A Quiet Heart Brings Strength

We’ve all felt it, that heart quickening, stomach plummeting feeling when we realize that life as we know it is about to come to an end.  As fast as glass shatters our lives change in an instant.

Our gut reaction is to respond in some way.

Be it fight or flight, action is the instinct.

And in our self preservation, we still find ourselves broken, shattered. . . not whole.

Our Lord would have it another way:

For the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, said, In quiet and rest is your salvation: peace and hope are your strength: but you would not have it so. Isaiah 30:15

 
Oh, but we we not have it so.

Coming to this place of quiet and rest, receiving this peace and hope that will be strength to carry us through – it sounds so wonderful…but,

we would not have it so.

We fight – to keep hold of what is ours. We fight to hold our lives intact.  We occupy ourselves in the busyness of pushing hard for our cause, our rights OUR WAY.

And our Father calls softly…

"Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest”

 

Come to Me.

 

Maybe we don’t fight. Maybe that is not our way.  No, we are flyers.  We run and we run hard.  We bury ourselves in other things, things of the Lord even.  Ministry, television, children, jobs, houses, d i s t r a c t i o n s.

Even in our depression, the wallowing and burrowing the not resting in His peace.

Like Peter we need to cry out; "Lord, to whom would we go?

“You have the words that give eternal life.”

 

And still He waits. . .

Will you lay it down?

Will you trust?

 

Love God’s People/Love God’s Word

 

Love God’s people?

Love God’s word.

The two are one and to separate them is to leave a gaping wound, hearts patched with blood seeping through.

Sometimes the whims of what people want to hear and what they need to hear clash and the resounding clang of fleshly desire and spiritual need rings loud.

 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

 

Oh, but the temptation burns strong and is rooted deep. The desire to please. The desire to win hearts

and fans

and fame.

The fear of rejection,

The fear of man. 

 

Man comes to us holding the shredded remains of his broken, battered heart and we proceed to patch. To substitute Band-Aids for surgery, to cover flesh wounds rather than healing soul wounds. Great is the temptation to minister only to the flesh that is before us, ignoring the spiritual turmoil that is left raging.

 

 

The Father’s question beckons loud;

Do you love me?

 

Feed my sheep.

 

We stand in church and loudly proclaim our love for God, but will we shepherd His flock? Will we stand watch and guide and direct? Will we nourish His sheep in the pure milk of the word?

Will we tend wounds superficially or wash them in the soul cleansing word of God that washes away sin, taking away all spot and wrinkle.

Love the people of God, love them deeply and with abandon. Like a discerning parent who feeds a child the nutrients they need rather than the sweets they desire - give them what they need.

 

Give them God’s word.

 

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”^[c]

And this is the word that was preached to you

Happy Mother's Day!

Women are some pretty interesting creations...

Said to be fragile and delicate,

I find women to be some of the strongest people I know. Carrying weights and burdens for those they love.

Known for exuberant emotions,

I see women that love deeply and give from pure hearts.

Sometimes they dream...

Of days gone by

Carefree Days

Full of laughter

Still, they smile at the future and the joy to be had.

So, even though they fuss and they pick...

It's because they love us.

Happy Mother's Day!

Butterfly Moments

photo by Jody McNary Photography	via PhotoRee

Remembrances of God's love floating in the wind

When I was in college I invented a game for myself that has stuck with me through the years.  The game was that any time a butterfly crossed my path, it was God reminding me of His love for me.

Since that time, I have often smiled at the timing of these fluttering wonders that dance beside me.

Be it a good day or bad, my mind always turns back to my Savior and His great love and tender care for me. Like a surprise from a very dear friend, a knowing smile spreads across my face at this gift.  My step springs lighter and I smirk at my little secret.

Looking in the Bible, I see that I am not alone in setting these reminders before my eyes.  The old testament if full of building memorials, putting God's word before you. I am reminded of Deuteronomy 6:

“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Love God with all your heart, soul & mind, let the commandments of God be on your heart, teach these to your kids and put them before you as reminders!


I was sitting in my chair today watching the butterflies fly in my neighbor's garden, smiling at God's great care for me and thinking of you.  What are those sweet and tender things that remind you of Him? 


Like a romantic lover He woos us to His heart.

photo by SimplyShutterbug	via PhotoRee