AWSMGOD

“How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!”  Psalm 47:2

Not all that long ago I was working my way home through rush hour traffic, and got to a point where traffic is always particularly bad.  Well, that day the traffic was even worse than usual, and I sat on the ramp just to get into the main lines of traffic for what seemed like forever.  I listened to the radio and all I could hear was how bad the traffic was everywhere, and what a mess the world was in.

Really?  I needed the radio to tell me that?  Tell me something good, for Pete’s sake!  After all, I needed to hear something good after a long day that seemed only to be getting longer by the minute.

Traffic inched along, and finally I was nearing the actual entrance point to the highway.  At a near stand-still, I was preparing myself mentally for the fight to squeeze in somewhere.  A woman in an SUV  was in the main lane along side of me, and there was a gap in front of her car.  I looked at her and smiled, hoping she wouldn’t mind if I tried to get into the lane at that point.

Apparently, I was wrong.

I looked carefully around and just as I started to make my way into the spot, she gunned her SUV and closed the spot.  Are you kidding?  What was that all about?  I wasn’t trying to push her over, just trying to get into the lane at a point where there was enough room for my car.  I wasn’t happy at all, but I refrained from offering up any gestures.

Thankfully, the truck behind her must have seen what just happened, and the gentleman driving kindly let me in.  Now I was behind the woman who was just so rude to me.  I unclenched my teeth, and when the oxygen made its way back to my head I noticed her license plate: AWSMGOD

Oh, please… this woman really had the nerve to put that on her license plate?  HAH!  Apparently either her name was God and she loved herself, or she forgot that a license plate like that might just hold you to a little higher standard.  Either way, I was compelled to laugh at the whole thing.  The truck driving who let me in probably got a good laugh, too.

After I stopped laughing, I started to think about the fact that the reason I’ve never put a Christian decal or anything on my car is because I know I behave badly when I’m behind the wheel.  Seriously.  I’m not going to lie and tell you that I think all of these perfect, Christiany thoughts when I’m driving.  On the contrary.  I’m a nasty sinner behind the wheel.  I tend to be a lead-foot, always on the lookout for … “the man”, my hands are clearly not in God’s will when someone cuts me off, I yell (as if the other guy can hear me), and yes, a few not so nice words come out of my mouth from time to time, too.  Consequently, I never thought that a Christian bumper sticker would do me, or God, any good.  That got me to thinking.

If I love God, why do I behave so badly?  After all, isn’t He exactly what David described in his Psalm?  Isn’t He awesome, most high, and King over everything?  He is indeed!  And I do want to be more worthy of Him.  I know it isn’t easy to behave well all the time.  And God knows that too.  After all, didn’t he also tell us to be angry but sin not?  Paul struggled with it.  Remember when he said that the things I don’t want to do are the exact things I do?  Well, me too.  I don’t get in my car hoping to throw a fit.  I don’t drive along looking for people to annoy with my own bad behavior.

When we tell the world we are Christians, like it or not we are held to the standard set by Christ.  No one expects us to be as perfect as Christ, but they do expect us to behave a bit better than those who don’t know Him.  The more we know, in our hearts, just how truly awesome God is, and how amazing it is that He sent Christ to die for us, then we want to behave better, in a way more fitting of being His child.

Next time I get on the highway, I have to remind myself of how blessed I am to be a child of an awesome God, and that makes me a child of the Most High.  And hopefully, if you accidentally cut me off, I’ll remember that you’re His child too.

Lord, thank you for reminding us every day of your awesomeness and perfect holiness.  I praise you, and thank you for being so loving toward me… toward us.  Thank you for forgiving me when I completely screw up, and for being able to turn every moment of my life, especially the bad moments, into times that I can learn to be more like Christ.  I ask for your wisdom and love, and thank you for every blessing that you’ve given me.  I thank you for the unending abundance that you’ve graced me with, through Jesus your Son.  In His name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2013.  All rights reserved.

 

Oh, Brother!

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”  Matthew 5:23-24

I had the most bizarre, strange, unexpected, but yes, wonderful experience last week.  My brother-in-law showed up at my front door.  Now, you’re probably wondering why this is so strange.  Well, for starters, I live on the east coast, and my brother-in-law lives on the west coast.

Was he in my neighborhood on business?  Nope.  Was he visiting another friend or relative?  Nope.

Had my husband spoken with him recently?  Nope…..nope.

Could that have been why?

Yup!

To make a long story short, my husband and his brother hadn’t spoken at all in over a year.  The family grew apart when my father-in-law needed to be in assisted living, and right or wrong, my husband felt as though he was being shut out any discussions about his father’s care.  What started off as frequent phone calls and a lot of sharing of ideas had dwindled down to an occasional email or text message, and maybe a card around the holidays.  I can’t tell you if it was outright anger, or just feelings on all sides of being slighted or ignored, but a once-close family grew very far apart over time.  And no one seemed to be budging on any side.

So one day last week the doorbell rang, and my husband went to answer it.  I was pecking away on some work, so I stayed in my office, and didn’t pay much attention.  I heard my husband talking to someone, and the talking continued for quite a while.  After a few hours, I thought “who on earth could he be talking to?”  so I walked out to see what was going on.  My husband invited me into the room, and there, around the corner, was my brother-in-law!  You could have knocked me over!  Really?!

Yes!

The very first thing that popped into my head were these words that Jesus told us: “go and be reconciled to your brother”.  I think my smile went from ear to ear, and I hugged him.  I can’t tell you how thankful I was to see my brother-in-law standing in my house, wanting to reconcile with his brother.  I can imagine that God was thankful, too.  And I can understand why that is so very important to God.  We are told to love one another.  That doesn’t mean that we have to love everything that someone does.  It doesn’t mean that we have to be supportive of someone else’s bad or immoral behavior.  And it doesn’t mean that we have to be very best friends, either.  But it does mean that we should want in our hearts to be at peace with others.  And when we open ourselves to that peace with others, God’s peace with us can flow more freely.

Are you at peace with your brother, or sister….or friend…or co-worker?  If not, leave your gift in front of the altar, and go and be reconciled!

Lord, you are so loving to tell us how to be at be at peace with you and those around us.  Thank you for showing us the path to your heart.  Thank you for the opportunity to reconcile with our “brothers”.  And thank you for the brothers that show up on our doorsteps to be reconciled to us.  Lord, open our hearts so that we can see our own arrogance, and help us to be open to being reconciled with those who’ve hurt us, or offended us, or who we have allowed to grow away from us.  Lord, teach us how to remain at peace with others, and to avoid those things that hinder our relationships with others, and with you.  Thank you for hearing our prayer, Lord.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD.  2013.  All rights reserved.

Crippled no more

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer–at three in the afternoon.  Now a man crippled from birth as being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.  When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.  Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”  So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.   Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.   He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.   When all the people saw him walking and praising God,  they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”   Acts 3:1-10

I have a physical defect in my arm that I was apparently born with – a few bones were fused together that shouldn’t have been, and because of that I can’t turn arm over so that the palm of my hand faces up.  It’s weird, and my arm doesn’t look like anything is wrong with it, and it doesn’t really bother me.  I’ve had to make some adaptations in my life because of it, but it never really stopped me from doing much.

I wish I could tell you that my little defect was the only thing I had to deal with, but in reality, I have a bigger defect.

I am a spiritual cripple.  In the worst way.  I was born that way.  And what makes it worse is that, unlike in the case of my arm, I have allowed my condition to define and dictate my life.  I AM that crippled man at the gate called Beautiful.  Like him, I’ve spent many times in my life hanging around places where other, “well” people circulate – you know – more important people, more successful people, richer people, beautiful people, happier people, you name it…hoping that I might get a few of the crumbs they leave behind.  I’ve waited for others to be my providers of the things that I thought might help me, change me, make me special…whatever.  I believed, from as early as I can remember, that those things – the wonderful, joyful, successful, happy things – belonged to other people, but not to me.  Like the crippled man, I’ve watched others pass me by, never believing that I could have what they have.

Well, I was wrong.  So very wrong.  I have an unopened gift that needs to be opened.  A gift that is, by its nature, the thing I need the most.  I have the gift of Jesus, who died to set me free from my afflictions, defects, sins, mental blocks, hangups, screw-ups, my past, my negative thoughts – the shackles I have forged for myself in this life.  In HIS name I must get up from my spot as a crippled beggar, and WALK!  I am capable, blessed, loved, and I matter, because JESUS said that I am all of those things THROUGH and IN HIM!  I need to ACT LIKE IT!  And I am compelled to tell you about it!  Why?  Because Jesus died to set you free too!  In Christ’s equation, we need only accept His gift to be set free from our defects, and IN HIM we can do all things.  ALL things!

Today is a new day!

Heavenly Father, thank you for this amazing message from your word.  Thank you for telling each one of us that we don’t have to be a crippled beggar, but that we are worthy to walk in you, and in your light, and enter through the gate called Beautiful.  Thank you for the blessings that you give us, and the mercies you give us every day.  Thank you for giving us a hope in you.  Lord, we ask for the wisdom to remember these things every day.  Bless us with renewed hope every day.  Remind us, every day, that you have given us a future, even when circumstances look dark.  Hold us up and strengthen us as we walk in your way.  Forgive us for our doubt, bad attitudes, and bad behaviors.  Always bring us back to your word, and restore us.  Thank you for all that you do for us, and are to us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Do you love me?

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”  Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”  The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”   John 21:15-17

Peter wasn’t your average kind of guy… or was he?  Let’s see…he had plenty of doubts – about everything.  He had run-ins with his co-workers and got rather annoyed when his boss tried to tell him how to do his job.  He didn’t meet the performance goals he set, over-promising and under-delivering.  He flew off the handle, had a brush with the law, and nearly got arrested for assault.  He was moody and fickle, and had a hard time saying “I’m sorry.”  And after his feelings were hurt, he had a hard time saying “I love you.”

Gee, Peter sounds a bit like someone I know.  Someone like…..me.

And what is more astonishing, is that despite all of those bad attitudes and poor choices, Jesus still loved Peter, and wanted Peter to love him back.

Words, the “I love you” words, are sometimes very hard to speak.  When you were a kid, did you ever get a talking-to by a parent, and then they dared to ask if you still loved them?  If you were like me, maybe you looked away, or down at your feet while your toe traced a line in the nap of the carpet.  Maybe your first response to them “yeah…whatever….” or something like that.  But when you were finally worn down, and admitted to loving them back, everything changed.  Didn’t it?  And so it was with Peter.

To refresh your memory, Peter denied Jesus three times when Jesus was crucified.  Peter messed up, and in a big way, but Jesus knew that would happen.  So after Jesus rose from the dead, He went back to be with his disciples, and there was Peter.  Peter’s encounter with Jesus was transforming in so many ways.  Not only did Jesus specifically want to address their relationship, in a general way, but Jesus wanted to know that Peter’s heart was genuinely changed, and that Peter was in a position to carry on with Jesus’ work on earth by feeding “his sheep”.  Jesus asked Peter….”Do you truly love me?”  That meant with everything you have and all of your being, not just in a friendly way.  And Peter’s response was a sort of “yeah…you know…” kind of moment.  I can almost picture Peter looking down at his feet, and drawing that line on the floor with his toe.  So Jesus asked him again, and got the same kind of answer.  But that third time…the press that Jesus applied to Peter’s heart, finally got a heart response.  Jesus asked Peter, basically, that if you don’t “truly” love me, do you at least love me like a friend?  Peter was annoyed with Jesus when he pressed for a better answer.  But it was that hard, persistent pressing that got Peter to give Jesus a real, honest response.  Peter finally admitted that he knew in his heart that Jesus knows all things, and that Jesus knew that Peter loved him.  And that’s exactly what Jesus wanted to hear – an acknowledgement that Peter totally messed up, but that despite those mess-ups that Jesus KNEW that Peter still loved him.

When Jesus heard that honest, brash response, Jesus knew that Peter was really ready to love him back.  Peter was also ready to have his ministry restored.  Peter was a changed man, and Jesus knew it.

Are you a changed person?  Are you ready for restoration?  Can you say those words when Jesus calls?  Do you love him?

Lord, thank you for being so willing to press us.  Thank you for loving us when we don’t even know how to love you back.  Thank you for your willingness to restore our lives, even if we don’t deserve it.  We need you, and know in our hearts that we need you.  Lord, we ask for your love and presence when we search our hearts, and bring us to want to come clean with you.  Bless us, even when we don’t deserve it, and let us know that you love us as we walk through life and the challenges we face.  As Peter said, we know that you know all things, including our hearts.  We ask you to hold us up, and keep us strong, when the world is hard and we are pressed by it.  But we want YOUR pressing and deliverance.  Thank you for giving so much for us.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Lying Lips

“The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”  1 John 2:4

Are you a liar?  Hmmm…..

Do you claim to know Christ, but yet you fail to do what He tells us to do?  Well, do you?

If we inspect our lives, we can always find times and ways in which we fall short of God’s commands.  Let’s face it, we’re part of a sinful, fallen world.  Some of those times and ways are more obvious than others.  I know that there are plenty of ways that I fall short.  And God knows that.  So what does God do about our failures?  He gives us a way to be forgiven – through repentance.  Through the truth.  Through Christ.  That requires that we see those sinful things as sin, though.  And that we really do want to be closer to God, and that we really do want to be close to Him, and be His child.

But what if we claim to be a child of God, one of Christ’s redeemed, but yet we fail to obey God, and continue to insist that our own way is better than God’s way?  What if we engage in sin and celebrate that sin rather than repent from it, because, after all, we “know better” or are more “tolerant” than what the Bible teaches?  That sounds like a very harsh thing to say, but we know that some do take that path.  When we thumb our nose at God, despite having paid lip service to being “saved”, we demonstrate to God that we never really accepted the gift of salvation.  We see ourselves as smarter than God, more in tune with the world than God, and yes, better than God.  We’ve seen all too often those who claim Christ because it is a way for them to gain favor with others who value their faith, but who, in the end, never put that claim into practice in their lives.  Perhaps it’s a family member who wants to make someone happy, or to at least get someone off of their back.  Perhaps it’s  a pastor who once thought they felt God’s call on their life, but who never really wanted anything more than to have others look up to them, or to be like them, or to just make money, or to “get away” with bad behaviors because claiming Christ would cause others to trust them – and they lead their flock away from God’s truth as they perpetrate their own sins.  Perhaps it is a politician who claims that they know Christ, but who knows that such claim is blatantly false, and does everything that they can to promote the very things that are evil in God’s sight – like abortion, gay marriage, stealing inheritances, and persecuting Christians – so that they can hold on to their own power.

We must be vigilant and keep our eyes open for these wolves in sheep’s clothing.  We must guard our hearts and minds from these liars, and stay steeped in God’s word so that we don’t go down that same path of destruction.

Lord, we thank you for your word that tells us so plainly what you expect from us, and what is important to you.  Thank you for reminding us that we can’t just pay lip service to loving you, and that we demonstrate the true content of our hearts by and through our actions.  Be with each of us, Lord, every day, to guide us in our walk with you, so that we don’t stumble and fall away from you.  Turn the hearts of liars, so that they may know your truth and seek repentance for their sins.  Lord, bless us and give us wisdom, and strengthen us as we go out into the world today and every day.  Help us to recognize and avoid the lying lips around us, and help us to boldly speak your truth and to stand for that truth.  Thank you, Lord, your blessing and truth.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD.  2012.  All rights reserved.

Those Lazy Days of Summer

” Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”  Proverbs 10:4

Don’t you just love lounging around in the summertime?  I do.  I enjoy laying in my hammock, watching the puffy clouds float by.  I love closing my eyes and feeling the breeze blow over me, listening to the sounds of the leaves rustling on the trees.  Could I enjoy doing those things all day, every day?  Well, catch me in the right mood, and I would tell you that I would.  But let’s face it, aside from getting bored after a while, I know that there are lots of things in life that need to be done before I can truly enjoy that kind of relaxation.  I enjoy relaxing AFTER I’ve done the work that is important to do on any given day.  Solomon knew this.  In Proverbs, Solomon tells us over and over that hard work and diligence produces wealth and abundance, but that excessive sleep and laziness lead to poverty and disgrace.  And Solomon’s words apply to the tangible world and the spiritual world, now and forever.

Really?  Does this mean I have to work for my salvation?

NO!  Not at all!

What it does mean is that we should work to have a vibrant faith so that we can reap the joy of that faith, even when we go through trials, even when life isn’t all hunky dory.  Hard work in this life doesn’t mean that you’ll never go through a trial, or face loss, or that you’ll always have perfect physical health or abundance.  But if you do work hard, you’ll be able to enjoy more of the fruits of that labor that if you just sat around doing nothing.   Well, the same goes for the “work” we invest in our spiritual life.  If we want to enjoy the maximum benefits from our saving faith in God, through Jesus, we are told to draw near to God, and that by doing that, He will draw near to us.  I’ve learned this principle during some of the greatest challenges I’ve ever faced in life, and in many of the day-to-day problems and annoyances that I’ve dealt with along the way.  When my husband went through cancer, I spent time in God’s word, reading his promises and abilities.  I prayed.  And it was hard work, because my head was continually trying to go down a really dark path.  But God comforted me.  He gave me hope.  He reminded me that He is bigger than cancer, bigger than fear, bigger than the here and now.  When I feel afraid about unemployment and lack I pray, and God pulls me into him and puts his loving arms around me, protecting me and caring for me.  He catches my tears, and opens my heart to His peace.  All of those things take work – doing things that you don’t “want” to do at the time, because it’s easier to focus on the darkest things that are the furthest from God.  But when we do the “work” we reap the benefit of God’s blessings, especially in hard places.

So take the time to do your work.  Don’t be lazy, and you will know the wealth and riches of God.

Dear Lord, we thank you for the great promises of sharing your riches in glory with us.  It is so easy to forgo the “work” of knowing you, drawing near to you, and keeping our faith in You, and in your promises.  Father, we ask you for strength – strength to reject the dark path, strength to hold fast to your word, and strength to walk in your ways.  Help us to deny our lazy nature so that we can grow in You.  Bless us with renewal when we do draw near to you.  Be with us always, and hold us up when life leaves us feeling so down.  Thank you for hearing our prayer.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Don’t Look Back

” But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”  Genesis 19:26

If you ever feel like this world is getting more depraved, more unrighteous, and more evil every day, then you know how Lot felt when he was living in Sodom.  So how did Lot get to Sodom in the first place?  Well, he did what many of us do – he looked at the economic opportunities that he believed were available to him and his herdsmen, and decided that moving to Sodom would be both a good business decision and a good personal decision.  Ok, I can understand that.  But what do you do when you realize that the place that you thought had so much hope turns out to be driven by and filled with bad and evil things?

When God gives you the opportunity to leave, you leave.  And you don’t look back.

Lot’s wife drove that point home.  Don’t look back.  You know – that whole pillar of salt thing.  It’s easy to look back at the things we left behind, and be completely unable to move forward in life because of those longings for the good old, bad old days.  And don’t think that Lot’s wife was the only one who did that, either.  What do you think was at the heart of that never-ending trip that the Israelites took – wandering through the desert for 40 years.  Rather than keeping their eyes on the Promised Land ahead of them, they kept whining about everything they left back in Egypt.  Nevermind the fact that they were slaves there.  When I think about all of those desert years I just want to yell at the Israelites through the pages – wake up!  look forward!  DON’T LOOK BACK!

Am I being too critical of these folks?  No.  No, because I’ve learned that I’ve been guilty of exactly the same thing!  What about you?

So why do we even look back?  Because sometimes we don’t know – and I mean really “know” – in our hearts that God has something better for in store for us.  Our fear of the future gives us pause, and we look back – hoping we made the right decision, wishing we had some of the security that we’ve left behind, missing the “freedom” to behave any way we want…you get the picture.

But the bottom line is that if we put our fears away, and put our faith in God, and his amazing goodness and love for us, we can move forward in life with our heads held high, and our eyes set on the future.  God wants us to trust Him, and yes, that can be scary, but when we hold His hand and walk with Him in faith, we never know what wonderful things are waiting for us in our own Promised Land.

Lord, thank you for giving us such hard-hitting examples of what happens when we fail to trust in your goodness.  Forgive me for my own lack of faith.  Lord, help me to keep my eye on the promised land that you have for me, and help me to not be distracted by the things I’ve left behind.  Help me to remember that the things that are behind me are behind me for a reason.  Grant me the wisdom to look forward, and look up, and know in my heart that you are still God, and that you work everything together for my good and your gl0ry.  Thank you for loving me, even when I’m undeserving of that love.  I praise you, Lord, and pray to you in Jesus name.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Grafted In

” Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ”  John 15:4-5

Have you ever been to a vineyard?  Have you ever seen how wine grapes are planted and grown?  It’s actually very interesting, and it has our Father’s hands all over it.

This past weekend my husband and I went to a local vineyard and actually got to participate in planting grapevines.  What we learned set bells off in my head about just what Jesus talked about in John’s gospel.  We learned that to grow a great grape, and end up with abundant, high-quality wine, you have to have a great vine.   Did you know that the finest wines are made from grapes that are grown on branches that are grafted into a hearty vine.   The vines that are the best are ones whose roots grow very deep, even through the most difficult soil, and they have a very special resistance to disease and decay that other vines just don’t have.  These special vines are also willing to receive into them the graft of delicate branches of special kinds of grapes that are perfect for making high quality wines.  The vine actually protects the branches from the diseases and decay that might otherwise harm the branches and the grapes that grow from them.

Does this sound familiar to you?

We are very much like those delicate branches.  We are easily blown around by the winds of society, easily parched by the oppressive heat of our trials in the fire, easily drowned by the flooding torrents of the rain of tears and emotions, and easily brought low by the disease and decay of sin.  But as weak vines we have the hope of restoration, growth and bearing fruit when we allow ourselves to be grafted in to the vine of Christ.  Christ’s roots in the Godhead are deep and strong in even the most difficult soil.  The hope we find in Christ allows us to be refined in the fire of our trials.  The peace we find in Christ gives us calm in the storms and waves the emotions that we experience in life.  Christ’s sacrifice – His love and mercy – His salvation – allows us to break free from the disease and decay, and death, of sin.

And how do we become grafted in to Christ?  The answer is just like it is in the vineyard.  We must be willing to be cut away from our old roots, and allow our own wounds to be bound together with the wounds that Christ received on the cross.  When we hold tight to the sacrificial love of Christ we are joined with Him, and we become strong through Him when we become one with Him.

So if you want to bear good fruit, know that today is a new opportunity to be grafted into the Vine.

Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us your truth in the world around us.  Thank you for giving us examples of your Word in the things that we see every day.  Thank you for the opportunity to be grafted in to your deep, strong roots.  And we know that sometimes being cut away from our old roots can be painful, so help us to look beyond the pain and look forward to our new life in Christ.  Bless us and teach us to bear good fruit.  Help us to remain faithful, and to abide in you when life tosses us around, when trials are long, and when emotions run high.  Thank you for your love, and for caring so much for us.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Contented cows

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

Have you ever watched dairy cows grazing in a field?  Just picture it – a sunny day, buttercups dotting the green fields, a blue sky with just a few white clouds….ah….yes…how serene.  And the cows, well, they mosey around, eating whatever they’d like – not a care in the world.  In that moment, wouldn’t you just love to know what it’s like to live in a world that is just like that field?  Oh, I would.  To be content, just appreciating the blessings right in front of me.  Enjoying the provisions of today, and not giving even the slightest thought of what tomorrow may or may not bring.

If I truly listen to God’s word, and put it into practice, I can indeed experience that kind of contentment.  It’s true.

But for you and me, contentment sometimes takes work.

What?!

Yes, work.

Look out your window, and try to clear you mind of all the angst you’ve got floating around in that noggin.  Not that easy, huh.  I regularly walk around, and even lay in bed at night, with steam coming out of my ears from all of the worries I have buzzing around in there.  When you look out that window, what do you see?  Do you see a bird?  You know – like the sparrow that Jesus told us about, and how much more we are loved than even that sparrow.  Do you see flowers?  Like the lilies that Jesus said don’t labor or spin to get their beautiful “clothes”.  Is it raining?  Like the rain that produces crops, like God’s word tells us.  Can you recognize the things in God’s creation that are evidence of his love for us?  Can you enjoy those things, even if only for a moment?  And when you allow yourself to actually breathe, and take in that beauty, sit back and try to truly appreciate those things.  Be content in those things.  Tell God about it.  Ask Him to let you see other things in your world through those same appreciative, contented eyes.  Ask Him to let you learn to see His handiwork in even your greatest challenges.  You’ll be amazed at what a little contentment can do.

Lord, forgive me for taking so many things in your creation and in my own little world for granted.  Thank you for blessing me with things I’ve never even appreciated.  Thank you for telling me over and over that you’ll never leave me or forsake me…because I need you always, and especially now.  Bless me with your peace, so that I can cast all worry about of my mind, and so that I can learn to be content, and in the moment.  I ask for your blessings in my life and the lives of those who love you – grant them, and me, the desires of our hearts.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.

Lift up your head

” But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. ”  Psalm 3:3

David wrote these words when his own son, Absalom, was going after him.  Can you imagine that?  A son, a family member, someone closer than anyone – going after you.  Hating you.  Putting you in fear for your life.  And Absalom wasn’t doing this by himself, mind you – which would be bad enough – but he rounded up “thousands” to help him.  That is hate.  It would have been bad enough if it was a stranger, or a known enemy.  But this was David’s own son.  David’s experience is proof positive that some of our greatest hurts, our biggest disappointments, and our strongest fears, can often be inflicted by those closest to us – our spouses, our family members, or employees, our bosses, or others that we love, trust or rely upon.

But David didn’t shrivel up, as much as he may have wanted to.  He didn’t abandon his faith, as hard as it may have been to find.  He didn’t let fear determine what he would do, as easy as that would have been.  David praised God, as hard as that was to do, when his back was up against the wall.  He spoke, out loud, that God was “his shield” around him. And not just that.  David said that not only was God his protector, but that God was bestowing glory on him.  Yes, you heard that right – David saw that in the middle of the horrible times he was going through that God was, nonetheless, giving him glory.  To be able to recognize God’s grace and glory in your life, during the worst times, is so hard sometimes.  How on earth did David do it?  In short, David recognized that every day, every moment, that God enabled him to live and to fight on, was a new opportunity, and demonstration of God’s faithfulness and sustenance.

Wow.  I need to get my head going in that direction.  Oh, and what direction is that?  UP!  When we acknowledge God’s grace, protection and grace, in our worst circumstances we have no choice but to lift our head to the heavens, and praise Him who sustains us.

Lord, thank you for letting us know that we are not alone in our struggles.  Thank you for being faithful when it seems that this world is against us.  Thank you for sustaining us when others fail us.  Thank you for being our provider.  Thank you for giving us hope and glory, in the middle of our trials.  Thank you for lifting up my head when I am low.  Bless me Lord, even when I know I don’t deserve it, because Christ died for my sins and my failings.  I pray that you deliver me from my trials, and let me know joy again.  I pray that you show your love to those who put their trust in you.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Copyright ConnieD. 2012.  All rights reserved.