Honeycomb

Our words have great power, to bring blessing or harm. Let's use them wisely for the purpose of good, to build up and encourage each other, instead of tearing each other down. Words spoken in love taste sweet on the tongue, whereas words spoken is anger taste bitter in our mouth. Words spoken in kindness bring healing to the heart and revive a hurting soul, whereas words spoken in haste can inflict pain and leave a lasting mark. When we open our mouths let's speak love and share our faith, joy, and hope, which God says are much like tasty honeycomb.

Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

The Invitation

Jesus says, “I have a seat saved especially for you. Just plop yourself down and have a chat with me.”

In the midst of our busyness Jesus sits and He waits. He observes our hectic schedule watching us rush here and there, while we’re gasping for breath. He knows what we need and He offers us rest. If only we’d look up long enough to catch sight of Him, we’d notice Him beckoning us to come and unwind in the chair by His side. The chair Jesus offers is so much more than a place to sit, it’s a place to lay our burdens down and give our spirits a lift. It’s a place of refreshment for our weary bodies and thirsty souls. It’s a place of intimate connection with our Savior. As we go through our busy day, let’s look up now and then so we don’t miss Jesus’ invitation, and miss out on time with our Friend.

Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Stay Close

 (My dog)

I often witness God’s Word and His illustrations come alive in my own life. This morning I opened the back door letting my dog out into the yard for a moment. I had barely turned to grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen, when out of the corner of my eye I saw my small, sweet-natured dog climbing the big hill up toward the wrought iron fence edging our yard. As I focused in more closely, I noticed that my naïve dog was nose-to-nose with a sizable and strong coyote, who was staring him down as if ready to gobble him up. Quick as a flash, as best I could manage, I climbed the hill to rescue my dog. I got about halfway up and called to my dog, commanding him to come back down by my side. After much coercing he finally did, though the coyote continued to linger, hoping to once again catch my dog all alone.  My husband later asked me if I had planned to fight the coyote off, and I told him that if need be, I would have. My dog put himself in jeopardy by wandering from and disobeying his master. Like my dog we behave the same way. We stray from our Master’s side, off into danger, and we too have an enemy roaming and seeking to devour us. The coyote I faced off with this morning didn’t flinch when I approached; I guess I wasn’t threatening enough.  A huge difference between my dog's situation and ours is that when God stands up for us, the devil trembles in terror and very quickly runs away. God is our all-powerful defender; He’s our loving protector and mighty rescuer; He is our blessed Savior. It’s in our best interest to stay close to Him and call on His name.

1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Psalm 91:14, ““Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.”

Even Cartwheels

Who says only kids get to have fun? The joy of the Lord makes is absolutely impossible for me to obey a sign such as this. When I’m with the Lord I can barely contain the joy deep inside me; my heart skips a beat and my feet do as well. Despite aches and pains and the threat of new sprains, cartwheels call my name. My joy just abounds; running through green grass and sprinkles of rain sounds enticingly delightful. I sing and I dance with silly abandon. The joy of the Lord takes over and renews my strength, and it keeps me young… at least in my mind. His Spirit revives me and gives me new life. I hope never to outgrow fun or stop playing in the joy of the Lord. His countenance is joy and it's quite contagious.

Psalm 89:14-16, “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance." NKJV

Your Glory

Lord, this is the day that You have made and I want to take notice of Your Presence everywhere. I’m going to be mindful of the fact that wherever I go today, You are already there. Your glory speaks through all of creation. The heavens declare Your handiwork; the oceans roar Your Fame; the mountains proclaim Your grandeur; the winds gently whisper Your Name. Your heart is spoken through Your children, as Your love and mercy are passed on. When I open my eyes and my ears, and simply pay attention, I can’t help but notice that You are all around me. And Lord, I want to take it a step further from being merely be an observer, but also add my voice to the heavenly chorus of praise.

Let all of creation rejoice for the sake of Your glory today and every day…

Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. "NKJV

The Door

Each of us has a door to our hearts. We have a choice as to what and who we let enter in. To often we shut our hearts completely for fear of being hurt. Or we hesitantly keep the door just slightly ajar, cautiously inspecting the one on the other side of the threshold. The prospect of opening the door completely is one that leaves us vulnerable and exposed. Jesus stands outside the door; He is knocking and beckoning us to open our hearts to Him. There is no need for apprehension, no reason to delay; swing the door wide open and invite Him in to stay.

Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and Knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." NIV 

Reassuring Peace

Anxieties and fears cloud our vision of reality and crowd out our blessings from God. They blow circumstances up to seem bigger than they really are, but once we remember that our God is bigger than anything we could possibly face they quickly fade away. God replaces our anxieties and fears with His reassuring peace and grace.

1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." NIV