FRESH LIFE !

One day it was quite warm and humid, as it gets sometimes in the Midwest. The nearby lake looked stale and greenish. Even the air felt stale. All of the green floating bits of plants (does anyone know their name?) made the water look greenish and uninviting.

The very next day the wind came up, temperatures dropped a few degrees and the humidity blew away. Everything sparkled. The sky was a pure blue, trees were a lush June green and those bits of floating green plants were blown to the shoreline. The water itself was clear, fresh and new.

How are our lives? Are they somewhat stale and stagnant? Or is the fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit blowing unhindered through us as we remain open to God’s work in our lives? Let’s open the windows of our souls and let God’s fresh Life blow in and through us.

You must be born anew. The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes or whither it goes, so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit. Jesus in John 3:8

O Holy Breath of God, please blow on me. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

POISON IVY

A poison ivy rash had developed on my hand which, if treated with a simple application of homemade soap, would stop itching and disappear within days. As time went by and I neglected to apply the soap, the rash became angry looking, spreading up my arm.

One day, while visiting our local library, we noticed that Bill, a volunteer there, had also developed a case of poison ivy. The rash on his arms and legs was blistering badly. Feeling intense sympathy for his plight, I promised to drive home, get the special soap for him and return so that he could immediately apply it. The horrible itching would stop and he would begin healing.

Isn’t it interesting that we jump quickly to help someone else when, for ourselves, we procrastinate, allowing our own bodies to suffer. Certainly, since God has given us these bodies to use as instruments to serve Him, then it is our responsibility to be good stewards of them until He returns.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? I Corinthians 6:19

Heavenly Father, thank You for opening my eyes to others’ needs. Now please open my eyes to my own needs and show me to be diligent in the care of the body You have loaned me. 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

ENOUGH POWER

In the morning before my son went to work, he informed us that there was a tornado warning.

As we scanned the sky, our power blinked off and on a couple of times. In our house, loss of power meant more than the loss of electricity for lights and stove. It also meant loss of the use of any bathroom facilities - no showers, no hair washing, no brushing of teeth...no water. Breathing a sigh of relief because we hadn’t lost power, we went about our morning tasks.

Showers were quickly taken and breakfast was cooked. Even though we carried out our normal routine, we noticed that there was a brown out - just barely enough power to use the stove and toaster but not enough to turn on the television to get a weather update. The overhead lights barely glowed, the microwave was unworkable and the refrigerator bulb was dim.

As we were almost ready to head out the door, my daughter decided to use the hair dryer. As she plugged it in and attempted to get it going, suddenly all was dead, quiet. All of the electricity which had been slowly coursing through the house was gone.

As we surveyed our situation, ready to go, my son said, “We had just enough power to get us out the door!”

Oh, how clearly our heavenly Father could be seen in this situation. He provided just exactly what was needed, exactly when it was needed. God always provides abundantly for our every need. We never have to experience a brown-out or even a power outage in our spiritual lives. God abundantly provides us with the strength to do whatever it is that He calls us to do each day.

. . . as thy days, so shall thy strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25

Heavenly Father, thank You for providing me with the strength I need each day of my life. Your promise of strength encourages me to look around to see what else You may want done. Thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

GOD OF ORDER

Working in a library for four years made me realize the importance of accuracy and a sense of order. Every book is given a number when cataloged into the system. At a moment’s notice, if a book is needed, the librarian can look for that particular book by a specific number at a particular place on a shelf.

The process, however, breaks down if someone places a book other than in its proper place. Perhaps due to a careless error in re-shelving or a misreading of the book’s number, the book may be out of order, unable to be found.

Our God is a God who takes delight in a sense of order. Look around you at the universe. All is in order. The sun and its planets are placed so that day and night have a specific order. The oceans are placed in specific places. Plants and animals show a certain order in their creation and function.

Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or show forth all His praise? Psalm 106:3

Heavenly Father, please open our eyes to see Your order in the universe. Help me maintain a sense of accuracy and order in MY little corner of the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

ACCOUNTABLE TO WHOM?

As you look around, don’t you sometimes become frustrated with how poorly everyone else seems to be living their lives?

Your neighbor, try as she might, just can’t seem to get it together to keep her house clean and in order. Another neighbor is so busy, there is never any food in her cupboards so they continually dash out for fast food. Another friend has a sick wife and doesn’t seem to help out much at home. Everywhere you look, you see people failing miserably.

Is it our job to hold others accountable? No, it certainly is not. Each person has a “story” which God is working out in his or her life. No, they may not be doing their “story” perfectly, but that is God’s business, not ours. In fact, if we look at our OWN “story”, we may find so much to keep us busy, that we will have no time to be looking at others’ stories.

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld for the Master is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4

Heavenly Father, please help me to keep my eyes on my own “story”, doing those things which please You more every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE . . . AND GIVE IT BACK TO GOD

“Time is so precious that it is dealt out to us only in the smallest possible fractions - a tiny moment at a time." Irish Proverb

How have you used the time God has given you this past year? Have you used it to honor and please God or to honor and please yourself? Or maybe half and half.

In order to take our lives back - to give them back to God who created us, perhaps we need to look at some potential problem areas and learn how we can do better now and into the future:

Have you squandered your time away by:

- Being so worried about loved ones’ health, lifestyle or well-being that you have neglected your own health and well-being?

- Being so busy doing good works that you are serving man instead of God?

- Speaking unkind words about others, chipping away at the foundation of your marriage, your family, your church, your very own life?

- Forgetting the principles of good self-care such as nutritious meals, regular exercise and a good dose of fresh air daily?

- Being so concerned about your financial situation that you can no longer hear God’s voice telling you what to do about it?

- Falling into patterns that resemble a rut so there is nothing new, fresh and different about your life?

Enough, you say! Yes, we can all identify with at least one time waster - and we can probably write out some of our own.

As time unfolds, let’s TAKE BACK OUR LIVES AND GIVE THEM ANEW TO THE GOD WHO CREATED US AND LOVES US BEYOND MEASURE. He has the blueprint for each of our lives. If we follow His blueprint, we will be all He wants us to be - pleasing and honoring Him minute by precious minute.

I appeal to you therefore . . . by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable o God which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for squandering precious minutes, hours and days. Please teach me how to better please You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.