Word of God

This Bible has been by my side for over half my life.

For years, that is literally all it was.

By my side.

I would always keep it near just in case I might read it.  I wanted the visual reminder. I needed the visual reminder! So there it sat on every bedside table I ever had.  I felt guilty reading other books over the years while I was neglecting this important one.  I got hung up thinking I had to start at the beginning every time and read it in the order it was bound. Three to four books in and come weeks maybe months later, I was out!

Then there came a time when I heard of a simple breakthrough.  Sixty-six books are in this Bible and I don’t have to read them in order.  This challenged my strong tendency to follow a natural defined order which always began with Genesis. I heard that Genesis 1 - 11 might be the most read chapters in the Bible. But now, I could consider reading the New Testament first.  I could read the chapters written by major and minor prophets.  I could read from back to front.  This was a discovery, albeit obvious, but reconsidered my self-imposed barriers.

This unintentional obstacle kept me distant and away from God’s word for far too long. In its place I found opinions and worldviews of other respected and trusted sources around me that were becoming my own. Without being in the word itself, my belief system was being formed by theirs. This wasn’t right.

It’s the word of the Lord that is right.  It’s the word of the Lord that holds true. God says hear the word of the Lord.  Blessed are they who obey it and put it into practice. It’s not outdated or irrelevant. It’s infallible, inerrant, authoritative, complete, and effective, It endures, lasts, lives on, and remains forever.

The Word of God has its place.

It’s on the inside.

“He was dressed in a robe dipped in blood and He has a name.  Word of God.”

Psalm 33:4

Luke 11:28

Revelation 19:13

First Responders

First responders are in my family.

If they are in yours, too.  I’ve been praying for them.

I wish we could all pray for our city’s responders.  Please pray for mine.

In the last days of Moses, he blessed a tribe of trained warriors and said this about them. “You are loved by the Lord and live in safety beside Him.  He surrounds you continuously and preserves you from every harm.”

I wanted this same blessing for my trained warriors.

Just yesterday, I was unnerved by a plume of black smoke in the distance and knew that someone’s first responder was on the scene.  I definitely knew at least 3 more trucks of them were on the way because each one hurried with sirens informing this as they passed.

I pray to the Lord,  “Surround them continuously and preserve them from every harm.”

Just today, I hear sirens wailing.  Two police cars are in pursuit. I know someone’s first responders are attending to a situation. The speed indicated this as they raced to the scene.

I pray to the Lord,  “Surround them continuously and preserve them from every harm.”

In our heightened state of affairs, the sight of these vehicles and sound of screaming sirens have caused me to pray.  On different occasions when my car pulls up next to one of these trained warriors,  my praying hands go up, too.  I want you to know.

I’m praying to the Lord, “Surround you continuously and preserve you from every harm.”

Every day.

Deuteronomy 33:12

Enough for Today

There is majesty in the hills.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself talking to the Lord each day like it’s no big deal.  People have taken their shoes off because of holy ground when speaking to Him.  People bow.  People stand up with holy hands high. People kneel. He exists in a holy space.  I know He’s here with me and I talk to Him like a friend and He’s up there seated at the right hand of power and I’m over here sitting all comfy-cozy and sipping a hot beverage in hand talking to Him about my woes.

Sometimes it’s a lot. We all know things in life can get harder before they get better.  It can be an uphill climb and that’s just how climbing a hill is.  So, today I looked up and read the Lord’s verses on power. I did so, because it is so desperately needed and without His power this hill is without hope. It is with these verses that I prayed.

Some things can seem unchanging.  He has heard my cries. It’s not yet changed and it’s not in my own power to do so.  I’ve tried.  Oh boy, I’ve tried.  I know my own limitations and it’s no match for what I’m up against.  It’s a rescue operation that requires supernatural power. So, I come to the Lord because He is seated at the right hand in the place of power.  Mark 14:62 says so.

In desperation, I thought of how I might change up the way I pray. I decide I’m not going to ask for the whole shebang. He certainly knows the set of circumstances. But, I’m going to stick with asking enough for today.  I know there’s not a formula. There’s not a prescribed method but I do this anyway.  Just enough power for today, I pray.  Tomorrow I’ll come back for another day.

For today, I need magnified power. So, I pray Numbers 14:17 For today, I need power sustained. So, I pray Psalm 55:22. For today, I need power for a mighty act demonstrated.  So, I pray Deut. 34:12. This is not just any power.  I’m talking about the same power that stirred the sea, that established mountains, that made heaven and earth, and displayed awe-inspiring acts. There is no limit to this power. So, I pray Numbers 11:23.

I’m asking for just a whisper of power not even the thunder of it.

Make efforts successful, Lord.  Yes, make efforts successful.

Enough for today.

This I pray.

Matt 26:64, Deut 34:12, Num 14:17; 11:23, Job 26:12; 14, Ps 65:6, 145:6, Jer 10:12

Easter

It’s a celebration with all that is confectionary.

The little ones fought over the chocolate cross.  My mistake.  There was only one.

It wasn’t Easter yet, but it was Palm Sunday.  So, we talked about that and read the Easter Story. It doesn’t matter your age, I’ve discovered the best way to communicate the reason for an Easter gathering is in teacher fashion. Simple words.

A picture book!

God gave His son, Jesus Christ.

He came to die on a cross.

He rose in 3 days.

He’s alive today.

In us.

I’ve decided to tuck this simplistic book in my holiday decoration bin with the ceramic bunnies and plastic eggs as a new tradition for the season.  The day will come when likely next year we’ll have our very own first reader who will carry on the reading of the Easter story from the picture book before our customary dinner.

We followed the day with other fun traditions like Easter egg hunts for both children and adults, sidewalk chalk, kite flying and an unexpected moment that I stowed away in my heart that occurred during our church service on this first Palm Sunday without Dad.

You see, Mom went to my church with me for the first time.  We both were operating under a lot of new firsts.  On this particular morning, our minister was wearing a blue shirt. It was recognizable. I took one glance. Thought about it.  Stared a bit more intently.   What I saw was the exact same shirt out of all of Dad’s shirts as the one I had just chosen to keep after his passing.   From my distance, I looked closer to the texture of it and the color of the buttons.  Yep, it certainly was the shirt. It was like a sweet nod the Lord had for me that morning sitting with my mom. It was in this way that only I knew how the Lord had thought to include my dad.  I came home and wrapped myself up in it.

The Lord has all kinds of personal gifts.

Don’t think He doesn’t.

On Palm Sunday, He did it for me with a single matching shirt.

On Good Friday, He did it for us all.

It was a single cross.

No mistake.

There was only one.

Isaiah 53:5