As Certain as the Dawn

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“So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.

His going forth is as certain as the dawn;

And He will come to us like the rain,

Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

Hosea 6:3

No More Briars

When I was very young, we had a vacant lot next to our house. Weeds had taken over, and as I chase a ball through them, cockle burrs would stick to my pants and beggar lice to my socks. I hated picking those things off. There was also a row of beautiful crepe myrtles near the street.

One day Daddy hired a man to come and clear the lot. The problem was that he dug up the crepe myrtles, too, because the city was going to put in a sidewalk.

I cried. I loved the crepe myrtles, especially the deep pink ones.

Today I noticed this verse: "...Where briars grew, the myrtle trees will sprout up. This miracle will make the Lord's name very great and be an everlasting sign of God's power and love." Isaiah 55:13

I believe Jesus cares about the things that we care about and also that He is coming again to make all things beautiful in His time. He is preparing an eternal place for us with no briars and, I like to think, lots of pink crepe myrtles.

The Lord Be Magnified

Let all those who seek You rejoice 
and be glad in You;

 Let such as love Your salvation say continually, 

“The Lord be magnified!”

Psalm 40:16

In my apartment the double window in the living room has a perfect view of the sunset. Makes me want to stop what I'm doing and praise the Lord for the beauty of creation.

It reminds me of when my first child, Carl, was small. We could hear church chimes at dusk, and he would stop playing and say, "Mom, let's talk to Jesus!"

Snow Coming Down

I am snowed in today, and more snow is on the way. The weatherman says it is good snow for sledding. I remember the last time I went sledding as an adult. I ran into a tree. And the last time I went for a walk in the snow, my feet flew out from under me and I sat down in the slush.  A little boy stared at me and said, "My Mommy doesn't let me sit down in a puddle." Soooo, I think I'll stay put in my rocker and watch from the apartment window.

Sure-footed

One morning we had freezing rain, covered with sleet, and a few inches of snow. I woke up before dawn and peeked out to see a family of deer playing in the street. We live on a steep hill on a dead end, but the deer continued to prance and frolic up and down for a hour.

I opened the Bible to read about sure-footed deer in Habakkuk 3.

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. 

I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

The Lord God is my strength. 

He will make my feet like deer's feet 

and He will make me walk on my high hills

Favor of God

The sermon yesterday was about the favor of God. I remember my children playing baseball on the church team. When someone got a home run, they would say, "It's the favor of God!"

But the pastor was pointing out that we never had more favor than the day that we realized we were lost without God, and He extended His forgiveness, mercy and favor.

My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
2 Corinthians 12:9 Amplified

Spring Comes Next

I would stand on the front stoop and wave to the neighborhood kids getting on the bus for school and there I would be with no one to play with. There was no kindergarten in 1955. So I would go across the street to visit "Miss Nora", my friend up in her 80's.

I remember sitting on a little stool by her rocking chair as she crocheted, and listening to the winter wind whistling around the door of her house that was built before the Civil War.

I had just learned the months of the year and the four seasons, and I wisely informed her that she should not worry about the cold weather that caused her knees to ache, because spring would come right after winter.

Miss Nora smiled and explained that she had lived through 80+ years of seasons and that God had kept His promise of spring, summer, autumn, and winter each and every year. She showed me in her well worn Bible: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (Genesis 8:22) I remember being amazed at that.

Thank you, God, that you are the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

SNOW!

My friend's 5-year-old grandson called her to tell her about playing in the season's first snow.

"How much snow did you get there?" she asked.

Carefully thinking it over, he replied, "I'd say several pounds!"

Highly Favored

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found
favor with God."

 Luke 1:30 

The angel spoke those words to a girl, who months later would look into the eyes of the Son of God. I have to believe that from the beginning, Mary had a glimpse of Jesus in eternity, and all that His sacrificial life would make available, not just for the Jews, but for every nation on earth.

A few days after his birth, Mary received assurance from Simeon, a just man who had spent a lifetime awaiting the Messiah's arrival. God had promised Simeon that he would see the Savior with his own eyes.

There in the temple, Simeon took the infant in his arms and prayed:

"For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
which You have prepared
in the presence of all peoples,
A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES"
Luke 2:30-32 NASB

Because of our Messiah, Jesus Christ, we who love Him are also highly favored ones he spoke of two thousand years ago when He said,

"Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed."
John 20:29b

Clarksville, Indiana

This quaint ice cream shop is the called the Widow's Walk and faces the Ohio River and Louisville.There is a brisk breeze on the walking trail there. .

My New Year's resolution is to walk a little farther every day. I think it lifts my spirits and hopefully strengthens my stiff joints!

Righteous God

For there is no other God but me,

a righteous God and Savior.

There is none but me.

Let all the world look to me for salvation!

For I am God; there is no other.

I have sworn by my own name;

I have spoken the truth,

and I will never go back on my word:

Every knee will bend to me,

and every tongue will confess allegiance to me.

Isaiah 45: 21b-24 NLT

Jeremiah 29:13

I heard an instrumental of the old hymn "Softly and Tenderly" today (on Reflections on Daystar TV) and it reminded me that  this was the hymn that was being sung at our church when I gave my life to Jesus. He is faithful to show Himself to us when we search for Him!

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me,
See on the portals He's waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me

Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me,
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary, come home.
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner, come home.

Wil Thompson