to climb the career ladder in your chosen profession? Or does your job bring you satisfaction because you are the only one in your family to reach such a goal?

All of the above reasons may be legitimate reasons for working hard. God, however, in His Word, shares with us exactly WHY we should labor at all:

Wherefore we labor that . . . we may be accepted of Him. II Corinthians 10:9

May we find the labor which is directed for us by Him, pleasing to Him and accepted of Him. Then it will be of eternal worth.

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You expect me to work under Your direction. Please help me to clearly see all of the where, when and how. In Jesus’ name. Amen.