Tag: Bible

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Resting in the Mystery

Numbers 9:21 (ESV)—And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out.

I perched on the edge of my seat on the bus, on the lookout for wildlife and the top of Mount McKinley in Denali National Park. Hoards of bears, a fox, a flock of dall sheep, a herd of caribou, and a moose later, at the end of the road, the clouds still obscured Mount McKinley, its view a shroud of mystery (except for thousands of photos on the internet, of course).

For the Israelites, the cloud of God led them through the desert. When the cloud descended on the tabernacle, the Israelites made camp, and when the cloud lifted, they broke camp and traveled through the desert, an arduous journey for sure.

The people trusted in God even with the mystery of the cloud’s timing. They allowed God to lead and followed in obedience.

Today, God still sets the pace of our journey, though not in the form of a physical cloud. His protection comes in the form of a friend telling us we need to slow down, in jobs appearing when we need them most, in anxiety attacks telling our bodies enough is enough.

The next steps of God’s plan for us, whether shrouded in thick, dense fog or clear for miles and miles, come when we sit in God’s presence. In this place of rest, we can find assurance and can ask for wisdom to separate his plan from our own.

For sure, God’s plan is a mystery whose revelation unfolds in his timing. While we wait though, he provides a cloud of comfort, peace, and protection.

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Guarding Our Heart

Deer beneath a grove of trees overlooking Cecil M. Harden Lake in Rockville, Indiana
Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)—Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Walking along the gravel road, past houses tucked into the trees, I came upon a fork in the road that did not lead to a house. I picked up my pace, rounding onto the path, and froze. A deer grazed at the edge of the of the path overlooking the lake shimmering in the sunshine.

Gaze set on the deer, I saw movement to the side. Another deer sat in the grass. I stood, mesmerized, not daring to move, knowing the crunch of gravel a dead giveaway to my presence.

Yet another deer stepped from the trees, but this one stared straight at me, neck stiff, ears alert. It stepped a few steps closer, freezing in place for a few seconds then pawing at the ground and bobbing its head. This doe sensed something not quite right in her world, a threat to her safety, to her herd. The moment I stepped backward, her deer instincts told her to run.

Guarding our hearts requires being on the lookout for spiritual threats, for the devil’s prowling (1 Peter 5:8). Satan prepares for us a rutted path with hidden potholes to make us unsteady on our feet. No, the threats of Satan are not always obvious and he will attempt to trip us up.

If we perceive a threat from Satan, like deer perceive a threat from a human presence, how do we protect our spirit? Looking to Scripture and praying for God-given wisdom helps us to assess the threat. Our daily Bible readings and prayers fill our minds with God’s Word, protecting our hearts from the devil’s lies. Our submission to God and his Word causes the devil to flee (James 4:7). The living Word helps us to fight off Satan’s schemes, guiding our attitudes and thoughts (Hebrews 4:12). Yes, the tenets of God’s Word guide us in righteous living and help us resist the devil’s temptations.

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Anchoring Our Faith

Matthew 8:24–27 (ESV)—And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

A snorkeling excursion—my first—on my honeymoon took my husband and I off the coast of Barbados. The sunshine shimmered on the turquoise sea, goggles complete with snorkel tube perched on top of my head, and a life jacket wrapped around my upper body.

I edged toward the back of the boat, behind others from our tour. Deep breath in, I jumped. Salt water splashed my face; I spluttered and swayed my feet.

All the while, a hint of panic set in and I snatched my husband’s arm. “Hubby, I can’t touch the bottom.”

The guide, hearing my panicked whispers, swam to us and handed me the more substantial, bright-orange life preserver. I bear-hugged the flotation device until I felt calm.

Why was I so afraid in that moment? Perhaps because I sink like a rock in the water. Maybe because I’d never ventured into water so deep, always before having the anchor of sand beneath my feet. Or, just a thought, fear settled in like a shark sinking it teeth into its dinner.

Indeed, fear caused me to falter even though I wore a life jacket. My fear overwhelmed my sense of safety because I did not understand the enormous effect on my mind of my feet being anchored to the sandy floor.

Another anchor, fear, can drown us if we don’t have knowledge of the magnitude of God’s might. The disciples learned this lesson from their fear of drowning in a storm, even though Jesus lay on the boat with them, having performed miracles in sight of the disciples that very day.

In the midst of the gales rocking the boat and waves filling it like a bathtub, the disciples needed more understanding of Jesus when fear rocked up and sank in its teeth—and did Jesus provide a showstopper. He calmed the sea, and the disciples stood in awe. Their knowledge of God’s power grew and that moment likely stayed with them as they did God’s work and faced hardship in the future.

It is understanding of God’s might that anchors our faith and helps us to trust God with one-hundred-percent confidence. Wisdom gained from God’s Word helps us to fight and defeat fear and to hear God speak over the cacophony of the storm.

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Sifting Through the Muck

Roseate spoonbills and other wading birds sitting in a tree
Luke 22:31–32 (ESV)—“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Pink flashed west of the boardwalk over the pond at Big Talbot Island State Park. I saw not the beginnings of a sunset, but my first glimpse of a roseate spoonbill—and not only one but a flock, landing in the trees across the the pond.

These wading birds use their spoon-like bill to sift through the muck in shallow, coastal waters. They search for grub such as minnows, shrimp, and even plant roots—food to nourish their bodies.

Simon Peter also had some sifting to do. He, as well as the other disciples, had to sift through their sorrow of their Rabbi’s coming death, Jesus’ arrest, and Simon Peter’s betrayal of Jesus.

And sift they did…but not well. Instead of pray as Jesus did, they slept. Instead of acting peaceful, one disciple cut off the ear of a high priest, and when Simon Peter was asked about knowing Jesus, he denied, denied, denied.

But even through the drama, Jesus said and showed the answer to sifting through the muck: prayer. Jesus prayed for the disciples that their “faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32). He also instructed the disciples to “pray that [they] might not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:40). Most important, Jesus prayed for God’s will despite his want for another answer.

Like Jesus, we need to pray for God’s will, but unlike Jesus we’re going to sin “and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). Our hope lies in Jesus’ prediction for Simon Peter that when he turns back to Jesus he’ll strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). Simon Peter’s failings would be turned around for good, so let us pray and take heart that we can turn back to God and that our failings can strengthen our own faith as well as others’.

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Don’t Disturb the Wildlife

Acts 16:25 (ESV)—About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Do not disturb the wildlife, the sign read. I walked along the paved trail into Glenwood Canyon. I crossed my fingers, hoping to see at least one bighorn sheep—from a distance, of course, and preferably perched high up on a canyon wall. I certainly didn’t want to sneak up on this creature, startling it into being aggressive.

That’s what happened when Paul commanded a spirit to come out of a slave girl whose “talent” was bringing in money to her owners. He stole the girl’s owners’ means of making money, and the owners acted with aggression. They lied, telling the city magistrates that Paul and Silas were teaching things “not lawful for. . . Romans to accept or practice.” The officials then threw Paul and Silas into jail.

In the Christian life, it’s inevitable: we’re going to sneak up on bighorn sheep. Our beliefs are going to cause believers and nonbelievers alike to challenge our faith and stir up a fight.

But even when another person wants to butt heads, our best response is a peaceful attitude that causes others to listen, like Paul’s and Silas’ praying and singing of hymns while in jail. It is peacefulness such as this that stirs up belief in Christ and gives us a chance to minister further.

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Devoted to Love

Romans 12:10 (ESV)—Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Travel. It can bring out the happy, carefree us; it can bring out the hands-on-hips, ready-for-a-showdown us.

And how do I know that?

Just yesterday, my hubby and I hopped into the car for a two-hour drive to watch the eclipse. About halfway there, we stopped at a gas station for snacks at my request, much to the chagrin of my hubby, who very much wanted to get to our destination. Still, he filled the tank while I went inside for a leisurely browse of the snacks. A bit too leisurely if I correctly read my hubby’s facial expression when he came inside to collect me. Even so, I argued a bit and continued my browsing, albeit with my gaze moving faster over the selection of goodies.

Immediately, in the car, God prodded me: Apologize. He said I should have swallowed my wants (not quite as tasty as my snacks), paid for the drinks in my hand, and left the store without looking further. He finished with, “Honor one another above yourselves.”

Yep, one of those memory verses I’d tucked away, a verse about love that applies to every relationship, not just spousal ones. This characteristic of Christ allows us to be humble, to sacrifice our selfishness for the wants of another. Humility helps us to push aside our worldly feelings and love with zeal, joy, and faith. And we can sacrifice these human faults to live as Christ did because we have the peace of knowing Christ overcame the world (John 16:33).

On this day, I sinned. But I chose to turn from the darkness and walk in the light (1 John 1:7), to apologize for my behavior of not honoring another above myself. My hubby forgave me—and for good measure, we sealed the deal with a kiss.

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Words of Affirmation: Wisdom

I sometimes become obsessed with the idea of writing a devotional based on a particular verse. My fingers fly over the keyboard for a minute or two before freezing, the well of words running dry all because I didn’t bother to inject wisdom into my writing. Instead, I tried to produce words to publish a post or to submit to a publisher.

Devotional writing is more than putting well-constructed sentences with a clear theme to the page. Discerning God’s Word through the use of commentaries and other resources helps us produce well-thought-out ideas. Our prayers during writing and before posting guide us to biblical connection and sureness. After publication, these thoughts speak to others and encourage further contemplation of God’s Word.

God has entrusted us with the power to wield words to spread his Word. This thought makes me want to put my words in his hands. How about you?

Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV)—The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
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Gaining Understanding

A photo of a sign with a moose with its ears laid back against its head. The caption says, Upset moose, you're in danger now!
Matthew 13:11–12 (ESV)—And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

While walking along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, I spied a sign. My husband and I laughed at the picture of moose, its ears pushed back, like our cat’s ears do when he’s upset. The caption read, “Upset moose. You’re in danger now!” The sign also had information on what to do if the moose looks angry.

The cautionary sign puts information in front of people like me who aren’t super outdoorsy yet want to remain cautious in the outdoors. The visual opened my mind to the dangers of the Alaskan outdoors and readied me for a walk in nature.

Like the Anchorage park service, Jesus saw the value in readying people’s hearts. Jesus spoke in parables, visual images, to prepare people for his insights into God’s Kingdom. By using parables, Jesus gave everyone, not only the disciples, a chance to understand—to hear and to see—God’s Kingdom.

Jesus also knew that not everyone wanted to learn more about the Kingdom. For these people, their hardened hearts prevented them from hearing the truth in the parables. They became lost in the wilderness of their ideas, not wanting to hear Jesus’ message.

For anyone who wants a glimpse of God’s Kingdom, understanding the Scriptures requires an open mind that is receptive to learning and willing to engage in information provided through trusted sources. Gaining understanding helps us to make decisions in the worldly wilderness.

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Powerful Hands

I stared over the edge of the rock wall beyond which lay ten feet of rock and patches of snow ice, followed by a precipitous drop into the Grand Canyon. Gazing at my ice-cleat-clad feet, I gulped even though the cleat’s grip made slipping almost impossible.

“Come on, Amy,” the tour guide encouraged. “Kneel behind the wall and reach up like you need help!” After my husband and I kneeled and posed as if we dangled over the edge, the tour guide encouraged me to stand on the wall. “Amy, grab your husband’s hand.”

I stood and grasped my husband’s hand, saving him from a fictitious tumble sure to break a bone or two. If this situation were reality, and I had to use my hands to pull my husband from the cliff’s ledge, would I be able to do it? Maybe, because the hands are powerful and not only in clasping, pushing, and pulling but also in praising, praying, working, as well as other things.

On the basis of my search of Bible Gateway for the word “hand”—a search pulling up 1,591 results—I know, one, that God’s hands are powerful (obviously!) and, two, that human hands are powerful too, but in a different way. Human hands can fail without God to guide them.

Human Hands

The Beautiful

  • Nehemiah 8:6: Human hands praise God.
  • Deuteronomy 2:7: Human hands work.
  • Deuteronomy 1:25: Human hands share.
  • 1 Corinthians 16:21: Human hands encourage.
  • 1 Timothy 2:8: Human hands pray.

The Ugly

  • Genesis 27:17: Human hands deceive.
  • Matthew 17:12: Human hands bring suffering.
  • Matthew 26:45: Human hands betray.
  • Jonah 3:8; Number 22:29: Human hands commit violent acts.

God’s Hands: Always Beautiful

  • Zechariah 4:8–10: God uses human hands to fulfill prophesy.
  • Acts 6:6; 2 Kings 4:34: God uses human hands to heal.
  • Judges 7:20: God uses human hands to fulfill his plan.
  • Ephesians 4:17: God uses human hands to inspire faith and belief.

  • Numbers 20:11: God uses human hands to provide.

  • 1 Peter 5:6: God’s hand provides a place of refuge.
  • Hebrews 8:9: God’s hand leads us.
  • Matthew 14:31: God’s hand saves us from our doubts.

  • Matthew 8:2–3: God’s hands heal.

Human hands alone, without God, are so powerful and capable. Capable of deceit as well as kindness. Able to share as well as kill. Fit for hard work as well as destruction.

With God, our hands are a powerful tool to work as if working for the Lord, to encourage one another, to share with others, to do God’s work.

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Able and Capable

Ephesians 3:20–21 (NIV)—Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Born in Schwäbisch Hall, German artist and calligrapher Thomas Schweicker lived a life of celebrity. He wasn’t an actor or a model or even a musician. Schweicker painted and wrote in calligraphy…with his feet. This man, born without hands or arms, made a name for himself as an artist.

I don’t know if Schweicker worshiped God, but his story is inspirational. It makes me ask, what would happen if I said “I can” or “I’ll try it” instead of “I can’t” or “it’s not possible”? What if I said “yes” to God when he calls, even though I feel unable or incapable of doing the things he asks?

Feeling weak or less than gives me a chance to bow down before God, who gave every family on earth their name, and pray for my identity in him. I pray because I know my strength comes from God, my talents come from God, and my gifts come from God. And I know that God, from whose image I was created, delights in molding me into the person he created me to be.

God is calling, and it’s time to believe I am able and capable of his plan. It’s time to believe he can do more than I imagine.

If God can create an artist and calligrapher of Schweicker, what can he do for me?