Refuge in the Lord

Psalm 118:8 & 9

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes."

There seems to be so much fear, anger, and unrest in our world today. As a nation, we appear to have forgotten our roots. Forgotten that we were established as "one nation, under God". We have become divided and moved out from under God's wings.

The above Scriptures tell us to praise the Lord and take refuge in Him. That it is better to bring ourselves under His care than to trust in man or princes. Google defines refuge as: "a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble." I like the sound of that and believe it is only found as we submit to the authority of God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son. The more we move away from the truths of God's word, the more we will encounter trouble, fear, danger and turmoil.

Don't get me wrong, God does not promise that life will always be rosy when we follow Him, but He does promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. He promises peace when we put our thoughts on Him, live by the example Jesus set, and give Him the praise He deserves. A peace that no one and no thing can take away from us.

"That Beautiful Land"

At 92, my Dad's thoughts are often on heaven. He has worked hard all his life, he loves Jesus and longs for the day when he'll strongly walk those streets of gold and won't grow old anymore. 

Every morning he likes to sing a song and it's usually a hymn. We've been doing this for almost 9 months and recently he remarked that many of the hymns speak of heaven or of the end of life. Death usually shows up somewhere in the songs.

A couple of days ago he picked an old one called "That Beautiful Land". Mom and I had never heard it before, so we muddled our way through it and then I looked it up online. I found a YouTube video and we enjoyed listening to the harmony of the men's quartet as they sang this oldie beautifully. 

The words give us a glimpse of heaven. I particularly like the first verse because it says we'll have no more cares or darkness or gloom. Ah, that sounds...well?....heavenly!

"I have heard of a land

On a far away strand,

In the Bible the story is told,

Where no cares ever come,

Neither darkness nor gloom,

And nothing shall ever grow old."

Doesn't that sound wonderful? And the best part is this is not just something made up for a song. God has told us these things in His word and He is faithful to His promises. 

Revelation 21:4 (ESV)

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

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I thought you might enjoy the hymn, so have included the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS3_fLYrFA8

Unfailing Love

Sometimes I have a hard time going to sleep. Worries, plans, or problems of the day seem to come out of everywhere and assault me as I'm trying to settle down. I usually pray for sleep, but sometimes I pray that morning would hurry up and get here. 

Does that ever happen to you?

In the verses preceding verse eight, the Psalmist, David, is crying out to the Lord for mercy and relief. He feels crushed, his spirit is faint, and his heart is dismayed. Then he remembers all that God has done in the past and he just wants God. His soul is thirsty for God. 

David knew that God's love never fails, he trusted God and believed that He would answer Him in the morning. 

The rest of the verse says:

"Show me the way I should go, 

for to you I lift up my soul."

I have no way of knowing, but I get a sense that David laid out all of his worries before God and then he went to bed and slept peacefully. He was confident that God would answer him in the morning and would show him what to do and where to go. He placed his soul in the Almighty's powerful hands and slept. 

What a wonderful lesson for me. I too know that God's love does not fail and that my soul, my entire life, is safe in His hands. May He help me to sleep peacefully, knowing that His unfailing love and guidance will greet me in the morning.

I pray the same will be true for you.

How's Your Mind?

When I was young, there was a man who walked the streets of our town and asked those passing by "How's your mind?" That's a really good question. So much of our attitude, mood, and how we respond to people and situations has to do with the condition of our mind.

If my mind is clouded by worries, anger, fears, problems, anxieties, annoyance, frustrations, selfishness, etc., I'll most likely respond to others in that same vein. This shows a mind in turmoil. Peace will not be found side-by-side with these thoughts.

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, 

whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

This is one of my favorite verses. I have it on a little card in my car as a constant reminder of where my mind needs to dwell.  It's faded from the sun after several years of riding there, but the message remains. Keep my mind continuously connected to God and I will have peace. What a promise! 

It's our choice to make. 

Do we prefer to flail about using our energy on things that jump up and shout for our attention and tell us we have a right to feel this way?

OR

Are we going to trust God? Are we going to take Him at His word, place Him front and center in our mind and peacefully walk His way?

The response is ours.

 So....How's your mind?

Hold On

This dragonfly fascinated me. If you look closely at the photo, you can tell that it was a windy day by the double images of the green blades. He was a tenacious dragonfly who kept holding on to the tip top of that blade even though the winds were blowing all around him.

This reminded me of the passage in Ephesians 4 where it speaks of our growing in the knowledge of the Son of God so that we won't be children any longer and won't be "blown here and there by every wind of teaching". It is so important to know what the Bible says and to keep holding on to the truth that is contained within it. 

However, if we do not read The Word of God on a regular basis and listen to Godly, Biblical teaching, we can easily be tossed back and forth and here and there by all the teachings that sound good or make us more comfortable or politically correct. In order to stand firm amidst the changing currents and winds in our world, we need the firm foundation of the truth that is only God-given. 

Ephesians 4:11-16

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Seeking the Light

Brody likes to lie in the sunny spots in the house. It's bright and warm there and evidently makes him feel secure. As the sun moves, so does Brody. First he is in the light from the window, then when that light spot becomes too small, he moves to the back door where it is growing.

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world". Wherever Jesus is, there is light, warmth, and security. I don't believe He is necessarily concerned with our comfort, so at times we have to get up and move in order to follow Him and remain in His light. 

He does promise that when we follow Him we will not be in darkness. It may feel dark at times, but that is where faith is needed. We must trust Jesus' word to us. Not only is He light, but He is also life. 

Seek the light while He may be found. (Isaiah 55:6)

John 8:12 (ESV)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will 

not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Hidden Treasure

I had been checking the fig trees every few days hoping to find a ripe one. As I walked by pushing the wheelbarrow one afternoon, I caught a glimpse of something golden half hidden behind the healthy green leaves. I quickly stopped, pushed the leaves aside and found the treasure I had been anticipating. Delicious ripe figs! Six to be exact. I savored the soft sweetness and rejoiced in the glimpse that yielded this special treat when I wasn't even seeking. Dad went by on the lawn mower and my joy was doubled in being able to share with him.

In today's America, fewer and fewer families and individuals are actively seeking the things of God. Especially not in the traditional sense of going to church every Sunday. For many, the only glimpse of God they will see is from the Christians they encounter during their normal weekly routine. If that glimpse is hard and sour or rotten, there is little likelihood that they will have any interest. However, if that glimpse is pleasant and inviting with a sweet flavor they may desire to move the leaves aside and investigate what this hidden treasure is all about.

Scripture says we will be known by our fruit and that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Since we are a reflection of Christ to a world that isn't even looking for Him, and since we have His Holy Spirit dwelling within us and giving us guidance, there is no reason for us to be hard, sour, or rotten. In all of our interactions let's allow the unsaved to glimpse something deliciously golden and appealing that will cause them to ask what is hidden in our hearts and spirit. Then our joy will be doubled as we share about our Savior and Lord.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Refuge

Simba, one of the barnyard cats, has found a place of refuge in the trough above the water wheel. There he is safe from coyotes, dogs, and other cats. He is shaded by a tree and has a beautiful view of the flower garden. He can sleep without worry or fear and is within earshot of the door so knows when I come out with some tasty morsel. It's a perfect spot of refuge.

The Bible says that "God is our refuge". Nothing touches us that He doesn't already know about. If trouble comes, He is our "very present help". Just like Simba retreats to the trough, we can retreat to the arms of our Savior. He doesn't promise that trouble will not come. He promises to be there and to help us through the trouble and He is faithful to His promises.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Rivers

John 7:37-38

"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,
'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

When I am physically thirsty, all I have to do is walk to the sink, turn on the faucet and place my glass under the flow of water. It takes very little effort on my part and we know that water is essential to life.

What about Spiritual thirst? In this Scripture, Jesus clearly states that anyone who is thirsty simply needs to come to Him and drink. He is the source of living water. He alone can quench our emotional and spiritual thirst and he is not stingy. It's not a trickle or stream, but "rivers of living water". 

The commentary for this verse in the Reformation Study Bible states: "rivers. This implies great abundance, benefiting not only believers, but also those around them". Jesus abundantly fills the believer and wants us to open our hearts so that His rivers of living water can touch those around us and draw them near to Him. 

Come to Jesus, drink of His life-giving water, believe in Him and then let the rivers flow. 

Unique

Psalm 139:13-14

"For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

Each one of us is uniquely created. 

You are unique. One of a kind. Not like anyone else. Special. Carefully created by The Creator Himself to be the one and only YOU. No one else can be you. You are precious in His sight.

No one knows you like The Creator God. No one loves you as much as He does and He knows everything about you.

He sees all, knows all, hears all (even thoughts), and He still loves completely. Unconditionally. He loves in a way that no human possibly can. 

Embrace your uniqueness and the fact that you are "wonderfully made".

The Earth Laughs

Genesis 1:11-13

"And God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.' And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day."

Cardinal Flower

I often think of how much fun God must have had when He was creating all the different varieties and colors of flowers. That thought plus showy flowers make me smile. Just the other day, while walking with my friend, we came across this red beauty on the edge of the woods.

Zinnias and butterflies

One of my Dad's favorites is Zinnia and he has lots of them which the butterflies really appreciate. Some of my favorites are Lantana, Cleome, and Verbena.

Sunflowers are
bright and cheerful.

It's very hard to keep a straight face when a bright, cheerful sunflower is spotted. Then there are the type of flowers that trail over the edge of the pot or planter like creeping Phlox and wave Petunias.

There are way too many varieties and favorites to name, but when you look around, you can see the earth laughing all around. I imagine the earth as God's canvas and picture Him smiling as he casts all these wonderful splashes of color on the surface for our enjoyment.

As much as I like flowers, Scripture tell us and we know from experience that flowers don't last forever. However, "the word of our God will stand forever". That is a promise from God that we can hold on to for all eternity. 

These petunias all reseeded from
last year and make a showy display.

Isaiah 40:8 (ESV) 

"The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever."

God desires to speak to us every day through His creation and His Word. What flowers are your favorite? What is your favorite Bible verse or book of the Bible? I'd love to hear!

Be Still

It's important to make the time to be quiet, to be still, and to remember that He is God and we are not.

Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!”

Dust of His Feet

Nahum 1:3

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

I enjoy photography. Recently my sister-in-law commented "you like clouds". I hadn't really thought about it, but I actually do take a lot of cloud photos. When I read the above verse this week, it thrilled my heart to think of the clouds as the dust of God's feet and now I like clouds even more. I can just imagine God walking and stirring up the clouds in His wake. It makes me smile.

We often associate clouds with a rainy day, which some people dislike. Or we may say "I have a cloud hanging over my head" when life isn't going well. We tend to view whirlwinds, storms and clouds as negative things. However, if we look at this verse, it tells us that God's way is IN these things. Hmm - that's food for thought. If His way is in storms and clouds, then we should be looking for Him and trusting Him through the whirlwind, storm and clouds. Oswald Chambers writes "If there were never any clouds in our lives, we would have no faith. 'The clouds are the dust of His feet'. They are a sign that God is there." I like that.

My Delight

I delight in butterflies flitting about from flower to flower. It brought me immense joy yesterday to stand in the garden surrounded by colorful flowers and delicately beautiful butterflies.

C. H. Spurgeon delighted in whatever God decreed. He said "Let me live, if God will be with me in life. Let me die, if He will be with me in death. So long as I am 'forever with the Lord,' what else matters? What God decrees is my delight." No matter what came, Spurgeon found delight because he was with the Lord.

May the Lord always be my delight.

Magnificent Cloud

My mother and I were taking our evening walk when we saw this magnificent cloud. I had never seen anything like it. Since our God can create something so amazing, how much more amazing and magnificent must He be? I believe He is far greater than our minds can conceive, yet through the Bible He gives us many glimpses of His character and glory. The winds and waves obey Him. Just think about that!

Wild Flowers

Do not worry. God will take care of you. Pull out your Bible or phone and read the 12th chapter of Luke. Yes, I believe we need to work, but it seems God is saying to stop worrying so much about the future and storing up more and more. Verse 21 tells us to be rich toward God. Look at how he takes care of the birds and how beautiful the flowers are all around you. Don't you know that God loves you even more than these?