A Bouquet of Six

Just one whiff of the daffodils that line the sidewalk leading to the entrance of our local Post Office was enough to cause an instant deluge of memories…that was the “Easter” fragrance that provoked a mental picture of six siblings, mostly in their teens and decked in Easter finery, posing for a picture. Being the youngest, (not yet in my teens) my place was always secure in the front; behind me were my three older sisters, and bringing up the back were our two brothers. Because they were younger than our sisters, they often stood on their tip-toes to look older and manlier. The scenario repeated itself often, photographically journaling our growth….a bouquet of six.

Leaving the Post office, I glanced at the daffodils again, drinking in their sweet perfume. Mentally, I flipped through an imaginary album of pictures that we six siblings had taken throughout the years…until I got to the last picture we had taken in 2004, which included Dad and Mom. That one is on display in our home;  it’s special, because now there are five siblings. Dad and Mom are gone, also.

As I thought about the scent of the daffodils, Easter, family pictures, fading bouquets, change, siblings and the brevity of our lives, the truth of Isaiah 40:8 became very real: “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.”

Isn’t it comforting to know that? Even though the bouquet isn’t what it once was, I thank God that He allowed me to be part of a bouquet of six, and I’m even more grateful that long after we’ve all faded, the truth and beauty of God’s Word will be alive and vibrant – and it will NEVER fade!

DRAW NEAR TO HEAR

When we go to church, or when we read the Bible, we hear God’s Word: the unchangeable, inerrant, perfect, eternal, life-giving, life transforming, powerful Word of God.  It’s really good to prepare ourselves to hear it. The advice that Solomon gave thousands of years ago in Ecclesiastes 5:1 is still applicable to us today. “Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear…”

Drawing near to hear God’s Word, whether at church or in our private life, implies:
A willingness: “Speak Lord, for Your servant hears.” (1^st Sam. 3:9)
A commitment: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak.” (Psalm 85:8)
An urgency: “Let every man (and of course, every woman!) be swift to hear.” (James 1:19)
A blessing: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy.” (Rev. 1:3)
A relationship: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them.” (John 10:27)
A promise of life: “Listen carefully to Me…Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.” (Isaiah 55:2,3)

So as we listen in church or open God’s Word alone, let’s understand the urgency of it; let’s be willing and committed to hearing – really hearing – Him. Let’s expect a blessing as we cultivate our relationship with Him and praise God for the promise of life to those who are careful to hear Him!

…So Where’s the Lord in All of This?

Sometimes circumstances overwhelm us, plans don’t turn out the way we want, we are thrust into unexpected situations, or maybe we just don’t know what to do next. It’s easy to look around and ask: “So where’s the Lord in all of this?” When that question pops up in our mind, it’s good to know the truth about exactly where He is. Here’s that truth:

HE IS NEAR ME WHEN I CALL UPON HIM! The Psalmist affirmed that “The Lord is NEAR to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)
HE IS UNDER ME – HOLDING ME UP! In Deuteronomy 33:27 we read a very comforting promise: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
HE IS GOING BEFORE ME! God promises me: “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight.” (Isaiah 45:2)
HE IS BEHIND ME AND ABOVE ME! In Psalm 139:5 we are assured of His protection. It reads: “You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.”
HE IS BESIDE ME, HOLDING MY HAND AND ASSURING ME OF HIS HELP! Through the prophet Isaiah God promises me “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isaiah 41:13)
HE IS WITH ME ALWAYS! The comforting promise Jesus made to His disciples before He ascended to heaven is still valid today. He said: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

So that’s the truth about where He really is. He is near me, under me, before me, behind and above me, beside me, holding my hand, and assuring me of His help. He is ALWAYS with me. THAT’S WHERE HE IS!

GOD’S LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

“For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. Isaiah 54:10

No doubt, everyone who loves God’s Word has a favorite verse. This is one of mine, because in it, God assures me that HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER. Even in the most extreme situation; in the greatest chaos, confusion and loss, God will never, EVER stop loving me! He will ALWAYS give me His peace, and surround me with His mercy!

I was looking through an old “quiet time” journal, and want to share with you the prayer of praise that I jotted down on April 3, 2004 after having written Isaiah 54:10 at the top of the page. It was the expression of my heart then, and it still is! Read it slowly, and praise God with me!

“Lord, I praise You and thank You that Your kindness, peace and mercy will NEVER depart from me – no matter what!!
            Even if I can’t understand what’s going on,
                        Your kindness, peace and mercy will be with me!
            Even if I can’t hear You,
                        Your kindness, peace and mercy will be with me!
            Even when I can’t see the next step -
                        Your kindness, peace and mercy will be with me!
            Even until I see YOU face to face,
                        Your kindness, peace and mercy will be with me!
I praise You, Lord, for knowing that!
I praise You for being the God who NEVER breaks a promise!
I praise You because I can trust in You, the unchanging God.
I praise YOU because I can rest on Your promise that “YOUR LOVE ENDURES FOREVER”…forever…and ever! AMEN!

There is a beautiful song by Michael W. Smith titled “So Great” that reminds us over and over that God’s love endures forever. Click on the link and take a few minutes to listen to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZZ5CWrufNg

HIS TRUTH ENDURES TO ALL GENERATIONS

“For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations” Psalm 100:5

Something I remember most about my Mom was that she loved to read. In spite of that fact that she only had an eighth grade education, she was well read in the classics, and many other books. But because she loved the Lord, what she read most was her well-worn Bible. That means that it was very normal to see her in the big green chair in the living room, or by the dining room table with her Bible; reading and re-reading those passages that gave her so much wisdom, comfort, guidance and strength throughout her lifetime. Up until her last days, at 95 years of age, even with her mind dimmed by dementia and her sight diminished by macular degeneration, Mom would use a magnifying glass and read her large print Bible.

Happy Birthday, Denise!

Today is our oldest child Denise’s birthday. Please understand that I’m not bragging here, just standing in awe of what God was able to do in her life because HE is good, HIS mercy is everlasting and HIS truth endures to all generations…. Denise, who came into our lives 33 years ago, has become a wonderful lady. God has fashioned her into an intelligent, diligent, responsible, fun-loving, caring person. And as if that weren’t enough, she received Christ into her heart at a young age and has delighted in reading His Word ever since. When she was in Junior High and High School in Argentina, she would get up on her own before anyone in the house was up, fix her breakfast and retreat into her room where she would spend time reading her Bible, getting strength for the day. When she went off to college, she continued to do the same. Being a married working woman, she still is drawn to the Word as her source of daily wisdom and strength.

Remembering Mom, and thinking about Denise just confirms again how faithful God is. His truth DOES endure to all generations! It’s a proven fact in our family! Click on the link below and listen to this beautiful song and worship God because HE is good and HIS mercy endures forever, from generation to generation….  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAGZ8HmiWCM

WEEKLY BIBLE READING PLAN – Sept. 20-25: Knowing God Better (2)

MONDAY: Nehemiah 9:31. Reading this verse, we praise God because He is a God of _________ and ______________.

TUESDAY: Psalm 62:7. It’s reassuring to know that God is a _________________ for us!

WEDNESDAY: 2 Peter 3:9. Thankfully, our God is __________________ towards us!

THURSDAY: Jude 25. God alone is ________________________.

FRIDAY: John 3:16. Besides showing us His love for us in this verse, we understand that He is also a _____________________ God.

SATURDAY: 2 Corinthians 1:3. God is the Father of _______________ and the God of all ____________ .

BONUS: Revelation 4:8. Reading this verse carefully, we can find 3 important characteristics of God. He is _______________,  ______________________, and ________________________.

JESUS ALWAYS HAS THE LAST WORD

When He lived on this earth, Jesus always had the last word. In fulfillment of his mission, (Isaiah 61:1-3) He healed the sick and brokenhearted; He set spiritual captives free, comforted all who mourned, gave beauty for ashes. Whatever the situation, He always had the last word, and we can praise God for His words of grace, compassion, healing, life, forgiveness and restoration. Here are a few of many examples:

WORDS OF HEALING: To the man with the withered hand He said: “Stretch out your hand.” (Matthew 12:13).The man was made whole!

WORDS OF GRACE: To the Centurion who pleaded with him to heal his servant who was “paralyzed, dreadfully tormented, Jesus said: “Go your way, and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” (Matthew 8:6,13)

WORDS OF LIFE: To the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue He commanded: “Little girl I say to you, arise”. The little girl immediately arose and walked. (Mark 5:35-43)

WORDS FORGIVENESS: He assured the woman caught in adultery, about to be stoned by the self-righteous religious leaders that He would not condemn her, adding “Go, and sin no more”. (John 8:11)

WORDS OF RESTORATION: After healing blind Bartimaeus, He sent him on his way, restored! “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:52)

WORDS OF AUTHORITY OVER DEATH: Standing before the tomb of His friend Lazarus, who was dead for four days he called out: “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43,44) Death lost its power!

WORDS OF SALVATION: On the cross, having paid the price for our sins with His perfect, sinless life, “He said, ‘It is finished’ and bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30) There is nothing we can add to His perfect work of salvation. He had the last word.

TODAY: What about us? Whatever situation we find ourselves in, Jesus wants to have the last word. I’ve found it a fact that I can turn to His words and find sufficient grace for my trials, compassion and healing for my pain, forgiveness and restoration when I seek it, and life in times when it seems all hope is gone. He wants us to take the time to read and listen to His everlasting, unchanging, true words, and trust in Him. PRAISE GOD! He always has the last word!

The Symbiosis of Trust and Praise

At www.Merriam-Webster.com we can read the following definition of symbiosis:

1 : the living together in more or less intimate association or close union of two dissimilar organisms (as in parasitism or commensalism); especially : mutualism
2 : a cooperative relationship (as between two persons or groups) <the symbiosis…between the resident population and the immigrants — John Geipel>

— sym·bi·ot·ic \-ˈä-tik\ adjective

— sym·bi·ot·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb  

 I am not a biologist. But when I think about trust and praise, I’m reminded of a symbiotic relationship. They live “together in more or less intimate association or close union.” Can we separate trust and praise? I think not.

I praise God because He is who He said He is, and who He showed Himself to be throughout all of history, and in my own life!
I trust in God because He is who He said He is, and who He showed Himself to be throughout all of history, and in my own life!
I cannot fully trust Him without praising Him. I cannot sincerely praise Him without trusting in Him.

Praise is an expression of trust. Trust is an expression of praise.

In the measure that we learn more of God, and see how He works, we trust Him more fully and praise Him more sincerely. Praising Him for who He is – the faithful, compassionate, holy merciful, eternal, unchanging, forgiving, all-wise God, we realize He is trustworthy! Then, as we trust Him, we learn even more of Him, and praise Him more!

“But You are holy, enthroned in the PRAISES of Israel. Our fathers TRUSTED in You; they TRUSTED, and You delivered them.” (Psalm 22:3,4)

“I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I WILL TRUST; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be PRAISED.” (Psalm 18:1-3)

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart TRUSTED in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I WILL PRAISE HIM.” (Psalm 28:7)

The psalmist may or may not have understood the biological definition of symbiosis, but he had a very clear understanding of the symbiotic relationship of trust and praise! I say AMEN to his convictions. How about you?

FACING A VERY BUSY DAY

A very busy day at work!

Returning to work on a Tuesday after a three-day weekend always means extra work. This time it was even more complicated because I took vacation time Thursday afternoon and all day Friday prior to the long weekend. I was facing a very busy day on Tuesday! Knowing what awaited me that day, as I spent time reading the Bible and in prayer, my frustration disappeared. Here is what I prayed:

Help me, Lord, in my “busyness” today:

• Not to be stressed when I see how much there is to do.
• To prioritize my tasks. Everything seems to be urgent. Help me to do the most important first.
• To be kind. I have a tendency to be serious and grumpy when I’m overwhelmed with work.
• To be wide awake, always watchful and well aware of the tactics the enemy uses to distract me, frustrate me, interrupt me.
• To be wise: what I say, who I say it to, how I say it… (You promised wisdom!)
• Not to be so concentrated only on myself and my agenda that I don’t see other’s needs.
• To be thankful in all things!

Then I was reminded of Philippians 4:13, and thought:

DO I HAVE ANY REASON to think that I’ll be overwhelmed by work today? That it will be too much to handle? NO!! “I can do ALL things…”

DO I HAVE ANY REASON to think I have to do this alone? NO!! “….through Christ…”

DO I HAVE ANY REASON to think I have to work with only my strength? NO!!! “…who strengthens me.”

SO HOW DO I FACE THIS BUSY DAY? With a commitment to bless the Lord, just as David did in Psalm 34:1: “I will bless the Lord at all times (even in my “busyness”!) His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (words that honor Him!)

Today is Thursday. I didn’t get caught up yet, and that’s OK. The most important things are being taken care of, and getting the right mindset helps… when I’m facing a very busy day!

“Do You Take Happy Pills?”

“DO YOU TAKE HAPPY PILLS?” That’s the question my co-worker asked me in response to my cheerful greeting this afternoon at work. The question took me by surprise, and I prayed a lightning-fast prayer for God to give me the right answer. “I sure do!” I responded. That got her attention. As a very quizzical look came over her face, I explained: “Every morning I take one Happy Pill. It’s called the Bible, God’s Word. I open it, read it, see how much He loves me and realize that I can trust Him again today. THAT’S my Happy Pill.”

When I got back to my desk, I looked at the verse I have on a 3×5 card placed between my keyboard and my monitor. It is Psalm 28:7, which says: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices and with my song I will praise Him.” Along with the Psalmist, I can testify that happiness is a result of trusting in God. Trust Him for what? For everything. The more I trust, the happier I am!

Happy Pill, anyone?