Passing Through

“Yes, 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.”

Psalm 23:4 AKJ

Today the garden is especially beautiful. The hot pink Crape Myrtles are breathtaking. The orange Tiger Lilies are stunning, and the yellow Black-eyed Susan’s sway in the breeze. I can’t imagine this world without color. If I could, I would surround myself everyday with beautiful flowers, majestic mountains, and gorgeous sunsets. Indeed, God has made everything beautiful!

I believe that the beauty that is found in creation is there for our inspiration and also to surround us with such magnificence that deep within our soul we are eye witnesses to the very existence of God. The Psalmist David also enjoyed the beauty of creation, yet now he dares to make mention of the “shadow of death.” What is “the valley of the shadow of death?”

It is my understanding that a good shepherd leads his sheep through the mountains in order to get to the flat “table land” on the other side of the mountain. This can be a dangerous journey. Sheep can fall off the rocks that carve out a valley between the mountains. This is also a place where wild animals may attack the sheep. This valley is a dark cold place that is void of sunshine. It is called “the shadow of death” not because you die there but because the possibility of death is near. Even though the sheep can be unruly, the shepherd has gone this way many times before and is confident as he leads his sheep. He knows that once he is through this hard journey the flat “table land” of refreshment awaits all of his sheep.

When my husband and I were on the island of Hawaii, we stood on a high cliff and down below us was the beautiful lush green flat “table land” and in the distance stood a huge mountain. At first glance I didn’t see much, but as I looked closer I could actually see the crevice of the valley that was dividing the mountain. I exclaimed with great joy! That’s it, there it is, the “valley of the shadow of death!” I was so excited to get an actual visual of what the Psalmist was talking about. In that moment, Psalm 23 came alive to me in a new and precious way. I shall never forget that moment.

As I think about the “valley of the shadow of death” it occurs to me that death is not the problem but it is “the shadow of death” that is the culprit. This life is the “valley of the shadow of death” and we are passing through this life on our way to heaven. Because we live in a world that is rooted in sin we are susceptible to all kinds of dangers and attacks. Evil rears its head in the form of darkness, depression and despair. We experience the pain of disappointments, and the coldness of loneliness. It is the wild attacks from Satan and all of the unexpected agonizing occurrences of life that send you and me plunging into the depths of loss and despair. No, it is not death that we as Christians fear, it is “the shadow of death” that grips our heart and sets our knees to knocking. Yet, our Shepherd says, “do not fear for I am with you.”

Look closely ...sheep in the shadow of the valley of death.

I am so thankful that the psalmist writes; that we “pass through” we don’t remain in difficulty forever. There is sunshine up ahead. The “table land” that will be used for our grazing is just on the other side of our difficulty. It is the Shepherd that REMAINS with me every step of the way. I may not see him, hear him, or feel him but the fact is that my Shepherd remains with me as we travel this life together. The many hardships of life are not found in death; but rather they are found in “the shadow of death.” Death itself, if we belong to Jesus will be glorious!

The shepherd’s rod and staff are the tools of his trade and they are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The rod corrects the sheep and the staff leads and rescues the sheep. Both tools provide comfort to the sheep. My spirit is comforted to know that my Shepherd also has provided me with comfort and direction through the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. My job is to RELINQUISH all of my pain and sorrow to my Shepherd.

Oh, the lessons that I learned in the garden today have been amazing! It is almost time to leave the garden. I find myself leaning one last time on the back fence where a Mandevilla vine is adorning the fence with a blanket of pink blooms. In the distance I see the mountain and if I look really close I see the valley carved out in the middle of the rock. I can almost see my Shepherd emerging and I am following close behind. The sight of the flat “table land” makes my heart leap for joy. Once again the “shadow in the valley of death” is behind us. My Shepherd and I have come through the dangers of life together and the “table land” of heaven is in clear sight!

Questions:

Do you relate to this life being “the shadow of death?”

What do you fear?

How do you feel about the knowledge that Jesus remains with you every step of the way through “the valley of the shadow of death” in this life?

Are you able to relinquish that fear to Jesus, the Good Shepherd?

Prayer:

Dear Father,

Thank you that you will go with me through every difficulty I will ever encounter. You have promised me that you would never leave me or forsake me. I find great comfort in that knowledge. Help me Lord to trust you with every circumstance in my life. I want this day to relinquish to you ________________. Lead me and guide me through this difficult time. I take joy in knowing that no matter how hard life may be it is only temporary. I look forward to the “table land” of heaven and I do not fear death itself. Father, in this life as I am passing through the valley, please take hold of my hand and never let it go! There is no one else that I can trust to get me safely home.

In Your Name I Pray. Amen

Following Close Behind the Shepherd

“He restores my soul:

he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Psalm 23:3 AKJV

Some nights I go to bed too late and I wake up too early the next morning. Because my sleep pattern has been disrupted I am in need of an immediate cup of caffeine coffee! Later on in the day I may need a short nap or just sit down with my feet propped up for a few minutes. My body is telling me that I am in need of restoration. If I don’t make rest a high priority soon my spirit will be in need of restoration as well! When I am not rested I become a very tired and agitated sheep. I have been told that sheep can be quite irritable and that the least little thing can set them off. I relate! Sheep also have a definite butting order and don’t mind engaging in a little butting action in order to get what they want. I relate!

Even on good days when I am rested I can still take on the characteristics of a discontented sheep. Sheep never seem to be satisfied with their position for grazing. They always seem to think that the grass is greener on the other side. I relate! I imagine that if a sheep could say anything besides baa, baa, baa, their words would be cranky and crabby. I relate! A good shepherd knows when to free his sheep of all distractions and make them lie down in the pasture for RESTORATION. I too am like a sheep and I need restoration from the exhaustions and pressures of life.

When I take my eyes off Jesus and loose my focus my perception of my circumstances goes way beyond south! I can become lost in self pity, I can become angry, I can cower in the corner in fear, and I can speak words that are not becoming to a Christian. This behavior does not glorify God nor does it honor his name. So it is for his name’s sake, for the protection and honor of his name that our Good Shepherd calls us to a place of restoration. He teaches us that our behavior must glorify him. We must keep our eyes on the Shepherd!

I am learning that I cannot move forward in my faith, I cannot be a positive witness for Jesus Christ, I cannot be inspired to write, I cannot encourage anyone, and I cannot be at peace as long as I reject the restoration of the Shepherd. In order for me to move on down the path of righteousness it is imperative that I am restored.

I must admit that at times I am ashamed and upset with myself that I repeatedly fall into this pattern that calls for restoration. I beat myself up with thoughts of failure. I am disappointed in my lack of Christian maturity. Satan uses this as an additional opportunity to keep my focus off of my Shepherd and on myself.

I am so glad that my Shepherd has made provision for my sinful short comings. He remembers that I am dust. Psalm 103:14b NIV. Yes, the 23rd Psalm is a perfect plan for my growth and development. It is a plan that the Shepherd knew that I would be in need of. Step three in this Psalm of relationship is RESTORATION and it is amazingly built into the plan. God knew I would need to be restored so that he could lead me down the path of right living. He knew it would be a dangerous path of self-destruction unless I had him leading my every step.

You see, the path of righteousness replaces irritable responses with kind words. This path leads us away from judgmental thoughts and replaces them with compassion and mercy. The path of righteousness shows me how to step aside and let others go first; it allows others to succeed and enables me to be happy for their success. The path of righteousness shows me how to avoid envy and jealousy. The path of righteousness takes away discontentment and replaces those feelings with joy, peace, gratitude and contentment. The Shepherd’s path allows me to be satisfied with my many blessings and satisfied with Jesus, who is more than enough! The path of righteousness rebukes my sinful ways and words and it holds me accountable for my behavior. This path calls me away from crankiness and crabbiness. In their place God guides me and gives to me his grace and his power to choose words of love, restoration, encouragement and forgiveness.

Jesus was perfect. I am not. You are not. But those facts do not excuse us from raising the bar in our lives and trying harder every day to choose to behave in a Christ like manner. Choosing to practice godly behavior is not easy. I find that I go along pretty well when I am thinking about it and then something surprises me and catches me off guard and in a blink of an eye I have lost it! My mouth runs ahead of my brain! My attitude jumps to a sinful reaction. Oh how I desire that those times would become less and less frequent. I do not want to mar and cloud the name of Jesus.

Today I find myself back in the garden. This has been a morning that I have allowed the Shepherd to restore me. I have prayed that God would guard my mind and tongue from quick emotional outbursts. I feel rest and peace in my spirit and here among the exquisite roses and superb hydrangea I contemplate some choices that I must make this day. The Confederate Jasmine smells wonderful. I breathe in deeply the loving aroma of Jesus. I give thanks for his faithful love and care and I feel compelled to follow close behind in his steps as he leads me down the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake.


Questions:

Is your spirit in need of restoration?

What event or events have caused you to loose your focus?

Do you find that at times your actions damage the name of Jesus?

Is it the desire of your heart to follow close behind the Shepherd on the path of righteousness?

Prayer:

My Dear Sweet Shepherd,

Forgive me for marring your precious name. I am in need this day of your restoration. I admit that I have lost my focus. Please redirect me to a place where I can seek to know you and your ways. Create in me a clean heart, forgive my sinful short comings, and teach me your ways as you guide me down the path of your righteousness. Jesus, how I long to follow close behind you, placing my steps inside your footprints. Thank you that you have provided a plan that allows for my restoration because you know that I am dust. Lord, help me to know that you are always more than enough no matter what my circumstances may be.

In Your Name I Pray. Amen.

Green Pastures Inn and Still Waters Spa

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.”
Psalm 23:2 AKJV

Jesus, the Master Gardner is always surprising me by taking me to a place in my heart’s garden where I have never been before. Today is such a day. As we walk hand in hand he leads me down the winding pathway that presents a never ending parade of gorgeous flowers on both sides of the path. There is electric blue Salvia and sunny yellow Yarrow. I love the sweet, light blue Forget-me-nots, reminding me that Jesus never forgets me. Every step is a joy as the Master Gardner and I walk together and admire his amazing handiwork.

We are now nearing the back fence of the garden. Beyond the fence lies the surprise! It is a beautiful lush emerald green pasture that is dotted with wooly sheep. They are lying down in perfect contentment. This is only possible because they have a good shepherd. Sheep are on the go most of the time because they refuse to lie down unless they are free of fear, friction, torment and hunger. Obviously, this shepherd has met all of their needs and now they are able to relax and rest.

The Gardner speaks to me and tells me that people are a lot like sheep and he begins to teach me about sheep. He says, “Did you know that sheep require more care than any other livestock?” “Paula, I want you to know that you also require a lot of care.” I reply, “Yes Master, I know I do because my husband always tells me I am high maintenance! Jesus smiles. He then tells me that sheep are fearful and timid. Sheep are stubborn and do lots of stupid things. Sheep have many bad habits. They run off and get lost and they fall down and cannot get up by themselves. Sheep are helpless animals when it comes to caring for themselves.

The Master Gardner speaks and says, “My sweet daughter, do you see any similarities between you and sheep?” I do not like that question! I frown, I deny the accusation, and I try to talk to him about my friend who has all of those characteristics.

The Master simply moves the conversation back to me and says. “Paula, you need my care. You need REDIRECTION. Let me take your fears, your friction, your torment, and provide for you all that you hunger for deep within your spirit.” He reminds me that life is hard and that he stands ready to help me with all things. The Master says, “Allow me to lead you to the green pastures that are beside the still waters.” “Paula, you need to get alone. You need to get rid of distractions. I want to provide a place for you to relax, soak up nature, meditate on scripture, listen to soft worship music and speak to me about your wants and desires. I want you to tell me what is bothering you. Confide in me what it is that you fear, where is the friction in your life, what torments you and what are you hungering for?”

I look a little to the right side of the pasture and I see a beautiful stream. The waters are clear, still, and look cool and refreshing. The Master tells me that the still waters are important too because they will relax and refresh you. I am completely wowed by this scene. Trust me when I say, this looked to me like the spa of all spas! The Master informs me that I need to leave the garden and check in to the “Green Pasture Inn – Still Water Spa” This is just what the doctor ordered because I know that when I leave I will be look’n good and feel’n fine!

I begin to take a hard look at my life. I have to admit that it has been rather stressful lately. I have been a little up tight. My responses to others have been less than acceptable. I am tired all the time and feel the need for rest. My mind is cluttered with dates, appointments, and responsibilities. I feel depleted. Yes indeed, the spa sounds great!

While leaning on the fence I begin to dream. Yes, I will go to the inn and when I arrive I will head straight for the “Still Waters Spa.” I will allow the Shepherd to massage my heart until all the tension, stress and anxiety leaves my body. I will release my fears and receive the Shepherd’s peace. I will confide to him my hurt and pain and receive his comfort. I will confess my sin and experience his forgiveness and grace. This will be a fantastic place where I can read and pray and it will be quiet enough that I can actually hear God whisper amazing truth in my ears and I will feel his arms of love and comfort. Maybe the “Green Pasture Inn” will have a gentle rippling brook running beside it and perhaps I will be able to hear it from my window. I will enjoy a long soak in a bubble bath and then I will take a greatly needed nap. I will relax in the arms of Jesus and fall asleep listening to the sound of a gentle rain hitting the tin roof of the inn.

Now I am wondering, does God enforce this rest in my life? I would like to suggest that if I need to lie down and I refuse to lie down, this scripture says “he makes me lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.” I think that God would rather that I lie down of my own free will, because I love Him and I desire to be in His presence. Yet, I believe that my Shepherd loves me enough to insist that I lie down so that he can get my attention and lead me to still waters so that he can provide for me what my soul needs. If I am going to mature in my Christian life I must allow God to redirect my life often so that I do not loose sight of what is really important in my life. Sometimes God brings me to a place of his enforced rest and yet, I still resist and seem to be unable to recognize that this unwanted change in my life could be an opportunity for me to draw near to my Shepherd.

Questions:

What is going on in your life right now?

Do you feel stress or peace?

Do you think you could benefit from a trip to the “Green Pasture Inn and the Still Waters Spa?”

Where do you most need redirection in you life?


Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

Life has noisy, powerful, rushing rivers with deep and dangerous currents. The roads I travel are rough and full of pot holes. The events of life can throw me into a state of fear and panic in a heartbeat. There are so many sad and upsetting things that happen in life because we all live in a sinful world. If we are not affected at the moment we soon will be. All I have to do is look around and I see pain and suffering in the lives of many of my friends and loved ones. Frankly God, this is life outside of the pasture and away from the still waters. This is why I am desperate for a Shepherd. God, I need a good shepherd that will take care of me and spend time with me redirecting my life. I am in frequent need of being repaired, redirected, and refreshed. Thank you Jesus, that you are that Good Shepherd in my life. Show me the path that you want me to follow.

In Your Name I Pray. Amen

Repairing My "Wanter"

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 AKJV

What are your first thoughts when you think of the 23 Psalm? Often our first thought of this psalm is usually death. Frequently, the familiar 23 Psalm is recited as a psalm of rote that is void of meaning and understanding.

When I spend time with God in the garden of my heart, God teaches me amazing things. This has been true for me in regards to the 23rd Psalm. This psalm is not only about comfort it is also about our relationship with God. Even more importantly, it is a pattern for living and it tells us of God’s plan for our spiritual growth and development. This psalm also explains why we should be able to live a victorious life.

During my quiet time this morning I was remembering that “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” My heart’s response to that thought was, “No God, I don’t think so.” “God I want for plenty!” “God, I want for a new kitchen floor, I want to go on a cruise, I want that gorgeous dress I saw last week when I was shopping, and I want a cleaning lady. In addition to all that I want a day at a spa!! Yes indeed God, I want plenty. I want, I want, and I want some more. God, “I shall not want” is a foreign concept to me. In a world that is full of so many choices and a place where I am inundated with thousands of advertisements and opportunities, how can I help but want?”

My next thought was crystal clear. Paula, you need your “wanter” adjusted. Those things that you desire are all good things but I have not promised you any of those things. When any of those things come to you they come from my hand of blessing. Never because you deserve them but always because I love you!

I began to understand that what I wanted and what I needed were two different things. I began to realize that I absolutely need to want for my life what God wants for me. Yes, my Shepherd walks before me and provides for my basic physical needs, but more importantly he wants to provide what it is that my spirit needs. This provision is based on RELATIONSHIP with my personal Savior, Jesus Christ. I need to be in close relationship with my Shepherd so that I can trust him to provide for me. I began to realize that God sees far beyond what I can see or even imagine. He knows what I have needed in the past, what I need today, and what I am going to need tomorrow.

A shepherd marks his sheep so that he knows they belong to him. When we accept Christ we too take his mark. He knows that we belong to him. In fact, he knows us so well he calls us by name. “He calls his own sheep by name” John 10:3b NIV

God is my provider. He provides not only for my material needs but my spiritual needs as well. In this life God’s provision for me first comes in the form of his love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness. When I belong to him his provision also includes his comfort, grace, peace and joy, as I learn to trust him for all of my needs. My personal relationship with Jesus Christ allows me to say with confidence, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

Questions:

From a materialistic viewpoint what “things” do you want?

Do you want success, money, power, more education, recognition?

What do you want for your spirit?

Is your “wanter” in need of repair?

How do you feel when you know that your Shepherd goes before you making sure that you “shall not want?”


Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the personal relationship I have with you. Thank you that I can come before you in complete honesty and ask you for anything I want or need as long as I leave the outcome up to you. Today Lord, because I am human and not divine, I need to clear the cobwebs of my mind by telling you all of the materialistic things I want. I know you are not rude and I know you will listen. In fact you may even put them on a personal “wish list” for me for future blessings. But now God, I want to move beyond my wants and ask you, “what is it that you want for me?” Father help me to desire for my life the same things that you desire for me. Help me to want the spiritual gifts that you so readily want to give me. You alone know what I will need both today and for all of my tomorrows. Please fix, repair, adjust, align, and purify my “wanter.” Please remove my spirit of discontentment and greed and replace it with the joy of knowing that you are today providing all that I need. Thank you that you are my Shepherd and that you will provide for me all that I will ever need.

In Your Son’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Why Is the Garden of My Heart So Important?

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless

at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I Thessalonians 5:23 NIV

Today I am thinking about spending time in the garden of my heart and why the garden of my heart is so important. Why do I regularly need to be there? For me the answer is found in I Thessalonians 5:23. The garden of my heart is important because it is the place that I receive God’s love, comfort and peace. The garden of my heart is where I offer up to God my sacrifice of praise and worship. The garden is where God and I resolve my personal struggles and identify my sinful blame. Jesus is coming again and it is important that when he arrives I am found blameless in his sight.

It is assuring to know that if I confess my sin to God he is faithful to forgive me. The free gift of salvation is mine for all eternity. When I stand before God he will have no reason to let me into heaven other than the fact that I have accepted the free sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the only acceptable payment for my sin. At that point God does not see my sin; he only sees that I have been redeemed by Jesus.

Even though as a believer I have been forgiven, I still have a major concern. I must be acutely aware that every day I live offers new possibilities for me to sin. It is not the sin that separates me from God but it is the sin that can cause me to loose part of my heavenly reward. Each believer will be held accountable and judged for what he has or has not done. The garden is the place that I can allow God to search my heart and see if there be any offensive way in me. Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

“…each one’s work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” I Corinthians 3:13-15 NKJV

So God, what is it in my life that needs to be searched and examined? “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:23 NIV

When we stand before God he will look at our soul. The soul is made up of our mind, our will and our emotions. The soul never dies. It is the place where God changes me. The soul is where my emotions fluctuate between all time highs and lows. It is from deep within my soul that I hear the call of God. The soul is where thoughts both good and bad float around waiting for us to either embrace and obey the good or banish the bad. This is why God has commanded us to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:5 KJV

God will also look at our spirit. Our spirit is the core of who we are. It is where our sin nature resides. Our spirit is the part of our life that Jesus covers with his blood when we accept him as our Savior. When we accept Christ the Holy Spirit enters our spirit and remains there to be our comforter, our strength, our peace, and our guide. The Holy Spirit also convicts us regarding the sin in our life. The recognition of our sin offers us opportunity to confess our sin and keep our hearts blameless. If we choose to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit that rejection also becomes sin. The more we nurture our sin the farther away from God we walk. There is a huge danger that we can begin to love our sin more than we love God. We will also loose our influence for Jesus Christ. Although the Holy Spirit remains in us he is deeply grieved. Our heart becomes hard and conviction is often buried so far that we no longer feel it and we become a person who justifies our sins to fit our pleasures.

Our body is the shell that houses both the spirit and the soul. We are also warned not to abuse our body and we are told to protect our body. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
I Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

Abiding in the garden offers opportunity for God to bring about eternal changes in my life that will bring him glory. It is now pretty obvious to me that the formula for bringing more glory to God, is less personal blame! I know that I am weak and frail. I know that I am selfish and prideful. I know I am prone to anger and I often fight for control. I also know that I have a deep need for the Holy Spirit of God to continue his sanctification process in my life every day until the day I die. This is a daily struggle between my will and God's will for me. It is only the Holiness of God that takes away my blame. I must allow the Holy Spirit to convict me of my sin. I must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to help me change my behavior when I cannot do in my own strength. I am pretty sure that I will not get it perfect in this life but I also know that spending time in the garden of my heart is where transformation happens. God may not expect perfection in this life but I do believe that he wants to see continual progress!


Questions:

When was the last time that you asked God to examine your heart?

Does it concern you that your heart may not be blameless?

Are you surprised to know that you are accountable for what you do and do not do after you become a believer?

What life changes are you willing to make in order to be found blameless before God?

Are you strengthened to realize that God has given you his Holy Spirit to help you in all your times of need by giving you the power to reject sin and the power to choose to respond like Jesus?

Do you find joy in knowing that Jesus is with you in this effort so that you may be presented holy and spotless without even one sinful wrinkle when you stand before the Father?


Prayer:

Dear God,

I stand amazed knowing that you love me so very much! It is your heart of love that reaches out to me every day. God I know that you do not want to withhold any good thing from those you love. It is because you love me that you do not want to see me suffer loss of reward when I stand before you. Thank you that you continue to call me to come higher. Search me God and show me the sinfulness in my heart. God I know that I have many opportunities to sin daily in word, in thought, and in deed. I pray that your Holy Spirit will continue to call and convict me of my sin each and every day. Forgive me this day for the times that I have grieved your Holy Spirit by ignoring his promptings. Forgive me for all that is in my life that does not honor you. Help me to remember that the choices I make in this life do count for eternity. Thank you for reminding me that my choices will be examined when I stand before you. God, I pray that you will daily take away my blame and replace it with the spotless glory of your love, mercy, and grace. For it is only selfless work, poured out in love, and bathed in your mercy and grace that will stand blameless before you.

In Your Son’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Why Are You So Afraid?

“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:37-41 NIV

The garden of my heart is not only a place of prayer. It is a quiet place that I can take my Bible and sit and read, contemplate God’s eternal words, re-read the words, and look for personal application. It is during personal application that I usually try to be quiet and still and allow God to teach me his truth.

This morning I grab my coffee, tuck my Bible under my arm and head for the garden. The spot that I choose to sit is surrounded by tall and stately deep red bee balm. Today the purple cone flowers are particularly beautiful. The Shasta daisies seem to nod their cheerful heads in a good morning greeting. The yellow yarrow is stunning. But my all time favorite is the delicate wisps of lavender blue Russian sage. I am delighted as I think to myself what an absolutely charming setting to be taught by God.

My teaching today begins in the book of Mark. I’m reading about a time that the disciples were taught by Jesus. However, the setting was not charming nor was it delightful! The disciples found themselves out in the middle of the sea when a storm came up. Not just any storm, Mark tells us that “a furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.” The disciples were terrified! To add to their hopelessness Jesus was calmly sleeping in the back of the boat.

Have you ever been in great distress and thought that Jesus was asleep on the job? I must confess that I have had that experience more than once. I have felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair and that Jesus didn’t give a rip! I too have found myself shaking Jesus’ shoulders and saying, “Wake up Lord! Pay attention! I’m not going to make it!”

To the disciples shock and amazement Jesus simply stood up and spoke three words. “Get the mop!” No, I don’t think so. Instead, with divine power Jesus spoke the command as only the creator of the universe could do. Jesus said, “Quiet! Be still!” In that same manner Jesus speaks to the wind and the waves of my fearful heart and says, “Quiet!” Be still!”

The disciples were dumbfounded! They had always observed Jesus meeting the needs of others, but on this day he met their need in a very personal way. For the first time they witnessed the divinity of Jesus Christ. They talked among themselves and asked, “Who is this?” They saw him not just a teacher who could perform healing miracles but they began for the first time to see him as God, the great “I Am” the One who controls the wind and the waves. If you think they were terrified before, now they were “triple - ripple” terrified. The hair on the back of their necks was standing up! Their hearts were beating out of their chests! They now had a new respect for Jesus. He went from teacher to Lord in a heartbeat.

God’s message to my heart this day is, “Paula, please don’t be terrified as to who I Am. I just want you to see me in my power and glory. I want you to respect me, but do not be afraid. I want you to love me not for what I can do for you but because of what I have already done for you. Please, “Quiet! Be still!” trust me. I’m not asleep. I know your every need and I am here to comfort and protect you. I will get you safely home. This disastrous boat of life will soon come to rest on the shore of heaven, but until that time simply trust me with all of your fears. Do not be terrified. I am here for you.

Questions:

Are you experiencing fear in your life?

Do you see Jesus as someone who helps others but not you?

Do you see Jesus as a teacher who lived 2000 years ago or do you see him as your personal Savior, the Lord of your life?

Do you believe that if you become quiet and still, God can calm the storm in your life and give you his peace?


Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for your teachings this day. Today I ask you to calm the winds and waves of my heart. Take away the disastrous blowing and tossing waves of fear. Jesus, I know that when fear consumes me I become paralyzed and cannot be used by you. Forgive me for the frightening feelings that I have deep within my heart. Take away the fearful thoughts of coming disaster. Thank you Lord. Help me to embrace great joy as I allow you to take control of my life. Help me to continue to trust you one day at a time for each and every detail of my life.

In Your Name I Pray. Amen