Fall Memories of Faithfulness

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A year ago, I spent several days helping a friend pack up her belongings so she could move from Minnesota to Texas to live closer to family.  When I said goodbye I told her, “Till we meet again”.  This friend had placed her trust in Jesus Christ.  While I didn’t expect to see her again in this life, I knew I would see her in the next.

I had no idea that God would take her home to heaven so soon after moving to Texas.  Shortly after she got there, she found out she had terminal cancer.  She died a couple of weeks later.

The verse I chose today fits her personality.  She lived through so many very hard times.  Appendicitis (which I think caused a miscarriage), a kidney transplant, being widowed with two children, Parkinson’s caused by anti-rejection drugs – and that is only what I remember.  This woman lived through many trials.

One word that described her life is faithfulness.  She was faithful in her service to Christ.  She didn’t have a flashy life; she was a wonderful example of simply and faithfully serving God despite hardship.  She didn’t do this in her own strength.  She didn’t have much strength.  She was often weak, but God gave her strength to keep going.

Isaiah 40 29

Vision Correction

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Since I was 25, I needed to wear vision correction.  My issue has been with distance vision.  The farther away something gets, the more blurry it looks to me.

Glasses are a good illustration for how we see in life. If we don’t have the proper vision correction we won’t see clearly.  The only way to get proper vision is to allow God to correct the issues.  Just as I need to go to the eye doctor to find out what prescription I need to see clearly, I need to go to my Spiritual Physician to make sure I see life clearly.

As flawed human beings we tend to see things through our own selfishness.  We need God to show us where we are wrong.  The Psalmist knew this.

Psalm 139 23-24

God has our best interest in mind.  So ask Him to show you what you need to change.  He will and He will help change you.  God loves you that much.

Joy and Sorrow

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When Jesus came to earth, he experienced both joy and sorrow.  He was willing for our sake to endure the horrors of the cross.  He has sent ahead of us a “cloud of witnesses” – others who have lived through joys and sorrows of their own.

As we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can enjoy more of the joys and live stronger through the sorrows.  Many have done it before, and more will continue.  God has made it possible.

Hebrews 12 1 2

Hugs from God

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Life is full of various challenges.  We face the trial of living in a sin cursed earth which includes our own sin nature as well as that of others.  I find as I wade through the muck and mire of difficulties that I can feel weighed down with negativity.  As God teaches me to pray, He sends many hugs.  The hugs don’t get rid of the effects of sin, but they help me through.

One hug God has sent me this summer is through hummingbirds.  I have a hummingbird feeder on my deck.  I don’t often see them, although the sugar water levels have consistently gone down.  A few times in the evenings and on the weekend I have seen a hummingbird come up to the feeder and take a drink.  One night the hummingbird even flew towards my back door where I was standing and watching.  It was amazing.

God often sends blessings through people.  One such blessing came from friends of mine.  I was chatting with a couple of friends while one member of the household was working on a car.  When he brought in an old license plate from one car, I joked about the Vikings license plate cover on my car.  I wanted to remove it, but hadn’t gotten to it.  I’m not into football and I didn’t want to look like I was a Vikings fan.  About 5 minutes after the conversation, he comes back into the house with the Vikings license plate cover.  This is one of those “little things” that may seem silly, but is still fun.  I like my car much better without the Viking logo on it.

Friends, I know life can weigh us down and blessings seem few and far between.  However, the more I watch for blessings the more I believe God shows me.  If I am willing to receive as God chooses to give (knowing what is best for me), I will gain more.  I pray you see the many blessings (hugs) that God sends.

Eye Contact

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Psalm 32:8 was the verse of the day in the You Version Bible App recently.  This is an interesting concept with our culture of staring into cell phones, tablets and other electronic devices.  At first I thought it was written from God’s perspective (a valid application), but as I read the passage and commentary on it, I found that it was the Psalmist seeking to teach others.

Psalm 32 8

God has sent me many advisers over the years.  The eyes in the upper left of this picture belong to one of my first advisers – my dad.  God sends each of us men and women who are to teach us how to live.  We should be willing to learn from them.

As we look our advisers in the eye we need to discern who they are following.  In 1 Corinthians 11:1, the apostle Paul teaches, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”  We should only seek advisers who are seeking Christ.  Sadly, there are false leaders who seek fame for themselves instead of giving the honor and glory to God.  As we seek God by reading His Word and praying, we will know who is following Christ and who is leading for themselves.  This is not to say that we will find perfect advisers, only Jesus Christ is perfect.  However, we can find advisers who live for Christ.

Who will you allow to look you in the eye?  I pray you have advisers to invest in your spiritual walk and lead you to become more like Jesus Christ.  His way is best.

Broken Rocks and Broken Hearts

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Christmas a couple of years ago, my dad built a fire in their fire pit.  There wasn’t much snow so it was possible.  I thoroughly enjoyed the special memory.

Christmas Bonfire

My parents have enjoyed this fire pit for some years.  The rocks are a nice border.  My parents have watched with interest as the heat of the fire has cracked some of these rocks into separate pieces.  When I saw some of the broken rocks, I knew I needed to take a picture to use for a blog post.

Broken Rock

I have two thoughts about the broken rocks.

First, when the heat is turned up in our lives we can break.  God allows trials to change us (James 1).  The pain is excruciating at the time. No one likes the pain of breaking.  However, God has a plan for the pain.  God changes us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

The other thought is more difficult.  Sometimes we allow our hearts to become hardened.  God, in His love, brings trials to discipline us (Hebrews 12).  Sometimes those trials break us.

Friend, if you are broken, I pray that you have the first kind of brokenness.  The second is the result of pushing God aside.  That is never a good place to be.

Either way, seek Christ.  Allow Him to work and change you.  There is no better place to be than broken and in God’s hands.

Just.

Keep.

Praying

More Lessons from Imperfect Flowers

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Last summer I received day lilies from a friend of mine.  I had so much fun planting them and writing about what I learned.   I have enjoyed watching these flowers come back this year.  They are pretty and cheerful.

Last summer when I planted them, I talked about our idea of perfection.  We like to plan and lay things out so they will be “just so”.  However, being flawed human beings living in a sin cursed earth, we don’t have perfection in this life.  Too often we chase after wrong things – spending our energy on forcing the life we think we need.

This year my flowers came back beautifully and are starting to fill in the space where they are planted.  They haven’t completely filled the space beside the garage, but they will.  Day lilies are strong flowers that grow and spread.  That is how God made them and how He allows them to flourish.

So how about letting go and letting God grow the beauty in your life?  I know, it is very hard to do sometimes  We want to take control and make things turn out “just right”.  I can safely promise you that God’s way and timing are the best.  We will have just a mess, but God will grow perfectly spaced flowers.

1 Corinthians 3 6