"They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green..." (Psalm 92:14).
No one wants to get old. Disease becomes outright disease. This verse becomes a
blessed promise to those who keep faithful. We won't be spared getting old, but we will be spared becoming useless and fruitless and simply less. We may not do as much or as well as we did before. That doesn't matter; what is important is that our confidence does not fail. We can't help the years that slip away, but we are responsible for coming to our later years with the fruit of the Spirit so that we may stay "fresh and green" in our hearts.
If we prayed in our youth, "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few
they are; help us to spend them as we should" (Psalm 90:12 TLB), then we need
not fear the approaching forever. When young we collect; when old we recollect,
gratefully, we hope; when young we celebrate; when old we cerebrate. "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation..." (Psalm 71:18); "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you" (Isaiah 46:4). One who has affectionately created will sustain. We cherish and defend that on which we have spent much time and love; how much more so our Author and Finisher.
As our physical powers diminish, our spiritual powers raise our hopes and give rise to an undaunted faith that our beloved Jesus returned to prepare us a room
because He loves us that much. He orders in love that we do not let our hearts be troubled, for He has counted our gray hairs and asks only that we trust Him always.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Out of the Cave
"It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my
fathers!" (1 Kings 19:4).
This is a favorite chapter of mine because it gives us a glimpse of
someone as human as we are. Here we have the great Elijah, sinking from
triumph to despair. He is just as subject to human emotions as we are. Who
of us has not said, "I have had enough of this!" But God doesn't answer
Elijah’s prayer; instead, He sends an angel, not once but twice, to Elijah
to feed him. When Elijah is strong again, he travels on to Horeb, and what
does he do -- he hides in a cave!
God isn't going to let him get away with that, either. "What are you doing
here, Elijah, so far away from your duties? What are you doing here,
Elijah, you of all my people who should have remained at your post? My
past compassions to you should have strengthened and served you especially
for a time such as this."
We need to know that God understands when we cry out in exhaustion and
heartache and despair. Just as He brought Elijah out of the cave, He will
bring us out of the darkness of whatever cave we are in now into His light
once again (Psalm 18:28). Elijah thought his labor was useless; that it
had come to nothing. Those with the highest and holiest purposes are the
very ones who experience such intense dejection and rejection. Elijah's
heart withered at the thought that he had failed. So it is with us all who
feel we have failed God, family and church because of mistakes and our
humanity. But this chapter tells us that God isn’t going to let us get
away with self-pity. We are all subject to depression but there is an
angel to help us out of our cave, if we will believe it.
God commands us to "be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:6). An
anonymous saint said, "So, in the Lord's ministry, the nucleus of the
Church was not found in the applauding multitudes on Olivet, but in the
few faithful ones in the garden of Gethsemane." What a thought! When we
feel we have had enough, let us be the faithful one in Gethsemane,
kneeling with Jesus who set His face toward Jerusalem, realizing what He
was about to endure (Luke 9:51b).
fathers!" (1 Kings 19:4).
This is a favorite chapter of mine because it gives us a glimpse of
someone as human as we are. Here we have the great Elijah, sinking from
triumph to despair. He is just as subject to human emotions as we are. Who
of us has not said, "I have had enough of this!" But God doesn't answer
Elijah’s prayer; instead, He sends an angel, not once but twice, to Elijah
to feed him. When Elijah is strong again, he travels on to Horeb, and what
does he do -- he hides in a cave!
God isn't going to let him get away with that, either. "What are you doing
here, Elijah, so far away from your duties? What are you doing here,
Elijah, you of all my people who should have remained at your post? My
past compassions to you should have strengthened and served you especially
for a time such as this."
We need to know that God understands when we cry out in exhaustion and
heartache and despair. Just as He brought Elijah out of the cave, He will
bring us out of the darkness of whatever cave we are in now into His light
once again (Psalm 18:28). Elijah thought his labor was useless; that it
had come to nothing. Those with the highest and holiest purposes are the
very ones who experience such intense dejection and rejection. Elijah's
heart withered at the thought that he had failed. So it is with us all who
feel we have failed God, family and church because of mistakes and our
humanity. But this chapter tells us that God isn’t going to let us get
away with self-pity. We are all subject to depression but there is an
angel to help us out of our cave, if we will believe it.
God commands us to "be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:6). An
anonymous saint said, "So, in the Lord's ministry, the nucleus of the
Church was not found in the applauding multitudes on Olivet, but in the
few faithful ones in the garden of Gethsemane." What a thought! When we
feel we have had enough, let us be the faithful one in Gethsemane,
kneeling with Jesus who set His face toward Jerusalem, realizing what He
was about to endure (Luke 9:51b).
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Peace vs. piece!
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13).
In his remarkable book, The Sermon on the Mount, Dr. Emmet Fox deals with our
forgiving those who hurt us. In the chapter, Resist Not Evil, he states,
"...When someone injures you, instead of seeking to get your own back or to
repay him in his own coin, you are to do the very opposite–you are to forgive
him, and set him free. No matter what the provocation may be, and no matter how
many times it is repeated, you are to do this. You are to loose him and let him
go, for thus only can you be freed yourselfthus only can you possess your own
soul. To return evil for evil, to answer violence with violence and hate with
hate, is to start a vicious circle to which there is no ending but the wearing
out of your own life and your brother's, too.
"Antagonize any situation, and you give it power against yourself; offer mental
nonresistance, and it crumbles away in front of you." Dr. Fox points out that
"the mere rehearsing in thought of any difficulty endows it with new life. Going
over old grievances mentally; thinking how badly someone acted at some time, for
instance, and recalling the details, has the effect of revivifying that which
was quietly expiring of neglect."
By mentally resisting what we feel is a bad circumstance, we give it power and
life and, in the process, deplete our own spiritual energies and, perhaps, even
our physical stamina. Resentment fosters self-pity which fosters inability to act
and react in a Christlike way. In our anger and frustration, we also are tempted
to give others "a piece of our mind" and, in the process, lose our own peace of
mind.
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13).
In his remarkable book, The Sermon on the Mount, Dr. Emmet Fox deals with our
forgiving those who hurt us. In the chapter, Resist Not Evil, he states,
"...When someone injures you, instead of seeking to get your own back or to
repay him in his own coin, you are to do the very opposite–you are to forgive
him, and set him free. No matter what the provocation may be, and no matter how
many times it is repeated, you are to do this. You are to loose him and let him
go, for thus only can you be freed yourselfthus only can you possess your own
soul. To return evil for evil, to answer violence with violence and hate with
hate, is to start a vicious circle to which there is no ending but the wearing
out of your own life and your brother's, too.
"Antagonize any situation, and you give it power against yourself; offer mental
nonresistance, and it crumbles away in front of you." Dr. Fox points out that
"the mere rehearsing in thought of any difficulty endows it with new life. Going
over old grievances mentally; thinking how badly someone acted at some time, for
instance, and recalling the details, has the effect of revivifying that which
was quietly expiring of neglect."
By mentally resisting what we feel is a bad circumstance, we give it power and
life and, in the process, deplete our own spiritual energies and, perhaps, even
our physical stamina. Resentment fosters self-pity which fosters inability to act
and react in a Christlike way. In our anger and frustration, we also are tempted
to give others "a piece of our mind" and, in the process, lose our own peace of
mind.
Carrying around that load of anger!
A teacher once told each of her students to bring a clear plastic bag and a sack
of potatoes to school. For every person they refuse to forgive in their life's
experience, they chose a potato, wrote on it the name and date, and put it in
the plastic bag. Some of their bags were quite heavy. They were then told to
carry this bag with them everywhere for one week, putting it beside their bed at
night, on the car seat when driving, next to their desk at work.
The hassle of lugging this around with them made it clear what a weight they
were carrying spiritually, and how they had to pay attention to it all the time
to not forget and keep leaving it in embarrassing places. Naturally, the
condition of the potatoes deteriorated to a nasty smelly slime. This was a great
metaphor for the price we pay for keeping our pain and heavy negativity.
Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person, and it clearly
is for ourselves!
Anonymous
of potatoes to school. For every person they refuse to forgive in their life's
experience, they chose a potato, wrote on it the name and date, and put it in
the plastic bag. Some of their bags were quite heavy. They were then told to
carry this bag with them everywhere for one week, putting it beside their bed at
night, on the car seat when driving, next to their desk at work.
The hassle of lugging this around with them made it clear what a weight they
were carrying spiritually, and how they had to pay attention to it all the time
to not forget and keep leaving it in embarrassing places. Naturally, the
condition of the potatoes deteriorated to a nasty smelly slime. This was a great
metaphor for the price we pay for keeping our pain and heavy negativity.
Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person, and it clearly
is for ourselves!
Anonymous
A Costly Handkerchief
I'm reposting this because I really love this idea of Christ taking our mistakes and weaving them into a useful and noble life.
“A lady once showed Ruskin a costly handkerchief on which a blot of ink had been
dropped. The handkerchief, she complained, was ruined; nothing was left but to
throw it away. Ruskin said nothing, but took the handkerchief away with him.
Shortly afterward the lady received it back, but so changed that she could
hardly believe that it was the original. Using the blot as the basis, he had
worked round it a beautiful and artistic design, changing what was valueless and
ruined into a thing of beauty and of joy. So Christ takes the blotted lives and
transforms them. He uses even the blots and makes them yield enduring lessons.
Sins which defiled and seemingly left the life in ruins, he makes to yield a
ministry of regeneration. It was the memory of the blots that drew from Paul his
praises of thanksgiving and adoration to Christ” (Anonymous).
Isn’t this such an endearing thought, that Christ takes our mistakes, our
done-on-purposes, the large and little blots that stain our souls, and weaves
them into a life of love and devotion to Him and His? When I look back on my
life and understand, as finally did Job, that my sins and motivations were/are
so odious, yet Christ forgives them, and threads them into a new pattern. He
takes my blots and changes them into a “thing of beauty and a joy forever.” Of
course it would be better had the blots not been there, but oh! the gratitude I
feel that they are forgiven, and that Christ strengthens me for a worthy
service.
Thank You, wounded Christ!
“A lady once showed Ruskin a costly handkerchief on which a blot of ink had been
dropped. The handkerchief, she complained, was ruined; nothing was left but to
throw it away. Ruskin said nothing, but took the handkerchief away with him.
Shortly afterward the lady received it back, but so changed that she could
hardly believe that it was the original. Using the blot as the basis, he had
worked round it a beautiful and artistic design, changing what was valueless and
ruined into a thing of beauty and of joy. So Christ takes the blotted lives and
transforms them. He uses even the blots and makes them yield enduring lessons.
Sins which defiled and seemingly left the life in ruins, he makes to yield a
ministry of regeneration. It was the memory of the blots that drew from Paul his
praises of thanksgiving and adoration to Christ” (Anonymous).
Isn’t this such an endearing thought, that Christ takes our mistakes, our
done-on-purposes, the large and little blots that stain our souls, and weaves
them into a life of love and devotion to Him and His? When I look back on my
life and understand, as finally did Job, that my sins and motivations were/are
so odious, yet Christ forgives them, and threads them into a new pattern. He
takes my blots and changes them into a “thing of beauty and a joy forever.” Of
course it would be better had the blots not been there, but oh! the gratitude I
feel that they are forgiven, and that Christ strengthens me for a worthy
service.
Thank You, wounded Christ!
A Modern Version of Noah's Ark
And the Lord said unto Noah, "Where is the ark which I commanded you to
build?"
And Noah said unto the Lord: "Verily, I have had three carpenters off
sick. The gopher wood supplier hath let me down, yea, even though the
gopher wood hath been on order for six months. What canst I do, O Lord?"
And God said unto Noah, "I want that ark finished within seven days."
And Noah said, "It will be so."
But it was not so. And the Lord said unto Noah, "What seemeth to be the
trouble this time?"
And Noah said unto the Lord: "Mine subcontractor hath gone bankrupt. The
pitch which Thou commandest me to put on the outside of the ark hath not
arrived. The plumber and his crew have gone on strike. Lord, I am
undone."
And the Lord grew angry and said: "What about the animals, the male and
female of every sort that I ordered to come unto thee to keep their seed
alive upon the face of the earth?"
And Noah said, "They have been delivered unto the wrong address, but
they should arrive on Friday."
And the Lord God said, "How about the unicorns and the fowls of the air,
by sevens?"
And Noah wrung his hands and wept, saying, "Lord, unicorns are a
discontinued line; thou canst not find them anywhere. And fowls of the
air are sold only in half-dozen lots. Lord, Lord, thou knowest how it
is."
And the Lord in his wisdom said, "Noah, my son, I knowest. Why else dost
thou think I would cause a flood to descend upon the earth?"
build?"
And Noah said unto the Lord: "Verily, I have had three carpenters off
sick. The gopher wood supplier hath let me down, yea, even though the
gopher wood hath been on order for six months. What canst I do, O Lord?"
And God said unto Noah, "I want that ark finished within seven days."
And Noah said, "It will be so."
But it was not so. And the Lord said unto Noah, "What seemeth to be the
trouble this time?"
And Noah said unto the Lord: "Mine subcontractor hath gone bankrupt. The
pitch which Thou commandest me to put on the outside of the ark hath not
arrived. The plumber and his crew have gone on strike. Lord, I am
undone."
And the Lord grew angry and said: "What about the animals, the male and
female of every sort that I ordered to come unto thee to keep their seed
alive upon the face of the earth?"
And Noah said, "They have been delivered unto the wrong address, but
they should arrive on Friday."
And the Lord God said, "How about the unicorns and the fowls of the air,
by sevens?"
And Noah wrung his hands and wept, saying, "Lord, unicorns are a
discontinued line; thou canst not find them anywhere. And fowls of the
air are sold only in half-dozen lots. Lord, Lord, thou knowest how it
is."
And the Lord in his wisdom said, "Noah, my son, I knowest. Why else dost
thou think I would cause a flood to descend upon the earth?"
Friday, June 14, 2013
Blessings
I was rereading this devotion this morning, after the awful news that our beloved niece and her husband lost EVERYTHING in the Colorado fire. They were fortunate to come away with their lives. There are some things in life that leave us speechless. While I sit here in my paradise with people who I love with all my heart, not a worry in the world (oh, how blessed I am!), there are so many in the world who literally have nothing. I'm reposting this because I, too, need to remember the small things - the many rainbows - that make life good. Please pray for the people who lost it all!
================
“In all that you do, avoid grumbling and disputing, so as to be blameless and
innocent, faultless children of God in a crooked and perverse generation where
you shine like stars in a dark world ... ” (Philippians 2 14,15, Moffatt).
Dr. Charlotte Kasl wrote something that really touched my heart and made me
realize that we take too much for granted in our lives: “So next time you sit
down to a simple supper, crawl into a cozy bed, have a warm chat with a
friend--Imagine that you are at the end of the rainbow...this is life, and it’s
wonderful....”
We lose sight of so many blessings--rainbows--in life. I think it’s because we
have so many that we no longer even recognize what a blessing is. A few years
ago I started thanking God for the hot water each time I take a shower. That
sounds a bit silly, perhaps, but at least it makes me aware that hot water is a
gift we take for granted every minute of the day to wash self, children, clothes
and dishes. Just think if we stepped into the shower and--no hot water! Just
think if there were no water at all!
Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote one of the best books I’ve read on the character and
characteristics of our Lord Jesus. It’s titled The Manhood of the Master,
published in 1913. From the chapter titled “The Master’s Endurance,” I quote:
“[Jesus] made the best out of one of the most un-ideal situations that ever
faced a great soul. He did not demand a different farm to labor on; he went to
work on the farm that he had, and grew harvests on that, which have been feeding
the world ever since. His life sounds a courageous call to all of us: Stop
whining; stop pitying yourself; see what you can do, by the help of God, with
your un-ideal situation, for God never would have given it to you without some
fine possibilities in it.”
I do believe we’d all be happier if we had fewer demands and if we worked on our
marriage and our situation and our farm that we already have. One of my favorite
verses is Psalm 16:6: “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I
have a good inheritance.” What a promise that is when we become discontented.
================
“In all that you do, avoid grumbling and disputing, so as to be blameless and
innocent, faultless children of God in a crooked and perverse generation where
you shine like stars in a dark world ... ” (Philippians 2 14,15, Moffatt).
Dr. Charlotte Kasl wrote something that really touched my heart and made me
realize that we take too much for granted in our lives: “So next time you sit
down to a simple supper, crawl into a cozy bed, have a warm chat with a
friend--Imagine that you are at the end of the rainbow...this is life, and it’s
wonderful....”
We lose sight of so many blessings--rainbows--in life. I think it’s because we
have so many that we no longer even recognize what a blessing is. A few years
ago I started thanking God for the hot water each time I take a shower. That
sounds a bit silly, perhaps, but at least it makes me aware that hot water is a
gift we take for granted every minute of the day to wash self, children, clothes
and dishes. Just think if we stepped into the shower and--no hot water! Just
think if there were no water at all!
Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote one of the best books I’ve read on the character and
characteristics of our Lord Jesus. It’s titled The Manhood of the Master,
published in 1913. From the chapter titled “The Master’s Endurance,” I quote:
“[Jesus] made the best out of one of the most un-ideal situations that ever
faced a great soul. He did not demand a different farm to labor on; he went to
work on the farm that he had, and grew harvests on that, which have been feeding
the world ever since. His life sounds a courageous call to all of us: Stop
whining; stop pitying yourself; see what you can do, by the help of God, with
your un-ideal situation, for God never would have given it to you without some
fine possibilities in it.”
I do believe we’d all be happier if we had fewer demands and if we worked on our
marriage and our situation and our farm that we already have. One of my favorite
verses is Psalm 16:6: “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I
have a good inheritance.” What a promise that is when we become discontented.
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