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We Should All Go Away!

Posted in Contentment, Courage, Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, Guidance, Peace, Preparedness, Religion, Solitude, Spiritual Strength on September 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

alone prayer

“What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.”
 Ellen Burstyn

Normally, if someone told me to go away, I would be hurt and offended. But Jesus isn’t just anybody; when He tells me to “go away,” I am more than happy to do so. Then again, He never asks me to go away from His presence; quite the opposite in fact. He longs for us to get away from the cares of this world in order that we might spend time in His glorious presence.

Mother Teresa summarized this well when she stated: “We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally; to be alone with Him — not with our books, thoughts, and memories but completely stripped of everything — to dwell lovingly in His presence, silent, empty, expectant, and motionless. We cannot find God in noise or agitation.” ¹

Although Jesus never had difficulty in finding God, the Father, even He felt the urgency of going away from the crowds and from the daily demands of life. We read many accounts in Scripture of Jesus doing just that.

For example, the apostle Mark recounts that Jesus, after what must have been a very demanding and exhausting time of ministry in Capernaum, “went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35

Mark also records another time that Jesus, after teaching for a long time, fed the multitudes, then:

… made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. (Mark 6:45-46).

Luke records that Jesus “withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” And that at another time He “he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” 5:16, 6:12).

No doubt Jesus went to the wilderness or the mountain in order to secure His privacy, but it is possible that He also felt God’s presence more keenly in the beauty and solitude of nature. I know I do! The most intense encounters I have had with my LORD have been while I was alone in the mountains; alone here meaning without the company of another person, but engulfed in  God’s very real, nearly tangible, presence.

Wouldn’t it be nice, dear reader, if we could all just take some time to go away, for an extended period of time, to the mountains, or seashore to spend time with the LORD, and He only?

But let’s be practical; very few of us have the opportunity to do so. Nevertheless, it is crucial that we make time in whatever way possible, as Mother Teresa said, “to dwell lovingly in His presence, silent, empty, expectant, and motionless.”

It is equally as important to occasionally take a temporary furlough from certain activities, be they television, sports, blogging, or whatever particular that steals away your days and whittles away your hours. Actually, this is why you haven’t seen a new blog on this site for a while. I was being obedient to God’s instruction to “go away” for awhile and recharge my batteries, spiritually speaking. Now that I feel more energized, I plan to do more writing again, LORD willing.

In closing, I wish to reiterate that God longs for us to go away from the cares of this world in order that we might spend time in His glorious presence. And if we can do so in the beautiful and majestic cathedral of nature, that’s all the better.

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

¹ Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers

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Feeble Weeble

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, Inspirational, Perserverance, Trials and Temptations, Weebles, tagged , , , , on June 27, 2013| 3 Comments »

ezgif.com-resize

Like many of my tenacious, long-suffering friends, I’m a Weeble. If you are young enough that you’ve never listened to an eight-track tape or watched ABC’s After School Specials on television, you probably don’t have a clue what I’m talking about- in which case I will explain. Weebles™, created by the Hasbro Company in the 1970’s, started out as small egg-shaped toys that were made to look like people. Because they were weighted on the bottom, you could push them over but they popped right back up. Just about every child growing up in that era knew that “Weebles™ wobble but they don’t fall down.”

I keep that little motto tucked somewhere in my repository of coping techniques for those times when I am unexpectedly knocked down by life. I occasionally face problems with bulldog tenacity and say, “It’s going to take a lot more than that to keep me down- I’m a Weeble!”

I’m not always that unbending though; sometimes I am  more of a feeble Weeble; I still manage to get back up, just not as quickly or as easily. During those times I have to consciously remind myself that although my burdens may have weighed me down, I can choose to let that work for me, not against me.   In the same way that the heavily weighted portion of a Weeble toy  allows it to spring back up, the same principle can apply to us human Weebles.

How so? Our suffering usually causes us to rely upon God even more; I have even seen self-proclaimed atheists cry out to God when the burden was too heavy. It is human nature to allow our exceedingly heavy afflictions, and our heavy hearts, to knock us down. In this condition, it is never easy to get back up. Nevertheless, when we put our trust in God and His promises, we begin to see things in a whole new light. We begin to realize that: …this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17 NAS©1995).

Notice that it is eternal glory that is weighty (in a good way), not the affliction. The burden may knock us down for a short while, but understanding God’s incredible promises, like the one above, lightens our hearts. It is the contrast of this lightness in the midst of heaviness that gives all “feeble Weebles” the ability to  spring back up.

Paul is in no way trying to minimize the crushing blows that we all face in our lives from time-to-time time. Rather, he is reminding us that our afflictions are really not as devastating as we first perceive them to be when compared to the glory of eternity. In fact, our afflictions serve ultimately for our benefit.

Peter explains this well:

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold–though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (I Peter 1:7 NLT©2007)

Having said that, next time you are knocked-down by life’s blows, why not face that problem doggedly and say, “You can’t keep me down; I’m a Weeble.”
weeble father

 

[p.s.  You may or may not see advertisements following this post. Because Rays of Light is primarily an archived site, I haven’t yet paid to have the advertisements removed.  Any adverts that do appear are supposed to be appropriate for this site. However, please let me know if you encounter any that you find to be inappropriate or offensive, as I have absolutely no control of what is shown.  If any of you experience discomfort at any of the adverts, I will change this site to a non-advertising site.  Thank you for your understanding.]

 

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Time For a Talk-About

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, Fruit of the Spirit, Humility, Inspirational, Racism (anti), Religion on April 13, 2013| 1 Comment »

Someday, Lord willing, I would love to visit Australia to experience first-hand her rich culture, rugged beauty and unique wildlife. Of course, one of the most pleasant rewards of a trip to the ‘land down under’ would certainly be the informative chats I would have with the folks living there. Meeting people of other cultures and learning of their rich heritage is, in my opinion, both fascinating and rewarding.

Too bad all Americans don’t feel the same way. Our country is so culturally diverse that we need never board an airplane to “travel” to nearly every country in the world. Yet, all too often, folks never venture too far from their own little circle of family, friends and social groups; especially when doing so would place them outside their own cultural comfort zone. If only people understood that embracing others, despite any differences they may have, is a true blessing.

Let me tell you, for example, about my most recent talk-about. If that phrase is not familiar, it is because it is one of my own. Borrowing from the Australian “Walkabout,” I dubbed one of my purposeful pastimes as a “talk-about.”

Before I explain what a talk-about is, let me assure you that I was extremely introverted in my youth. People that know me well have trouble believing this, as I am quite the talker now, but I can only attribute my affable nature to the Grace of God and the many challenges He has helped me to overcome in my life.

So what is a talk-about? It’s not a gossip session, I can tell you that. Ephesians 4:29 warns: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths. But this Scripture goes on to explain that we should speak only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And thus, the idea for the talk-about was born.

Having noticed the obvious disregard people seem to have for each other these days, I purposed in my heart to make occasional trips to various stores in our area with no other intention than striking-up conversations, and letting others talk about whatever is on their mind. If the subject of God comes up, then all the better, but it is never my intention, on these quests to proselytize. Often times, a Christian can show the love of Jesus more by just listening, and showing concern for someone, than we can by thumping them over the head with our Bibles.

And now, back to my last talk-about. It so happened, I didn’t even feel like going; that was one of those times when the Lord was more interested in encouraging others than I was. Still I went, expecting to bless someone.

Truthfully, there have been days when people were very happy  that I conversed with them, but other days they reacted with anything from rudeness to contempt; or suspicion at the very least, as though I had an ulterior motive. My last talk-about was really a mixture of both.

The best of my encounters that evening was with a man I came upon in Aisle 7 that was loudly singing –yes singing right inside the store- “It’s a beautiful morning…” It did not matter to him that morning had long since passed, or that the remaining sunlight was obscured by dark rain clouds. And it didn’t matter that his wife, for whatever reason, looked mad as a hornet and glared at him with scrunched eyes, having her arms tightly folded, and lips pursed.

“Beautiful indeed!” I verbally agreed, “Even if it isn’t morning.”

At that he laughed, and we began to chat about nothing in particular. We enjoyed such a pleasant conversation that his wife soon joined in, having exchanged her frown for a beautiful smile. Whatever her previous concerns, they melted into peace. And finally, the two walked off, arm-in-arm.

This beautiful couple was as American as apple pie, but our lives were obviously as culturally contrasting as our skin colors. But that did not matter to any of us. We three stood there, in Aisle 7 just enjoying each other’s company, oblivious to the frigid indifference prevalent in today’s world.

Dear reader, should you ever decide to try a talk-about, it is not altogether different than the Australian “Walkabout.” Theirs “is not an aimless activity but a deliberate and focussed journey connecting Aboriginal people to their traditional lands and spiritual obligations.”¹

Similarly, the Christian walk is not aimless either. It too is a deliberate and focused journey striving to connect people –in this case, all people- to their traditional land (God’s kingdom) and spiritual obligations.

May I encourage you, therefore, to never let the opportunity to bless others with a kind word or two pass you by. You never know how a single, brief encounter might change a person’s mood, their day, or even their life. Remember, you are the only Bible that some folks will ever read.

Be blessed on your journey.

¹Tourism Australia 2013. http://www.media.australia.com/en-au/factsheets/default_1438.aspx

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Hot Flashing

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Peace, Preparedness, Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Strength, Zeal on March 13, 2013| 1 Comment »

volcano

Granted, my life is dancing around the edges of its autumn season, but I haven’t quite reached the flash point yet –hot flashes, that is. Although, just the other night, I did get a taste of how awful that must be.

Surely, you have also experienced this kind of night at some point; a night spent riding the fever-and-chill rollercoaster. If so, you can sympathize with my frustration. Sleep was sporadic. About the time the mercury in my thermometer was about to pop, I would throw my blankets off, in agony. I was so hot, in fact, that my only relief was the overhead fan, which whirred quietly overhead despite the wintery chill of evening. But then, as quickly as my overly-fatigued body gave way to sleep, it awoke abruptly, shaking at the sudden coldness. And so it went, hour after hour, long into the early morning hours.

At one point, I lay there, clothes damp with sweat, thinking that the hot flashing part was surely similar to what my menopausal friends experienced all the time. I thought about the cartoon I had seen earlier that week. It featured three snow women, the first was sharing with her friend that, “Mildred,” who had melted into a puddle, had “just had a hot flash.” After which, I grumbled to my sleeping husband that I am NOT ready to start hot flashing. He didn’t hear me, of course, but I just thought he should know that I have firmly decided to skip the whole hot flashing thing altogether!

About that time, my thoughts took an entirely different turn; they somehow jumped to the third chapter of Revelation, where the Lord speaks, through John, to the church in Laodicea: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth (verses 15, 16).

I Guess I’m safe then, I lightheartedly reminded the Lord, because I am definitely hot –then cold –then hot –then cold ……….

Feverish humor aside, spiritual comfort is the very thing that the Lord warned His church to avoid. But I always wondered why He would prefer cold to lukewarm. I think Matthew Henry sums it up pretty well in his Whole Bible Commentary:

Lukewarmness or indifference in religion is the worst temper in the world. If religion is a real thing, it is the most excellent thing, and therefore we should be in good earnest in it; if it is not a real thing, it is the vilest imposture, and we should be earnest against it. If religion is worth any thing, it is worth every thing; an indifference here is inexcusable: Why halt you between two opinions? If God be God, follow him; if Baal (be God), follow him. Here is no room for neutrality. An open enemy shall have a fairer quarter than a perfidious neuter; and there is more hope of a heathen than of such. Christ expects that men should declare themselves in earnest either for him or against him.

Frankly, I would love to tell you that I am never lukewarm in my faith, but that just wouldn’t be honest. I don’t ever consider my faith to be ‘cold,’ but there are certainly times in my life when I feel as though my spiritual fervency comes in waves like menopausal hot flashes; and it is during those weak moments that I have to remind myself that I am NOT willing to tolerate hot flashing.

I’m sure that there are others who have felt the same way on occasion. In fact, one of King David’s prayers was, Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). David, who was a “man after God’s own heart,” was not ashamed to acknowledge his weaknesses and ask the Lord to rekindle his flame.

Dear reader, I pray that we are quick to do the same, so that our flame continues to burn brightly enough and consistently enough, that we are able to help those who walk in darkness to find their way!

God’s Flame

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.”

                                                                         God’s Flame © Susan Shimkovitz

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“Danged ole Yankees”

Posted in Devotional, Faith, Spiritual Strength, Victory on February 26, 2013| 2 Comments »

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

 

[archived post 2010]

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Broken Shard (A Holiday Gift)

Posted in Brokenness, Chanukkah, Christmas, Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Holidays, Inspirational, Peace, Poetry, Spiritual Strength on December 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Photo: Rodney Dodig
Cahuachi-Pottery-Shards

Through the years, I have given a unique end-of-the-year gift to those who could use an extra word of hope or encouragement.

This year, I invite you, dear reader, to share this same gift if you like. Simply print the following poem on an appropriate holiday paper (letter size), fold using a business fold and insert into a decorated envelope with a shard of broken pottery. There you have it, a thoughtful, non-traditional gift which will (hopefully) be a blessing to others. (Thank you for including the copyright information.)

From our Heart to Yours

You may think it odd that we give you
this little piece of broken clay;
but we give it with sincerest hearts,
and this is what we pray:

We pray that as you hold this little shard
gently in your outstretched palm,
you will remember that Jesus, in the same way,
holds the world and brings us calm.

Yes, you may have had moments of shattering
throughout the year, or years, gone past;
and you may have felt a bit like this shard of clay–
broken from a vessel that just didn’t last.

You may even feel that this busy holiday season
leaves you feeling weary and broken;
thus we pray you have the genuine peace
of which Jesus, Himself, has spoken.

For He not only holds the world in His hands,
He lovingly cradles each human soul,
gathers-up each broken shard
and makes us completely whole.

After all, our Lord is a masterful potter;
He only needs one small, surrendered part
with which to re-create a beautiful vessel
and restore a broken heart.

Knowing this, we pray for you the very best–
a season of abundant health and cheer;
relaxation and restoration;
abundant blessing throughout the coming year.

As Jesus’ return quickly approaches,
may you find great strength in each passing day;
that you may become all He wants you to be.
This is what we pray.

                                           ©Susan Shimkovitz 2001

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Shouting, “Jesus!”

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Inspirational, Religion, Spiritual Strength on October 31, 2012| 3 Comments »

Ghosts are real, but they are not the displaced spirits of those who died and cannot, for whatever reason, cross to the other side. They are something far more sinister than that! I know because I grew up in a home steeped in the occult –a place where things went “bump in the night” far too often.

So you know, even though today is October 31st, this is not some spooky Halloween story. If you are looking for that, you’ve come to the wrong place. In fact, I abhor Halloween –but no lectures, I promise. No, this is not a Halloween story; it is quite the opposite. You see, Halloween exalts all that is dark and evil, but today I want to share with you a very real story of light and of triumph over evil.

The particulars of my childhood are not important at the moment, but I assure you, they were, for the most part, dark and horrific. People have, on occasion, asked me to recount the gruesome details, and I have, but for today, I prefer to jump ahead in the narrative to the first several months after I encountered the Lord Jesus Christ, and the spiritual warfare that ensued.

(To read the condensed testimony of my miraculous encounter with Jesus Christ, click this link: His Invisible Hand)

I have no doubt that the forces of Heaven and hell were engaged in battle on the day that I offered my heart to Jesus Christ, my Savior, but I’ll leave it at that. Heaven won. And though my life was changed instantly, and profoundly, in so many ways, it would still take many years to heal some of the wounds. It would also take several months to conquer some of the demons that invaded my dreams night after night. I have never used the term demons in these pages before, but in this case, the term is very accurate.

You see, even after I accepted Jesus into my life, my dreams were frequently infested with demons. Sometimes they merely frightened me or chased me, at other times, I physically wrestled with them. At first, all of the dreams had two things in common, aside from the obvious warfare; they all started the same way, and they were very difficult to escape because I couldn’t manage to awaken fast enough.

However, something interesting happened early on. One night, in the middle of a particularly horrible dream, I managed to utter the name Jesus. It was barely a whisper, but it was a big accomplishment given the level of fear I experienced during those dreams. Nonetheless, the dream, and the battle within, continued for a little while longer. It’s not that the LORD failed to rescue me when I called upon His name; He was merely teaching me how to effectively combat my enemy and to trust in Him. Make no mistake, He was watching over me every second.

Over the course of time, as I grew stronger in my faith and knowledge of God’s holy Word, I found myself not only calling upon Jesus, but doing so sooner and sooner, until at  last I was able to call upon His name at the very beginning of any such dream so that it would end as quickly as it started.

There is power in the name of Jesus!

Allow me to digress for just a moment. I have many friends who prefer to call Jesus by His Hebrew birth name Yeshua. Our LORD was born a Hebrew, and this is His true birth name. For the record, I prefer to call Him Yeshua also, and usually do. Nevertheless, I know that my LORD speaks every language, and I know that there is power in His name no matter which language it is spoken in.

Oddly, after all these years I still have one of those awful dreams ever so often. Truthfully, I had one a few nights ago. This one was so intense I woke my husband with my thrashing and shouting, “Jesus!” As always, shouting “Jesus!” was all it took; even in my dreams, my enemies are vanquished by that name.

I am writing this today, dear reader, because Halloween is upon us again. Most adults assume that this is nothing more than a fun holiday for kids. I promised not to lecture, so I won’t get into the truth behind Halloween, nor what the Bible has to say about it. I will, however, remind you that Halloween can be a very scary time for kids, especially in today’s macabre culture. If your child should, therefore, become frightened, or someone you know finds himself in a spiritual battle, please remind them that they can freely ask Jesus for help. He is as close as the mention of His name, even to those who have never called upon Him before, and He longs to show them that He cares!

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Blue Moons and Round Tuits

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Long-suffering on September 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

For the last few weeks, my get-up-and-go has been equal to that of a sloth’s, so I haven’t accomplished much. Then again, I haven’t really wanted to do much lately; partly because I haven’t been feeling well, and partly because I tend to procrastinate sometimes. Okay, so I procrastinate a lot, but I plan to do something about that someday.

Being two peas in the same procrastination pod, my husband and I understand this tendency, and lovingly motivate each other toward action when necessary. In fact, the first time I repeatedly told my beloved I would finish some project “when I get around to it,” he pulled a wooden object from his pocket and handed it to me. What is this, I asked. “It’s a tuit –a round one,” he playfully responded. Indeed it was; the word tuit was engraved on one side. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I actually accumulated several of those round tuits before I learned to stop using the phrase, get around to it.

Come to think of it, there’s another phrase that I should probably stop using as well. When it comes to really big chores, like cleaning out the garage, for example, I have sometimes remarked that I only do stuff like that once in a blue moon –it just so happens that there really was a blue moon¹ in the skies recently. And in case you’re wondering, no, I didn’t clean out the garage; the blue moon thing is just a silly catch phrase I picked up when I was young, which is loosely translated as, I don’t have a clue when I’m going to do that, but it won’t be for a long time.

Aren’t you glad, dear reader, our LORD acts on our behalf a great deal more than once in a blue moon, or whenever He gets around to it?

Even so, I’m sure that there have been times in each of our lives when it seemed the LORD was, for whatever reason, postponing something important, such as an answer to prayer or a fulfillment of a promise. But we are in good company; even the patriarchs and prophets of old have undoubtedly felt this way. Abraham, for instance, must have grown quite anxious for the birth of his son Isaac. On the other hand, the prophet Habakkuk desperately longed for a different kind of delivery –a deliverance from the enemies of Israel.

You see, In Habakkuk’s time, the foreign nations were causing the Israelites much grief and prevailing against them. Confused and dismayed, Habakkuk earnestly prayed, “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!” (1:2).

And what was God’s response? He said He would do amazing things that, “you would not believe if you were told (1:5).” He further instructed Habakkuk to “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables… For the vision is yet for an appointed time… because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up [proud] is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” (2:2-4).

Note two things: First, those things shown to Habakkuk were to happen at a specific, appointed time; and they were absolute. God always fulfills His decrees according to His perfect timing, never at some unspecified time whenever He gets around to it. Second, the just (righteous) shall live by faith, which according to Hebrews 11: 1 is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Herein is the irony: To operate in faith, we must implicitly trust in God’s perfect timing, and wait patiently for it, being completely clueless, all the while, as to what His timetable is or what, exactly, He is planning to do.

I’m sure there is much more I can, and will, say on this matter, when I get around to it (wink). Till then, just keep trusting in your Heavenly Father. He will never fail you!

¹A Blue moon is the appearance of the third full moon in a season with four full moons. It is not literally blue. This term has also been used to refer to the second full moon in any given month.

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Space Junk

Posted in Contentment, Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, Guidance, Inspirational, Peace, Preparedness, Religion, Spiritual Hunger on July 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Twinkle, twinkle little star –or was that a distant plane, or satellite? It’s hard to tell these days. Is it just me, or does it seem that this country’s skyscape has become as frenzied as a New York freeway?

Besides the thousands of commercial aircraft that rip through the visible sky daily, there are also a number of private planes, military craft and the occasional bundle of escaped party balloons, kites and more. It’s a wonder the birds don’t just hang out at the beach and avoid all the sky rush traffic.

Outer space is pretty cluttered these days as well. There are thousands of satellites currently in orbit, some functional and others long-since broken apart. Multiple collisions have left some of them orbiting as nothing more than innumerable fragments. Additionally, there is an unbelievable amount of “space junk” orbiting our Earth, which came from the various spacecraft that have been launched over the years. Of the many types of debris -some as small as a paint chip- NASA reports more than 21,000 large pieces, 500,000 smaller pieces, and more than 100 million miniscule pieces.¹

So far, this has not yet become a threat to public safety, but it is potentially dangerous. In fact, in September 2011, the Washington Post (KidsPost online) reported that an out of control satellite, the size of a school bus, was headed towards Earth. It broke into much smaller pieces as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere, and no one was injured, but I must admit, anything falling from the sky at more than 17,000 miles per hour is enough to unsettle one’s nerves, to say the least.

Space travel is pretty much the flip side of the coin; and it certainly is vulnerable to complication. Although humanity continues to pursue their lofty goals of space exploration, “Earth is now surrounded by so much space junk that a leading expert on the issue has declared that we are at a “tipping point” — it may soon become too dangerous to venture into low-Earth orbit (LEO) through fear of having a manned spaceship punctured or a communications satellite trashed.”²

I don’t know about you dear reader, but I have more than enough things to tend to on this planet to even contemplate space travel. As far as satellite communication goes, I think technology is great, but I already find it difficult in our hustle and bustle world to pray as much as I would like, and no communication is more important than that.

There are days when I wish I was more like one of those escaped party balloons (no hot air jokes please), my thoughts and desires drifting heavenward, my soul lighter than air because of a noticeable lack of anything to weigh me down, until I reached the throne of Glory. Of course, that wondrous experience is always available to me, but sadly I just don’t make the time as often as I should because I let other stuff get in my way.

You see, life has a way of bombarding my time with all those things that I consider important. True, many of them are vitally important, but honestly, some of those things are nothing more than space junk to my Creator. And in His great wisdom, He knows that many of those things which clutters my life will eventually, like satellites and space junk, collide to create even more “stuff” to deal with; more stuff to come between Him and me.

Alas, this world is just too busy! I am too busy.

Therefore, LORD, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Psalm 119:37 NIV).

¹NASA Orbital Debris Program Office. FAQ 2012. Question #3: How many orbital debris are currently in Earth orbit? http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/faqs.html#3
²O’Niell, Ian. Discovery News. Space Junk Problem Reaches Tipping Point. September 2, 2011. http://news.discovery.com/space/could-space-junk-leave-us-stranded-on-earth-110902.html

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“Yeah, But…”

Posted in Courage, Devotional, Doubt, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Guidance, Inspirational, Religion, Skepticism, Spiritual Strength on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My parents were not religious people in the least, but there were certain odd rules they enforced religiously. Not surprisingly, cussing meant a swift trip to the execution chamber –that is to say, the bed chamber where my step-father would swiftly execute punishment. I doubt anyone would blame him for trying to teach his children impeccable manners, he was an ex-marine after all, but he was a bit over-the-top, as evidenced by his intolerance of even the slightest hint of slang.

Moreover, excessive no doubt, was his royal decree that no one in the house under five-feet tall was ever allowed to say the word but, and certainly not that loathsome four-letter word c-a-n’-t. A simple “Yeah, but …” was reason enough for a two-hour lecture at best, saying both but and can’t in the same sentence was a felony. That I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, would have been a handy thing to know back then (Phil 4:1).

In retrospect, I can’t help but see the irony in that (shhh, don’t tell him I just used both of those words in this sentence) given the defeatist attitude he adopted after signing-up for one of those multi-level home marketing businesses. If he made money his sponsor pulled in some cash as well, and so on, so naturally,  those above him in the enterprise tried very hard to teach him the techniques that were sure to bring about success, words that fell on deaf ears, skepticism and, you guessed it, a never-ending list of objections starting with the declaration, “Yeah, but….”

With puzzling contradiction, he uttered the words “Yeah, but…” so often, his business sponsor, making a guilted statement, gifted him with a brightly colored tee-shirt with those very words imprinted on the front, words that he took pride in, wearing them as a badge of honor.

Such an inconsistency brings to my mind James 1:5-7: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Dear reader, I would very much like to offer you a profound explanation as to why our Heavenly Father is so emphatic about this matter, but I’m not even sure that I  have an answer to suffice. I am absolutely positive about this, though: faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). We should all, therefore, when we sense those God-displeasing words, “Yeah but…” begin their journey from brain to tongue to express doubt or defiance, rather turn to the Word of God, the Holy Bible, and strengthen our faith within its pages.

I don’t know about you, but I know enough pessimistic naysayers to order some of those “Yeah, but” tee shirts in bulk and hand them out, thereby warning the optimistic to take cover. Problem is, there are days when I don the declaration myself, knowing full well that with God all things are possible, yet somehow doubting, wavering.

Perhaps you have, at one time or another, felt the same way. May I remind you– and me- that there are more than forty Scriptures in the Bible which counter frailty and defeat with two simple words: BUT GOD!

Perhaps I should have some tee shirts printed after all, the message being modified to three powerful words, “Yeah, but GOD!”

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