It was a dreary day, raining and cloudy, and I would have much rather been curled up at home instead of working. The positive side was that perhaps the rain would clear the air of all the spring pollen. All the sniffling, sneezing, and itching of the past few weeks might be over. That got me to thinking.
There are times in our lives that 'spiritual pollen' irritates us. You know the kind, the lack of money, stress, arguments, etc. The things that turn on focus to the negative things in our life. Sometimes this pollen is an attack from our enemy, the devil. He is out to make our lives miserable, to destroy us. Other times, this pollen is self made. Perhaps that decision we make that doesn't turn out the way we expected. Either way, spiritual pollen can make us miserable.
Back to the rainy day. I arrived home from work and we decided to treat ourselves by going out to dinner. Of course, about that time it began pouring down rain. But we didn't let that deter us. Out we went. As we were leaving the restaurant, we noticed the rain had stopped and the sky was starting to clear. It was then we saw it. The brightest rainbow, full of color. We just sat in the parking lot, marveling. It was still there when we got home, just as bright as could be. I knocked on our neighbor's door so she could see this awesome rainbow. We were all just standing there in silent admiration. That got me to thinking again.
A rainbow, God's promise to us. But rainbows are only created after a rain. The rain that clears the air of irritants. I began thinking of how good God is! Even though we may experience spiritual pollen like adversarial attacks and such, God, in His mercy and grace, sends His Spirit to reign.
So, the next time you experience a rainy day, think about how God is not only clearing the air but also your soul. Then, when the rain is over, look up for a rainbow.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Don't Slap God
Now that the weather is starting to warm up its time to dig out those spring clothes from last year. And if you're anything like me, you find things you've forgotten about. Its almost like free shopping. Then disaster strikes as you attempt to put on those pants you bought last year. Not only can you not zip them, you can't even button them around your waist! Then you try for that pretty flowered shirt. Strange, I didn't remember it being THAT form fitting last year. My first thoughts are usually along the lines of “I'm so fat!”. Then I start criticizing myself, which leads to being in a foul mood.
Then there are those bad hair days. You know the ones, no matter how hard you try you can't get your hair to do what you want it to. It won't curl, won't straighten, won't do anything! Agghhh! At that point you think, and maybe even say, “I hate my hair!”. That sets you up for being irritable.
We all have those times in our lives where we become so critical of ourselves that we begin to believe our life is horrid. We think things like, I hate my body, I hate the way I look, why did God make me this way, etc. When we feel like this and think on these things, we are insulting our Creator. It is like slapping God in the face.
You see, God created us. He knew how we would look, decisions we would make, where we would be working, etc. Psalm 139:13 “For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb.”
He knew, before we were even born, what would be occuring in our lives on this day, at this moment. So for us to criticize ourselves, and others, it is like criticizing our God. Even though things make not be the way we want them to be, or we may not look like we want, we are still made in His image. If things aren't going the way we want, ask God for help. Remember Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you,says the Lord,thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
Then there are those bad hair days. You know the ones, no matter how hard you try you can't get your hair to do what you want it to. It won't curl, won't straighten, won't do anything! Agghhh! At that point you think, and maybe even say, “I hate my hair!”. That sets you up for being irritable.
We all have those times in our lives where we become so critical of ourselves that we begin to believe our life is horrid. We think things like, I hate my body, I hate the way I look, why did God make me this way, etc. When we feel like this and think on these things, we are insulting our Creator. It is like slapping God in the face.
You see, God created us. He knew how we would look, decisions we would make, where we would be working, etc. Psalm 139:13 “For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb.”
He knew, before we were even born, what would be occuring in our lives on this day, at this moment. So for us to criticize ourselves, and others, it is like criticizing our God. Even though things make not be the way we want them to be, or we may not look like we want, we are still made in His image. If things aren't going the way we want, ask God for help. Remember Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you,says the Lord,thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
Monday, March 12, 2012
Take a Hike!
Friends of mine are avid hikers, and not those little walks through a national park. I'm talking about days, and sometimes weeks, of hiking. In talking with them, I never realized all the preparations that are made prior to their trip. I guess I thought you just packed some clothes and food and took off walking. I was so wrong! It could take weeks to months of planning depending on the destination. The first leg is to select a starting and end point. Then you have to check weather forecasts, determine how many miles you think you cover in a day, and begin gathering the provisions you will need. Tent, sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, first aid kit, etc. When packing for an extended hike, you need to keep in mind that you will be carrying all these things, usually in a backpack.
Then they made an interesting statement, its not the actual hike that is so hard, it is the preparations. They recounted stories of some of the mistakes they made and how they learned to prepare better. Of how the first hike was short, just a weekend. Slowly, their hikes became longer, lasting a week, two weeks, etc. In fact, each trip they learn new ways to make the next hike easier. Along their travels they meet hikers with more experience who share their adventures and errors. My friends learn from them, too.
I began thinking how much this sounds like our Christian walk. As we journey through this life, we have hills and mountains to climb. And we all know some of those mountains can be tough! But God has given us provisions. We have packed faith, His word, His spirit, etc in our hearts. He has given us experiences that we learn from that will enable us to get past the tough spots. And along the way, we encounter others who can share the benefits of their own spiritual mountain climbing.
Keep in mind that no matter the size of the mountain, God will not have us hike up one we are not ready for. God is our Father, and no father would have their child take a trip they were not ready to handle. I know some of the trails I have hiked were very challenging. There were times I didn't think I could endure. But then, there ahead, I could see the top. So we continue, the sight of our goal pushing us forward.
My friends truly enjoy the challenges of hiking. One of the many reasons is to experience the grand views from the top of a mountain. Are you ready for the challenge? May each of our days be in preparation for our climb to a mountain top. Let's get hiking!
Then they made an interesting statement, its not the actual hike that is so hard, it is the preparations. They recounted stories of some of the mistakes they made and how they learned to prepare better. Of how the first hike was short, just a weekend. Slowly, their hikes became longer, lasting a week, two weeks, etc. In fact, each trip they learn new ways to make the next hike easier. Along their travels they meet hikers with more experience who share their adventures and errors. My friends learn from them, too.
I began thinking how much this sounds like our Christian walk. As we journey through this life, we have hills and mountains to climb. And we all know some of those mountains can be tough! But God has given us provisions. We have packed faith, His word, His spirit, etc in our hearts. He has given us experiences that we learn from that will enable us to get past the tough spots. And along the way, we encounter others who can share the benefits of their own spiritual mountain climbing.
Keep in mind that no matter the size of the mountain, God will not have us hike up one we are not ready for. God is our Father, and no father would have their child take a trip they were not ready to handle. I know some of the trails I have hiked were very challenging. There were times I didn't think I could endure. But then, there ahead, I could see the top. So we continue, the sight of our goal pushing us forward.
My friends truly enjoy the challenges of hiking. One of the many reasons is to experience the grand views from the top of a mountain. Are you ready for the challenge? May each of our days be in preparation for our climb to a mountain top. Let's get hiking!
Monday, March 5, 2012
In the Shadows
On a recent day, I was driving along when I looked over at the mountains. It was the middle of winter and yet they were beautiful! There was no lush greenery or the autumn colors of the leaves, just the sun casting shadows. I never realized that shadows could be so beautiful.
That is what got me to thinking. There must be light for shadows to exist. Even a small amount of light creates shadows. Remember when we were kids and laughed at how much bigger we looked in our shadow?
In the Book of Psalms (Ps 91:1), David tells us “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].”
What a great verse to meditate on! First things first. What is the 'secret place'? I believe it is a place we come to in our relationship with God. We all have our secret spots, be it a secluded place on the beach, under the tree in our yard, or just a room in our house. It doesn't really matter where that place is, its the place we go to be alone, to get away, to clear our minds. God's secret place is sort of like that. The difference is, we can go there anytime. The secret place of God is where you meet Him.
It is there we commune with our Father. We love, we learn, we follow. Imagine this, following God in such closeness that we are hidden in His shadow! Since we live in a world that has so much darkness, our light radiates from God. And if we stay so close to Him that we are in His shadow, our enemies won't even see us. All they will see is God's shadow. How awesome is that!
That is what got me to thinking. There must be light for shadows to exist. Even a small amount of light creates shadows. Remember when we were kids and laughed at how much bigger we looked in our shadow?
In the Book of Psalms (Ps 91:1), David tells us “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].”
What a great verse to meditate on! First things first. What is the 'secret place'? I believe it is a place we come to in our relationship with God. We all have our secret spots, be it a secluded place on the beach, under the tree in our yard, or just a room in our house. It doesn't really matter where that place is, its the place we go to be alone, to get away, to clear our minds. God's secret place is sort of like that. The difference is, we can go there anytime. The secret place of God is where you meet Him.
It is there we commune with our Father. We love, we learn, we follow. Imagine this, following God in such closeness that we are hidden in His shadow! Since we live in a world that has so much darkness, our light radiates from God. And if we stay so close to Him that we are in His shadow, our enemies won't even see us. All they will see is God's shadow. How awesome is that!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)