In God We Trust

  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”            Proverbs 3: 4-5(NKJV)

What is the motto of the United States? The answer can be found on any coin or bill. “In God We Trust.” In 1955 Congress passed a bill to put these words on all US currency. The bill passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Eisenhower.

We live in a wonderful country. But it is a country which is plagued with many complex problems. What is the answer? Who can we trust? Our motto says that we can trust God.

The Bible describes God as all wise, all powerful, all knowing, and abounding in love. God is faithful, and He hears our prayers. Our God is trustworthy.

I can’t tell you the answer to our country’s problems. But I would like to suggest a first step. Prayer.

The Fourth of July is approaching and we are ready for fireworks, parades, and hots dogs. Let’s add one more tradition to our Fourth of July celebration. Let’s take time to pray for our nation.

In 1955 the members of Congress put aside their differences and agreed on one thing: In God We trust. In 2025, let us do the same thing.

Happy Fourth of July!

Like a Hen Gathers Her Chicks

  

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37(NKJV)

The hen spreads her wings to gather her baby chicks. The rain comes and pounds relentlessly. The chicks are safe and warm nestled beneath her wings.

This is the image that Jesus used as He wept over the city of Jerusalem, saddened at their reluctance to come to Him.

The heart of Jesus is loving and kind and tender. Like the hen, He longs to keep His children close to Him, safe and secure. He extended an invitation to them, but they were not willing. So, Jesus wept.

Why would anyone be unwilling to come to Jesus? Why am I so often unwilling to turn to Him? We are all sinners, inclined to want our own way. A relationship with Jesus means acknowledging that He is Lord and King.

The cost of having a relationship with Jesus is total surrender. The cost is high. But the benefits are higher! Jesus loves us more than we can imagine. He loved us enough to lay down His life for us. Imagine being as close to Jesus as those little chicks are to their mother!

Jesus is calling. The invitation is open. Will you say yes?

Word of the Year 2025: God’s Love

 

“…to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.” Ephesians 3:18b-19a (NKJV)

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians includes the request that they would know how much God loves them. The greatness of God’s love is incomprehensible. My prayer is that I would know more of His love at the end of 2025 than I do now.

Every year I choose a word of the year to meditate on throughout the year. My 2025 Word of the Year it is technically two words: God’s Love. I will type the words of the year and the Bible verse, print it, and attach it to my bathroom mirror so that I will read it every day.

I also encourage you, my readers, to choose a word of the year and a Bible verse of the year. If you do, I would love to hear what you have chosen.

As the year 2025 stretches before us, I know that God loves each of us far more than we can imagine and that He will walk with us every day of 2025.

Happy New Years to all!

Uprooted Tree

  

“If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you’.”                   Luke 17:6ESV

It lay on the ground next to my home. The palm tree, once so proud, lay flat on its side, its roots exposed. Hurricane Milton had ravaged the area in the dead of night. Its powerful wind tore roofs off buildings, knocked trees into power lines, stripped off branches, and also uprooted my palm tree.

As I looked at the tree, I was thankful that it fell parallel to the house and did not cause any damage. Imagine the power of a hurricane that could uproot a sturdy tree!

In Luke 17, Jesus says that faith the size of a mustard seed can also uproot a tree. A mustard seed measures between 1/32 and 3/32 inch in diameter. Mustard seed faith is tiny faith. But tiny faith placed in a mighty God can do impossible things.

My faith often seems small and my problems often seem big. Doubts sometimes outweigh faith. Why even pray when my faith is so small? No! Jesus does not tell us to increase our faith then come back. Instead, He invites us to come and pray even when our faith is as tiny as a mustard seed.

Thank You, Lord that You are more powerful than a hurricane. Thank You that You invite me to come to You right now. And so, Lord, I bring my mustard seed faith and come.

 

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.