WHAT IF'ING

Have mercy, O Lord…let me receive my sight.” Mark 10:48-52 (RSV)

Sitting somewhat patiently, twisting and rolling a tissue in my hand, I peered into the Visual Field Test machine. While the doctor quickly switched slides, I made the comment, “Your slides are blurry.”

The doctor chuckled and replied, “That’s your cataracts. There’s a big change from last year. They are ready to be removed.

Cataract surgery! (I sighed).

My nurse will be in to review your options, and she’ll schedule your surgery.

The day and time was scheduled along with an eye drop regime Personally, I started a “What if” regime.

What if it doesn’t take? What if I get an eye infection? What if I go blind? What if I can’t drive anymore? What if I get sick and throw-up? What if my eyes get squinty and won’t open?

I knew a lady who had cataract surgery and her eyes teared all the time. Imagine, always crying! My anxiety barometer soared upward.

“Jesus, Help!”

Jesus spoke to my heart, “What if can’t help you. I came to save the lost, to heal the sick, and to give sight to the blind. You can’t serve what if and Me, too.”

Repenting of my faithless actions, I felt at peace. I reported for my surgery at 10:00 a.m. The doctor began his procedure. At 12:00 noon surgery was complete. I walked out of his Lab feeling great and enjoyed a bright new clean world. Now, only a regime of drops for a few days was required.

Dear Lord, may we always seek Your will for our lives. Our bodies will fail us, but may our trust in You, our Creator, Redeemer and Provider, remain secure. Amen 

© 2015 Lois Gosley

ROBIN MYTH

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

I was always told never to touch a bird’s nest, because the mother birds would abandon the babies. I found this to be a myth.

There was a storm that caused a robin's nest to fall from a tree at the Mariner. This is a place I enjoy walking around to take pictures.

Two days after the storm, I stopped by the Mariner office and was told about the robins. The story goes like this, there was a certain lady walking by that noticed the nest on the ground and proceeded to put it back into the tree. She then picked up each chick and placed them in the nest.

So I went over to see if the robins were still alive. I was sure that they would not be because of the myth.

I watched as the parent birds brought bugs and worms time after time to feed the two babies. It was a surprise that they were still taking care of their little ones. The chicks look healthy and hungry. The parent robins did not abandon them.

Many people have similar myths about God. We might think that if we sin, we will fall out of His grace and that He will abandon us. But that is a myth. God will never abandon us. Like the robins, He still cares for us and picks us up to get healthy and strong again.

Lord, help me to see that You are always there. When I sin and fall on my face, thank you for picking me up and caring for me.

©2015 Dawn Sexton.

UNCHANGING LORD

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrew 13:8 (RSV)

My 1998 auto was due for an oil change and check-up. They advised to come early. I omitted my regular devotion time, and left for the garage.

Repairs would take five hours and they gave me a loaner car.

Driving off the lot in a new 2015 model was a treat. Arriving at the intersection, a car pulled out in front of me. I angrily slammed on the brakes, shouted, and hit the horn. No sound was heard, but the wipers came on.

Wipers are a warning!

Then while holding the steering wheel, I heard an operator say, “Please give a command.”

“Good grief! How about ‘shut up?’”

Carefully, with vigilance,  I drove home and pulled into my parking spot.

Later that afternoon, the mechanic called, “Your car is ready.”

While backing out of my parking spot, a little screen, played a movie of a car driving. What a dumb place for a commercial!

HONK! A horn blew behind me. It scared the life out of me. It wasn’t a commercial. It was a back-up camera—traffic behind me. After settling down from the major scare, I drove gingerly, not touching anything, or getting close to other cars. No telling what automatic thing I would trigger.

The next morning, clad in my pjs, I carried my mug of coffee to my favorite chair where I read my devotionals and journaled. The verse for the day was Hebrews 13:8 (above).  I was thankful Jesus does not change. He didn’t say, “Because you let a car get the best of you, I’m withholding My grace.” No. He still loves me.

Dear Lord, thank You for grace and mercy, and steadfastness. 

(C) 2015 Lois Gosley

Talking Butterflies

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1(NAS)

My husband noticed an unusual butterfly on our picnic table. Looking it up, I found it was a Red Admiral. While admiring the Admiral I read aloud interesting facts about this species. The depth to which it had been studied was amazing. For example, they often appear before a thunderstorm and there was indeed a storm brewing on the horizon.

As I drank in the precious moment shared with my husband marveling at its beauty, I reflected on our even more amazing God who created such diversity.
 
God did not make a few for His own amusement. He made countless varieties. In my hand was a book with details of innumerable butterflies! He opened His hand and out fluttered thousands of breathtakingly beautiful butterflies to decorate the earth—all part of His wondrous creation.

Would God go to all that trouble just to bring us joy and delight?
Yes! He loves to delight us. But, He had a more important purpose.
Sweetly, His word fluttered into my heart.

The Heavens declare the glory of God: the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day to day pours out speech.

He shares knowledge of Himself through His glorious creation.
Butterflies, without uttering a word speak volumes about from whom they came.
His creation echoes back to Him, calling to us on the way.

Glory!

Glory!

Hallelujah!

Their existence declares the glory of God simply, perfectly. Without lips, they speak of His majesty for all to hear. Without uttering a single word, His creation never ceases to declare His glory.

Lord, how much more should I, me of so many words, praise Your Holy name!  Amen.

©2015 Bonnie Mae Evans  

INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.”  Exodus 12:31-32 (NIV)

Last year my brother and his wife were in the Independence Day parade in California. My grandson and I were also in a parade in Maryland. Even though we were miles apart, we shared in the Fourth of July celebration.

It took a war with England to win our independence. In biblical times, it took several plagues to give the Israelites their independence from Egypt. As they gather their belongings, it was like a parade of the people, animals and carts. Six hundred thousand men with their wives and children made the journey.

They were led by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. Along with these miracles, there were many sacrifices. While I watch the fireworks light up our skies, I can only imagine the wonders of these miracles.

Our country sacrificed many lives to win our freedom. The Israelites sacrificed an old way of living to start a new life in the Promise Land. Some did not give up on their faith. There were many hardships and many did not get to see the Promise Land, including Moses.

God blessed the Israelites. He blesses us today. As we watch the parades and fireworks of the Fourth of July celebration, let us remember all the sacrifices that give us our freedom to live and worship the one and only God: the God of Israel and the God of our country.

Lord, help me to remember both our country’s independence and the independence of Israel.

©2015 Dawn Sexton.

WINNING THE GREAT REWARD

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

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