All in Faith/Trust
Ever felt like you had experienced banishment to a pagan land? I did when we moved to South Texas. Even though our daughter, son-in-law, and grandson lived in Houston, I did not relish moving there. My husband’s new job required the move so I did not really have a choice.
When my daughter decided to decorate her new baby’s room in Hyland cows, my sister-in-law sent me a pattern to do an appliqué of one on the sewing machine. She thought using the leftover scraps from the baby quilt I had done made a great idea. She even supplied me with a YouTube video about how to do it.
Nestled in the middle of the Psalms are three verses that describe the blessed life of a believer. The psalmist begins by describing a believer’s heart. Blessed are those….who have set their hearts on pilgrimage (Psalm 84:5). In other words, blessed are those who have a longing in their souls and a determination in their minds to journey through life with Jesus.
It’s fascinating to watch a garden grow. My parents have a huge vegetable garden that they plant in late Spring. I find the process interesting how it takes different types of plants to finally bear fruit. Each plant bears fruit based on their individual schedule.
Joy is not found in our circumstances. Lord knows that hardships, difficulties, and disappointments will come our way. We are given tools that can help us find joy in the midst of our circumstances. When we focus on reading God’s word, praying to Him and serving others we can find joy.
During the Greek Empire the Spartans relied heavily on their military armor. The shield
would be their primary source for protection against an attack. The Romans took their military reliance on the shield to a whole different level. They took pride in their shields typically decorating them with their legion emblem. This would allow the soldiers to be quickly identified, causing a sense of intimidation and pride of the Roman power.
One of my favorite things to do with my little granddaughter is to sing Bible songs with her sing along book. She is only one year old and I am the only one singing, but she is smiling and clapping as “we” sing “Jesus Loves Me.”
I recently saw the funniest response to a baby tasting marinara sauce for the first time. When the stronger flavor of a marinara sauce was added to the baby’s simple palate of food, she did not like it at all! Her face told the whole story as she frowned and tried to rub the taste from her mouth with her hand. Yet, she kept tasting it over and over, perhaps expecting a different result. Each time she responded the same way and soon everyone watching was giggling at her consistent response.
Recently, I was reminded of the sweetest video of my friend on an African mission trip. She was surrounded by a group of young children while she sang, “Jesus Loves Me” to them with hand motions. The children were all singing along with her while copying her hand motions.
If I want the approval of the young, the old and almost everyone in between, I offer them ice cream!
I mean… who doesn’t like ice cream?
Think about this Scripture…
When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them (2 Corinthians 10:18 NLT).
What does it take for the Lord to commend me?
Do you like to please others? I like to see people smile!
Sometimes there are other sweet things that are evidence of being pleased such as…
a baby’s responsive cuddle as she falls into her mama’s outreached arms;
a puppy’s tail wagging to a bowl of food; or
a cheerful, belly-filled family excitedly chattering over a special homecooked meal by mom.
The responses of others can speak volumes on approval.
Remember our definition of a parable: “an illustrative story that compares or contrasts an earthly reality with a spiritual truth.”* I am intrigued as Jennifer Kennedy Dean** describes the Incarnation as the “lived-out parable” of the love of God. After all, Jesus was not only with God in the beginning; He was God. And with His birth, life, and death among us He would illustrate the spiritual truth of God’s love. A parable “puts flesh on the eternal truth so we can see it.”**
I remember the year this verse became permanently embedded in my faith. I was in my thirty’s and was called to lead a ministry that required time, skill, and wisdom I didn’t have. Frankly, I couldn’t understand why God had chosen me for the position. Throughout the year difficulty after difficulty surfaced. In my weakness, I remained bowed spiritually and often physically.
Life can be hard. Some of you right now are experiencing pain or heartache. Perhaps you have a lingering physical illness. Some of you may have experienced the end of a marriage or the death of a loved one. Ongoing personal problems can make a person physically, mentally, or spiritually weak.
I had the privilege of keeping my grandson two days a week this summer. Of course, he did too many cute things to list here, but one such thing he repeated several times.
What’s your default reaction when you're exhausted, frustrated, or in crisis?
For me, it’s chocolate. It always seems to help—at least in the moment!
Yesterday, a sweet friend presented me with a lovely figurine of a little hummingbird drinking from the throat of a tiny orange trumpet flower. I was transported back to a time several years before.
I occasionally wear my father’s WWII ID bracelet. He wore it as a pilot and, tragically, as a prisoner of war. When reading Paul’s words of Christians being “in” Christ, I glanced at the I.D. bracelet and reflected on Dad’s time “in” a guarded compound—a very different experience from being “in Christ.”
