Thank You

 

 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of changing.” James 1:17

A gift arrives in the mail. What do you do? “Write a thank you note” was the answer in my generation. Today the answer is “Send a text or an email.” The important thing is to communicate to the giver that you appreciate the gift.

How many gifts does God give us each day? An infinite number! Everything that we have is a gift from God. Life. Health. Family. Food. Drink. Shelter. To name a few.

In my own life, I usually remember to thank the people who give me gifts. However, I am not as quick to thank God for the gifts He gives each day.

The holiday of Thanksgiving is a yearly reminder for us to thank God.

During November, I make a conscious effort to notice the blessings of God. It helps me to make a list each day. Then I take time to thank God for each blessing on the list.

Let me encourage you, my readers, to make November a month of giving thanks. Start a gratitude list. Add to it each day. Ask God to open your eyes to His blessings each day. Then be sure to thank Him for each of those blessings.

May each of you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

 

 

 

Moon

 

 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1

The clouds parted. There it was! The full moon in all its splendor! Walking in my community is always a delight. My morning walks tend to be early for most of the year. Once the sun rises, a pervasive humidity blankets the state of Florida, making walking unpleasant. But at 6 a.m. there is a coolness, making walking enjoyable. The joy is even greater when a full moon is shining.

Psalm 19 states that the heavens declare God’s glory, that the sky proclaims His handiwork. The majestic beauty in the sky above shouts out how glorious our Creator is.

Viewing the full moon varies from month to month. Some mornings it is raining. Or the sky might be cloudy. At other times, the sky is clear, displaying a radiant full moon.

When the clouds hide the moon, I am disappointed. Does that mean that the moon is not there? Of course not! Above the clouds, the moon is shining as brightly as ever. We might not always see the moon, but it is always there.

The same is true of God. He tells us in Matthew 28, “I am with you always, even until the end of the world.” Sometimes His presence with us seems as vivid as a full moon on a clear night.

At other times, when the storms of life come, He seems far away. Does that mean He is not there? Of course not! Above the storm clouds, our God is shining as brightly as ever. We might not always see God, but He is always there.

Lord, give us the grace to trust You when the storms of life obscure our view of You. Thank you that You are always with us.

 

Snarling Dogs

 

 

“But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16(NIV)

Singing of God’s strength, singing of God’s love!  What a wonderful thing to do on a beautiful day, when birds are singing, the sun is shining, and life is good.

These were not David’s circumstances when he wrote Psalm 59. Outside were men sent by Saul to kill him. Verse 14 describes the men as “snarling like dogs”.   

In spite of threatening circumstances, David chose to sing of God’s strength and of His love. He chose that occasion to remember that God was his refuge and his strength.

Have you ever gone to bed worrying about the next day’s problems? Have those troubling thoughts ever seemed like a pack of snarling dogs?

David’s solution was to remember who God is and to sing praises to Him. Perhaps the songs of praise drowned out the snarls of the dogs. Two things were true. Snarling dogs were outside. God is more powerful than snarling dogs.  Two facts. Which truth to focus on?

In today’s world, Christian music is available 24 hours per day. When I am worried, I turn on my favorite Christian station and set the volume on low. I fall asleep thinking about the words of praise songs. It’s a wonderful alternative to thinking about “snarling dogs” all night long.

Praise you, Lord God. You are strong. Your love never fails. You are my refuge in times of trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

Eclipse

  

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1(NIV)

Total darkness. Dropping temperatures. Birds roosting in the middle of the day. The moon blocking the sun. The corona. The “diamond ring”.  How awesome! How magnificent! How great is our God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth!

Before yesterday’s eclipse becomes a distant memory, let us pause and stand in awe before our God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

I am not a scientist. I am a simple follower of Jesus Christ who believes that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There are Christian scientists who have scientific arguments for Creation.  I am not a scientist. I am simply a woman who spent an afternoon watching the tv account of the eclipse. I am a woman who gazes each morning at the sunrise. I marvel at the beauty of spring flowers. And I wonder how anyone could not believe that there is a Creator.

 How great is our God, the Creator of heaven and earth!

Invitation to Meet

 

                                                  

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 (NIV)

There is something special about lunch with a close friend. Especially when it is just the two of you. A private lunch invites private conversation. Things can be shared at a private lunch that would not be shared in a larger group. Personal joys and personal struggles. A time to listen and a time to speak. A private lunch with a friend is a precious joy. 

Amazingly, God our Father invites us to meet privately with Him. When we pray, He invites us to share our personal joys and our personal struggles. He always listens and always understands. As we open His Word, He speaks to us. Like a good friendship, our meeting includes both speaking and listening. A private time with God is a precious joy.

Lord, thank you for inviting me today to meet with You. Thank you, too, that You will invite me again tomorrow. And that with each sunrise comes a new invitation. What a privilege to have a God who wants to spend time with me!

 

 

Exactly

 

                                                      

 

“I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” John 14:31B

 

“Now Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Genesis 6:22

 

Jesus loved the Father and pledged to do exactly what the Father commanded Him to do.  For Jesus, this meant going to the cross.  

 

Noah was a man who desired to obey God.  For Noah, this meant building an ark in a world that had never seen rain.

 

Do I do “exactly” what God commands me to do? Or are my standards of obedience 99% or 90% or even less?  The Sovereign God deserves 100% obedience.  Anything less is sin. 

 

If God tells me to do something, I must do it.  When God says to go, I must go. There is no room for negotiation. It is audacious to suggest that a Sovereign God is wrong! When I disobey or partially obey, that is what I am doing. And, sadly, I do just that far too often!  

 

Lord, open my eyes to see who You are. Give me the tiniest glimpse of Your greatness, holiness, and majesty. Cause me to remember Your love and goodness and wisdom. May I bow before You in worship and submission. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to do exactly what You tell me to do. You deserve nothing less.

 

 

 

Word of the Year 2024: Hope

                                   

 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13(NIV)

 

Hope. What a perfect gift for the year ahead! Romans 15:13 identifies God as “the God of hope”. He delights to fill those who trust in Him with all joy and peace and hope. 

 

As the new year begins, there are many unknowns, both in our own lives and in our world. God doesn’t promise us a problem-free life. He does promise to walk with us. He promises to take care of us and to “work all things together for good for those who love God.” Romans 8:28. As we put our trust in Him, He gives us joy, peace, and hope in all circumstances. 

 

Every year I choose a word of the year and a Bible verse of the year. I type out the verse and place it on my bathroom mirror. I read it every day. For 2024, my word is Hope and my verse is Romans 15:13.

 

Let me invite each of you, my readers, to choose a word and a Bible verse for 2024.  If you do, I would love to hear from you. Let me know what word and what verse you choose for the year ahead.

 

May God fill us with all hope, joy and peace as we step into 2024. Happy New Year!