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Archive for the ‘Devotional’ Category

When Light Eclipses Darkness

Posted in Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, God's Provision on August 11, 2010| 3 Comments »

Driving home from the hospital yesterday evening, I was greeted by the brightest sunset I have ever seen. It is as though God’s glory stood in bold defiance to the darkness that has pervaded the lives of too many friends this week. Two have lost a loved one suddenly and unexpectedly; the first to a car crash and the second to a heart attack. One is in the hospital recovering from a very serious and difficult surgery, a few have lost jobs and several others are facing various other struggles -difficult ones.

Though my eyes were still quite sensitive from a long-lasting migraine, I couldn’t help but gaze repeatedly towards the brightness of that beautiful sunset. Whenever light so brazenly eclipses the surrounding darkness, it just seems to proclaim a message of hope. I thought of the friend I had just left.

“You look wonderful,” I had assured her with all honesty. She smiled. “Only because God has been so good to me!” she replied warmly. Without divulging any of her personal information, let me just say that my friend is really going through quite an affliction – one that would cause most people to crumble beneath its weight. She, on the other hand, remains filled with the kind of deep inner peace that defies all logic.

For ten minutes, she joyfully shared with me the numerous ways which God has provided for her during this time of great need, as well as the opportunities she has had to share this testimony with others. Then, with an unexpected brightness in her eyes, she proclaimed: “I can never express how much goodness and mercy God has shown me during these last few months. Now I understand, more than ever, how much He loves me. I am truly, unconditionally loved! God loves me – not because of anything I have done, not because I am deserving –He loves me JUST BECAUSE!” Lightly tapping her forehead she said, “I’ve always known it here,” but because of everything I have been through lately,” she finished with her fingertips at her heart, “now I know it here.”

I had come to the hospital to encourage my friend in her time of need, but God had already strengthened her spirit in a way that no man is able. “God is in complete control,” she said, “so I’m not worried or stressed. I can just rest in my Father’s arms while he takes care of everything.” That is just where I left her, resting in her Father’s arms. She has a long way to go, but a brilliant light has shone through her darkness and I am certain she will prevail over this affliction stronger than ever.

As I drove, I continued to pray for my other friends as well, especially those who have suffered such grievous losses. They too need the kind of peace which passes all understanding. Again I looked at the sunset. The sun appeared low to the ground and completely full. Its middle was covered by the dark clouds of evening, but even they could not diminish its brilliance. Above the clouds, wide rays of light stretched in every direction. The biggest of these spotlighted a large swath of sky, bathing it in mid-afternoon brightness.

“My dear friends,” I thought, “dark clouds may have covered you for now. And they may be telling you that it will be night for a very long time, but there is a light which pierces through every darkness we face; it is the goodness and mercy of God.”

I wish I could have photographed that sunset and showed it to those who were grieving. If only they could have seen how the sun’s beams literally split the darkened sky and shone through in every direction, and sensed in their hearts what I did at that very moment, it might have helped ease their grief at least a little. We cannot stop darkness from overshadowing us at times any more than we can stop night from arriving. But as surely as the sun rises to meet each new day, God’s mercies are new every morning! We have His word for that.

It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. – Lamentations 3:22-24

The burdens of this world are just too great for us to bear alone. We may face many “dark nights” but God’s love will pierce the darkness and give us hope and peace. And when we are too grief-stricken or too weary to make it through on our own, He wraps His loving arms around and helps us through step–by-step, carrying us if need be.

Why? Because He loves us. He loves us not because of anything we have done, nor because we are deserving –He loves us JUST BECAUSE!”

 

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Comatose, She Spoke

Posted in Devotional, Servanthood on August 2, 2010| 1 Comment »

Being in a coma certainly did not prevent that repulsive, raspy noise from escaping out her mouth loudly enough to wake the dead. I, on the other hand, lay in the Emergency Room fairly aware of my surroundings; too weakened by blood loss to utter a sound. Under normal circumstances our paths would never have crossed, but there in that hospital, God had a plan.

In that seemingly eternal wait for someone to transfer me to an upstairs bed, I prayed. “Oh Lord, I am so weak, so tired. You know we can’t afford a private room, but I just can’t deal with anything else right now; please work it out so that I don’t have to share a room.”

Rest is hard enough to come by with all the medical staff in and out. How much more distress would I endure with a second parade of bodies tending to another patient? I tried to focus on something more positive when the soft voice of conviction pricked my heart; I was being selfish. What if I could somehow touch another person’s life?

Then again, how could God possibly use me in such a fragile state of being that even talking drained my last ounce of strength? I didn’t feel like being generous or loving, I only wanted to go to sleep and hope I woke up feeling as though there were still some life left in my body. Yes, I was being selfish. Ashamedly, I apologized in prayer and yielded myself to whatever He desired. “It’s in your hands,” I added, while drifting out of consciousness.

I heard the woman long before my mind was fully cognizant of my new surroundings. But I didn’t have the strength to lift my head let alone “reason” with God as to why he must surely have made a mistake. “I cannot stomach regular snoring,” I thought, “let alone this exasperating rumble.” I briefly grappled with the old proverbial saying: “Be careful what you pray for, you just might get it.” Why would God choose this room for me? How long would I have to endure that awful noise? I was feeling quite selfish again and somewhat justified in it.

Several hours later, my husband brought my cassette player and audio bible. I let them play day and night because they brought comfort and encouragement, but drowning out the woman’s raucous noise would certainly be an added blessing. Because I was still unable to think clearly, I hadn’t noticed how close my bed was to hers. Looking back now I see God’s hand at work; back then I only noticed that there was a rolling tray between us.

Every time I started a new tape, I could see the woman’s face through a gap in the curtain. She never stirred, not even once. Since I hate headphones so much, I reasoned that playing my tapes aloud would be fine since she was comatose anyway. Thankfully, the deep male voice just feet from her head didn’t seem to bother her in the least.

Her coma, I learned, was the result of a violent crime and the raspy sound a result of damage to her lungs. My heart softened greatly towards this poor elderly woman. By this time, I wanted to speak encouraging words to her, but I was still too weak to do so even if she weren’t in a coma. So I decided to comfort her the only way I could. I turned up the volume to the cassette player in hopes that she could hear it even if she couldn’t physically respond. If nothing else, perhaps her spirit would be soothed.

Much to my joy, the woman’s head actually turned towards the cassette player after two days of scripture filling our room. My body was getting stronger and I truly hoped hers would too; I pushed the cassette player closer to her and prayed for her as often as I could.

The next day brought the greatest joy. The woman creaked out the words, “I’m hot!” The nurses disbelieved me. “That’s impossible,” they replied flippantly. I never tried to eavesdrop, but in a room the size of a closet, it’s hard not to overhear. The medical staff had given up and began preparing to admit the woman into a long-term care facility. “She hasn’t responded to anything in the last two weeks and we don’t expect her to ever again.”

“She said she was hot!” I insisted. Once the realization of what I had said actually hit the nurse, she began calling others in. Now I was pleased at the parade of bodies attending to this dear woman. I hadn’t done much, only pushed some buttons and flipped some tapes, but the Lord was able to work mightily through that.

Of course, he could have spoken to the woman’s spirit without my help and probably would have. But he chose that seemingly insignificant act to do a work in me. I was clearly reminded that God does not care about our ability; He is only interested in our AVAILability.

I was also reminded that God can still minister to our spirits even when our flesh is weak. To this day I still like to fall asleep listening to Bible tapes. That’s pointless, you might think. You can’t listen to them if you are sleeping. No, but my spirit does. I know this because of how much sounder I sleep and how much more refreshed I am upon awakening.

I wish I could report to you that the comatose woman awoke from the coma and lived happily ever after, but I can’t. I was released the same day she spoke and I have no idea what happened to her. I wholeheartedly believe, though, that her spirit soaked-up God’s holy word and she was moved by it. And I believe that she and God were in communication even if no one else knew about it.

I am so thankful that I have full command of my senses, but even more grateful that God knows how to reach us even if we cannot reach out to Him. I pray that I never forget that hospital experience, and that I will always avail myself to touching other lives, especially those who are having difficulty reaching out to God on their own.

Here I am Lord, please use me.

(*Like everything else on this site; this is a true account.)

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“Danged ole Yankees”

Posted in Devotional, Faith, Spiritual Strength, Victory on July 28, 2010| 1 Comment »

civil war canon

“It’s them danged ole Yankees,” he grumbled while passing the phone to his “maw-ma.” Yankees? I was fairly certain we had just crossed the state line, but apparently we had involuntarily slipped into some kind of time warp in which the young man was arrogantly stuck more than one-hundred-twenty years in the past. Someone needs to inform him that the war is over and the slaves have been set free.

Come to think of it, some of us need to tell our adversary -that nasty, vindictive devil- the same thing. The war over humanity has already been won and we, his slaves, have already been set free.

Nevertheless, the devil and his cohorts refuse to acknowledge defeat; they are somewhat like the relentless kamikaze pilots of World War II. It has been said that even after proclamation of the war’s end, the kamikazes continued their suicide missions and destroyed several more Allied warships, with full knowledge that their country had already been overthrown and they had been ordered to stop attacking.

Indeed, the whole host of evil has already been defeated, yet they continue to attack humanity on every front. This accursed enemy, driven by fierce anger and hatred, unleashes their fury unceasingly against mankind despite this defeat. At present, God is allowing the adversary this latitude, but He has fully equipped His children to victoriously overcome every difficult challenge or circumstance that comes our way and to prevail over every attack of our dreaded foe.

Even so our faith, like a pendulum, often swings back and forth in the winds of adversity. One day we leap effortlessly over giant obstacles as if they were only small hurdles, only to stumble the very next day over the slightest uncertainties. Aware of our propensity towards weakness and inconsistency, our adversaries are lurking in the shadows, eagerly awaiting any, and every opportunity to kick us while we’re down.

We know in our hearts that God will never leave us nor forsake us for any reason. Still, if we’re not careful, we can sometimes allow circumstances to beat us down and weary us until we lose sight of the fact that God has already provided the way out. All we have to do is utilize it.

World War II provided an interesting example of this mental bondage. While the kamikazes were busy blowing-up ships, the Nazis were busy destroying lives. The concentration camp prisoners were so horrifically abused that they couldn’t grasp freedom even when offered. As part of their psychological studies, the Nazis placed some of the prisoners in front of a door which led to an open field and offered them the opportunity to walk through it. There were no guards behind the door, they said. And anyone who chose to walk through the door would continue on to freedom with absolutely no penalty; they would not even be pursued.

Of course the prisoners believed this was just another sadistic trick. Certain that they would be mowed- down by gunfire outside the door, the prisoners, like statuary, stood frozen in fear. In reality, the Nazis had told the truth. They were willing to allow prisoners to go free, but only because they were fully convinced that none would be brave enough to walk through that door.

Similarly, it is reported that many of the southern slaves were offered freedom towards the end of the Civil War, but like the Nazi’s prisoners, they were also mistrustful and therefore chose to continue in the confines of their slavery as well. I sometimes wonder how many of them gazed at some of their would-be liberators and quietly cursed those, “danged ole Yankees” because their minds had been poisoned by their cruel masters.

That’s a good picture of how the devil works. He poisons our minds with doubt. We know in our hearts that God is our liberator, but too often we allow overwhelming circumstances to deceive us into hopelessness. As a result, we fail to enter into the freedom that God has made available to us.

Nevertheless, presence of doubt doesn’t necessarily mean that we are without faith; sometimes we are simply in a season of weakness. In those times, when you can’t quite muster the strength to fight life’s battles on your own, it is important to seek others who are willing to stand in the gap – those who will go to battle for you. Likewise, if you are in a season of strong faith, please encourage your fellow man and spiritually fight on his or her behalf. We need each other.

Toward the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln gave an address to the nation. Though it was delivered to the battle weary citizens of 1865, we would do well to heed his advice. He said:

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan-to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”– Abraham Lincoln
Second Inaugural Address March 4, 1865

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Imprisoned Hearts

Posted in Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Forgiveness on July 24, 2010| 3 Comments »

The prison official said no, under no circumstances would she be allowed to have visitation with the man who had brutally raped her and left her for dead. He reluctantly agreed, though, as she meekly shared all that was in her heart and explained why she had come to see this monster. She later recounted the details of her visit with him in a television interview.

As the audience sat breathless and teary-eyed, she detailed the painful events of that heinous day, which she had tried so often to erase from her memory. It had started as an ordinary, enjoyable day. But several hours later, she was found unconscious from the severe beating and knife wounds inflicted upon her, and that after she had been brutally raped. She spent a great deal of time in the hospital, and then she too went to prison – but hers was a prison of fear and of anger. Afraid to leave her own home, she became reclusive and distrusting of everyone, even her own friends and family.

Life as she knew it had ended for this now emotionally damaged innocent. Each day she had slipped farther into depression and agony of spirit, unable to find even the slightest glimmer of hope or joy no matter how desperately she desired it. Knowing that she could no longer live like that, she began taking difficult steps down an unfamiliar path; a path which had slowly brought her to a place of healing.

As she continued to relay her experiences, my mind flooded with painful memories of my own, as I too had been dealt some pretty serious blows in life. This woman and I had at least one thing in common; we both had to figure out how to forgive the unforgiveable. Obviously, we were both well on our way to doing so, but there was such an air of confidence in this woman that I was intrigued.

The woman then explained that visiting her assailant in his prison would be the final step for her to walk out of her own. Politely declining one last chance to change her mind, she sat there behind the glass partition looking into the man’s face for the first time. She almost felt violated anew by the cold, steely stare of a man who was clearly pleased with what he had done. His mouth was upturned in a sinister grin of satisfaction and his posture was smug.

She never offered him a chance to speak though. She had the control this time. I cannot tell you verbatim what she said, because this interview was nearly twenty years ago, but this is the essence of what she told him:

“I don’t know why you did what you did, nor do I care. The day you raped me was the worst day of my life. You stole that entire day from me, and so many after. Consequently, your savage act forced me into a different kind of prison, but a prison nevertheless. Even so, I have come here today to tell you that I forgive you.”

“I don’t want your forgiveness!” he interrupted angrily.

“I don’t care,” she responded calmly. Keeping her cool, she then explained that forgiving him was not for his benefit but hers alone. “I forgive you!” she repeated, “And I hope that God will too, but that is entirely up to you.”

Standing, she said her final words. “You stole more from me than you will ever know, but this much is certain: Because I forgive you, it’s all over. You cannot ever steal another day from me, not even another minute! You will be locked-up in this prison for a very long time; and rightly so. I, however, am now free to live the rest of my life happily and in peace.” With that, she walked out, head held high.

I don’t know if that man ever regretted what he did or repented of it, but I am positively convinced that this woman was no longer his victim. A rapist does not do what he does for sexual satisfaction. His satisfaction comes in being able to ruin a life, and his power comes from knowing that her subsequent bondage allows him to maintain his control over her. By forgiving him, she knowingly castrated his power.

Tonight, in a worship service, I sat behind a man who testified that God was helping him to forgive others. I was reminded of this woman’s story and felt prompted to share it with you. Perhaps you have never been physically attacked in such a brutal manner, but most all of us have experienced some kind of attack, physical or emotional, that has left us damaged in some way.

I hope that you have been able to forgive all trespasses against you, but if this has proven too difficult, remember that forgiveness is for your benefit-not theirs. We seldom have control over being victimized, but we can most assuredly take control of our lives and refuse to be victims any longer. It’s your choice, either you can choose to let unforgiveness imprison your heart, or you can confidently say, “No more, you cannot steal even one more day!”

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God’s Flame

Posted in Devotional, Poetry on July 21, 2010| 1 Comment »

The candle’s flame extinguishes
in a pool of molten wax.
Likewise does my spirit dim
when time with God is lax.

Too often, while life is tugging,
God’s time is pushed aside,
till trials deal such crushing blows
that my faith is severely tried.

I can barely face another day
in difficult times like these,
until my strength is again restored
by time spent on my knees.

It is then my Father reaches out
with gentle outstretched hand.
“Though you’ve waned,” he says,
“I’ll give you strength to stand.

All you have to do my child
is praise Me with all your might.
Then I will reignite your flame
and thus restore your light.

Then I will take that light
and place it high upon a stand
so that hurting folks can see it
throughout this darkened land.

And they will know that it is I
who makes the darkness flee
from all who yield their heavy hearts
and put their trust in me.”

Psalms 18:28
For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

God’s Flame © Susan Shimkovitz

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“Epically Amazing” Victories

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, God's Goodness, Victory on July 14, 2010| 1 Comment »

She bounced up and down with such zeal, that buckets of powdery red dirt flew from her clothing onto my freshly scrubbed floors. “That was EPICALLY AMAZING!” she whooped. My precious athlete looked as though she had worn half of the softball field home, but nothing new there. She was scraped-up a bit too. Typical mom that I am, I hurt for her when she comes home with even the slightest injuries, but she never gives them a second thought because she learned a long time ago that victory has a price.

Disappointed that I couldn’t be there, I listened intently as she joyfully recounted her triple play, stolen bases and especially her “killer” dive into second base. Her team happened to “smoke” the opponents this time, but my daughter always has great sportsmanship win or lose. To her, the real victory is not in the scoreboard, but in the challenge of getting out there in the heat of the battle and giving it her all, knowing that if she does her best, she is a winner no matter what. I only hope that she will remember to keep the same attitude during her roughest battles in life.

After her play-by-play, my daughter ran off to shower. I remembered all the dirt that she would be washing off (because the shower was freshly scrubbed too) and thought about the refreshing that comes after a hard-earned victory.

This led me to reminisce about some of my own past victories. To be honest, I’m about as athletic as a three-legged elephant, and equally agile, but I know what it’s like to face life’s battles and triumph victoriously against all odds. If you have read my testimony, His Invisible Hand, you will know that I encountered God in an incredible, supernatural way, which has caused me to have great faith. Consequently, there have been certain battles which I conquered with barely a sweat broken. Other battles were not quite as easy. I walked away from some of those feeling injured and weary, needing much healing and reassurance afterward.

Still other battles raged in my life with such unrelenting ferocity that I stumbled, and questioned whether my faith was enough. I am being completely honest with you in admitting that one such battle nearly destroyed me, even as a believer. Had it not been for my loving, super-supportive husband, I might’ve stopped trusting God to see me through that particular battle.

I reminded God of His promise that He works all things together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. And then I adamantly insisted that “nothing good could ever come of this situation, never!” (Disclaimer: arguing with God, can be harmful to your spiritual health.)

Thankfully, I was wrong! Terribly wrong! It took me more than five years, but I was finally able to see how much good actually did come from that big, ugly mess. And, it took me that much time to wash away the grimy bondage which resulted from the deep wounds incurred. The people that wronged me (beyond belief) have never apologized nor changed their behavior in any way that I am aware of, but God used the situation to change me. He made me a far better and exceedingly stronger person.

I’m sharing this today because I have so many friends that are going through some pretty epic battles; perhaps you are too. You might even be feeling hopeless and doubt whether or not you have the faith to keep up the fight.

Let me encourage you that it is in your weakness that God makes you strong. It is in your failures that you learn to succeed. And it is in the face of overwhelming battles that you will face your most epically awesome victories. Remember, victory comes at a price. It may be a high price, but your Father in Heaven will never leave you or forsake you and He is, even now, stepping up to the plate on your behalf.

 

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When the Skies Boom

Posted in Devotional, Sabbath on July 10, 2010| 6 Comments »

I adore my “Bean” but she’s not a very patriotic pooch. Every year as Independence Day encroaches upon her secure little world, she retreats indoors to hide from the “bombs bursting in air” and stays there for a whole week or so till every last firecracker in the city has been silenced. Come to think about it, that sounds like a pretty smart thing to do.

Maybe it’s because my ears are getting persnickety with age, but the BOOMS and BANGS do seem to get louder every year. On the upside, though, the colors are more vibrant than ever. This year I was chatting with a dear friend as we watched the fireworks together. She and I volleyed the usual oohs and ahs back-and-forth as we marveled at the incredible aerial kaleidoscope. But then she posed an interesting question: “How do they get all those colors?” I wondered that too. “And how do they get them to make such nifty patterns?” I added. “Or stagger their explosions?”

Being the inquisitive creature that I am, I came home that evening and did some reading. I can confidently say that the whole start-to-finish development of pyrotechnics is now clear as mud to me. For those of you, who like myself, are scientifically challenged and do not know that Cu3As2O3Cu(C2H3O2)2 is the chemical equation for the color paris green and for those of you who could care less, let me briefly share the two most important things I learned about the process of making fireworks.

First, a whole lot of really brainy people have pooled their intelligence over the centuries to create those exploding works of wonder. And unless your I.Q. is right up there with Albert Einstein’s, it is all very difficult to understand.

Second, the first point is insignificant. We don’t have to comprehend the complexities of fireworks in order to delight in them. We don’t even have to pay for them. You can take it to the bank that all across America, on July fourth, the skies will be lit-up from coast to coast and all we have to do is to position ourselves to take it all in.

Think about the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that you have seen. There they were, free gifts from an intelligent Creator, and all you had to do was sit back and enjoy their splendor. Yet how many of us really understand all the scientific laws that govern the sun? I would go so far as to say that I don’t need to understand much of anything to enjoy and appreciate most everything.

Next year, I won’t even give the matter of fireworks production a second thought; I’ll just lift my head, look upward and watch in awe and anticipation as the sky blazes with an awesome show of dynamic energy and beautiful artistry.

I was thinking of this today as we moved towards Sabbath. If this term is unfamiliar to you, it simply means the day of the week which God set aside and ordained to be Holy. Regardless of which day you consider to be Sabbath or where you meet to worship, the important thing is to rest, and to turn your eyes upon God. He is more dynamic and powerful than we are able to comprehend, but the reality is, we don’t need to.

All we need to do is to position ourselves to “see Him.” And by that I am not referring to our physical locations, but rather to our hearts. Sabbath is a time to rest our physical bodies, but more importantly to rest our weary minds by setting aside all the worries and cares of this world – to know that our Creator is watching over us and that He is in control- and to focus on Him.

July fourth may have come and gone once more, and the skies may not be lit up with booming fireworks, but God’s voice is not, nor will it ever be, silenced. Psalm 19:1-3 reads:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard

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Light Down Under

Posted in Devotional, Spiritual Hunger on July 6, 2010| 3 Comments »

photo courtesy http://www.photobucket.com

Yesterday I spent about thirty minutes in Australia and relished every second. Most people are in and out of there in less than ten minutes, but I didn’t have any of my zoo-sprinting offspring with me, so I was able to inch my way through the exhibit at my own leisure. How refreshing for a nature enthusiast like me. I’m the person at the zoo that you really don’t want to trail behind because I frequently stop to admire rocks, bugs, foliage –everything! By the way, if you ever accompany me on one of my little nature outings and there are exotic birds nearby, you might want to pull up a lawn chair and relax. We might be there awhile.

That’s why the Australian exhibit is one of my favorites; it houses many breathtaking species of exotic birds. I’ve been through this little refuge many times and I know it quite well. Still, yesterday’s visit was an entirely different and unique experience; it seemed as though I was viewing everything through a brand new set of eyes –through God’s eyes. I was truly inspired.

Amazingly, I was the only one in Australia during the greater part of that half-hour. Savoring this rare opportunity, I was able to talk to God freely -and the animals- without anyone thinking I was a nutcase. (You’ll probably be relieved to know that the animals did not speak back).

God spoke volumes to me as well. I had already taken a moment inside the zoo’s entrance to silently pray that He would speak something into my heart while I was there and He most assuredly did. However, there are no words which can adequately describe what God placed in my heart as I beheld all of that beautiful, familiar creation in a fresh new way. I can only say that something inside me was stirred so deeply that I was literally in tears at the wonder of it all. For thirty-minutes I stood in awe, looking at even the simplest things with tears falling softly down my cheeks.

I’m not sure if it was my lone presence in the place or simply God’s hand at work, but all of the animals were positioned so that I was as near to them as I could possibly be. Even those in cages stood at the front of their enclosures and looked me right in the eye as though they knew me personally. We truly seemed to connect as I told them how beautiful they were and how very much I enjoyed them. I would like to believe that they understood my words, but even if they didn’t, they surely must have felt God’s awesome presence, and were therefore, completely at ease.

I cannot even begin to imagine what it must’ve been like for Adam and Eve walking in the Garden of Eden as they communed with God, but I truly feel that I was indeed blessed with the tiniest glimpse of that. Then I wondered how is it that I, one of the world’s most ardent nature-lovers, don’t always feel such deep emotion in the midst of God’s creation?

I have, for example, seen the exquisite colors on the various waterfowl hundreds of times, but never before had I noticed just how prismatic their feathers are when spotlighted by the sun. I’ve seen a million spider webs, but never before realized how intricately the fragile, silk-like strands form a surface strong enough to hold its prey, yet delicate enough to sway gently in a breeze -translucent as a sheet of glass glistening in the sun. And I had certainly seen the various animals before, but this was the first time I really noticed some of the more subtle variances of colors and patterns on their bodies. Even the withering plants had a peculiar sort of beauty to them.

I have always known that our spiritual eyes can become dim over time in the same way that our physical eyes do. Perhaps yesterday’s trip to the zoo was, for me at least, a fresh reminder that God always wants us to have deeper, more meaningful experiences in every part of our lives. If only we could learn to look at the world around us and really ‘see’ its beauty, we could enjoy it more fully and appreciate our Creator even more. I pray that nothing ever becomes so commonplace to me that I start to view it as simply ordinary. After all, my God is an extraordinary God who has blessed us with an extraordinary world to live in and enjoy.

Maybe I’ll head to the jungle sometime soon, taking the time to look through God’s eyes again. If you live in the area, I’d love to have you join me. But be warned, there are exotic birds there too, so you might want to bring that lawn chair.

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Odd Ducks

Posted in Devotional, Zeal on July 1, 2010| 5 Comments »

Years ago, I joked about forming an Odd Duck Society. I wasn’t really serious, and I probably would’ve had trouble rounding up members anyway. Just about everyone I knew back then seemed to be “normal” whatever that is. I, on the other hand, never quite seemed to find other birds of a feather to flock with.

As a person of faith, it never bothered me that I was an oddity to those who weren’t. That is too be expected. The rejection I felt from other believers, though, hurt deeply. I found myself denounced more times than I could count because of my zeal and outspokenness in defense of God‘s word.

This used to really bother me. In fact, it was only about eight years ago that I began to accept the reality that being an “odd duck” was really okay. I had been meditating the passage of scripture that says we are a peculiar people; that we should show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light ” (1 Peter 2:9).

Peculiar. I thought, how much more peculiar can one person be? That shoe certainly fit my big foot, so I didn’t mind wearing it. God had assuredly called me out of darkness, but it was that darkness in which I was raised, that caused me to be so peculiar. Because God had delivered me from such misery and showed me such overwhelming love and goodness, I could be nothing less than passionate about His word.

I truly longed to be peculiar, in the biblical sense anyway. Yet, I could not even begin to understand why my intensity bothered other believers so much. I hadn’t wanted to be an offense to others, so I prayed and asked the Lord to please change me so I could be of more use to Him.

He answered by reminding me of several people whose lives were recorded in scripture. The names are too numerous to recount here, but they all loved God and served Him wholeheartedly. And they too, faced a great deal of persecution for their zeal – even from those who should have understood. Nevertheless, the lives of those “odd ducks” are still impacting others even today, through the pages of scripture, because they dared to be different.

Have you ever seen one odd duck swimming amongst others? I have. Only days after meditating on that particular scripture, I was watching a flock of plain brown ducks. And I couldn’t help but notice that swimming amongst them was a multi-colored wood duck with all its bright, gorgeous colors glistening in the sun. I marveled that there, in the midst of plainness, was something extraordinary and beautiful.

It struck me, God’s people are supposed to stand out like that too. When others look at our lives, they should see God’s hand at work and marvel.

As I walked nearer to the water, I looked at the ground. There were webbed footprints and feathers everywhere. Most of the feathers were brown, but there, in the midst of them, were a few which were bright teal. I smiled. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out just where that lone, odd duck had been. Even in its absence, a part of its beauty lingered on to be found by others.

I want to be like that; I want others to be able to look at my life and see God’s hand at work. And everywhere I go, I want to leave something of beauty behind as a lasting impression that points people to God.

Call me crazy, but I‘ve decided through the years that being an odd duck can actually be a blessing, and I am not at all ashamed to be one. Perhaps I should still start an Odd Duck Society. I probably wouldn’t even have trouble finding members now. The Lord has blessed me in recent years with many friends and acquaintances that happen to be odd ducks like myself. We may be different, but I gotta tell you, our pond is one happening place!


Photos courtesy of http://www.photobucket.com

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“I Just Gotta Eat!”

Posted in Devotional, Spiritual Hunger on June 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Ah, the simplistic honesty of children. Years ago, when our oldest son was three, we had asked him to pray over the evening meal. He bowed his head and exhaled deeply. Then, with great intensity, he said these exact words: “Dear God, I JUST GOTTA EAT!”

Those words have echoed through my thoughts many times over the years. Seldom in regards to physical food, though. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Yet I find that there are times in my life, like now, when it seems the more spiritual food I eat, the hungrier I get.

To be honest, there have been times when I was spiritually hungry because I skipped a few meals. But this isn’t one of those times. I hope that everyone senses what I do. I truly believe we are on the brink of a very special move of God. Our world is in distress and times are getting darker, but the beautiful, sweet presence of God is moving over the face of the earth to bring comfort and joy to all who will receive it.

I also sense a fresh awakening of God’s people. It seems that so many have been drowsy for too long. Content to live on fast food, spiritually speaking, we have become sluggish and unhealthy. All the while, God has offered us a well-balanced banquet and bids us to come eat.

Partaking of spiritual food parallels the physical. The more spiritual manna we partake of, the healthier and stronger we become. In turn, we find ourselves becoming more energetic and active again. Rather than being couch potatoes, we find ourselves being about the Father’s business all the more. And this increased level of activity, creates more hunger in our hearts.

Obviously, I’m not the only one who is getting hungrier. All across this nation, people are crying out to God for more- more of His presence, more of His power. And God is faithfully answering because He never turns away the hungry.

It is truly my heart’s desire that everyone- those who know God and those who do not, will begin to feel such hunger pains that we more fervently seek our heavenly Father and cry out to Him, “Dear God, I JUST GOTTA EAT.”

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