Earth Dust vs. Heavenly Glory

photo Joshua Earle

We are in a world crisis that is unprecedented. The circumstances and restrictions of our lives today, we could not have  imagined as little as a few weeks ago. 

I want to share a story -- one that is true, but perhaps a little funny. Maybe it happened 'for such a time - or lesson-  as this'. 

Many years ago now,  Vic and I were driving home from Whistler.  

It was a lovely day and I was content,  just relaxing and admiring the majestic scenery.  Rather absent-mindedly,  my eyes shifted to glance at  a  white pick-up truck some distance in front of us.  I did a double-take! 

As I focused, I reacted in horror ! .

Painted on the truck,  in fine detail ,  was a graphic,  in shaded-colour life-like painting of a naked lady.  

I was extremely offended and I commented to Vic .. "WHO in the world would DO THAT ?"   He gave me a puzzled glance and said, "Do what?" 

 I said .. "Paint a naked lady on their truck .. LOOK !"  

 He looked .. glanced  back at me and said .. "What are you talking about !"  

 Husbands... they can be sooo frustrating at times ! 

 I pointed and said .. "Look, that naked lady painted on the truck !"  

 Now puzzled, he replied,  "I don't see any naked lady." 

 Well,...  I didn't know what to do .. It was in plain sight, what was his problem!?

 But no matter how much I pointed, or explained , he just didn't seem to see it .. or else he was taunting me, purposely just not acknowledging it ..   

I was losing my patience and I said somewhat sarcastically ... "Drive up closer .. so you can see better!" 

 Well, he sped up until we pulled up close  and the painted details of the naked lady become so clear that I thought .. 'He'll HAVE to admit seeing it now !"  ..... 

 When, suddenly ...  in a split second...

The 'naked lady' crumbled into nothing more than splattered dirt on the truck.  

 I was left speechless.... embarrassed ... and bewildered.  How could it have been so vivid in my eyes when really what I so clearly saw, was not there at all! 

How often we view the things of this life with eyes like mine --  we see with an earthly view and see so clearly the things around us but do not realize that they are a mirage painted with the colours and brushes of an earth-focused reality.   

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES 

1. Joseph -- earth-dust view -- Gen. 40:23 --  Joseph was put in prison unjustly ... then he had a glimmer of hope when he interpreted two fellow-prisoners' dreams and they promised to remember him to Pharaoh ...  but Joseph waited and nothing happened... his hope must have died within him .. Was he to stay in prison for the rest of his life?

 YET .. God had another view  -- In HIS time , Joseph would be second only to Pharaoh himself and Joseph would save his people as well as Egypt.  

2. Naomi -- earth-dust view -- she had spent the last years in a foreign country .. lost her husband and her two sons ... what was left ?  nothing ...  except to go back 'home' , but she knew there was nothing awaiting her there ... her life was 'bitter' and empty of all promises .... Ruth 1:20,21   

YET .. God had another view ..  ... through her daughter-in-law, Ruth, he blessed Naomi beyond what she could have thought or imagined ... and linked her, through Ruth, to the genealogy of Jesus!!   

3. the Shunammite woman  -  earth-dust view ...  Elisha's prayer blesses her with a long-awaited son ... then that son dies ! ( II Kings 4:28)  ..  It was  her worst fears  come true ... She had from the beginning been afraid that the promises of the prophet would prove false -- be a lie to her in some way ... and now her son was dead !  

YET ... God had another view.... No problem raising the boy from the dead ... and through that miracle she would find favor with the king and contrary to custom she would be given her property back plus all the profits it had yielded in her absence.  (Her story is found in II Kings 4:8-37 and II Kings 8:1-8 ) 

4. Jesus'  disciples  --   earth-dust view ... (Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14)  A great crowd of people followed Jesus and His disciples and listened to Him teach all day .. and brought Him their sick to heal ...  but now it was evening.  It was supper-time 

When Jesus didn't want the people to go away hungry and told His disciples to feed the people, His disciples earth-dust view was quite vivid !  How were they to feed so many with NO food to feed them with ? They had nothing except one little boy's lunch ... barely enough to feed the little boy !!!  - they were in a dessert place and even if they went to buy food ...  it would take some time and they could not possibly afford to buy enough!!  

.

YET .. God had another view ...  5 loaves and 2 fishes were more than enough .... and Jesus multiplied the food --- a miracle that fed everyone - 5000 men and women and children -  with 12 baskets left over !  Proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah!

GOD HAS NOT CHANGED

God has not changed.  No matter how vivid our earth-dust view is .. no matter how hopeless a situation looks, no matter how hard it is to see a good solution or outcome .. God has another view ...  and God has a way and a plan to bring good out of anything we encounter in life and always His promises will stand. 

Whether our earth-dust view is personal or global ,  we can trust God that He will never fail  - that He will always be as faithful in our lives as He was in the biblical examples He recorded for us to learn from. 

WHAT IS REALLY REAL?

II Cor. 4:18... while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The things of this earth are so real to us -- we see them, we touch them, we feel them, we experience them.  Yet Paul reminds us they will all suddenly,  melt away ... He says in I Peter 3:19 that as a thief in the night .. suddenly one day ... "the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat .. both the earth and the works are are in it will be burned up." 

  Just like 'my naked lady' melted into dust so also will the things of this earth crumble into nothing.   

 THE BEST IS YET TO COME   

But  the reality that will then be opened to our eyes will be soooooo incredible that we will never look back  longing for the things we once knew on this earth. 

I like how the Living Translation words Isaiah 65:17 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.

Just like my naked lady was very real to me for a time... after she crumbled into dust she really meant nothing to me any more !  and I think that is what is expressed in this verse.  It isn't that we will 'forget' in the sense of losing our memory . It is that we will not ever wish for it back again!  

Then our eyes will be opened to see the realty that  is even now our true identity as a citizen of glory .. of God's eternal Kingdom !!  

BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IS TO COME 

Oh .. let us turn our eyes upon Jesus .. and let the things of this earth grow strangely dim as we look into His wondrous face .... 

HE is our Shepherd, 

our Refuge, 

the Rock under our feet 

and our Promise of Hope and Eternity !  

We lift our eyes to that promise that  ALL THINGS will be become new ... all things will be turned from pain to joy and we will live forever with our God --  seeing Him face to face with His name written on our foreheads. (Rev. 22: 4) 

If you have not read it recently read the beautiful 'end of our  earthly story' in Revelation 22. 

***

No matter what happens around me , my hope is in the One True God ... 

I am on the Lord's side !!  How about you?

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

I can easily guess your response looking at my above photo .. "what in the world is that!!"

But if anyone dares to describe the little ornaments as ugly or worthless or anything 'less-than', my emotions will rise in defense,  resenting any criticism.

Why ?   Because to me the above little ornaments are beautiful with treasured value.
When my two  granddaughters were  toddlers, both under 3,  my daughter asked them if they wanted to make  something for me for my birthday.  Oh yes, they did.
She gave them a box of paint and brushes and  two little figurines to paint.
My daughter told me they sat for over an hour painstakingly, patiently painting brush stroke after brushstroke, intent on making their work perfect for their Nanna.  I will never forget the eager little faces when they so proudly gave me their gifts.
My heart melted - how I still treasure the little ornaments, and in 'my eyes'  the beauty is unsurpassed!

Often when I look at the little figurines, I wonder if God doesn't feel the same as I do.
When He looks at you and me, does He see us as worthless?  Does He see the flawed, imperfect brush strokes with which we have painted our lives?
Does He look at the 'gifts' of service we give Him and see them as so much 'less' than what He could so easily do better without us?
Or, do His emotions quickly rise up against anyone who would speak against us?   Does He see us as beautiful beyond description and are our humble offerings to Him precious because we are clothed with our faith/trust in Him?  Does He value what we offer Him as 'beautiful' , even when in human eyes it looks worthless, just because we are so loved and treasured in His sight?

" ....  the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes" I Peter 1:7

 "Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."  I Peter 3:4

"So shall the King greatly desire your beauty, for He is the Lord, worship him !" Psalm 45:11

The ultimate, unfathomable truth is expressed by Jesus Himself -- that the Father loves you and me as much as He loves Jesus !
John 17:20,23

Next time you look into the mirror,  or look into your heart, and feel despondent or discouraged at the 'little' you have offered to God, remind yourself of how God sees you and how He values what you give Him in response to His love for you.
If God delights in you and values your 'gifts' to Him,  does it matter so much what others think?

Embrace the Pace

This summer I spend a few days in Shipshewana, Indiana, which is Amish country. The group I was with stopped for  lunch one day  in a local restaurant and we chatted with the friendly waitress.  We commented on how an unusual an experience it was for us to share the road with the Amish horse and buggies.
The waitress laughed and said... "We have a saying ...'Embrace the Pace' ".

It was a catchy phrase and echoed in my mind.  Since then it has taken on very personal meaning for me. When life takes a sudden unexpected turn,  you suddenly find your life-path blocked and you can no longer travel at your usual speed. Your focus has narrowed to the one thing that has 'slowed you down'.
Our initial reaction when we are suddenly encountered by a road block - be it on the street or in life - is to groan with impatience at the inconvenience and having to deal with the stress of  necessary adjustments in our plans. Road blocks in life come to all of us at one time or another.

I have neglected my blog because in September my mom had a serious stroke and has been in hospice.  Caring for her has demanded my daily focus and  time, putting most everything else 'on hold'.
When we were told that our mother would not recover, we willingly took on the responsibility of her care 24/7.  At first we were given the diagnosis that she did not have long to live, but the reality is that her condition plateaued and, though needing full care, is still with us after two months.  Our own lives have been indefinitely  'put on hold' to make her our first and only priority.

That was my initial perspective - my own life 'put on hold' and the question was, how long could I put it on hold before I could of necessity pick it up again?
But then, I began to feel convicted that this was not how I should be looking at the change in my life  - expecting and waiting for life to be 'normal' again so I could be in control of  my own 'pace'.

"Embrace the Pace" took on deep spiritual application. I realized that if I truly believed that God was in control of my life, this too was something He had allowed and something that I needed to accept - yes, even embrace - in the same way I would willingly accept anything else from His hand.
Just as the motorists have to accommodate and slow down for the horses and buggies who share the road, so to I had to slow down and 'embrace the pace' set before me.   The things that were important in my life were overshadowed by something more important.  For this time in my life, I am as called to serve as in any other time,that I would more gladly choose.

In Shipshewana, I was privileged  to have a ride in an Amish man's horse and buggy. I so enjoyed the experience - the hypnotic clip/clop of the horse's hooves on the pavement was stress-releasing and the unhurried pace allowed me to notice things the speeding motorists missed.
So also in life - embracing the pace -  reveals and teaches us things we would otherwise  never notice in the fast paced lanes of  'normal' life.

I do not think  I am unique in struggling with impatience - and then feeling guilt for being impatient - for a difficult time to be over.  But  II Thess. 3:5 gives me the directive God leads me to --  Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
First, knowing my heart is secure in the love of God and then, in that love allow the 'patience of Christ' to rule my emotions, is key to finding the peace that passes understanding. The peace that does not deny the difficult situation or circumstances or emotional pain,  but calms the heart in the midst of it.

And then I need to remind myself  that it is never in my own strength that I do the things before me ... but that the Lord's words to Paul are directed to me as well...  "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  II Cor. 12:9

God makes no mistakes and when I am called to Embrace the Pace , I know that God walks it with me.

Knitting a Lesson

My mother taught me to knit when I was 5 years old.  At first I just moved the stitches from one needle to the other, the only 'growth' happening when my mother 'borrowed' my work for a time. I remember well how I enjoyed the hours I sat in my little chair 'knitting' and proudly showed my Dad what I could do when he came home from work. 

It has been a life long hobby for me. 

Last summer , I picked up some yarn in a specialty wool shop on a vacation day with girl friends. 

Because I was not willing  to hold the group up, I took only a few minutes to peruse this shop wishing I could stay for hours.   There was one yarn, however, that I simply could not pass by - a variegated yarn in my favourite colours,  a blend of wool and silk from Italy, hand painted in Chile - how special is that?

I grabbed a couple of skeins and quickly paid for them, thinking that would at least be enough for a scarf.  

But now, what pattern?  What width?  I soon realized I had only enough for a narrow scarf and I searched for a stitch pattern that would compliment  rather than compete with the variegated yarn.  

As I tried one pattern after another, after unraveling my work several times because it wasn't quite right, I finally settled on one that pleased me. As I worked my scarf, .my thoughts were inspired to recognize the many analogies my project pictured.

Let me share them with you.

1. I loved the yarn too much to 'pass it by'
Isn't that how God is pictured in scripture?   Each one of us is too special in His eyes to 'pass us by' and He picks us up where He finds us.

2. I willingly paid the price. The yarn I bought was a little on the pricey side but I happily paid the price - it was worth it!
Hasn't God also, because we were so special to Him, paid the highest price possible - the death of His Son? He declares that we too were worth it to Him ...

3. I needed a special stitch to suit the yarn.   Aren't each of us 'wonderfully knit together in our mother's womb' - each with our own DNA?

4. Finding a suitable  pattern - For each of us, God looks for the perfect 'pattern' - or life circumstances -  that will complement our talents, natural abilities, interests, circumstances, personality ... so that that when we are completed we will be satisfied and He will be pleased and glorified.

5. Errors and mistakes are so easily 'unraveled' ...  I am also a seamstress and when I make a mistake in my garment I have to be pretty creative to cover it up, but I always know where it is and I can point out where it is, even if no one else would notice it. When I am knitting, and I make a mistake I can unravel my work to below the mistake and pick up the stitches again and continue knitting - no one, not even I could ever point to where the mistake is - it is as if it never was.  That is how God forgives - it is as if it never was.

6. Stitch by stitch, row by row -- only the knitter knows what the end result will look like. Watching someone knit the question is invariably asked "what are you knitting?"    Do we not often wonder the same about God's plan for our life ? "What are you making, God? I don't see what I will be."

7. Often in a knitted garment the wrong side does not show the beauty of the design the knitter is creating.  It doesn't look pretty at all sometimes, especially if the design is worked with multiply yarns.   So often the 'wrong' side of our life- this earthly side - does not show the glory of what God worked in and through us until it is revealed in eternity.

8. To a knitter its all about the knitting  Someone so truly said..."My husband and kids think the purpose of knitting is the garment, but they don't know the purpose of knitting is the knitting."  I often think of God looking at us with a 'knitter's heart'.   Its all about what He wants to do for us, delighting in daily 'loading us with benefits', blessing us ... just enjoying being with us and in us... communing and fellowshipping with us.

9.  When I bought the yarn to make a scarf, it was summer !  Not the season I could wear a wool/silk scarf over a sweater, but I worked on it anyway so I would have it put away ready to wear when the winter came.  So often God also works in our lives 'out of season' and we think everything is going wrong.  On the contrary,  often it is God working into our life today what we will need tomorrow, preparing us to be ready for some purpose or task that He will ask us to do in the future.

10. I did not have enough yarn to make my scarf as long nor as wide as I would need the scarf to be to be able to wear it in any style of current fashion, so I needed to be creative.   I had a little yarn left and out of it I fashioned a cabbage rose that I fastened to a band wrapped around the two ends of the scarf and I found some complementary yarn to lengthen the scarf with a fringe.   Isn't God like that with us too?   He has to work with very limited resources, I don't have much in me that is 'enough' and so God gets creative -  He takes the 'little' I give Him to work with and He creatively makes it more beautiful than I could imagine possible !

God has worked so many ways into our daily lives by which we can 'see Him' if we are looking for Him.
 Is He not ever so worthy of our love and devotion?

Update on my Sweet Peas

Earlier this year I wrote this post  on my planting of sweet pea seeds.  I promised to update when they bloomed, IF they bloomed.

A promise is a promise even if I keep it to my embarrassment!

Here is a photo of my sweet pea plants.  I envisioned the stick trellis my husband made for me to be hidden behind a profusion of leaves and blossoms begging to be picked into lovely bouquets.
Well, not quite!
 I kept it tucked up against my basket that overflowed its pot so that it could hide its spindly stems and sparse blossoms.

 I did enjoy my little hummingbird that found the few blossoms and drank their nectar.
 Hardly enough to satisfy -  offering at best only a few sips.

(hummingbird sitting behind the top lilac sweet pea) 

I was so disappointed.  I had watched over the little seedlings with care and as they grew watered and fertilized faithfully, but I finally had to admit that I had failed.

I went on line and typed in 'scraggly sweet peas' and I learned what my problem was and  then realized that even in my failure I could find a lesson.

I learned that sweet peas are not a plant that should be 'coddled'.  When the first sprouts begin to grow they must be pinched off to allow the secondary shoots to be dominate - they are the ones that will grow to produce the abundant flowers I was so hoping to enjoy.
I have never been a ruthless gardener - I tend to be a coddler.  I can never quite make myself follow the example of the expert gardeners who live on my street.  The minute a plant isn't thriving they dig it out, they cut back the good ones, they pinch back growth, prune and divide - and of course their gardens are lush and colourful.

My sweet pea lesson made me think of the passage  where Jesus speaks of the Father as being the Gardener who prunes the good fruit bearing branches so that they will bear more fruit.
I thought about how often we complain that God is not a 'coddler' gardener.  We don't understand when his pruning sheers cut into our life.   We cry and ask why.

But do we consider that God is no more satisfied with a scraggly plant than we are?   Is He sometimes 'ruthless' in bringing those things into our life that will cause us to thrive and overflow with blossoms or fruit?   Does He look for us to be the kind of plants that invite people to pick a bouquet and enjoy our fragrance -  or taste of the fruit of our love and compassion for them?

Next year I'm going to practice being ruthless .... and I have dared to ask God to be ruthless with me.  I don't want to be a 'scraggly plant' - I want to be one that covers the trellis God has built for me to climb on.

"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away and every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit"   John 15:2

For everything there is A Time ..... is there a time to rant??

I looked over the 'for everything a time'  list in Ecc.3:1-8  and did not find a listing for a 'time to rant', but I thought maybe "a time to throw away'   came close enough!

I have something in my kitchen   that   aggravates me every time I use it, which is most every day.
We bought new appliances when we moved nine years ago and I have been happy with them except for one feature on my stove !  The built-in timer !!
It makes no logical sense to me !

If I set the timer to one minute, no problem - I set it to the "1" and the number display immediately slips to  59 seconds and the count down follows to zero.    BUT, if I set it to any other number of minutes  then when I look at the timer display it always shows one less minute than what is left.
If, for example, I set it to 20 minutes, after one sec the display flips to 19 and counts down from there so that when it shows "1" minute left there are actually TWO minutes left  ... because the one minute shows for a whole minute before it starts the final minute at 59 down to 0 to  activate the buzzer !

OK, I know since I know how it works, that I just add one minute in my mind and don't let it bother me, right ?? NO!!   It bothers me every single time I set the timer because is just isn't RIGHT !!
****

I love the story found in John 1:43-51.  It is the story of Nathanael - whose name means "given of God".
John tells how  Philip encountered  Jesus  and heard His words, "follow me!"
Philip's  first thought was to seek out his  good friend Nathanael to share the exciting news.   Obviously they must have spent time discussing the prophecies of the Old Testament, because without any introduction Philip blurts out .."We have found Him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
Nathanael responded out of his knowledge of the scripture,  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"   
Philip knew seeing was believing for Nathanael and simply replied... "Come and see."
When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to ward Him, Jesus said, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!" 
Nathanael asked the obvious question in his mind ... "How do You know me?"   and  Jesus answered..."Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."   
Nathanael's response is rather amazing.   While Philip spoke of Jesus as the One who was to come...  Nathanael  dared to call him God ... "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 

Jesus marvelled at his faith and asked ... "Because I said to you , 'I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?  You will see greater things than these. Most assuredly I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." 

While only John speaks  of Nathanael by name in this one account , I believe it is recorded because it holds a message for us. There is something we can learn from Nathanael.
Jesus liked him and paid him a high complement -  that he was without guile!   What does that mean?
It means that Nathanael was someone who was honest, forthright -- what you see is what you get...  no beating around the bush,  no filtering of thoughts before they are spoken, no guessing where you stand with him.
Nathanael spoke his mind .... expressed his honest doubts but was  also quick with a  ready acceptance of the truth when he saw it !

God desires honesty in our inner self ...  that we are open, without hiding behind a mask or a pious façade.   We cannot hide from God.... so why try ?  

If people look at us , do they have to guess what the 'numbers on our screen'  really mean ? or do they see our face reflecting our heart and find our words to be honest and true ?

"Given of God"   -  a  beautiful name meaning that speaks of us walking in the 'image of Him' to whom we belong.    May the Lord say of us ... "A child of mine who is without guile!" 

Looking Good From a Distance

Sunday morning I came out of the house, ready for church and saw one of our neighbours  washing/polishing his truck .. It was gleaming  white in the morning sun.

I greeted him and asked...   "Didn't you just wash your truck yesterday?"
He replied, "Yes, but I wasn't quite finished and missed a few spots !"
I called back .. "It looks perfect to me !"
His response... "Yes, it looks good from a distance!"
I quipped , "That's how most people see it !"
He smiled. "True!"

I immediately realized what a great analogy this was.  A sermon in a short  spontaneous conversation.

I thought of how we are so careful in how we present the part of us that others see. We fuss with our hair, our clothes, keeping  our words and facial expressions kind and friendly.   We try to please those around us, doing the things expected of us, performing the good deeds that will be favourably received and duly admired.

At a distance ... we look good !

But what about if someone looks closer ...  all the way into the heart that is carefully concealed from other people who are impressed with their view of us.   But there is One who is not distracted by the outward, nor does He judge by how we look at a distance.  He examines our heart - close up!

God is not concerned with how we look at a distance - in fact the outward isn't His concern at all  - He desires our 'heart' beauty!  

  Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel.... but let it be the hidden person of the heart... 

1Pe 3:3,4  

God is the examiner of the heart ... the One who desires to 'clean' what others may not see -- what we ourselves may ignore or justify!  

  Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. 

Ps. 26:2 

There really isn't anything God misses ... we have no 'heart spots' we can hide from Him. 

  For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Heb 4:12 

What does God require of us ? 

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart...." 

Duet. 10:12

  

What is the best spot remover for our hearts ?  

  How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

   Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. 

Ps. 119:9,11

May we allow our heart to be  'cleaned/polished'  in such a way that we can say to the Lord , 

as did  King David .. 

 You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.  

Ps. 17:3

Taught through a Dream

I have always been an avid dreamer and any detail of information that has ever entered my mind is readily available to be worked into some kind of logical or illogical sequence in my nightly  drama production.

Several nights ago as  I wove my dream scenes they tended very easily and quickly to drift to the bizarre, the frightening, the difficult and even logically impossible experiences.
But then at one point in my dream I suddenly realized that I had something  in my hand that had a unique function.
As soon as my dream drama turned upside down  into a threatening or frightening nightmare,  I would reach out and touch it with what I had in my hand and the dream would right itself immediately into something that made sense.
It happened over and over and I came to the place where even  the frightening turns in my dreams no longer disturbed me or  caused me to fear or dread.  I KNEW that all I had to do was 'touch' them with what I had in my hand and the dream would change,  leaving me emotionally calm.  .And so I faced each  nightmare with calm resolve, flipping it right side up with the touch of my finger instantly neutralizing its power to overwhelm me with fear.

When I awoke ... I thought about what I had experienced and realized that it presented an interesting picture of a spiritual truth.   My dream portrayed the reality of how we, as believers, can face the nightmares of life.
We all walk through the days and years of our lives and face unexpected circumstances or experiences that leave us overwhelmed with fear, with worry or anxiety.
We feel run over,  we feel out of control, we feel alone with no answers or nowhere to turn.  
Most often  our disturbing experiences are not life threatening - sometimes they are.
Sometimes we are frustrated sitting in rush hour traffic, knowing we will be late for an appointment     sometimes a tragedy changes our lives forever in a moment of time.

But we have something in our hand that has can turn our troubles right side up.   Turning them right side up doesn't change the circumstance but it takes the fear out of it, and puts us in a safe place.

What is the 'changer' we have in our hand ?
It is God's Truth, His Word on the subject or circumstance.

Your day is not off to a good start... You spilled your coffee cup, your two year old woke up crying, your husband complained of having egg sandwiches AGAIN in his lunch, you have a 9:30 o'clock appointment you are going to be late for if you sit any longer in this stalled traffic.  Your stress level is rising, a soundless scream forming in the pit of your stomach..... where is your 'wand' ?
Awww... there it is. Reach it out ...   and take a deep breath!
"In everything give thanks..... "  (I Thess. 5:18)
Coffee can be wiped up and another cup poured,   a child can be comforted, and a quiet apology and a kiss sooth a husband.   Thankful?  yes,   for a  child healthy enough to cry,  a  husband to make lunches for, the friend you are  meeting for lunch after your appointment,  your mother-in-law so willing to babysit, the tree bursting forth with spring pink blossoms  you wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't been sitting in traffic --    the list once started is hard to end.   A thankful heart is a happy heart -- the day turns right side up.

You are a young girl in college, in love with a fellow student.   He is everything you ever wanted!  You smile as you look down at the diamond on your left hand.  Then you frown ...  if only your parents could be happier for you !   If only your pastor had not expressed his reluctance to marry you.   You lay awake last night trying to put your own doubts out of mind.    So he isn't a Christian...   YET....   He promised to go to church with you after you were married.
The Truth ?    "Be not unequally yoked...  "   (II Cor. 6:14)
Yes... touch your situation with God's truth -- give the ring back.   The one God has chosen for you will share your faith. God's truth isn't given to spoil your happiness, but rather to ensure it.  How many women have married men thinking to convert them after marriage, and it just doesn't happen!

You can hardly bear the pain in your heart. Your grief over the loss of a loved washing wave after wave over raw emotions.  Unexpected bills have left you with financially worries.  How will you manage?  Will life ever be 'normal' again ?
Your 'wand'  ... where is it ?
 ".... lest you sorrow as those who have no hope."   We have 'comfort'  even in our sorrow, that there is life after death ... that we will see our loved ones again. Death has been conquered... the dead in Christ will rise again ... and we will be with Him forever !   (I Thess. 4:13-18)
"I will never leave you or forsake you ... "  (Heb. 13:5)  Isn't often the greatest fear in any situation that of being 'alone' ?   God knew how easily we were comforted by someone coming alongside that could help, that could walk us through whatever was before us.   Jesus promised, no matter what we are going through, we are not alone.  Not only is Jesus with us, to comfort, even to carry us.  but He has promised that "all things will work together for our good".  (Rom. 8:28) No matter what we go through it is not in vain, God has a plan and a purpose.
"My God shall supply all your need..." (Phil. 4:19)  That is a promise God gives to His children.  In time of need we look around us and perhaps see no way even God could meet our need.....  but we need to look at the second part of God's promise.   He isn't dependant on THIS world's supply,  He has promised to meet our need according to HIS RICHES ... a storehouse of provision untouched by thieves,  an economic recession, or your own ability or resources.  We can trust Him.

I could go on and weave situations of life we all deal with.  What is in your life today that you are struggling with ?  Have you considered what God's view of your situation is,  what His Word has to say about it?    How would taking God's truth and 'touching' it to your way of thinking, your perspective, your fears change how you feel? How would it change your choices, your decisions, your attitude?

"In ALL thy ways acknowledge HIM .. and He  WILL direct your paths."  Prov. 3:6
and one of my favourite verses ..
"The entrance of Your Word gives light.It gives understanding to the simple." Ps 119:130,131

Electricity and the Heart

Some years ago I started to experience very sharp  pains shooting through  my eyes.  It was like a lightning bolt of electricity, startling in its sudden intensity. As it was happening fairly regularly I began to worry there was something seriously wrong.
During my next appointment with my optometrist, I told her about the sudden pain in my eyes and she explained it this way.   She said our bodies can build up electricity until it is at a point where it needs to find release and there is only one 'exit' from our body -- the eye!  
Her explanation made sense to me and put me at ease,  but as I thought about it I realized that it presented a vivid spiritual  application.

I think most people want to be 'good' , measuring by whatever standard they hold up for themselves.
Some people define good by what 'feels' right, others strive to please man and some try to please God.  
It is in our trying to please God that we realize how far we fall from His standard of perfection.

According to God's view of man, we all fall short --  we all are subject to a sinful nature, preferring to look out for our own selfish desires first.    Even when we strive to live outwardly pleasing lives,  giving an impression of a kind, godly person -- we keep things buried in our heart, resentment, unforgiveness, anger, doubt, fear, worry,  impatience.     It is these buried things that need to be taken care of.  They are like the electricity in our body that will build up until -- in the flash of a moment --  they find an 'exit' place.    Just like the electricity in our body has only 'one' exit , so also the hidden things of the heart have as their only exit - our flesh, often  - our mouth!
Have we not all experienced that flash of temper, hurtful words, angry outburst  or selfish act that  catches us by surprise and is often directed at someone least deserving of it ?
We think we can hide some aspect of our character or attitude or thoughts that we know is less than pleasing to God.  But it keeps silently  'growing' in our heart.

We  hide that feeling of resentment because we were slighted or passed over in being given what we 'deserved', holding onto it because letting go is like letting go of something that we have a 'right' to.
We  hide that secret fault or sin that no one can see or know because it takes effort to change.
But we can hide things in the 'cupboard' of our heart only until it is so overflowing that the slightest jar will spring it open  allowing its contents to spew forth from the door of our mouth!  

 "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks!" (Matt.12:34)

How much better to keep a 'clean' heart, letting go of things that hurt us first and others in time.   If we bring our concerns/hurts/faults/sin  to God, He will never reject us and will be ever "faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness"  (I John 1:9) 
**

Cause for Grumbling or Thanking ?

The prescription for my pharmaceutical drugs had lapsed and I was waiting for a requisition from my rheumatologist for a renewal.
Thinking ahead, I thought to prevent a potential 'problem'.   Sometimes the pharmacy is out of my drugs and I have to wait until they come in. So I called them, saying that a prescription renewal would be coming in in a few days and I was just checking to make sure they would have all my drugs in stock.  Checking on the drugs in question,  they assured me that yes they had them all on hand.
But when I went in a few days later to pick up my prescription they informed that the Leflunamide was back ordered and they only had enough to partially fill my prescription.
I was annoyed, and grumbled because I had specifically called ahead to give them time to reorder if necessary.

Yesterday, I had an appointment with my rheumatologist and she took one look at my liver test levels and expressed her concern.   The first thing she advised me to do to try to bring the levels back into a normal range was to make sure  the possible cause, the drug Leflunamide,  was not dosed at more than 10mg a day.    I went home, checked my dosage and yes.. the bottle instructions were 20mg- taken every day once a day!
With  now needing to cut them in half --  my partially filled  prescription  was exactly right.  

I was humbled to think how all along God had been working on my behalf to make sure I didn't have to pay for what I would not need...  even when I was trying my best to work it according to what I thought was needed.
It was a good reminder to me to not only let God have control of my life -- but to recognize that the things that make me want to grumble could well be a 'gift' from God designed to give me His best.
Why is it so hard for us to believe that God really IS in the details of our life, that He really DOES care for us as He says in His word?

If we really believed it, how much more at peace we would be, how much anxiety would melt away, how much greater our trust would be.

"Casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you !"   

I Peter 5:7

Using our GPS

My husband got a GPS for his birthday and a couple of days later we headed for the Vancouver International Airport to pick up our friends returning from a mission's trip.

The airport being over an hour drive away, we thought it would be a great opportunity to try out our new 'know-it-all' electronic toy.

To our dismay the device's instructions made no sense at all. On our way to the freeway it begged us to take every side road and when we ignored the instructions and turned onto the freeway it continued to instruct us to take every exit. It did not miss a single one and at one point became very insistent telling us to "U-turn U-turn!"

Finally, we just turned it off and followed the road signs to the airport.

Our son in law is our computer advisor and we gave him the GPS to see if he could 'fix' whatever was wrong with it. He played with it for a bit and then chortled.

His diagnosis ? At some point, we had touched the screen and inadvertently clicked on the option of avoiding all highways!

**

I realized there was a great spiritual analogy here.

As we travel the highways of life we are on what the bible calls the broadway.

This broadway does not lead to good places though, of course, it seems to promise that it does. In fact the broadway's set destination is hell itself.

The broadway is characterized by varying degrees of the 'travel' conditions itemized in Gal. 5 - adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, contentions, jealousies, wrath, selfish ambitions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries.

When we come to the cross and recognize that our salvation lies in faith in Jesus Christ and we are 'born again' something changes -- in fact, everything changes.

1. Instead of travelling through life in circles feeling lost and disoriented we are given a great gift - a spiritual GPS (God-Positioning-System) - the indwelling Holy Spirit.

2Ti 1:14 "...... the Holy Spirit who dwells in us."

2. Our life path now is set to a new destination. We are heading for home - our eternal dwelling place.

Php 3:20 "For our citizenship is in heaven..."

3. We can trust that we are now on the right path, that will lead us to our destination.

Jer 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

4. Our life path is now characterized by a new set of travelling 'conditions' ... love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Gal. 5:22

5. Our journey option setting has been changed to "avoid all freeways, highways"

Freeways -- We have a natural default of wanting our own way. We want to make our own decisions, choices, plans. God has a better way to go. His ways are so much better than our ways but even as believers we need to guard against turning again to the 'freeways' of self-direction.

Highways -- We live in a world whose mind set is contrary to the ways of God and yet because the ways of the world are so familiar to us they often make more sense to us than God's ways. The highways of the world always promise us the easy way or the fastest way to avoid the difficulties or sacrifices that will cost us discomfort or suffering.

Warning - Our GPS - the Holy Spirit warns us when we turn our feet away from His narrow paths to the freeways or highways of self and this world thinking , He calls us to take the next exit. If we do go astray or make mistakes God always has an exit ready to take us back to the paths that He has designed for us.

His voice will continue to direct us to that 'nearest' exit off the 'highway' - UNTIL we reach over and shut Him off.

"To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Heb. 4:7

6. We can trust that our spiritual GPS will never fail, never need upgrading !

Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Let us ... "In all 'our' ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct 'our' paths."

Pro 3:6

"My Three 'One' Sons"

A friend told me the following story yesterday ....

She was vacationing in Hawaii, strolling along a shop lined street with her husband when her eyes fell on a homeless person sitting leaning against a building wall.

Her eyes noted his appearance. His uncut fingernails and toenails had grown to a grotesque six inches long. His hair was long, dirty and matted ; his clothes old and smelly.

My friend whose heart is easily moved by any street/homeless person felt immediate compassion for him. "Oh... don't you feel something for that man?" she asked her husband. "NO!" was his quick retort.

They continued back to their hotel room but the vision of the man did not leave my friends' mind and she prayed. She felt God speak to her about the man and she went to her husband. "Don't you think God wants us to do something for that man?" she queried.

"Yes, He probably does !" responded her husband.

Agreed on what they could do for him, they left their hotel hoping the man was still there.

He was.

My friend approached the man, telling him how much God loved him and shared the simple gospel story/message. She told me she will never forget his eyes when he turned to look at her. In spite of his outwardly revolting appearance she looked deep past that and saw the kindness buried deep within.

She and her husband gave him what they felt God had directed them to give and told him again how much God loved him. He responded tearful and thankful.

The next day they visited a shop on that same street. They questioned the shop owner about the homeless man they had seen the day before.

To their incredulity she told them that the homeless man was the son of the actor who had played the father in My Three Sons !

***

When I got home I researched the personal life of Fred MacMurray. Who doesn't remember the TV sitcom "My Three Sons" ? (at least anyone over the age of 45 - smile)

I found out that Fred MacMurray had been married twice. He and his first wife adopted two children, a boy , Robert, and a girl. When his first wife died, he remarried and adopted twin girls.

That homeless man my friend helped was that son Robert, born in 1946.

It is the kind of story that tugs at your heart.

A child is born to a mother who either could not or would not keep him.

But he is 'chosen' by parents who want him, love him, and give him all he could possibly want - a life that other children could envy.

What happened to this boy, Robert?

Did the sorrow of losing his Mom to death add to the buried fear that his birth Mom had not 'wanted him' ? Did he never feel he had a place in the love of his step Mom ? Then when his father died in the early nineties did that completely crush his heart ?

Did he make the wrong choices ? Choosing to believe the father who adopted him and left him his worldly goods did not really love him?

My thoughts go to the parallel story that concerns all of us in a spiritual reality.

A child is born into the world of sin, vulnerable to all the pain and rejection the world offers.

Then at some point in their life they recognize and reach for the love of God.

God, with the heart of an eternal Father, picks them up and adopts them into His own family.

A Father's love covers them with promise -- all their needs met in this life and full inheritance of eternal life after death!

And yet when life does not take the path they expected, when experience disappoints, when trials and difficulties come --- instead of using the resources and promises held out to them from the hand and heart of their heavenly Father --- they allow doubt and fear to take hold and grow in a darkening soul.

And then with the passing of time they are found to be sitting on the sidelines, a sorry shell of the once favored child of God. Those passing by quickly turn their eyes away and move their feet to the other side of the street.

How very sad!

But even then.... it is not too late... God is waiting, longing for the prodigal son to come home so He can restore him to live in the abundance of His love, enjoying the joys of His Presence!

***

Perhaps you once knew God but have wandered after your own way -- or perhaps your heart is aching for a loved one who has turned away from the God that loves them.

The heart of God is always longing toward His children .... We see it so clearly portrayed in the story of the prodigal son..... "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off , his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him!" (Luke 15:20)

In Hosea 14 God pours out His heart to His people calling them back to Him. He says.. "Oh.. return to the Lord your God .... and ... I will love them freely!" (Hosea 14 - from verses 1 and 4)

God is 'no respecter of persons' and if you are reading these words... the following words of God are spoken about YOU ! "whom I created for my glory, yes, personally formed and made each one.'" (Isaiah 43:7)

God love is for you .. and He has a personal reason/purpose for creating you!

If you have wandered from God ... reach out to God ... He is already reaching out to you ...

May your response be "Indeed, 'I' do come to you... for you are the Lord 'my' God! (Jer. 3:22) *

'Typos

We have just enjoyed a week of real winter with lots of snow.

I love snow in all its beauty but particularly its ability to cover up anything and everything that offends.

*

My girlfriend relayed to me an experience she had in her church service a couple of Sundays ago. The song leader was teaching the congregation a new song and everyone was concentrating on getting the notes right... singing each word as it came up on the screen.

It was only when they were singing the song for the second time .. that my friend suddenly caught her breath and looked over to catch her friend's eye who was shaking her head !

At the same moment, the pastor jumped up and rushing up to the song leader said.. "No, no .. I think we better correct that !"

The refrain of the new song contained a typo . The words everyone had been singing were...

"We will sin, shout and praise in heaven!"

An embarrassed wave of laughter rippled over the congregation as a quick adjustment was made in the lyrics. Sin to sing - one letter .. but a world of difference in meaning ..

When she told me the story , I , of course chuckled with her .. but then I thought about it .

Isn't that so true in our lives?

How often the things of this world distract us and we fail to notice the 'little' things that slip unnoticed into our thoughts, words, actions.

We are so focused on what we are doing we shift our attention and the sin 'typos' find an easy entry - a thought we fail 'to take captive' , a hurtful/angry word that slips off our tongue, an action/reaction that we leave in our wake.

When we have neglected our reading of the Word , our prayer time .... how long before we recognize that 'typos' have slipped onto the screen of our life ?

Perhaps others see them before we do !

On our computers we have 'spell check' --a life saver for me , IF I use it - but even if I do it does not catch a word that is misused.

As believers we have the Holy Spirit who 'spell checks' our hearts - but He doesn't miss anything. If we ask Him to check for 'typos' -- He will !

And in revealing, the Lord is also waiting to correct -- to forgive -- to cover with pure whiteness.

Job declared "My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You cover my iniquity. " Job 14:17

His words bring a picture to my mind of his sins in a trash bag, sitting at the curb covered in snow, waiting for garbage pickup .

Job was in the old covenant where sin was only 'covered', but for us in the New Covenant - Jesus has come. Our 'bags' of transgressions have been picked up and taken away - we need never see them again!

How good it feels to know we can be 'clean' before God -- able to come boldly into His Presence -- with joyful thanksgiving !

*

The Purple House

our Purple Lupin lined path

******

The little house, recently sold, was non-descript no more.

Whereas for many years it barely got a passing glance from by passers, now it was the talk of the town.

What changed ?

The new owner, a painter by trade, decided to use the little old house as an advertisement for his skill. The new house colour was purple with red gables and yellow/green trim. I’m not talking muted designer colours, I’m talking primary - out of a child’s crayon box ! It looked like a larger than life child’s play house.

The purple house stood on a long country road that I travelled most days to and from my own home.

One day I was taking my daughter’s teen friend to our house. . We small talked and then she asked me a question. “How will I know the right man for me?”

I thought a minute and realized the perfect answer lay on the road before us.

I said, seemingly changing the subject, “On this road there is a very unusual, one of a kind house… Point it out to me when you see it.”

She answered, “What is unusual about it ?”

I replied.. “You will know when you see it .. if you have to ask .. its not the one!”

She looked out the car window carefully scrutinizing the houses we passed. One had an unusual roof line and caught her attention… “Is it that one?” she asked. I smiled… “You are asking , so no .. that is not the one.”

Several more times she , with varying degrees of convictions pointed out a house that had a number of unique features. Each time my response of “Are you sure?” brought doubt.

We were nearing the purple house… It barely came into view… when my young friend gasped and with unwavering conviction in her voice said … “THAT ONE!” I asked her if she was sure, but there was no moving her this time! .

I said.. “Just as you recognized the unusual house when you saw it, is the same way you will know the right man for you. When you meet him, you won’t have to ask… ‘is he the one?’

I was reminded of this purple house the other day and how it provided such a great learning lesson for my young friend.

But then I was thinking how it can be an even greater lesson to all of us.

So often we face challenges, choices, decisions. Our life path could go several ways.

We are advice seekers.. We ask professionals, we ask our friends, we ask anyone we think may have some wisdom to impart that will enable us to make the right decisions - large or small.

But do we look for the ‘purple house’ ??

Seeking professional or especially godly advice is a good thing and the bible commends those who do it.

But the ‘purple house’ is when we seek and find God’s word on something.

Then we need no one’s advice… we know that we know that we know the right thing to do. The ‘purple house’ of scripture’s “Thus says the Lord…. “ ends all discussion.

How diligent are we in finding the purple house of God’s thoughts or commandments… or are we content with man’s opinions as they fit with our natural inclinations? Do we try to find the one who speaks a comfortable ‘interpretation’ of God’s Word or do we seek to know what God plainly says.

I love a little motto I had on my fridge door for years …

“God said it, I believe it, And that settles it for me!”

“ The entrance of Your words gives light….Direct my steps by Your Word …I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure ! “ Ps. 119:133,147,162