Garden Lessons: Heat

August 2011.  Our part of the country is gripped in a massive heat wave.  It is oppressive.  The temperatures are in excess of 100 degrees early in the day and continue that way through the night.  It is tiresome.  The grass is dry and crispy so that our dog can hardly walk on it.  It is severe.  We eagerly look to the skies for some indication that there might be some rain.  It is relentless.  It hurts us.  It hurts our garden.

Our nation is in the grip of sin.  It is oppressive.  We proudly proclaim our homosexuality with parades and celebrations while God calls it an abomination.  It is tiresome.  Our government is borrowing money to pay it's debts but regulates the individual in an attempt to stop such a practice.  It is severe.  We dismiss life through abortion, euthanasia, alcohol, and drugs trying to find something to relieve the shame of our sin.  It is relentless.  It hurts us.  It hurts our garden.

(Righteous Father,  I beseech you in the name of Jesus, your only begotten Son, my Savior.   Forgive us for the grievous sin that offends you.  Turn our hearts, soften our hearts, cause us to be ashamed of the sin which our nation so proudly displays.  Let your people, called by your name, humble ourselves, pray, and turn from our sins so that you can heal our land.  Amen.)

Bumpy Monday - Stand Amazed (08/16/10)

I often stand amazed at how God directs our paths. Just this week my mom and I were discussing how He laid the foundation for me to be in the right place for her to have good access to medical care during her cancer treatments. These are plans that He had in place long before we knew we would need them.

My husband and I were discussing how blessed we are to be together. Both of us have wondered what it would have been like if we had met in our 20's. As we considered that, we came to the realization that we would not cherish what we have now if we had not traveled our individual roads. I am so amazed at what God did there also.

So, why am I amazed? I know the Creator of the Universe. Why would I be surprised and amazed when things work for His glory? Does this show a lack of faith on my part? Am I missing something? No, I pray that I will always be amazed at God. He deserves my incredulous wonder and adoration. He deserves my fear and trembling. He is due all my, well, everything.

(Father God, forgive me for holding back. I pray that You will teach me to love You with total abandon and adoration. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

First

Have you ever considered the depth of information in the first verse of the Bible?  Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis - an origin, creation or beginning - is first.  The first verse of the first chapter of the first book is all about the beginning as we know it.  Those ten words contain the fact that God exists.  They contain the fact that He witnessed the beginning.  He was there before the beginning.  He made the beginning.

Those ten words contain the fact that God is smart.  He created the heaven.  Have you looked up there lately? Have you seen the marvelous sights?  Have you heard on the news about the amazing discoveries of planets and stars and galaxies and more?  He created the heaven and it reflects His glory.  It is amazing how all that works together and stays in place and moves and lives.

Those ten words contain the fact that God is logical.  He created the earth.  Have you gazed in wonder at an infant lately?  It is astonishing that all those systems work together just they way they do.  Have you examined the ecosystem of a pond lately?  Have you observed the incredible diversity and harmony that works there?

Those ten words contain the fact that God is love.  In the beginning, He created the heaven and the earth.  It's like He was making them for something special.  It appears that He was going to do something awesome.  And, He did.  He placed humans in the midst of the heaven and the earth.

Wow!

Bumpy Monday - Flashlights and Candles (03/03/08)

July 23, 2003

Psalm 18:28, 32
For thou will light my candle; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect.

Sometimes when there doesn't seem to be anyway out of a bad, undesired situation, there is a light in the darkness. It may only be a small flicker at first but God reveals himself and the darkness disperses. Then, He clothes me in the strength to do what needs to be done. God is my modern candle - my flashlight - in a dark world. He reveals the traps and snags along my path so that I can walk safely around them. He shows me the beauty so that I might stop and enjoy. His light shows me His perfect trail ahead.

For further reading ... Psalm 18: 21-32

That Idiot, Samson.

Okay, so I'm reading the historical record of Samson and am marveling at the idiocy of this judge of Israel.  (Judges 14-16)

First, he decides he wants a woman.  He found one that pleased him.  He and his dad went to make the arrangements.  Congratulations, Samson, you're engaged.  He waits a bit and then goes to claim his bride.  They get married and have a traditional seven day wedding feast.  During this time, she conspires with her family to trick her new husband.  (What!?)  She uses tears to get her way.  He gets mad (rightly so) and goes home without her.  Her dad then marries her off to another guy.  When  the wheat harvest comes in, Samson's anger has subsided and he takes a peace offering to his wife.  But her daddy said NO, want her cuter sister instead?  Uh, that sure didn't help Samson contain his anger.  He then lights the tails of some foxes and burns the harvest.  When the oppressing government finds out who did it and why, they burn up the wife and her dad.  Then, Samson whups the tar out of them.

Next, Samson decides he wants a quickie.  So, he goes to visit a sweetie he saw on the street.  The oppressors figure this is a great opportunity to kill him.  So they lock down the city and wait for morning in order to kill him.  He gets up at midnight and takes out the main city gate and two posts carrying them to the top of a hill and dumping them.  He escaped.

Again, he decides he wants a woman.  So he loves Delilah.  She's in cahoots with the gov't.  They've promised to give her money if she finds out the secret to Samson's strength and power.  Lots of money.  She asks, "Hey, honey, how can I tie you up and keep you tied up?"  (Seriously?!  I think I'd be concerned.)  So, he lies to her. She arranges a test.  Samson is still strong.  She whines, probably sheds a tear or two, "You  are making fun of me."  She asks again the secret to his strength.  He lies again.  She arranges another test.  He is still strong.  She cries.  Now, we are at round three.  She asks.  He lies.  She arranges.  He is still strong.  She cries.  But, this time she adds, "You don't love me!"  Her constant boo-hooing vexes his soul.  He crumbles.  He spills his guts and the secret to this strength and power.  (Dummy!)  She arranges.  His strength is gone.  She afflicts him and turns him over to the oppressing gov't.  They blinded him and put him to work on the grindstone.

Yet, in all his idiocy, the Spirit of God dwelt with and moved in Samson.  Samson was called to be a thorn in the side of the Philistine nation that was oppressing the Israeli people.  He did that well.  He must have been a confident guy.  He was strong and powerful.  He might have even been a cute guy.  In the end, he was a blind, humbled guy.  And, God still used him.

When the oppressors had him in chains, they threw themselves a party.  The referred to him as the "destroyer".  Samson became the entertainment.  (Can anyone say, professional wrestling?)  Samson was smart, even at death's door.  He brought the house down, literally.  Whoot!  Even in death he fulfilled his calling.

(Father God, what an awesome record of your mercy and grace.  Amen.)

Division

Math.  Ugh.  I don't like doing math, especially division.  Today, it became clear to me why.  Division is what Satan uses to keep Christians from fellowship.  Division is what Satan uses to destroy the family.  Division is what Satan uses to cause a church to split.

As I was doing my daily Bible reading from "The Evidence Bible" produced by Way of the Master Ministries, there was a quote by Charles Spurgeon.

"Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his (Satan's) policy to keep Christians apart.  Anything which can divide saints from one another he (Satan) delights in."

Then, the Proverbs 31 Ministries daily encouragement was on the topic of division in marriage.  Oh, I hope I am listening to what the Father has to say.  I can see that He is using it to encourage me today.  He is using it to show me what I need to do.  I must heal and not cause division.  I must have care for the members of the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:25)

(Father God, thank you for talking with me today.  Please help me to act as you desire.  Strengthen me for what is to come.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

Bumpy Monday - Chain Letters (07/27/09)

I'm starting a new feature called Soapbox. Yes, it's where I rant or rave about something that annoys or excites me. This week's feature is Chain Letters.

Why do people ruin a good email by ending it with a "you must forward this to 5 (or more) people in order to receive a blessing?" There are so many emails that I get that "have" to be forwarded in order to get the answered prayer or the benefit of it. How insane! Why can you not just tell the story and leave it at that?

I mean, really, how often do you tell a good tale in actual conversation and then follow it with "you have to tell five other people about this in order to have your prayers answered?" Can you imagine what your dinner conversation with your husband would be like? Or, what lunch with your girlfriends would sound like?

I refuse to forward them on in that manner. If I like the story and feel like it needs to be shared with others in my life, I delete all the "works" at the end of it and send just the blessing.

(Father God, thank you for the shared blessings of life. Help me to always remember that I do not need to add anything to what You have done for me. Help me to remember You own the cattle on a thousand hills and all the gold underneath. Your blessings are bestowed as You see fit. Thank you! In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.)