Beware of the Cave

“The angel of the LORD

encamps all around those who fear him,

 and delivers them.”

Psalm 34:7 NIV

“But the Lord is faithful,

and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV

Most of the time my heart’s garden is a beautiful place. However, there are times when pruning is required and rubbish needs to be hauled off and burned. Most of the time I experience extreme joy and comfort in the garden of my heart but sometimes there is deep sorrow and sadness. I have my favorite garden paths that I walk over and over again. In the garden there are benches to sit on to rest. I love to visit the cool streams and beautiful waterfalls because they always seem to  refresh my spirit. The back fence of the garden allows me to look out onto a lush meadow and far away in the distance there stands a high mountain range reminding me of God's majesty. Sometimes I can even put on my “God Glasses” and see the ocean from afar! There are also orchards and trees of every variety and size.  Most of the time, magnificent color abounds under the canopy of blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Occasionally, dark clouds hang over my spirit when I am in the middle of a dark personal storm that has invaded my life. Yet, when I look closely I see the storm is surrounded by God’s showers of blessings and his banner over me is his rainbow of promise. Even in the midst of the frightening storm I can feel God's love.

When I am in the garden I am always on the lookout for something new, different or interesting that I have not noticed in the garden before. Today was one of those days. I found myself following the sweet scent of a confederate jasmine vine entwined with some sweet tasting honeysuckle. I began pushing aside some of the invasive hanging vines and then, much to my surprise, I see an opening to a dark cave.

Curiosity began to get the better of me as I contemplated entering the dark cold cave. From behind me I heard the Gardner’s voice yell stop! I don’t know why but I continued on even though I knew this might not be a safe place. The darkness made me shudder yet I chose to move on into the cave.

Oddly enough, my eyes began to adjust to the darkness. It has been a hot day in the garden and the coolness of the cave offered relief. I consider leaving the cave but decide to stay longer. It didn’t take me very long to become comfortable and accustomed to the darkness.

For me, life has been a bit trying lately and the isolation of the cave seemed freeing, yet I knew down deep inside that the cave was not a place of freedom. I entertain the thought that no one can see me here. Maybe I can hide in here and avoid the problems of my life that are becoming more than I want to accept. Maybe here in the cave I can even hide from God. Maybe it is within this cave of darkness that I can hide my sinful thoughts and actions. Maybe in this dark cave I can stop being accountable for my actions. Down deep in my heart I know that this is not true because my God is an all knowing, all present, and all powerful God. The truth is my God is right here with me in this cave and I clearly hear his voice speak, “Run quickly – back to the light!”

I know deep within my spirit that I must run back into the light of the garden! If I choose not to run I will be positioning myself to become a target for Satan’s destruction. He will begin his work in my mind and if I am not careful I will succumb to his lies. I will push to the side of my mind the mind of my Master and allow self-centered thoughts to dominate my mind instead of listening to the Master. If I disregard the Way of my Master I will brush aside conviction and excuse my sin so I can justify my behavior. If I remain in the darkness of the cave my spirit will become as cold as the cave. If I linger in the cave Satan will whisper his damaging lies and I will become discouraged and depressed. I know that I am seeking relief from the troubles of life but I also recognize that the cool pleasure I feel in the cave is only deception that is shrouded in darkness. If I give in to my selfish desires and put my faith in the false comfort of the cave, I will eventually find myself sitting isolated on the floor of the cave alone, afraid, and wallowing in self pity!

Yes, the cave in the garden of my heart is a curious place. I dare not remain in this abyss of darkness! I look back at the entrance of the cave and I see the “Son is shinning”. This “Son” is the true light. He is the light that gives me life. I run to the light. Upon exiting the cave I notice that the “Son” is especially bright near the top of the tallest oak tree in the garden. Way on the top of this stately old tree I detect the “Son”, Jesus Christ, the Master Gardner. He calls to me and extends to me in love his nail scared hand of grace.

Jesus speaks, “Paula, you do not need to try to escape life and run into the despair of the cave. Come higher my daughter. Do not be depressed, discouraged, lonely, or overwhelmed. Paula, my child, come higher. Climb up here with me in this tall oak tree.” I begin to climb but I notice that Jesus is sitting way out on a very weak and fragile limb. I cry, “Lord, I cannot come, I am afraid.” Still he says, “Come higher, simply trust me.” Come up here for a little while and experience relief from the cares of your life. I want you to rest in my love and care. Come to me for peace and comfort. Come to me for strength and courage. Come to me for understanding. Come to me for rest and refreshment. Bring me your fear and feel the strong arms of my protection. Even out here on this extremely fragile limb I will be with you. Do not be afraid.

Questions:

1. What are you currently experiencing in your life that is hard?

2. Are you tempted at times to run to the cool darkness of the cave as a means of escape from the reality of your situation?

3. Do you understand that the cave is a place where Satan will pull you deeper into discontentment, depression and despair?

4. Is Jesus calling you to climb out on a limb to sit with him and to trust him with your fear?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

Restore in me the joy of my salvation! Protect me from the darkness that is found in the caves of sin. Protect me from Satan and his lies that promise me nothing of any value. Father, I praise you for the relationship that we have in the garden. I thank you for your faithfulness to meet me in the garden everyday because this is where I find my peace and comfort. Your joy is my strength. Our relationship is my treasure. Jesus my hope in every situation of life is found in you alone. Help me not to fear going out on a limb with you. Father, I know that even if the limb should break and I should fall, still you will be standing on the ground ready to catch me in your everlasting arms of love.

Jesus, in your name I pray. Amen.

Is It Give Or Is It Take?

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God,

that we may understand what God has freely given us.”

1 Corinthians 2:12 NIV

On any given day I can choose not to go to the garden. If I choose not to enter the sanctuary of refreshment, power, and knowledge, it always becomes my loss. Yesterday I skipped the garden because I was running late. I had too much to do and I was already feeling pretty positive in my spirit. The moment I stepped out of the door, got into my car, and drove off, immediately the soft, squishy rubber of my spirit met the hard road of life. One fine man nearly took my life by cutting me off in traffic. The clerk at the market appeared to be a robot without personality or emotion, and my cell phone kept ringing with more and more possibilities for me to become anxious, angry, irritated, and depressed! How could my wonderful day fly out the window in just a few short hours? I knew exactly what would fix the problem so I grabbed a chocolate candy bar and a bag of chips as I was nearing the end of the check out lane. After all, who has time for lunch! I’ll eat in the car because I was certain that my day would continue to go south.

 

As a result of yesterday's craziness,  I will approach this day with caution. The thought of spending time in the garden sounds fantastic! So off I go. My coffee is in hand and my Bible tucked securely under my arm. Opening the gate I head for my favorite bench. The red bee balm is tall and joyfully praises God as it gently sways in the morning breeze. The sunny yellow yarrow lifts its face upward for God to kiss with his grace. All of God's creation is free for my enjoyment, As I take in these beautiful flowers I whisper, “thank you God for all of your magnificent gifts that are found in nature. It is good to be in the garden with you."

Now it is time to get down to business. My Bible falls open to, “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV Immediately, memories of yesterday begin to flood into my mind. In this moment it seemed to me that yesterday I had failed miserably. I wasn’t sure if I had used any of those godly responses. I also realized that in the stressful moments of yesterday I hadn't felt much joy or peace.  I found myself not only lacking in just one specific spiritual  fruit, but it seemed I was holding an enormous bowl that was empty; there was not a single spoonful of fruit salad to be shared!

I began to talk to Jesus. Lord, give me love, joy and peace. Father, give me patience, kindness, and goodness. Jesus, give me faithfulness, gentleness and self-control! I began to plead and beg for God to give to me the fruits of his Spirit. God I am willing to have these gifts, why don’t you pour out these gifts on me in such a way that I will never again fail you as miserably as I did yesterday? The silence was deafening. I continued to sit in the garden for what seemed like hours in a trance of self-pity, I was a pathetic package of failure tied up with a bow of misery.

Then Jesus spoke. “Paula, when I left this earth didn’t I say that I would send my Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of all believers? God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three in One. I am with you always, even until the end of this life.” Jesus then reminded me that when I became a believer the Holy Spirit came into my life and he brought with him all the fruit of his spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus said, “Paula, I cannot give you what you already have. Deep within you resides all of my fruits. Your job is to choose to pick up the appropriate fruit you need in your time of need. Paula, you must choose to pick up the specific fruit needed in each and every situation you encounter. Some days you may need to pick up multiple fruits many times! You will use these same fruits over and over again. But one thing for sure, you will never run out. The pantry is full, but you must choose to take the fruit, and share that fruit with others.” Wow! Talk about a light coming on in the closet! A brand new thought, it is useless to pray for what I already have!

I began to wonder why I had not seen this before. One thing for sure, I never forget to pick up my coffee! Maybe I should be this diligent about picking up my fruit and taking stock of my fruit before I stray too far from home or get to busy at home. As I left the garden I became aware of the noise around me and realized that the noise in my life is usually so loud that I am distracted and I do not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit saying to me, “Now would be a good time to go shopping for fruit. Choose my fruit, taste and see my fruit is good!” It was now becoming clear that it was not about God giving to me, but it was about me taking from his pantry of provision what had already been given to me.

Jesus reminded me that it is as simple as paying attention and forming the habit of choosing to pick up the fruit. I was starting to realize that I needed to become more aware of the fact that often I do not choose to set aside my selfish attitudes. I began to understand that I need to form the habit of quickly looking to Jesus and then purposing in my mind and heart to choose to pick up the needed fruit in my heart and ask God to give me the power to use that fruit in my time of need. God’s children need to simply reach out and take the fruit that they need to eat, one simple meal at a time. The pantry is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The fruit in my spirit's pantry may be unused but it will never be empty!

I need to taste and see that the Lord is good. His goodness in me is mine for the taking. Others will be influenced for Jesus when I choose to share my fruit salad! All that is His is already mine! If I never use the Spirit’s fruit it is like having fine china, crystal, and silver and never using it. Why am I at times content to eat off of paper plates, use plastic forks, and drink out of a disposable cup? The truth is, not one of my self-centered responses is lasting but the fruit of the Spirit is of eternal value.

When we look to Jesus, our perfect example, we see what the fruit of the Spirit should look like.  Jesus modeled for us how to respond to others, how to live a selfless life, and how to love unconditionally. So today and every day…

When I am feeling unloved or passed over I need to choose the fruit of love.

When I am depressed or fearful I need to choose the fruit of joy.

When I am angry I need to choose the fruit of peace.

When I am irritated I need to choose the fruit of patience.

When I am judgmental I need the fruit of kindness.

When I am selfish and feeling mean I need to choose the fruit of goodness.

When I am tempted to abandon my faith I need to choose the fruit of faithfulness.

When I am hard on others I need to choose the fruit of gentleness.

When I am out of control I need to choose the fruit of self-control.

You see, we need not ask God for these things over and over again as if they were completely out of our reach and unattainable. The fact is, as Christians, God has already given us all the fruit of the Holy Spirit for our own personal use. When we choose to reach out, pick up, and consume each fruit we will taste and see that the Lord is good. Each fruit is packed with powerful nutrition that will allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to do amazing things that would otherwise be impossible if we relied only on  our own strength. We must stop asking God to give us a specific fruit of the Spirit because that fruit has already been given! What I repeatedly need to do is to hit and the pause button that triggers my behavior. I need to take a moment of time to think, to consider what Jesus would do, and to remember what is already available to me. Then I must pray for the courage to pick up the needed fruit and use it for God’s glory.

Questions:

1. Do you find yourself praying for a specific fruit of the spirit over and over again?

2. What do you think about the simple truth that God cannot give to believers what they already have?

3. Do you think that keeping God’s fruit buried deep in your spirit gives Satan a stronghold in your life?

4. Do you think that Satan can deceive a believer by making them think that God is withholding his fruit from their life because they are weak and inconsistent?

5. Where does a Christian’s power come from?

Prayer:

Dear God,

Please forgive me when I plow through my day without considering your power that is available to me for my use. I thank you and praise you that I no longer have to ask you for the delicious fruit of your Spirit that is already mine. Forgive me God when I selfishly and stubbornly choose to ignore your fruit and pursue my own selfish behavior. Forgive me when I try to respond to difficult situations in my own strength. Forgive me when I am impetuous. I know that this behavior must grieve the Holy Spirit. Your Word specifically warns us, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 NIV Holy Spirit, I ask for your help this day and everyday. Help me to slow down and then choose your fruit. Holy Spirit, help me to rely on your power because it is your power that will give me the strength and courage to pick up your fruit and use it to show God’s love to others. I pray that I will not grow weary in harvesting your fruit one circumstance at a time. God I want to know the joy of using your fruit daily to influence others to find and follow your Son, Jesus Christ.

In His name I pray. Amen

The Ocean is God's Pulpit

“The men were amazed and asked,

“What kind of man is this

even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 8:27 NIV

Every so often God blesses me by allowing me to take a trip to the ocean. Outside of my garden there is no other setting that I would rather be near. I find the ocean extremely relaxing and there are always so many lessons I can learn as I tune into this marvelous piece of God’s creation.

When I am at the beach, alone with my thoughts, God teaches me from this massive body of water and all of the other complimenting works of nature that make this place so beautiful. The ocean has so much to say, it is indeed one of God’s holy pulpits. The sky, the water, the sand, the sun, the breeze and the birds all become messengers of God’s incredible love for me. Every day the ocean looks different and there are always new lessons to learn. It is true, even the wind and the waves obey him!

If I am not too lazy I can get up and see the sunrise. What a message of bright hope for today and tomorrow. The exquisite colors can be anything from pinks and blues to the brightest oranges and yellows. Each day has a unique surprise of its own. The early morning sunlight glistens on the water like a sea of glass. The sparking waters remind me that heaven also holds the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God. Revelation 21:1

As the tide comes in and the waves rush upon the sand, it seems that God is calling “follow me” as the waves wash back into the ocean. My heart pounds and I whisper, “Yes Lord, I will follow you all the days of my life.”

I am mesmerized on the days when the canopy over the beach is a cloudless sky. As I look to the heavens I see a million shades of blue stretching as far as my eyes can see. The Old World Master begins his masterpiece with the lightest hint of baby blue paint ending his final brush strokes in deep hues of cobalt. When my eyes feast on this miracle of color my soul always bubbles up with pleasure knowing that this gift of color is from the palette of the God of the universe.

The sandy beach with uncountable grains of sand strikes a chord of love within me. I remember that God’s Word tells me he thinks precious thoughts of me that outnumber the grains of sand and I feel lavishly loved. Sea Gulls soar peacefully and effortlessly in the sky reminding me that God’s peace is available to me in a heartbeat, if only I will trust him.

Just breathing in the salty air is a reminder that believers are “the salt of the earth”. I think about this and repurpose in my heart to try to be a better  witness for Jesus Christ. I also think of the many friendships that I enjoy with fellow believers. Yes, these salty people are the people who bring savor to my life. I thank you Lord for all of my many Christian friends.

The sandpipers run frantically on the beach always living close to the edge as they barely escape the waves of foam that tries to wash over them. These fast moving birds are looking for food to wash ashore. I smile when I realize that God does provide all that they need. I focus on the knowledge that if God cares for the birds of the air he will also take care of me.

Gentle warm breezes kiss my cheeks and I feel God’s hand as it brushes over my face. I search the horizon in hopes of finding its end but that endeavor proves to be impossible. So my eyes move closer to shore and God blesses me as I spot dolphins traveling in pairs. They shamelessly jump in joyful praise to their creator. Pelicans fly in perfect formation and I know that my God is a God of order and purpose.

Walking on the beach into the sunset is beautiful. The sunset is a perfect reminder of God’s faithfulness to me as I approach the end of my day. I enjoy walking on the beach at this time of day. I love sinking my feet into the cool sand and then letting the waves wash over them. The waves washing over my feet remind me that often in life the waves of adversity come but then Jesus shows up with his waves of sustaining grace washing over me. It is a precious thought when I realize that Jesus is still in the foot washing business as I enjoy His cool waves spilling over my tired sandy feet. As I end a day at the beach I am full of joy as I reflect on all of the simple messages my Savior has sent to me this day. I am at peace because of the order that God has established not only in the universe but in my life as well. Before I leave the beach I allow Him to wash my feet one more time. What a joy to know that Jesus carries me from day to day, step by step as I journey toward my heavenly home. Oh how I love the beach! What’s not to love? You see, the same God, who calmed the wind and the waves so many years ago is also here with me this day teaching me his life lessons from the pulpit of the ocean’s waves and all that surrounds this place of praise!

Questions:

1. Do you have a favorite place where God seems to speak volumes to you?

2. What have you experienced in that place?

3. Have you ever used nature to tell others about God?

Prayer:

Dear God,

How awesome are your marvelous works! Thank you that even though mankind was forced to leave your perfect garden, you still have been loving and merciful in providing the beautiful works of your hand for our daily enjoyment. God your creation amazes me! I confess that sometimes I wonder how heaven could be more beautiful. It must be that the gorgeous displays of creation on this earth have been designed to give us, your children, a tiny taste of what you have prepared in heaven for those who love you. It is clear that the ocean, the mountains, the woodlands, the desert, the rainforest, and your waterfalls are just a few of your many pulpits. God open my eyes to see and my ears to hear as you speak your message of love to mankind. Since the creation of the world, God your invisible qualities and your eternal power and divine nature have clearly been seen and understood from what you have made, leaving men and women without excuse. I thank you God for blessing mankind with your marvelous creation.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Freedom Comes With Choices

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1 NIV

Every Fourth of July Americans celebrate the birthday of their country. This hoop-la includes family picnics, cookouts, patriotic concerts and extravagant fireworks! Many Americans pause and offer God their prayers of thanksgiving for all the many freedoms we enjoy in this country.

Some people around the world live in countries where freedom is not the norm and as Americans we must be aware that our precious freedoms can be lost when we least expect it to happen. As believers we must also pray for those who are not free to do many of the things that we enjoy. Americans must not take our freedom for granted and assume that the freedom we love will always remain in place.

No matter what freedoms you enjoy or if you are someone whose freedoms are few, it is important to know that every person who has ever been born has been born into slavery. It may not be political slavery but it is the slavery of sin that plagues every man, woman, and child. But the good news is, God sent his Son, Jesus  to this earth and the reason he came was to set each of us free from the slavery of sin.

Creation is amazing! I for one do not believe this world “banged” itself into existence. There is far too much detail, beauty, consistency, and order in nature for it just to have happened. I would expect that an explosion of “creation magnitude” would leave behind millions of miles of ghastly piles of rubbish, ashes and chaos, not the breathtaking beauty of God’s creation that we witness everyday. Never in a billion years could I expect to create this amazing world we live in. I could not hang the sun, moon and stars in the sky, let alone expect them to stay there! Only a God of wonder, imagination and miraculous power could speak into existence this universe in six amazing days! Created things exist, work efficiently, reproduce, and remain in place. I myself am amazed as I witness this divine mystery of creation. I don’t have to understand how it happened or how it works, I just believe it happened and I for one immensely enjoy the results. Father, I thank you and praise you for all of your marvelous works.

Even with creation being as amazing as it is, creation is still less than perfect. However, creation was designed to be perfect and it was perfect for a time. But man trashed the world by his disobedience to the Creator of all created things. The consequence for humanity’s sin of disobedience is that there are now weeds to pull, animals that attack, floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, sand storms, drought, sickness, and death. We have wars to fight and mouths to feed. We no longer live in a perfect world. However, we do live in a fallen world. The result of sin brings each of us heartache, pain, and struggle for survival.

It makes me smile to know that the God of the universe, in spite of our sin, still wants humanity to enjoy his world. Tainted as this world is he still has left in place majestic mountains, gorgeous waterfalls, beautiful beaches, the Painted Desert, the oceans, the peaceful waters of lakes and rivers, rainbows, colorful birds, flowers, butterflies, sunrises, and sunsets to enjoy. I marvel at the star studded sky, and my heart skips a beat when I see a full moon against the black velvet sky! We do not live in a dull, monotonous sepia or black and white world. No, God in his love left us a world that explodes with magnificent color. Only a God of love and mercy would do that for those who have disobeyed his commands and rejected his love. He does this not because we deserve this beauty but because he loves us. He uses all of his creation as a tool to draw our spirit to his. God goes to great means to free us from our sin. Nature speaks clearly of God’s love. When we look at all God created we are left without excuse. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 NIV

It was God’s mercy and love that caused God himself to come to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not just a prophet, he was the Son of God, who came to earth and took on the form of a man. It is a mystery. It is a concept that is impossible for mankind to completely understand how this could happen. But things that are impossible for us to accomplish are a simple task for the creator of this amazing universe.

Jesus came to this earth with a purpose. That purpose was to live and then die. His reason for coming into this world as the God-Man was to become the sacrifice to appease the sin that had been committed in the beginning of creation and passed on to all humanity. You see, we are all born with sinful hearts. We are all slaves to sin. Jesus was born to die and free us from that sin. This remedy for our own personal sin is available to everyone! Jesus Christ bought our freedom! Simple belief in that truth is the key to our personal freedom. Jesus Christ came to set us free. We will never own this freedom unless we choose to believe this truth.

In this life men may take us captive and steel the freedoms we enjoy in this life. But God has freed our spirit and that freedom is safe for all eternity! That freedom comes with choices. We can choose daily to enjoy additional freedoms of grace. We are free to choose to love God, and we are always free to worship God in our mind and our innermost being. We are free to choose to love those who offend us. We are free to choose to forgive. We are free to choose to dance for joy. We are free to choose God’s way over the world’s ways. We are free to choose to trust and obey God. When we choose Jesus Christ as our personal Savior we are free indeed! Even in the most difficult circumstances, no one can snatch away the freedom that is ours when we accept and belong to Christ Jesus.

Our earthly freedoms are wonderful but the freedom that we have because of Jesus Christ is beyond wonderful!! I hope you have that freedom in your life this day. If not, take a chance, shoot up a prayer to the God of creation and ask him to make his existence known to you. Tell him you want to be free from the curse of sin. Trust Jesus to free you! Believe on the name of Jesus and you will be saved. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV  That yoke of slavery is sin.

Questions:

1. Have you experienced the freedom that is found by believing in Jesus Christ?

2. Do you understand that accepting the freedom that is found only in Jesus Christ is the only thing that will give you eternal life in heaven?

3. Do you rejoice in the fact that the freedom we experience in Jesus Christ can never be taken away?

Note:

See the right column of this page to read, “How Can I Know If I’m A Christian?”

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I praise you for the freedom that can be mine through your sacrifice. Open my eyes so that I can understand this marvelous plan for my freedom. I want to choose this freedom that no one can take away. Jesus, help me to remember that you purchased this freedom for me and the price tag was enormous! What an amazing display of your extravagant love! How glorious was your resurrection! Today I choose to take a chance. I choose you, Jesus. I choose this extravagant free gift of freedom!

In your name I pray. Amen

The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

“Sing for joy to God our strength;” Psalm 81:1a NIV

Today in the garden I am not feeling so great. I’ve been a bit stressed lately. Sometimes the problems of others can also get me down. I often wonder why some of my wonderful Christian friends and family are going through such difficult times. Yet I know the answer. The Bible assures us that in this life we will have trouble. Sin has definitely left its mark and we see the results as we watch others struggle mentally, financially, and relationally. Many people are suffering with great illness, and others are dealing with death and dying.

As for myself, even if things are going well, sometimes I become on edge and loose my focus. When that happens my mouth goes wild and my spirit becomes dull. My response to my very patient husband is short and that is usually a sign I have put a little too much on my plate and I am taking it out on him.

God has such a sense of humor! Today as I walk the garden path in search of joy the first flowers to nod their bubbly heads at me are the “snapdragons”… “How appropriate!” I snap. Pressing on down the path I spy a beautiful patch of multi colored daisies and resting on one petal is a delicate butterfly. This unsuspecting butterfly is basking in the glorious sun and taking time to simply enjoy the moment. Then it hits me. I need to sit down and enjoy the moment. I need to be still and know that God is in control. I need focus on the joy of the Lord and listen.

“Listen to what? Listen to who?” God says, “You need to look up and take a lesson from the birds.” So I look upward at the beautiful blue sky and tune my ears to hear the song of the birds. They are free to sing and in their own way dance! I open my eyes and ears so I might learn God’s lesson for today by watching and listening.

My garden is filled with birds. Every day they come, the finches, cardinals, robins, wrens, chickadees, and the sparrows. Some days I get a glimpse of a delightful hummingbird. It is always fun to enjoy our onsite woodpecker and if I am up very early I hear a turtledove in the distance. Others winged friends visit from time to time but these are the faithful. I love that they choose my backyard and my garden. These beautiful birds fly to and fro across the clouds, yet they know my green acre is their territory. It is here that I watch them fly, perch, eat, drink, and splash. They wake up singing and they sing all day long! Such simple pure joy utterly amazes me. They are clueless. They don’t even know that life is hard. No wonder they sing! They sing as they feather their nests. They sing as they lay their eggs and patiently wait for their peeps to hatch. Soon they will be required to feed their peeps. Then they will teach their new offsprings to fly. These birds are ever so busy and yet they continue to sweetly sing.

At times I especially love listening for the distant hoot of the owl. He is always asking so many questions. Oh whoooo who whoooo made this day? Oh whoooo who whoooo can I trust? I know that he knows the answer to his own questions. It is God, his creator. Now I listen to the rhythmic hammer of the woodpecker. Even in his labor for food there is no complaint. The joyous praise that surrounds me is almost deafening. Oh that I would learn this unabashed joy from these busy yet joyful birds.

I have a plaque that hangs in my kitchen that reads, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Today I want to embrace that truth. The Master Gardener reads my thoughts and then he speaks. “You see Paula; you are blessed in many ways. Even in suffering there are always things you can be thankful for. When you or someone you love is struggling or grieving, I do not expect you to give thanks for that pain, but I do want you to learn to give thanks that I am there in the struggle as well. Because I am full of compassion, I weep with those who weep. When you trust me I will do an amazing thing with your pain. I will give you joy in the morning. When my people suffer I use that suffering to make something beautiful out of their lives. I do not expect you to give thanks for all things but rather give thanks in all things. Be joyful because my grace is sufficient. Be joyful because, for believers, this life is not the end but just the beginning of a pain free life that will never end. Do not take hard times, pain and suffering so personal. I know you feel like it is all about you but it really isn’t. It is about me and my purposes. Purposes that will give you and those you influence a joyous hope and a future and in this I will be glorified!”

So now I wonder, could it be that gratitude and thanksgiving is the place I must start to experience joy? Will my strength be renewed when I embrace the joy that is only found in Jesus? Is it possible that if I look up I can learn from yet another fowl of God’s creation? “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 NIV

As a result of today’s lessons learned in the garden I am experiencing God’s amazing joy! It is true; the joy of the Lord is my strength. Today I give thanks to all my feathered friends for the lessons they have taught me this day and to their Creator and mine! Gratitude equals joy and that is my strength.

Questions:

1. When was the last time you experienced dark clouds and a heavy heart?

2. When you start slipping into unhappiness what steps do you take to change direction?

3. What do you think about practicing gratitude as a means of restoring joy to your spirit?

4. What will be the byproduct of joy?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

Your Word says that even in difficult situations you will keep me in perfect peace if I keep my eyes on you. Help me to learn to practice thanksgiving in all of life, especially the small details of daily living like rainbows, butterflies, grandchildren, flowers, hugs and kisses, beautiful birds, bunnies, cool breezes, a full stomach, hot showers, and rest. Jesus you are my utmost joy! Help me to soar like an eagle even when life is hard. Even through my tears I pray that I will continue to trust you to help me fly. God I want to thank you for the strength that comes to me as you restore the joy of my salvation.

In Your name I pray. Amen.

Lavish Love

“How great is the love

the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

1 John 3:1a NIV

 

I never cease to be amazed at the word pictures that are provided for us in the Word of God. This Father’s Day I am thinking about the love of the Father. The Bible says in 1 John 3:1 that God lavished his love on his children.

My children have occasionally disappointed me but the bottom line is there is absolutely nothing in this world they could ever do or say that would keep me from loving them unconditionally. As a mother I love them beyond words. I believe this confession of love is true for my husband as well. We love our children more than life.

Lavishing love on our children IS NOT our ability to give them great gifts and opportunities. As great as those things are, there are still things that are greater. A Christian heritage that models our faithfulness to God is the greatest gift we can give our children. It is a gift that is not purchased. It is a gift that is lived by example. We love our children lavishly when we teach them to respect God and teach them that each person is personally accountable to God. As we teach our children about the love of God we also teach them the necessity of having a personal relationship with God. We are to teach them the importance of developing a dependency on God for every need in their life. We teach our children that God can be trusted and that he is faithful. When we invest in our children’s lives in this way we love them lavishly!

My husband and I are Christians and we have for the most part had a healthy family life. This principle was modeled to us by our parents and we in turn are in the process of passing it on to our children. I wish I could say we have always done this perfectly, but we have not. There have been times when we let life get in the way. There were times when we thought that gifts, activities and opportunities came before example. I’m sure our children always knew we loved God but sometimes our example of living it out was lacking. Now our children have both left home and are currently living out their own faith. God has been faithful to them and they are faithful to God. Still, my husband and I are not free of the responsibility of example. Only spending time with God in the garden of our hearts enables us to continue to lavish God’s love on our children by example. We must remain faithful and become overcomers when we experience trouble that is always a part of life.

God is so good to give us the model of “family” so that in our humanity we can better understand his love for us. God had a son that he adored. Yet he sacrificed his one and only son, Jesus, so he could lavish his love on humanity. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior he lavishes his love on us personally in the form of forgiveness. Yet the Father did not forget the Son. His son, Jesus Christ sits at his right hand in heaven; this is a position of honor. Some day soon Jesus will return to earth and this time he will not be a suffering servant giving his life as a sacrifice for sin, but he will be the King above all Kings and the Lord above all Lords! On that day we who have accepted Jesus as our personal savior will rule and reign with him forever. This IS lavish love for the Son and for all of God’s children. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”

I am amazed that not only do we have the opportunity to teach our children, but our children sometimes out trump us and teach us more about God’s love and faithfulness than we could ever hope to teach them. Once again, truth is taught by example and many times our children are the perfect example to us. There are times when our hearts ache for our children when they are hurting and experiencing hard times. Other times are hearts sing for joy when we see our children choosing Jesus during difficult circumstances or during a time of loneliness or loss. Our love for our children is a beautiful picture of how much our Heavenly Father loves us. Our Heavenly Father’s heart breaks for us when we are in need and he rejoices when we choose him. Everyday is Father’s Day when it comes to our Father in heaven cherishing and loving all of his children lavishly!

Questions:

1. How do you feel knowing that God’s love for you is lavish, plentiful, generous, and abundant?

2. Have your children ever taught you anything about the love of the Father?

3. What did they teach you?

4. Have you asked God to help you as you strive to be a godly example to your family?

5. Is there anything in your life that is sending the wrong message to your children?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

It is an awesome responsibility to be a parent. Sometimes I do it well and other times not so much. Father, forgive my short comings and challenge me to do a better job. Thank you for the gift of my family and help me to love them lavishly just as you love me. How blessed I am to be called your child. I pray God that I would regularly take stock of my priorities so that I can make sure you remain first, number one, and at the top of my list. Bless all fathers everywhere this day. If there are hurting men who are childless I pray that they would realize that there are always children to be loved and ministered to by example. Give each of them opportunities to touch the lives of children. I pray that every man on this Father’s Day would know the lavish love of the Father. Give every dad the wisdom to lavish on his children God’s love through his leadership, teaching, his faithfulness to the Father, and his loving example.

In you Son’s name I pray. Amen.