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Archive for the ‘God’s Love’ Category

Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

Posted in Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Presence, God's Promises, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Worry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2014| 20 Comments »

 

“There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear.”

1 John 4:18a

M-m-m.  Interesting.  John doesn’t say perfect courage drives out fear.  Not even perfect faith.  Why does he say perfect love will drive out fear?

First of all, this verse is not talking about fears of financial ruin or life-threatening events.  Verse eighteen gives us the context.  John is talking about Judgment Day.  He’s reminding us that, if we know Jesus, there is nothing to fear when we leave this earth for eternity.  Jesus gave his life to save us from the consequences of our sin.  Our place in heaven is secure, if our faith is in him.

And once that matter has been settled, other fear-producing questions can be put in proper perspective. We have to remind ourselves that earthly life fades quickly like the leaves (Isaiah 64:6).  These questions will cease to matter–questions like:

  • Will my job survive the cutbacks?
  • Will I be able to keep my health insurance?
  • Will my kids make it through their personal crisis?

But such questions can cause torment to the point of ulcers and high blood pressure.  If we allow fear to control us, we’re saying that the troubles we face are more powerful than our God.

So here are a few ways to fight against fear:

  • Rename your difficulties as possibilities—possibilities for God to do something glorious.  Without a problem, there’s no opportunity for a miracle.
  • Picture God Almighty accompanying you all day long.  He’s standing right behind you at the sink.  He’s sitting beside you in the car.  His ever-watchful eye is upon you,  his infinite strength is available to you, and his perfect wisdom will guide you.
  • Don’t feed your fear with worry; feed your faith with the truth of God’s Word.  Psalm 23 is a perfect place to begin.  Remember verse four?  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
  •  Listen to what he says:  “I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you (Isaiah 41:13).  Visualize God holding you by the hand as you walk through each day.

Years ago, when a I was a young teenager, my family visited Lookout Mountain in Tennessee.  Dad and I were hiking over the mountain paths when we came to a deep, narrow ravine.  He easily jumped across, turned, and held out his hand for me.

“I can do it myself,” I announced confidently.  Then I looked down into that deep ravine.  What if I fall? I thought.  Grinning sheepishly at Dad, I said, “’Guess you’d better help me after all!”  I had great confidence in my father.  I knew he loved me and would never let me fall.

God is ready to walk hand-in-hand with me along the mountain paths of life.  Problems arise, though, when I repeat that moment on Lookout Mountain and focus on the ravine, the what-ifs.  The  result?  I’m frozen with fear.

How downright foolish of me, when my loving, trustworthy Heavenly Father has assured me:

“Don’t panic.  I’m with you.  There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.  I’ll give you strength.  I’ll help you.  I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you” (Isaiah 41:10, The Message).

 You see, perfect love drives out fear because we can trust the perfect love of our perfect God.

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What’s in a Name? Plenty!

Posted in Christmas, Faith, God, God's Love, God's Provision, God's Salvation, Jesus, Salvation, tagged , , , , , , on December 19, 2013| 8 Comments »

Like most expectant parents, Steve and I considered dozens of names before each of our three children were born.

First of all, the name had to have a pleasing ring with our unusual last name, Ruegg (pronounced “rug”).  We passed by Douglas.  Doug Ruegg rings too loudly.

We wanted a name that would not attract teasing or silly nicknames.  We passed by Dustin.  Dusty Ruegg would be too tempting.

And we wanted a name that meant something worthwhile, so we passed by Darnell.  “A-Type-of-Grass” Ruegg would not be very inspiring.

No doubt many of you who are parents experienced the same struggle to find appropriate names for your children.

Mary and Joseph, however, had no such struggle with their firstborn.  The angel who visited Joseph in a dream to tell him about Mary’s child, also informed him of the name.  “You are to give him the name Jesus,” he said (Matthew 1:21a).

And when an angel brought good news of great joy to the shepherds, he said, “A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).

These two scriptures give us the three names we probably use most often when referring to God’s Son:  Jesus, Christ, and Lord.

And each name carries significant meaning.

Jesus, or Yeshua in Hebrew, means “Yahweh (the Lord) is Salvation.”  Could a more perfect name be chosen for the One who would “save his people from their sins?” (Matthew 1:21b).  Yeshua becomes “Joshua” when translated into English.  And in Greek (the language in which the New Testament was written), Yeshua becomes Iesous, or Jesus in English.

Jesus, our Savior.  The only perfect God-Man able to save us from the consequences of our sins.  He is our supreme Christmas gift, given by God, because he loves us.  Deeply.

Christ is English for Christos (Greek), which means “anointed.”  In Hebrew the word would be moshiach, or “Messiah.”

Anointing was a God-ordained custom, to dedicate someone for a special task.  You might remember the prophet, Samuel, anointed David to be king over Israel (1 Samuel 16).  That is, Samuel took oil (probably olive oil) and poured it over David’s head, signifying divine equipping for his royal position.

Again, what could more appropriate than our Savior to be symbolically anointed by God? Jesus was divinely equipped for the special task of saving his people from their sins.

Lord is also a name bestowed on God’s Son.  It is the name that is above every name.  And the glorious day is coming when every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).  Imagine that.  Millions of voices proclaiming his majesty!

Lord is a familiar term, come down to us from feudal times in England, when kings and nobles were addressed as “lord.”  It denoted power and influence.

The history of the word, though, reveals a fascinating connection to Jesus.

Lord is derived from a compound of two very early Old English words:  hlaf (pronounced with a long “a”)  and weard.  Hlaf means “bread,” and weard means “ward” or “guardian.”  Lord literally means “guardian of the bread.”  In feudal times, such a position would be highly important to the household.  And so lord came to mean “a man of authority and rank” (Webster’s New College Dictionary).

 Such background gives new meaning to Jesus’ words, “The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world…I am the bread of life” (John 6:33, 35a).  In other words, he is the Sustainer of life.  Whoever comes to him can experience deep satisfaction of spirit (v. 35).

Jesus stands as the guardian of our abundant life now and eternal life in heaven yet to come.  He is also the guardian over of our minds and hearts, supplying peace, joy, comfort, and more.

Paul celebrated the magnificence of the Lord Jesus Christ at the close of Romans 8:

“I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (vs. 38-39).

And now, what do these names signify to me?  Am I deeply grateful to my Lord Jesus Christ?  Are my thoughts, attitudes, and actions pure and holy gifts I can give back him– my Savior, anointed Deliverer, and Guardian of my life?

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Lord Jesus, your very names proclaim astounding truths:  you are the Savior of the world!  In fact, you are the only Deliverer who can proclaim us “not guilty” before Almighty God.  And you are our Guardian, caring for our every need, when we depend upon you.  I praise and thank you for your love and grace, demonstrated supremely when you died in our stead.  Oh how I want my life to be a delightful Christmas present for you!

(photo & art credits:  www.babble.com, http://www.thefamily.com, http://www.ortzion.org, http://www.everydaywithmy savior.blogspot.com.)

 

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The Face of God

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, God, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Power, God's Strength, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on November 14, 2013| 6 Comments »

“The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;  the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:25-26).

Lovely, poetic words.  But what do those phrases about God’s  face mean?  Even if God’s face did shine upon me, or turn toward me, how would I know?  I’ve never seen God.  No one has (1 John 4:12).

A little research turned up this explanation:   God’s face represents his character.

Read those verses from Numbers again.  But this time replace the word face with the word character.  The meaning becomes clearer.

The Lord make his character shine upon you

And be gracious to you;

The Lord turn his character toward you

And give you peace.

How many of God’s character traits can you name?  David named seven in a psalm of thanksgiving found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-34.  God is:

  • Powerful (v. 9)
  • Strong (v. 11)
  • Trustworthy (v. 15)
  • Majestic (v. 27)
  • Holy (v. 29)
  • Good (v. 34)
  • Loving (v. 34)

This brief list is just the beginning of descriptors we could name about God.  He is infinite; His attributes are infinite!

All of those character traits and more are shining upon our lives, as he cares for us, lives in us,and participates with us every moment of our lives.

  • His power works miracles.
  • His strength carries us through difficult times.
  • He can be trusted to always do what is best.
  • His supreme majesty speaks of his authority over the universe.
  • He is righteous and holy in all he does.
  • Out of his goodness he provides countless blessings.
  • And all of this is graciously given, not out of a sense of duty because he made us, but because he loves us.

God’s face shining upon us represents God’s radiance.

 If we insist on following our own way, as Israel did, He may choose to hide his face from us (Isaiah 1:15).

But.

“When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring” (Proverbs 16:15).

When the King of the universe shines his approval upon us, what more could we want?  Life for us is not mere existence.  It is a rich, full life.  Rich with blessings, and full of satisfaction, peace, and joy!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Thank you, Almighty God, for manifesting your character in my life.  I have seen you work miracles and give strength to the weak.  I have watched as you engineered circumstances to accomplish your plan. (And it always turns out to be a hundred times better than anything I could dream up!)

 I marvel at your power and majesty on display in creation.  I have recorded hundreds of blessings you’ve provided for our family.  Your radiance shines brilliantly all around me! 

 And now, as a thank you gift back to you, dear Father, may my life reflect your radiance to others—with ever-increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18)!  Amen!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

How has God shone his face upon you?  Share in the Comments below!

(art credit:  www.christianwordart.com)

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The Daddy/Daughter Dance

Posted in Blessings, God's Delight, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Love, Joy, Praise, Worship, tagged , , , , , , on September 30, 2013| 15 Comments »

Our granddaughter, Elena, is now seven months old, and already her personality is evident.

For example, when she awakens in the morning, Elena plays contentedly in her crib for ten minutes or so.  She chews on her pacifier from every angle, rolls around,  practices her pike position, and plays with a snuggle toy or the zipper on her sleep sack.  Elena may also struggle to crawl or even pull herself up into a standing position, in spite of the confines of the sleep sack.  Eventually she lets the household know that crib-playtime is over and she’d like to be rescued.

The rescuer receives rich reward–a big 1000-watt smile, a few squeals of pleasure, and panting excitement at what the new day might hold.

And though she enjoys songs and stories, Johnny Jump-Up and toys, her favorite activity has to be dancing with her daddy.  Eric, our son, has created a playlist specifically for this activity, many tunes from Disney musicals.

Daddy Daughter Dance

I recently had the pleasure of watching Eric and Elena  perform this ritual.  Eric tucks her firmly in one arm, while holding her hand out with the other.  True ballroom style.  And though they may begin with a gentle waltz, Eric soon takes off with gentle jogging and polka steps.  He adds his voice to Angela Lansbury’s and David Tomslinson’s.

But the other morning, my pleasure in watching them dance turned to uproarious laughter, as Eric mimicked a few of the chimney sweeps’ moves from Mary Poppins.  Knees rising high with each step, and dips in between, he marched across the dining room.  Then with broad, high kicks he pranced in the other direction.  Elena bobbed in his arms, beaming and squealing.

And I thought, O, Lord, this is such supreme pleasure–to watch a daddy and his daughter do a silly dance, reveling in the music, the movement, and each other.  Do you, Father, take joy in watching us, your children, delighting in all the pleasures you’ve given?  Surely so. Otherwise, why would you have provided spectacular colors, intricate patterns, and incredible variety in creation?  Why would serendipity  blessings suddenly drop into our laps? Yes, we need to keep pleasure in its proper place, and not let the pursuit of it consume us.  But I glory in those delights you have ordained.  And I worship you for your gracious love, motivating you to make us laugh and smile.  Thank you, God.    

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Float by Faith

Posted in Encouragement, Faith, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Power, God's Promises, God's Protection, God's Provision, Uncategorized, Worry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2013| 35 Comments »

Years ago in my hometown, when the community pool was built, Dad often took my brother and me swimming.  I marveled at the way my father could slice the water with a smooth dive, roll over on his back, and float.  Without even moving his arms and legs, he could remain on top of the water.  Amazing!

When I tried it, I sank–immediately.

“Daddy!  Show me how to float!” I cried.

First, he helped me to lie flat-out on top of the water.  His hand gently supported the middle of my back.  And then Dad said the strangest thing.

“Now, relax.”

What?!  Every fiber of my being was tense.  I just knew that if I relaxed, my nose would instantly fill up with heavily chlorinated water.

But I trusted Dad.  He wouldn’t trick me into a catastrophe.  So I tried to relax.

Easier said than done.  Try as I might, my body would not relax.  My focus was more on the possibility of sinking than it was on the one thing that would keep me afloat.

“That’s OK,” Dad probably said.  “This is just your first try.  Keep practicing, and all of a sudden you’ll get the feel of it.  That’s how it happened for me.”

This experience came to mind as I read Charles Spurgeon’s comment on an excerpt from Isaiah 30:15.

First, the scripture-excerpt:  “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”

And now, the Spurgeon quote:  “We are sinking by our struggles when we might float by faith.”

But learning to relax in the spiritual realm is just as difficult as it was to relax on my back in that swimming pool.  It is so much easier said than done–at least for me.

Why is fretting and worrying my default mode?  It’s so pointless.  Resting in God is the only way to hope and peace (Psalm 62:5).

The big question is how.  How can I relax into quiet confidence that will be my strength, and keep me afloat?

Perhaps the answer is in that word practice.  As I reaffirm over and over God’s glorious attributes, as I review His wonderful promises, my focus will change and my spirit will learn how to rest.

What attributes might be wise to focus on?  King David included a number of them in his glorious psalm of thanksgiving, found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36:

  • Power (vs. 9, 12, 14) – He is able to work wonders.
  • Integrity (v. 15) – He is totally trustworthy.
  • Holiness (v. 29) – He is absolutely pure and righteous, totally set apart from anyone else in the universe.
  • Goodness (v. 34) – His blessings to us are bountiful and frequently displayed.
  • Love (v. 34) – Not based on our paltry deeds, but on his kind and gracious nature.

And what promises would build my confidence?  Here are three for a good start:

  • “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).
  • “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
  • “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16).

Notice:  He promises protection, provision, and guidance.  Everything we might face is covered.

Thinking back to those summer days at the community pool, I’m reminded of two things that happen when we float:  1) Our eyes are focused upward.  2) Our ears cannot hear very well, situated as they are beneath the surface.  Noise is silenced.

Those two things need to happen in the spiritual realm if we’re to float by faith.  Our eyes need to be focused upward on our powerful, loving, promise-keeping God, and our ears need to be stopped to the voices of worry.

The former will undoubtedly take care of the latter.

(Photo credits:  www.sciforums.com ; www.dailyencouragement.net ; www.flickr.com ; www.confessionsofasmowflake.com )

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Sparrows in God’s Hand

Posted in Encouragement, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Presence, God's Protection, God's Provision, God's Refuge, Self-Esteem, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 1, 2013| 16 Comments »

Group of sparrows.

Group of sparrows. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father…So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29, 31).

Why did Jesus choose sparrows for this illustration?

They’re so small and common.  (Have you ever felt unimportant and ordinary?)

Sparrows were of such little value in Jesus’ day, they were sold two for a penny.  The poor would buy them to eat—a cheap source of protein.

Nobody much cared about sparrows in Bible times; most folks still don’t care today.  They’re just drab little birds we see every day—hardly worth our attention.

But the smallest, drabbest sparrow doesn’t slip by God’s attention.  Not one can fall to the ground without God knowing.  And if he knows and cares about the sparrows, he certainly knows and cares about each of us.  Verse thirty-one makes it clear:  “You are worth more than many sparrows.”

There’s a modicum of comfort in the knowledge that God sees our situations.  To be honest, though, the fact that he just knows isn’t all that helpful.

Better yet is the news that not one sparrow can fall without God’s consent.

Nothing happens to us that hasn’t first received the stamp of approval from God Almighty.

“Wait a minute,” you might say.  “If a sparrow falls, he’s likely to die.  Not much comfort in that either– knowing that God gave his OK!

Here’s what I want to embrace:  we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16b), right?  When it’s my turn to fall off the branch, I want to be able to affirm, “Yes, Lord.  Whatever you think is best is A-OK with me.  I know I can trust you because you love me.  And I rejoice in the promise that whatever happens, you will bring good from it.”   (Remind me of that truth when I start to wobble, will you?)

But here’s the best news:  Notice that Jesus didn’t speak of God as some detached, omnipotent being.

He said, Father.

It is our gracious and kind Heavenly Father who tenderly watches over his little sparrows.

Red Bike

Red Bike (Photo credit: swanksalot)

Think of a loving mother who witnesses her small son falling off his bike.  When he gets up with a scraped knee, she won’t just say, “Oh, I saw that happen, Johnny.  I’m so sorry you’re hurting.”  Small comfort in that.

No, that mother will run to her son, hold him in her arms, talk to him reassuringly, take him to the house, and patch him up.  That’s just what a loving parent does.

When trouble comes, our loving Heavenly Father is right there with us, just like that mother.

He holds us.  Isaiah wrote, “He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (40:11).

He talks reassuringly to us, especially through His Word.  With the psalmist, we can pray, “Strengthen me according to your word” (Psalm 119:28b).

God is our refuge and sanctuary; he is our home, our dwelling place. (Psalm 91:1-2).

And God patches us up; he restores our souls (Psalm 23:3).  He renews our energy, purpose, and hope.

So, “Don’t be afraid,” he says. “If I take care of the sparrows, I will most certainly take care of you, because you are worth more than many sparrows.”

See? You’re not small, unimportant, and ordinary–not at all!

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Thank you, Lord, for not playing favorites.  What glorious news that each of us is precious to you!  Thank you also for being an attentive God who tenderly watches over us.  And especially thank you for being an involved God, always acting on our behalf, and always for our good.  We are in awe of you, our loving, gracious Heavenly Father!    

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Palms, Cedars, and Helen Hayes

Posted in Blessings, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Love, God's Promises, Godly Character, Maturity, Praise, Uncategorized, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 18, 2013| 10 Comments »

Back in the 1970s I saw Helen Hayes in a made-for-TV movie.  Some of you may recognize her.  She was known as the “First Lady of the American Theater,” beginning her career on Broadway in 1905, when she was only five years old.  In the 1930s, Helen expanded her stardom to films, and finally to television.

The reason she comes to mind now and then is the impression she made upon me, as an energetic, sparkly eyed senior citizen.  I remember thinking, “When I get old, I want to be like that!”

Poof.  Four decades have passed, and I am indeed getting old!  I don’t feel like it, but that doesn’t stop the incessant turning of the calendar pages.

So I was delighted to come across these verses from Psalm 92 that cast aging in a positive light:

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him” (vs. 12-15).

Palm trees do indeed flourish, living up to 100 years.  Withstanding heat, drought, and high winds, these trees stand tall and strong; their leaves fresh and green all year long.

 

What a perfect picture of an energetic, sparkly eyed senior citizen! 

How do we achieve such age-defying qualities? 

First, notice that the righteous will flourish.  When our faith is grounded in God, when we follow his principles for a prosperous life, we flourish.

Like the palm tree that grows straight up toward heaven, the righteous reach for the God of heaven.  That’s how they’re able to stand strong through the winds of change and difficult circumstances.

The psalmist then continues:  “The righteous will…grow like a cedar of Lebanon.”

Majestic cedar trees grow to 120 feet in height and up to 30 feet in circumference.  They provide the perfect picture of a firm, stable person.  Just as the cedar’s roots go deep into the soil, so the righteous person is rooted and grounded in God’s love (Ephesians 3:17).  From those roots comes the nourishment needed to remain strong and spiritually healthy.

Second, notice where these trees are planted:  in the house of the Lord.  They flourish in the courts of our God.

Charles Spurgeon, that eloquent preacher and writer of the 1800s, had this to say about those who dwell in habitual fellowship with God:  “They shall become men [and women] of full growth, rich in grace, happy in experience, mighty in influence, honored and honorable.”  Now that sounds like a very satisfying way to live—so much better than the opposite!

Think of a complaining oldster whose mouth turns down from constant disgruntlement.  His bottom lip protrudes from perpetual pouting, and his brow is permanently lowered into a frown because anger often rules his emotions.  All this negativity has stunted the growth of his maturity.  He’s unhappy much of the time, and is not held in high regard by others.  Do you suppose he ever considers that his way of life is terribly unsatisfying?   

However!  When our lives are centered upon worship of God, as we express gratitude for his blessings, praise for his attributes, contentment for where he’s placed us, and joy in the midst of trials, we become those admirable men and women Dr. Spurgeon described above:  mature, gracious, and happy.

Dr. Spurgeon also added “mighty in influence and honored.”  God rewards the righteous aged with “fruit.”  In other words, we may still bring glory to God by our words and actions—well into old age.

We can be:

  • Energetic—with the power of the Holy Spirit
  • sparkly-eyed—with the indwelling of God’s peace
  • grace-filled—with continual demonstrations of God’s love to others
  • joyful—with hearts focused on God’s blessings

These kinds of saints provide a powerful example of God’s faithfulness—through pleasant times and challenges, through plenty and want, year after year.

May we continue to grow deep and stand tall—all the days of our lives.

(photo credits:  www.pachd.com, www.captainkimo.com, www.forestertreeservice.com, www.centrifueleadership.com, www.seniors.ovetoknow.com)

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Fireflies in the Dark

Posted in Appreciation, Blessings, Encouragement, God's Goodness, God's Love, tagged , , , on July 15, 2013| 14 Comments »

“Come on, Mommy!  Let’s catch fireflies!”

Each evening, while visiting her uncle’s home in the Midwest, our granddaughter, Sophie, wanted to capture those glowing insects.  Where she lives in the Pacific Northwest, the little creatures do not abound.

I, too, was visiting Sophie’s uncle (my son) and delighted in those fireflies as much as she did.  That’s because Steve and I have lived in Florida for over thirty years, and although a habitat map for fireflies includes our state, I’ve never seen one here.

During our visit, we’d all sit on the front porch in the evening.  Sophie and I, in particular, would watch for the magical moment when the soft, silent glimmering would begin.

The fireflies drifted up from the grass and lilies of the valley in front of the house.  Just a few at first.  But soon there were too many to count.

I became curious about whether they blink at even intervals or not.  Since they move slowly, it was quite easy to choose one, follow its course, and count the seconds between blinks.  I can confidently report that this particular variety (There are over 2000 world-wide!) chooses to blink at random, although within a range of 4-6 seconds.

As soon as the first firefly was spotted, Sophie was off the porch and into the yard with her jar.  She took great joy in the catching, but kindly released them when it was time for bed.

We’d say good-bye as each one took flight from the edge of the jar.  I gave them names.

“Good-bye, Floyd!”

“Sleep well, Beulah!”

“See you again tomorrow night, Fred!”

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These images came to mind as I read, “Love in the Dark,” by Danielle Ayers Jones–a meaningful post for the (in)courage blog, July 9.  She wrote about experiencing God’s love, even in the midst of dark, hard, confusing, even seemingly hopeless circumstances.  Joseph was her example.

As I read, I thought of those fireflies in the dark we had witnessed just the week before.  The soft glimmer, blinking here and there, reminded me: the steadfast love and favor of God glimmers here and there in all circumstances—including the hard, confusing times. Sometimes it’s an encouraging word from a friend, a Bible verse that speaks directly to our situation, or an unexpected God-incident that ministers to our hearts.

That word unexpected highlights how our God works.  He likes to surprise us sometimes.  His glowing love gifts often come randomly, not at precise intervals.

We have to keep alert or we might miss the blessings.

But the more alert we become, the more we’ll see—until we can no longer keep count.

 What fireflies have glowed in the night for you?  In other words, how has God’s love penetrated the darkness in your life? Please share your experience in the comment section below.

(Art & photo credits:  www.headofleslie.com; addins.wwa.com; http://www.charlottesfancy.com)

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Undeserved Goodness–Part 1

Posted in Blessings, God, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Love, God's Provision, Uncategorized, tagged , on June 24, 2013| 9 Comments »

 

G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.

Many of us are familiar with that definition of God’s grace, based on Ephesians 1:7-8.

I like Matthew Henry’s definition, too:

Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind.

But I’m left wondering:  What are those riches?  What does God’s goodness  look like?

The first undeserved favors we might think of include forgiveness, salvation, his peace and presence, guidance and joy.  But surely there are more.  How many more?  I began to keep a list.  It currently includes forty-seven aspects of grace.

Perhaps you’ll be awed and inspired as I was, contemplating the overwhelming riches that God supplies.  All because of the price Jesus paid for us at the cross.  Each one deserves careful thought, because each is a precious treasure.   I’ll share twenty-three of them today, and the rest on Thursday.  You’ll notice they’re organized in alphabetical order.  A hierarchy would have been impossible.

GOD’S GRACE INCLUDES:

1.  Unconditional ACCEPTANCE no matter what we’ve done (Luke 15:11-24).

2.  Confident ACCESS to God, to talk to him any time, day or night (Hebrews 4:16).

3.  Loving ADOPTION into his forever family (Ephesians 1:5).

4.  Faithful ATTENTION to our prayers (Psalm 6:9).

5.  Rich BLESSINGS to all who call upon him (Romans 10:12).

6. Attentive CARE through life’s ups and downs (1 Peter 5:7).

7.  Compassionate COMFORT when we’re afflicted (Isaiah 49:13).

8.  Trustworthy COUNSEL, offering guidance for the best way to live (Psalm 73:24).

9.  Promised DELIVERANCE on which to set our hope (2 Corinthians 1:10).

10. Strong EMPOWERMENT to do what he asks , which is always in our best interest (Acts 1:8).

11. Continual FAVOR as a child of the King (Proverbs 8:35).

12.  Augmented FELLOWSHIP with other Christians (1 John 1:7).

13. Complete FORGIVENESS for our sins (Hebrews 8:12).

14. Liberating FREEDOM from sin, death, worry, and fear (Romans 8:1-2).

15.  Satisfying FRUITFULNESS for a productive life (Philippians 1:10-11).

16. Special GIFTS of the Spirit, not for just a few stellar believers, but for everyone (1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

17. Glorious HEAVEN to look forward to, with a place for each of us (John 14:2-3).

18. Competent HELP that is always near (Psalm 115:11).

19. The powerful HOLY SPIRIT, who is constantly working for us and in us (John 16:13, Romans 8:26-27).

20. Enduring HOPE which renews our strength (Psalm 62:5; Isaiah 40:31).

21. Reliable INSIGHT into God’s Word and how we can apply it to everyday living (2 Timothy 1:7).

22.Overflowing JOY, independent of circumstances (Psalm 16:11).

23. Unfailing JUSTIFICATION, because the God of the universe has declared us “not guilty” (Romans 3:23-24).

THINK OF IT:

THINK OF IT:

At the moment each person invites Jesus into his or her life, all of these riches become instantly available.  Yet there are more.  I hope you’ll be looking forward to Thursday’s list.

(Art and Photo credits:  biblicallyshapedblogspot.com , wonders.wallpaperdave.com, gracefreak.dan.wordpress.com, barnabasonline.net, mintools.com/gifts-list.)

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A Mindful God

Posted in Blessings, Encouragement, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Love, God's Power, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 3, 2013| 14 Comments »

Years ago, Mom taught me a neat trick for those times when I can’t remember the name of someone or something.

“Go through the alphabet,” she suggested. “Usually a letter will stand out, and it will jog your memory.”

No doubt many of you have discovered the same strategy.

Now that I’m getting older, it has occurred to me: Is it my imagination, or am I using the alphabet to jog my memory more than I used to?

That question brought a silly visualization to my mind. Who is the oldest Person we know? God–he has always existed, even before time itself, right?

What if he experienced memory challenges? I can see him with his elbow propped on the throne, stroking the thick, white wool of his beard, the other hand tapping absent-mindedly against the folds of his glowing robe. He’s talking out loud to himself (another habit of the elderly).

“Oh, what is her name? I can see her face…She’s one of our brown-eyed, brown-haired children. I just love deep, dark eyes…Isn’t she the one We blessed with a raise, even though she didn’t ask for it? Oh, what is her name?”

I told you it was silly. God doesn’t have memory problems! He is all-powerful and all-knowing. Actually, considering his magnificent splendor, it’s really quite amazing he cares about us at all.

David wrote, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him” (Psalm 8:4)?

Mindful. I like that. God’s mind is full of us. He not only knows our names, he knows the number of hairs on each of our heads (Matthew 10:30). It stands to reason God knows our favorite colors, and what each of us was doing ten years ago today.

And when we consider he has planets, moons, and stars to orchestrate, it is no small wonder he concerns himself with such little specks as us.

Another psalmist wrote, “The Lord remembers us and will bless us” (Psalm 115:12a).

Not only does he remember who we are, he remembers our needs and blesses us accordingly.

Meditate on that concept for a moment. God supplies our every need.

James Janeway, a Puritan minister and author of the seventeenth century, said that such contemplations are enough to launch us forth into an ocean of goodness, where you can see no shore, nor feel the bottom. I like that, too.

Here’s another concept worthy of careful thought: God’s mindfulness did not begin when each of us was born. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). Could our days have been recorded without God’s knowledge? No. That means we have been on his mind since before each of our birth dates.

And last, God’s mindfulness will never end. He will continue to be mindful of us in the future, into infinity. “I will never stop doing good to them” (Jeremiah 32:40), He said. And “I will never forget you” (Isaiah 49:15b).

Oh, Father, thank you for your constant, caring attention. Thank you for your ocean of goodness from which you bless us. In return, may I be mindful of you, remembering the wonders you have done, your miracles (Psalm 105:5a). I want to praise you continually, and forget not one of all your benefits (103:2).

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