Be Still and Know That I Am God

Beautiful rose photo courtesy of Jeanne Henriques--Collage of Life

"Be still, and know that I am God!  I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10

 

          Somewhere along the way, I forgot how to be still.  Having six children, and then entering the work force, I stayed active from morning until night, sometimes not sitting down all day.  I even multitasked in the shower! 

 

          I know I'm not alone; in our society, we are expected to be productive.  Some of us pride ourselves on how much we can accomplish in a day.  Yet, it's easy to carry that too far.  Overloaded and overwhelmed, consumed with my responsibilities, I ignored God's directives to be still and consider His wondrous works.

 

          A dear friend asked me to slow down many times, before at last, I heeded her advice.  At first, I actually needed to set the kitchen timer for thirty minutes in order to make myself sit still.  I sat on my deck in the early evenings, watching the clouds drift by, listening to the birds.  During those times, my soul became quiet and still; I communed with God in my heart and mind.  Like the sun bursting from behind the clouds, joy burst into my heart.  I experienced renewed peace as I took time to talk with God and rest in His presence.   I believe God is truly pleased when I practice this Scripture. 

          I'm so thankful for my friend who reminded me that I needed to do this.  I encourage you to take some time in your day to "be still and know Him".

 

"Hearken unto this, O Job; stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God." Job 37:14

 

My backyard and deck.   A peaceful place.

Peace and blessings to you today, dear readers.

Hero Worship--Inspite of Feet of Clay

Beautiful photos courtesy of Jeanne Henriques--Collage of Life.

 

 

          Today a story about Lance Armstrong giving up his anti-doping fight was in the news.  Oh, how I used to love watching this cycling champion compete in Le Tour de France.  But, his story is not the focus of this meditation.  I want us to think about "hero worship".

 

          Once upon a time, there was a teacher, preacher, politician, parent, celebrity--you choose whichever one applies to your life--whom I highly esteemed.  His virtues far surpassed those of others.  I thought he could do no wrong.  Then, events occurred in which this highly esteemed person behaved in ways inconceivable to me, contrary to the godly image I held of him.  Indeed, I've set myself up for this several times in my life. I venture a guess that it  has happened to you as well.

 

          As the dust of dismay and disillusionment cleared from my eyes, I saw this person for who he really was--just a mortal man with feet of clay.

 

          I would have done well to keep in mind that God alone is worthy of adoration.  He is the Creator who molded us from clay.

 

          "But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64:8). 

 

           The Psalmist advises us not to put our trust in princes, nor man, in whom there is no help. Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 118:9)

 

           The Scripture in Jeremiah gives us a beautiful story of the potter, who by his will and design, molds and forms the clay any way he chooses. (Jeremiah 18:1-6)  

 

          Daniel, by the  power of God, was enabled to interpret the prophetic dream of King Nebuchadnezzar.  Daniel described the great image, representative of earthly kingdoms, as made of gold, silver, brass, iron, and "feet part of iron and part of clay".  When the image was smote upon the feet, they broke to pieces and the whole thing collapsed and crumbled "like the chaff of the summer thrashing floors". (Daniel 2:31-35)

 

          Christ is victorious, and our Sovereign God is above all.  Yes, we can admire people, and have our heroes, but we do well to remember that God is our Sovereign Creator. 

          Have mercy on us O Lord.  Help us to remember we all have feet of clay.

 

The Prayers of All Saints

A scented candle--one of my favorite things--burning on the mantel.

          Prayer is a privilege for those of us who believe.  We can call upon the Name of the Lord and while we are speaking He hears us.  Prayer is our way of letting God know that we need Him every minute and that we look to Him. 

          Paul speaks boldly on prayer.  He writes to the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing."  He writes to the Philippians that "in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God".  He instructs the Colossians to "continue in prayer", and tell Timothy, "I will therefore that men pray every where". 

          Prayer can take place anywhere, about anything, at any time.  In other words, prayer is more than a ritual to be performed in church, or in a special place dedicated to prayer in our  homes.  God works in us and through us by means of prayer.  I want to take full advantage of this privilege as a child of God.

          Normally, I think of prayer as something I need to do for myself and for the needs of others.  But, I read some Scriptures a while back that I had not taken to heart before. To some extent, they struck me because of my own delight in sweet fragrances.  I love scented candles and the lovely smell of incense in my church.  But these verses are so intriguing that they have caused a shift in my perspective on prayer. 

Our prayers are a sweet smelling fragrance to God and an offering to Him. 

"Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense," Psalm 141a.

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints," Revelation 5:8 (KJV).

"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne," Revelation 8:3 (KJV).

This is a mystery worthy of contemplation.  God's blessings and prayers be with you.

My front porch--I wish you could come sit awhile with me.

He Ever Lives to Make Intercession for Us

Pictures taken at Ormond-By-The-Sea, Florida--courtesy of Eva Marie Everson.

          I was praying for my children, pouring out my heart in prayer.  I was asking God to help them be all they are meant to be in Christ Jesus.  Asking Him to keep them safe.  Praying for them to be all He created them to be before the foundation of the world.  Praying that He would give them that day His love, power, sound mind, peace, and that their faith in Him would grow.  After praying for them in general, I prayed for each one by name.  And suddenly, I thought "What does He pray for me?" 

         Jesus prayed for us on earth.  He prayed for Peter.

 
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, " Luke 22: 31,32a.

          He prayed for all who believe on Him.  I love to read Jesus' words in John 17. This is a wonderful chapter that reveals the heart of Jesus for His Church.

"I pray for them:  I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me,  for they are thine," John 17:9.

          And we know that Jesus lives and that he is seated "at the right hand of God" (Romans 8:34), where He ever lives to make "intercession" for us.

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them," Hebrews 7:25.

Of course, Jesus prays for me.  He prays for you.  What an amazing thought.  

All praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray His blessings will be with you today.
                  

Blessings in Disguise

a broken egg

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope," Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV).

           Sometimes, we find ourselves caught up in a frustrating situation, and we forget that everything that comes into our lives is filtered through His hands.  I want to tell you about such a situation that happened to me this summer.

           My kitchen stove had so many broken parts, I didn't think it was a good idea to invest in the expensive repairs.  (Even the oven was broken--and I have to have an oven.)  I decided to buy a new stove and have it installed in plenty of time to bake a cake for my house guests who were arriving in a month.

           I found a stove and ordered it, with a suitable promised delivery and installation date.  The stove came into the warehouse on schedule, but due to miscommunication within the store, the installation did not take place as promised.  Many phone calls and much frustration later, the stove was delivered almost two weeks late.  I had to rearrange my schedule to accommodate the new delivery time and date.  My broken stove was uninstalled and taken out of the house.  But as the installation team brought the new one into the house, they discovered the new one was broken.  Imagine my dismay.

          We made a call to the store.  What could they do for me?  Order me a new one, they said, but I probably wouldn't have it for three more weeks.  I told the manager I'd come into the store in a few minutes and take care of it.  This paragraph cannot convey the amount of frustration I felt.  After the old one was reinstalled and I stood alone in the kitchen,  I said to the Lord, "What is happening here?"  I hadn't expected getting a new stove to become a "customer service" nightmare.  Then I went into the store, and politely cancelled the sale. 

          When I returned home, a message awaited me from the store.  Besides an apology, they offered me an upgrade to a much nicer stove that was on display on site, and promised to install it within two days, for the same price as the original sale.  Would that make me happy? Ah....it certainly did. 

As soon as I hung up the phone, I realized I should have trusted God all along.  I remembered other occasions as well when I should have trusted God instead of getting upset about a situation that was out of my control.  The situation had frustrated and disappointed me, but God turned it around for my good.  I should have trusted He would.  This time the store followed through and provided excellent service.  I got a beautiful new stove in time to bake a cake for my guests. 



"We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose," Romans 8:28 (NKJV).

Cream cheese pound cake -- includes six broken eggs.

First cake in my new oven.

Constant need of mercy and grace

I was really trying to take a picture to share with you of this charming little hummingbird outside my window.  As you can see, I am not a photographer.  Look closely--this little beauty hums back and forth and shares its space with the squirrels.

          My sincere apologies to those of you who were looking for a new devotion this morning.  I have to confess that I am not prepared.  Last night when I got home from work, I was so tired, I watched the evening news and then went straight to bed.  At first I felt very let down that I couldn't do what I had promised--give you two devotions each week--but then, I realized, I had to get some sleep.  I confess I am in constant need of His mercy and grace.

           Maybe there are meditations on the blog you haven't read yet.  Just go to "older posts" at the bottom of the page, click on those words, and you will be taken back to previous meditations.  I hope you will do that for a word of encouragement.

         Congratulations to Amy Jenkins, from Savannah, Georgia.  She will be receiving a copy of Jeanette Levellie's book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top.  On September 1, I will be reviewing a newly released book, Two Destinies by Elizabeth Musser, and I will be giving away her book, so please come back for an opportunity to win.

          I pray God's blessings on everyone who is reading these words.  I will have a new meditation for you on the blog on Wednesday, August 15th.  I leave you today with these words from Saint Jude.

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.  Amen."  Jude 24,25

                                                                          

Consider the Lilies of the Field

Beautiful photography today courtesy of Eileen deCamp -- Blue Ridge Lavender.

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, " Matthew 6:28b (KJV).

          With six children, there is always something I can worry about.  And with a hundred and fifty plus high school students on my class rolls, my head could spin about that.  But wouldn't that be a waste of my time?  Isn't that a lack of faith in God?

          So much has been written about worry, I'm sure I can't say anything new.  It's a part of the universal human condition.  Jesus knew our condition when he gave us his principle for living worry-free. 

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow:  for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto this day is the evil thereof," Matthew 6:34 (KJV).

           Jesus spoke about worry in his Sermon on the Mount.  "Take therefore no thought for the morrow . . . ."  Don't worry about tomorrow.  Don't even give it a thought.  It's not here yet, and it may never come.  "For the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself . . . ."  Tomorrow we can think about tomorrow's business.  "Sufficient unto this day is the evil thereof."  There is enough to deal with today.

          We know His words.  We know our God is bigger than all our problems and the ones that we might face.  Yet, it is a step-by-step walk of faith every day.  And when each day is done, it becomes that wonderful part of our story called the past.  Once lived, it's done, saved for all eternity.  If we trust Jesus to help us live each day as best we can, without worry, we can enjoy the treasure of a life well-lived.  Trusting Him to take care of us just like he does the lilies of the field.

"Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you," 1 Peter 5:7.    
                                  
                                                                              

 God bless you with a worry-free day, precious ones.