Love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. Luke 6:35 (RSV)
Lids of soda bottles, backs of cereal boxes and register receipts reveal reward codes. To win a year's supply of soda, beaucoup boxes of cereal, free hamburgers, or free hams, consumers must take time to go on-line or mail in the code.
Why bother? Often it's the wonderful feeling of winning--having a dream fulfilled. What a great party a small group could have! The local food pantry would be surprised to get all that cereal. What fun to go about bragging to friends or giving them soda caps! How wonderful to drink free sodas! A hamburger tastes so much better when it saves a dab of money. Forget the initial monetary cost. Forget the time used to get that free, temporal reward. Winning and bragging. That's the thing.
However, when Jesus offers a spiritual reward, winning becomes a given, not a possibility because He already paid the cost, the sacrifice of His life. What then is the problem? Why is it so hard for me to make the mental commitment or conscious efforts to love, do good, or lend--especially since Jesus offers the guaranteed reward of being the son of the Most High?
Logically, it should be easy to abandon the hope of winning temporal rewards and reach towards the hope of eternal rewards. In reality, it' snot. Turn to Him. That's my only hope of winning. He can and will change the inside of me, stand beside me, show the way, and help. And that is winning indeed!
Lord, this day, stand beside us, show us the way, and help uss. Amen.
(c) 2015 V. Colclasure
Friday, June 26, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
Rescued Fur Ever
For
He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of
His beloved Son. Colossians 1:13 (NAS)
I was sitting on my porch recently communing with nature and taking in the peace of late morning quiet. The cacophony of early morning birdsong had diminished. In its place was the slightest hum of bumblebees on the rhododendron. I wasn’t the only one enjoying the porch. Looking around me were my cats all sprawled in different places and poses, all exceptionally relaxed as only cats can be. Looking out the sliding glass door was my daughter’s dog who wanted to join us.
Looking around at all of them and myself, I thought of our common bond. We were all blessed to be rescued and adopted—four cats, one dog, and one human. We rescued our pets from a shelter where they faced fear and an uncertain future. All of our pets are different and unique and we dearly love them. Each one is precious to us in their own sweet way. They feel secure in our love for them and have uncomplicated trust in us to provide for all of their needs.
How blessed it is to be rescued from my helpless, hopeless future without Christ. Being adopted and grafted into the family of God, no longer do I worry about my life or where I will spend eternity. My Father in Heaven loves me and promises to take care of my every need. He looks at me with adoring eyes that are filled with love. Just like my pets I am assured of a forever home with Him.
Father, thank You for loving me and adopting me into Your kingdom. Amen
©Bonnie Mae Evans 2015
I was sitting on my porch recently communing with nature and taking in the peace of late morning quiet. The cacophony of early morning birdsong had diminished. In its place was the slightest hum of bumblebees on the rhododendron. I wasn’t the only one enjoying the porch. Looking around me were my cats all sprawled in different places and poses, all exceptionally relaxed as only cats can be. Looking out the sliding glass door was my daughter’s dog who wanted to join us.
Looking around at all of them and myself, I thought of our common bond. We were all blessed to be rescued and adopted—four cats, one dog, and one human. We rescued our pets from a shelter where they faced fear and an uncertain future. All of our pets are different and unique and we dearly love them. Each one is precious to us in their own sweet way. They feel secure in our love for them and have uncomplicated trust in us to provide for all of their needs.
How blessed it is to be rescued from my helpless, hopeless future without Christ. Being adopted and grafted into the family of God, no longer do I worry about my life or where I will spend eternity. My Father in Heaven loves me and promises to take care of my every need. He looks at me with adoring eyes that are filled with love. Just like my pets I am assured of a forever home with Him.
Father, thank You for loving me and adopting me into Your kingdom. Amen
©Bonnie Mae Evans 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
Weapon or Refuge
The Lord is my rock and my
fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, Psalm
18:2 (NAS)
Father, I pray the hurting people of this world will know the security and peace of having their feet set on You, the solid rock. Amen.
©2015
Bonnie Mae Evans
I thought
of The Rock of my salvation who offers hope, life and justice for all, the Lord
God who sent His one and only Son to be a sacrifice for our sins. He is my rock
and my hope.
If only
they knew, they would drop their rocks of destruction and exchange them for The
Rock of refuge. They would stand on The Rock and claim His ultimate victory
over the battle of all evil and injustice that has ever befallen anyone. With
feet planted on solid ground, they would look with hope to the future. By His
Spirit, they would find peaceful solutions to the biases that have plagued our great
nation and the world as well. With praise, they would offer up all the glory to
the Lord who gives them strength and endurance for the battle. With eyes on
eternity they would value all people as precious brother and sister heirs to
the kingdom.
Yes, God
alone is our fortress to run to in times of distress. He is our deliverer from
all of the world's injustices. He knows all and sees the absolute truth without
prejudice. His eyes are filled with love equally for us all. He is the rock
that offers healing to our broken world.
Father, I pray the hurting people of this world will know the security and peace of having their feet set on You, the solid rock. Amen.
SEARCHING FOR JESUS
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
While in the basement, I heard click-clacking on the hardwood floors above. It was my dog Krickett, searching for me. She didn't like to be left alone. I could imagine her anxiety when she woke from her nap and did not see me. The sound of her little feet dancing a staccato on the floor made me smile. The anxiety on her face changed when she saw me. She trotted over to me and sniffed my legs to reassure herself of my presence. Then she jumped into her bed and lay down, at peace that I was near.
As a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. I crept from my bed to the bathroom and snapped on the light. Nothing was there in the darkness that wasn't there in the light. It reassured me as long as the light was on. Returning to the bedroom, the darkness enveloping me seemed so heavy and fearsome. Pulling the covers over my head comforted me and calmed my fears. I said a prayer, picturing Jesus beside me. Calmness swept over me. Jesus answered my childish prayer. He was my comfort, just as I was for Krickett.
Nothing is more comforting than Jesus' voice saying, Come to me...I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). I slept in peace.
Dear Father of comfort, thank You for letting us find You in our search for comfort when we are alone in the darkness of life. You console our hearts, knowing that You are here beside us. Amen.
© 2015 E. Bonnie Ryan
While in the basement, I heard click-clacking on the hardwood floors above. It was my dog Krickett, searching for me. She didn't like to be left alone. I could imagine her anxiety when she woke from her nap and did not see me. The sound of her little feet dancing a staccato on the floor made me smile. The anxiety on her face changed when she saw me. She trotted over to me and sniffed my legs to reassure herself of my presence. Then she jumped into her bed and lay down, at peace that I was near.
As a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. I crept from my bed to the bathroom and snapped on the light. Nothing was there in the darkness that wasn't there in the light. It reassured me as long as the light was on. Returning to the bedroom, the darkness enveloping me seemed so heavy and fearsome. Pulling the covers over my head comforted me and calmed my fears. I said a prayer, picturing Jesus beside me. Calmness swept over me. Jesus answered my childish prayer. He was my comfort, just as I was for Krickett.
Nothing is more comforting than Jesus' voice saying, Come to me...I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). I slept in peace.
Dear Father of comfort, thank You for letting us find You in our search for comfort when we are alone in the darkness of life. You console our hearts, knowing that You are here beside us. Amen.
© 2015 E. Bonnie Ryan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)