In her book The Story of My Life, Helen Keller stated, “Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in, and the great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line, and you waited with beating heart for something to happen? I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding-line, and had no way of knowing how near the harbor was. ‘Light! Give me light!’ was the wordless cry of my soul.” God Is…
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV): “Pray without ceasing.” Prayer, the act of talking to our Creator, is something I did not understand for years. I thought prayer was something done in certain places – prayer rooms, church buildings, our living room. I thought it was something done at certain times – prayer time at church, prayer meetings at church, altar services after a church service. I thought it was only done in one way – with a loud voice and the use of repetitive words, much like chanting. But I was wrong. Prayer, the communication of my soul with the Almighty God of the universe, cannot be confined to just a few places, just a few times, in a limited way. Prayer is like life-giving water that sometimes beats down on the earth in torrents, washing clean the land and rivers of the pollutants that have covered it. Sometimes, water comes in soft and gentle showers that bathe the earth, enriching the plants and soil so that they may produce for the season. Other times, the water comes in a light, almost imperceptible mist that coats the plants with dew and gives them what they need for that day. All of…
Job 12:12 (NIV): “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” I love old things. I find a happy spot when I encounter old barn wood, worn-down crates, dilapidated dressers, painted-encrusted wood doors, discarded windows, and rusted items that remind me of the “good old days.” A day wandering around flea markets full of junk always brings a smile to my face. Years ago, my roommate’s mother and aunt came for a visit. I had replaced the mirror in my bathroom with an old medicine cabinet I found at a local flea market. Its worn-down edges showed layers of paint, and the inside of the door still had a faded instruction sheet on how to clean wounds, cuts, and bites. The piece made me want to know its story – where it had been and what it had witnessed. I could have scraped off the old paint and refinished it, but I liked its character and decided to simply give it a good cleaning. The two women whispered to each other, asking why in the world I would put such an old relic in my house. They stated that they “had old things all their…
We attended my husband’s 45th high school reunion this weekend. Whew, those years sure flew by fast! We both grew up in the same small Oklahoma town. Both of our parents have passed and are buried in cemeteries just a few short miles from each other. While we were back in town, we took the opportunity to visit their gravesites. This ritual of remembrance is important, though we don’t do it nearly as often since we no longer live nearby. It’s a chance to reflect, appreciate the connection to our past with all its beautiful memories, and shape our view…
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6-7 For the past few days, we have been looking at the choices made by people in the Bible, good and not good. But the Scriptures recorded them all as examples for us. When I was reading Ephesians yesterday, the above verses stood out to me. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus, commending them for their faith. He reminds them that they had made a choice to serve the Lord with all their hearts and He had blessed them abundantly for it. The New Living Translation says that they would be examples to all future ages: “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So, God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are…
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 Joshua had served the Lord faithfully, first under Moses and then as the leader after Moses died. Now he is near the end of his life, and he calls the people together to renew the covenant that the Lord had made with them. He reminds them of how the Lord had been with them, supplying their needs, and giving them victory over the inhabitants of the land. Now they are about to go and possess the inheritance. He exhorts them not to serve the gods of the land, but to stand true to the God who had brought them to this promised land. Joshua goes a step further and declares that whatever they chose, he and his household would serve the Lord. He made the choice not only for himself but for his family. Judges 2:7 tells us: “And the…