Guess What!!.....

















Today is Tuesday (it's going to be Tuesday when you read this) and I am driving to Florida!
Now, that might not be a big deal to most of you, but what it means to me is that I get to drive for eight hours - that's right, I'm going to Disney World!!
See you on the other side :0)

Image

I had this thought a while ago during one of my treadmill workouts. I had forgotten about it until I was sitting at my computer today.
So I’m sharing the thought now…

So many people are searching for justice and love. But the truth of it is, Jesus is the personification of all of the things people are searching for in their lives.

He embodied justice and mercy on the cross.
God is love, and Jesus is the “image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15)
We search for acceptance, and Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery (John 8) and yet he told her to leave her life of sin.

I’m sure there are others, but I can’t think of any more.
Feel free to add your own to the list.

Refreshing

You know what happened last night?
It rained right here in Auburn, with the works:
thunder, lightening, downpours.
How long has it been since I last heard the sound of
water on pavement, roof or window?
And it came just when the sun was going down so the
water would have time to soak the ground!
God is so good!

Reminders

Have you ever looked up into the sky, in that big blue with the white fluffy clouds and wondered what things are really there, yet hidden from our eyes. That thought struck me the other day.
And I am reminded of that passage in 2 Kings 6 where the prophet Elisha and his servant are surrounded by soldiers, sent by a king who was ticked off that Elisha was all up in his business.

"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. 'Oh, my lord, what shall we do?' the servant asked.
'Don't be afraid,' the prophet answered. 'Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'
And Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha...

How much would our faith be increased if we could see with the eyes of the prophet, or maybe with the eyes of our hearts (Ephesians 1). To be reminded that all that exists is not material.

I also have been reminded twice in the last week that I am not from around these parts.
One older gentleman, named Tom, from our realty company came to our house to spray for bugs and check up on things. I answered the door for him and we started a conversation, and about one minute into our discusion he looked at me cocked his head to one side and said, "You're not from around here are you?" He didn't say it in an offensive way, but just to clarify.

Then Tuesday I went to a men's morning Bible study and we went around the room and each person said his name and where he's from. The states included Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina (I don't remember any Georgias, but that's usually common as well. Then it was my turn and I said upstate New York (emphasis on the upstate). "A real live Yankee" was one comment.

Nope, not from around these parts, much like Abraham; the father of our faith. It's too easy to get comfortable in the day in, day out routine. We forget that this is just a transition. That's something else that Tom reminded me of: "This is just a stop for you. Lord knows where you'll be 2 or 5 years," he said. But then that's true of all who hope in Christ, who hope in that resurrection of the dead where we leave these earthly shells to have eternal bodies.

And the words to Rich Mullins' song, Step by Step go through my head one more time.

"And when I think of Abraham, how one star he saw had been lit for me.
He was a stranger in that land. I am that no less than he.
And on this road to righteousness, sometimes the climb can be so steep.
I may falter in my steps, but never beyond Your reach."

Children

I was sitting at the local Panera Bread Co. and, taking a rest from my reading, I glanced around the room. I saw two children, one probably about 7 years old and the other no older than 3. They were playing or running, or any combination of the two...sure it was inside but they're kids, that's what they do. The mom walked past and she had this exasperated look on her face.

I think it's funny that parents forget that their kids are kids and want them not to pester you or annoy you or just be quiet. But they're kids. They may not remember five minutes ago when you told them no, so you have to say it again...or maybe they do but they want to know how tolerant you are going to be of disobedience. Sure, kids test their parents but they also have fun...it's actually their job to have fun. I mean, what else are they going to do...they don't really have any marketable skills...at least not in our society. But parents so easily lose patience with their kids because they have forgotten what it's like to be a kid. Parents are so used to being adults that they forgot what it's like not being an adult, and expect their kids to act like adults, and that just never works.

And what of God. I was reading in the first epistle of John this morning and time after time he refers to his audience as children of God. If we are children and God is our Father then why do we get so frustrated with ourselves when we have trouble walking, or talking or developing in other spiritual ways. I can't remember where this passage is found, but somewhere in scripture it says that God knows we are dust. Sure, He expects us to mature and grow in our knowledge of Him, just as we expect children to walk by the age of 2 or be off their nook by the age of 2 or three (four or five year olds still walking around with pacifiers is another matter).

I think that God gives us special enabling to understand and grow more and more, and we rely on Him more and more. But I think that when we are frustrated by our struggles or seeming lack of growth, we fall further backward, or stunt our progress more than just falling, standing back up and going on. Take courage, realize when you fall, ask God to give you strength and courage, and go on with Him. Don't dwell on it; confess it and go on... in and by His grace.