Consider the Lilies

Shortly after my mother died, it was time to cut back the lilies, which were no longer blooming. God spoke to me about how though currently unseen, my mother still lived, and I would see her again, just like the lilies.

Recently, the lily greenery started poking through the soil, and has filled in quite nicely. Each day, I look expectantly, waiting to see the blooms show up, and the various colors make their appearances, but there's nothing yet.

One day while looking out, God spoke to me, asking if I was looking for Him just as anxiously and expectantly. Sometimes our prayers are like that, too. We look each day, but it appears as nothing is happening. We grow weary with anticipation, and begin to wonder if we'll ever see the answer. But
Hebrews 10:23 tells us: "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

God must've known our impatient hearts, and tells us repeatedly to 'hold on.'

Psalm 27:14 - Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

 

Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.

 

Conversely.....I must ask myself......Is God waiting on me?.......

 

 

 

The Image of God

 “Oh, he looks just like his daddy.”

I hear some form of this statement on a regular basis concerning my son, Meyer.  I arguably think that he looks a lot like his mother; he has her eyes and some of his facial expressions are distinctly hers. But, I do have to admit the strong father/son resemblance between myself and Meyer.  And, I must confess, it warms my heart!

Resemblance is such a funny thing.  Have you ever noticed how at times siblings look just alike and then at other times, it seems that their features couldn’t be more different. 

The Bible tells us that we have been made in God’s image.  In Genesis 1:27, it says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (ESV)

Have you ever stopped to think about that: you are made in the image of God.  What exactly does that mean, anyway?  Of course, I know that there are many theological explanations of what this verse is talking about. But, at the risk of over-simplifying the concept, it just means that we look like Him.  Whether that is physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, or something else altogether…, well, that’s not the point I’m trying to make. 

Suffice it to say, there’s a resemblance.  Sometimes, we can deny and resist that image, but it’s there, nonetheless. 

When I look at my son, I can see a little of myself in him.  And, it brings me great joy to see a part of me reflected in him.  What joy it must bring our Heavenly Father when He can see His own likeness being mirrored in us.  And, since we are made in His image, we bring Him the most glory when we reflect His character—when our image is that of goodness, love, and holiness.  But, sometimes, our ability to do this is hindered by sin. 

It is our original purpose to shine forth God’s image to creation, so let me encourage you to not deny or resist that image by choosing to do things that you know are not a reflection of Him.  Be who you were created to be—the very image of God. 

Easter on Mother's Day

Easter had a special meaning for me this year. My mom went to be with the Lord in August. When you lose a family member, suddenly Easter takes on a fresh new meaning. It's not just a story or a pageant play - Jesus defeated death!

Which will make this year's Mother's Day special. I'm sure there will be some difficult moments, but because of the meaning of Easter, I know that I haven't celebrated my last Mother's Day with my mom. I can't call her this Mother's Day like I used to, but one day, we'll be together praising the Lord.

That will be a Mother's Day to remember!

John 11:25–26

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Fair Weather

The calendar says Spring is here. I look out my window and see the tiniest of green leaves here and there. When Spring comes, isn't everything supposed to be blooming and bursting forth in beauty?

The skies are gray and the forecasters issue storm warnings. The next forecast issues the possibilities of frost. Wait! Where's the sunshine, gentle winds, and warm temperatures?

Sometimes we feel that way about the Christian life. We're supposed to have peace, love, and joy...God's supposed to defeat the enemies, supply all our needs and calm the storms!

A storm comes, but so does a beautiful rainbow. Days later, the same glance out the windows shows lots more green leaves and flowers peeking through,  I'm able to leave my coat at home. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Ecclesiastes 3:1. "But those who wait upon 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 faint." Isaiah 40:31. Sometimes I sure am a slow learner.....

The birds are chirping outside my window. It'll rain today, and tomorrow the green of Spring will show even more. But because I know THE Weatherman, I will have new mercies EVERY morning--and I can have sunshine in my SOUL no matter what storms of life may come, nor what season of life I'm in! What a great forecast!

VBS!

Vacation Bible School is around the corner! Yes, I realize it is March and that our VBS is in June, but plans for the week are already in full swing. In two weeks, we have our annual VBS kickoff. Jeanne Carpenter, Becky Woodall and Jan Weaver always plan an exciting evening to get us ready for a great week of VBS. My favorite part is seeing all the wonderful people who volunteer their time, not only for the week of VBS, but for the preparation in advance.

Be in prayer for these extraordinary folks as they get ready to teach the children of our community about the love of Christ. Be in prayer for our church as we welcome the families of VBS children and seek ways to show them the gospel message. Be in prayer for the children as they come and, while having a super week, find out about the Savior.

It's never too early to pray for VBS!

Seasons Pass

At the beginning of winter, it seemed everywhere I turned, I saw or heard phrases like, "Let it Snow," "I love the snow!" countdowns of how many days until Christmas, etc. Now, it's quite the reverse....I hear and see, "Die, Winter, Die!" countdown to Spring, "I hate snow," etc.

This brings several things to mind--1) We're never satisfied, or not for long, it seems--ha! 2) It's good to look ahead. 3) I'm so thankful for the variety of seasons.

Sometimes we feel as though the winter or stormy seasons of our lives will never end, too, and we long for brighter days. During these times, it is important to remember that we are not alone. The Bible has MANY verses of encouragement. The following are just a few of them: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, sincerely and in truth.” Psalm 145:18; “The Lord upholds all those (of His own) who are falling and raises up all those who are bowed down.” Psalm 145:14; "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29. Seasons change, both in the weather, and in the events of our lives. God DOESN'T.

Ironing

My mother taught me how to iron. Lesson one: make sure you grab the right end. I had the burned hands to prove the validity of lesson one. Lesson two: don't leave until you've unplugged the iron. I had the shirt with the iron shaped burn mark to prove the validity of lesson number two.

Somewhere between these two lessons, my clothes were supposed to get iron. When I got to college, that all fell by the wayside. I learned if you packed enough clothes into your dorm closet, they basically iron themselves.

Interestingly enough, one of the hymns of faith was written while ironing. "In Times Like These" was written by Ruth Caye Jones during the depths of World War II. One day, while ironing, the words came to her. She jotted them down and put them in her apron pocket. Over the next several years, this hymn became widely used, especially at Billy Graham crusades.

It's not difficult to see why this hymn became so popular. In the midst of the darkness of a world war, the words of the hymn gave great comfort:

In times like these, we need a Savior

In times like these, we need an anchor

Be very sure; Be very sure

Your anchor holds, and grips the Solid Rock!

We live in an evil, tragic world. If ever there was a time to proclaim the message of Jesus, it is now. If ever there was a time to proclaim the hope we have in Christ, this is it. Our world needs the Solid Rock.