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$95.2 Million Worth of Ugly

January 30, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

I don’t mean to offend any of you art connoisseurs, but this Picasso painting, Dora Maar, is downright ugly in my estimation. However, it is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I guess that’s why someone paid 95.2 million dollars for that painting at auction. Truthfully, I dislike most of Picasso’s work, yet some of it has sold for more than 100 million dollars. As they say, to each his own.

As for me, I would rather have a Thomas Kinkade. His artwork may not be as famous or as costly as Picassos’, but it is far more aesthetic. Known as the “painter of light,” Kinkade offers us a more realistic and pleasant portrayal of the world. Even so, his paintings only sell from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.

Even if I had ninety-five million dollars to spend on a single painting I wouldn’t, especially not a Picasso. He may be considered an artistic genius but I just can’t get past the grotesque appearance of his subject matters.

I can’t even begin to imagine why someone would choose a ‘disfigured’ painting like Dora Maar over one that is serene, such as Kinkade’s Stillwater Cottage. Then again, I can’t imagine why my Lord, Jesus Christ, would find such value in me. If not for His grace, my life would still look more like a Picasso than a Kinkade. It wouldn’t matter though. Ugly as my life was, Jesus paid much more than $95 million dollars for me; He paid for me –and for you – with His own life.

Like the Picasso, I may not seem attractive to some. But again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It doesn’t matter if I like Picasso’s work or not, he will always be considered a great artist and his work will always be highly prized.

Likewise, it doesn’t matter if others like the way my life looks or not –and that includes my physical appearance – because I was created by THE artist who created the heavens and earth and colored our world with beauty and splendor. As long as my life is one of the ‘paintings’ in God’s gallery, I will continue to have value beyond what this world can afford.

The same holds true for you too, dear reader. Don’t ever let anyone devalue you. Even if you feel your life is a mess, you aren’t finished yet. You are a work in progress. God knows all your shortcomings and inadequacies and He still thinks you are beautiful. That’s all that matters!

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)

Rays of Light Volume I now in print.
Click here to order book

Posted in Beauty, Devotional, Encouragement, God's Goodness | 7 Comments »

Secret Ingredient Brownies

January 25, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

One particularly memorable day, the pastor had a special treat planned. As congregants entered the small country sanctuary, they were greeted by the delightful aroma of fresh-baked brownies. And if I know Pastor Cory, he probably arranged for everyone to sing “Lord, I’m hungry” during Worship.

Stepping up to the pulpit, he stated “Today I want to speak to you about the ingredients for living a godly life.” “But first,” he offered “I want everyone to enjoy a brownie.” And they did. Everyone knew that they were about to witness another of the pastor’s illustrated sermons and they were eating it up – pardon the pun.

Next, the pastor uncovered a tray of baking goods and explained that he was going to show the congregation just how to make the wonderful brownies they were enjoying. “Then” he added with an authoritative tone, “I will show you how this relates to your walk with Christ.

Carefully measuring the powdered cocoa and pouring it into the mixing bowl, the pastor advised the congregation that choosing the right ingredients was of utmost importance. He then added the remaining ingredients one-by-one –flour, sugar, butter, etc—until the delicious-looking batter was nearly complete.

The pastor offered a nugget of wisdom with each addition. They were being well-fed spiritually but some were wishing they had another brownie; that is until…

“The batter is nearly ready to bake, but there is one more secret ingredient to add,” the pastor said with an impish grin. As he lifted a baggie from the tray, he told everyone “I personally gathered this doggie poop a little while ago; it’s quite fresh.”

As everyone stared in disbelief, the pastor squeezed a small amount into the batter and stirred briskly. “Don’t worry” he said. “It’s only a tiny amount, you can’t even taste it, but it sure does add to the brownie.

I can only imagine how the expressions changed as each person realized he or she had just eaten one of those ‘special’ brownies. Of course there was no poop in the ones they had eaten, but the very thought was enough to make one feel suddenly disgusted, or worse.

Pastor Cory had copied the idea for the secret ingredient brownies from a caring father who felt the need to answer his teenagers ‘why not’ questions in a very impacting way. The man had been badgered by his teens, “Why can’t we watch this movie, there’s just a little violence and language in it? What harm could there be in that?”

This conscientious father had chosen to use his ‘special’ brownies to show his teens that even a tiny amount of something bad can ruin the whole. “The small amount of ‘bad’ in the movie may not seem all that harmful, but it is as disgusting to God as this poop is to you,” he admonished, “and it is harmful whether you can “taste” it or not.

Needless to say, the movie was not watched and the brownie batter was discarded.

Next time any of us sit down to watch that popular movie or read that best-selling novel, we should ask, “Is there any poop in here, even just a little?” If the answer is yes, there’s a good chance that it won’t seem nearly as appealing all of a sudden.

More importantly, we should ask if the Lord would be pleased with our choice. As the saying goes, WWJD (What would Jesus do?), . Remember, whatever ye eat, or drink, (or watch or read) or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31)

Having said all that, anyone want my recipe for cheesecake? –just kidding.

Posted in Devotional, Obedience, Purity | 2 Comments »

Second Place Love

January 18, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021


Imagine how you would feel if at some point during your engagement your fiancé said to you, “I love you and I can’t wait to marry you, but there is something you should know. I love someone else more, and I always will.” Mine did. Then he handed me a cassette tape and asked me to listen.

I quickly hurried to my dorm room. With fumbling hands and pounding heart, I turned on the cassette player. My thoughts whirled during the brief music intro, then I listened to the following words:

I’ll sing you a love song cause you came to my mind.
It’s not a typical love song, cause it’s one of mine.
When I say that I love you, you know that it’s true;
even though you’re number two.

It’s not that I love you less than best,
For each day I love you more and more and more.
But there can only be one first place in my heart,
And you know who that’s for — The Lord!

I know — Jesus is number one in my heart
so second place will have to do for you.
But I’m counting on spending the rest of my life
in love with the two of you…. (©Mickey and Becki Moore)¹

My heart leapt for joy! My prayer had been answered. I know that many people, when praying for their future spouse, offers the Lord a check list of things they desire in a mate. I only asked for three things (that he wouldn’t snore was one of them) and left the rest up to the Lord and His infinite wisdom.

Number one on my list was that I be my husband’s second place love. I prayed that he would be a godly man who loved the Lord even more than me and that he would forever do so. Not only did the Lord grant me that desire, but he confirmed it through my loving fiancé when he handed me that tape.

The Lord has such an incredible way of dropping us little ‘love notes’ which say “I heard you and I have answered your prayer.” And His timing is perfect. When Mickey and Becky Moore recorded Love Song for Number Two back in the seventies, they didn’t know the Lord would use it to confirm my prayers a decade later, but He did.

A few days ago, my friend announced her daughter’s wedding date. Kati is the same age as my daughter so that unhinged me a little, being that they are both so young. But I have to face facts; my daughters are now young women who will marry one day in the near future and I must be ready. My prayer for my children is, and has always been, that they also marry godly spouses who love the Lord even more than them; because I know that the very best marriages in the world are built on godly foundations.

If you are reading this blog and you are single, but plan to marry one day, please believe me that the very best place to be is in second place. If the Lord is number one in your spouse’s heart he or she will naturally love you the way God intended.

Finally, never forget that as much as you and your spouse love each other, God loves you both even more. He wants you to have a healthy, happy marriage and it will be if the Lord is in the center of it …
a threefold cord in not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

****************

[You may enjoy the song here: Love Song for Number Two]

[¹Moore, Mickey and Becki.  Album: Love Song for Number Two. Maiden Music. P.O.Box 2492 Charlottesville, VA. 22902. (434) 293-5400     http://www.mickeyandbecki.com/music.php]

Postscript: My husband doesn’t snore. I told you, God answers prayers, and boy and I glad!

p.s.s. If you are planning to marry and you recognize that your spouse is a priceless gift to you from the Lord, the following song is great for God-centered weddings:

Posted in Devotional, Love, Marriage | 4 Comments »

“I Talk!”

January 15, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

My husband and I were once exiting a restaurant with our four small children in tow when we realized one of them had wandered off. After a quick scan of the crowded dining room, we spotted her at the table of an elderly couple. She and the woman were chatting away like two old school chums.

Back then our little golden-haired beauty was a real people-person whom didn’t know a stranger. She had walked right up to the couple’s table and began to entertain them with her natural charm.

Just as our small clan reached the table, I heard miss sunshine say, “Watch what I can do!” In an instant she turned and did the splits right there in the aisle. My heart skipped a few beats because one of the wait staff was walking towards her lugging a huge tray of hot food. Fortunately, her daddy was able to scoop her up in the nick of time, to the amusement and giggles of all.

It was quite obvious that our little girl had brightened the day for that motherly old woman. Turning her gaze towards my baby boy, she sweetly asked, “What do you do, you cute little thing?”

Without hesitation he replied, “I can count to ten in Spanish. Uno, dos, tres……”

“Splendid!” she chirped. “And what about you?” she then asked my oldest.

“I can count to ten in French. Un, deux, trois…”

My oldest daughter, anticipating her turn to impress the friendly couple, was already thinking. “What do I do?” she responded, as though asking herself the question. After a brief pause, her pensive look melted into a toothy grin.

“I TALK!” she proudly answered.

Periodically, a friend will say to me, “I really want to do something special for the Lord, but I don’t have any special talents or gifting.” First, let me say that I believe everyone has some type of spiritual endowment with which to bless others, even if it is not easily recognizable.

Second, and this is very important, everyone has the ability to share their faith. You may not be the outgoing, social type but that’s okay. Even an introvert can find occasion to talk to others about the Lord.

This may be very surprising to those who know me personally, but I used to have great difficulty talking to anyone. However, it eventually occurred to me that I could better serve my Lord and Master if I were a bit more sociable (okay, maybe a lot more). I prayed about the situation and asked for help in taking steps towards this goal.

Slowly, but surely, the Lord not only enabled me to talk to others, but to enjoy doing so. Now, by the Grace of God, I too am a people-person who does not know a stranger. I engage others in conversation every chance I get and look for opportunities to speak an encouraging word into their lives, especially those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

If you, dear reader, are uncertain as to what your spiritual endowment is, pray about it until you know then serve with confidence. Each of us have a different job to do, but every laborer is valuable and every job important. Finally, remember, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23 NIV).

Above all, let us all continue to share the Gospel with others. Jesus said if we don’t praise Him, the rocks will cry out. I’m sure the same is true about sharing our faith. No matter what, the Lord will find someone who is willing to speak out on His behalf. Will you be the one to say, “I TALK?”

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Servanthood | Leave a Comment »

Polished Pearls

January 14, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Hi everybody,

Just wanted to let you know that I’ve just started a brand new blog for those who prefer one or two-minute inspirational snippets.

The new blog is called Polished Pearls.

You can quick launch it anytime from the Polished Pearls tap at the top of this page or from my blog roll found towards the bottom right of this page.

Unlike Rays of Light, which features full-length (true) stories, Polished Pearls will feature very short posts. They may be an inspirational quote, video, Scripture with brief comment – anything that catches my interest regarding faith or character, etc.

Hope everyone likes the new blog site. Rest assured, Rays of Light is continuing. In fact, I have two or three blog irons in the fire right now.

As always, be blessed, healthy and happy.
Susan

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Humpty Dumpty said Amen!

January 6, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Photo: Cake Picture Gallery

Once upon a long time ago, I was reading Christian nursery rhymes¹ to my children. This Mother Goose adaptation really caught my eye:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Humpty Dumpty shouted, “Amen!”
God can put me together again.¹

It really is that simple –not easy, but simple.

For those of you who have suffered through heinous circumstances and might be convinced that you can never be whole again, I want you to know that I wholeheartedly understand. Truthfully, if it had not been for the grace of God I would have killed myself twenty-five years ago. I was already dead inside, disposing of the rest seemed only logical.

However, I had been conditioned from birth to believe I couldn’t do anything right. Those degrading remarks replayed in my head like a broken record until I was convinced that I would botch even suicide and leave myself in a far worse condition. So, I prayed to God to take my life. I did not know God or if He even listened to the prayers of men. But if He did, I figured He could do a far better job of getting rid of me and my messed up life than I could.

Praise God, He did take my life, but not the way I expected Him too!

You can read about how the Lord Jesus came to my rescue and gave me an entirely new life on the ‘My Testimony’ tab at the top of this page.

As a child I used to listen to the Humpty Dumpty rhyme and it brought me great sadness. I could relate to the poor egg. Whenever I heard the rhyme, I felt like I too was an egg (a rotten one) which had been boiled in the heat of hell and then cracked beyond repair. It’s a shame I did not know THE King back then.

“All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put…” me (or Humpty) together again, but THE king Himself did so! He made me whole, and He has given to me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that I might be called a tree of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
(Isaiah 61:3)

The King longs to do the same for you because you are His child, even if you don’t know Him. He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

You may find, as I did, that emotional healing is a long journey. Nevertheless, the King will walk with you every step of that journey if you allow Him to. And He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

I too would like to walk with you through your journey. If there is anything I can pray with you about, please use the contact button to leave me a private note and I will add you to my prayer list.

Life is too short to live it broken and wounded. It is time to say, “Amen, God put me to together again!”

¹Ainsborough Decker, Marjorie.  The Christian Mother Goose’ Book of Nursery Rhymes.  Distributed by: Christian Mother Goose Communications – P.O. Box 330 – Beggs OK 74421 – (918) 267-5230

Posted in Brokenness, Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Healing | 6 Comments »

“Go Butt a Stump!”

January 3, 2011 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Photo Credit Flickr

My favorite college professor used to relay the most unpleasant events of history with great animation. He would then playfully tell us “That’s the way it was. If you don’t like it, you can just go butt a stump!” I’ve never seen anyone foolhardy enough to do this, but I did watch my drunken step-father once butt heads with an old goat. You would’ve had to been there to fully appreciate the comical skirmish so I’ll jump straight to its conclusion; the goat cleaned his clock. It seems that even docile goats can get quite aggressive when provoked.

The embarrassing defeat never dampened his love of head-butting though. I doubt he ever locked heads with another four-legged grass-eater, but he continued to derive pleasure from butting heads with me (and everyone else) every chance he got. If anyone knew how to get my goat, he did!

Being a control-freak, he found those head-to-head conflicts to be an exhilarating way to boost his own ego, but I became more frustrated with each passing day. Then someone gave me a very wise piece of advice. She told me, “He can’t get your goat if you don’t tell him where you keep it tied.” She was right. With this little nugget of wisdom I was able to turn the tables.

After all these years I have never forgotten this and have, in fact, tried to instill the concept in my children. Unfortunately, they still haven’t quite figured it out. Frustrating as this is, it is certainly understandable. You see, it really irks me when……oops, I almost led you to one of my goats. Never mind.

More to the point, I don’t tend to make New Year’s resolutions because frankly, I’m never disciplined enough to follow-through on them for more than a day or two. Even so, I have realized lately that I have allowed a few people to find out where my own goats are tied and have therefore resolved to fix this little faux pas before any serious problems arise.

After all, there is a reason I keep certain of my goats tethered in the first place; they are not docile and it doesn’t take much to rile them. Some of these goats used to graze peacefully in the meadows of nonchalant but after a season of agitation, they became a bit aggressive and had to be constrained. I prefer to keep them that way.

You may ask, “Why don’t you just get rid of them altogether?” Truthfully, not all goats are bad; some merely need to be tamed. They can be very useful for refining us and teaching us to respond properly to adverse stimuli.

No matter how careful I am, someone always manages to get one of my goats at some point. So, I can either choose to butt heads with them, or I can take the higher road and cultivate the wisdom of Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger; And it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Admittedly, I sometimes butt heads instinctively, but I am working toward the latter. I won’t call it a New Year’s resolution since I’m not very successful with those, but I am continuing to strive toward greater long-suffering. Others may choose to be confrontational but from now on, I don’t plan to join them.

Hey, if they don’t like that they can “just go butt a stump!”

Posted in Anger, Long-suffering | 2 Comments »

Fresh Bread in Bethlehem

December 21, 2010 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

My tummy is dancing to the aroma of baking bread wafting through my house. I bake bread quite often because it is one of the little pleasures of life that just adds an air of warmth and comfort to the home. When my family prays “give us this day our daily bread” I want that bread to be straight out of the oven. Honestly, I believe the daily bread of the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is, in context, speaking of God’s Word, but I desire my family to have fresh bread, both physical and spiritual.

A few thousand years ago, a baby was born in the little town of Bethlehem in Judea who would change the world forever. Bethlehem is a Hebrew word which literally means ‘House of Bread.’ The baby’s name was Yeshua (Jesus, to the English-speaking world). How very appropriate that He would be born in the ‘House of Bread’ because He would later refer to Himself as the Bread of Life:

And Jesus (Yeshua) said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger… (John 6:35)

The name Yeshua literally means salvation. Therefore, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Yosef (Joseph) in a dream, He was saying about Miriam (Mary) that she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name SALVATION: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21),

Like all mothers-to-be, Mary had anxiously awaited the arrival of her ‘Salvation’ for a long time. Can you just imagine Miriam looking into the face of this beautiful newborn baby with joyful tears saying “Alas, Salvation has finally come?”

Much of the world has chosen this time of year to reflect on the birth of Yeshua. However, I would like us to take a few moments to reflect on Him as the Bread of Life; which isn’t hard to for me to do as I sit here engulfed in the delectable aroma of baking bread.

In the first chapter of the book of John we read:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….… [John 1:1-4] Jumping to verse 14 we read: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

So we see that the God caused a part of Himself, His word, to be made manifest in a tangible body, the body of the babe Yeshua. I know this is all pretty difficult for our finite, human minds to fully comprehend. Even so, Yeshua is the Son of God and designates Himself as the Bread of Life (amongst other descriptions).

John goes on to say:

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, 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)

Unquestionably Yeshua, living as a man in a physical body, needed food for sustenance. Nevertheless, he understood that physical bread only satisfies our temporal bodies for a short time. He therefore emphasized the urgency of nourishing oneself with spiritual food; that which quenches the soul’s hunger always:

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:1-4)

In other words, because our bodies soon perish but our souls are immortal, feeding ourselves spiritually must be our priority. But how do we partake of the bread of life? By every word of God! In the beginning was the Word… and the word became flesh. To read God’s Word is to partake of the Bread of Life.

How can the bread satisfy, though, unless it is fresh? Unlike oven-baked bread which becomes stale very quickly, spiritual bread stays fresh forever and its nutrients never diminish. Nevertheless, we should never be satisfied to live on yesterday’s bread.

Remember, Yeshua taught us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread

I pray that in the same way the enticing aroma of fresh-baked bread stimulates our appetite and creates anxiousness to partake of this fresh, warm comfort food, that thoughts of our precious Lord will fill our hearts and minds in the same way. May we all become desirous to start each day with a fresh, ‘warm slice’ of the Bread of Life.

Posted in Bethlehem, Bread of Life, Devotional, Faith, Guidance, Spiritual Hunger | 5 Comments »

Cloudy With a Chance of Meteors

December 17, 2010 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

Photo Credit: Getty Image via CNN

This year’s Geminid meteor shower was hailed as the best of 2010 and I missed it. I was more than willing to bundle up like an Eskimo and head to the observatory to watch the show, but it was just too cloudy. What a shame! Sky gazers in other parts of the country reported seeing as many as one-hundred-twenty meteors an hour during this peak time; it must have been spectacular.

Even so, I can certainly understand why most people have little interest in staying up half the night to watch a bunch of meteors streak through the cold December sky. Truth be known, now that I am older I find it harder to stay awake for these things myself. Still, it would’ve been cool to watch the shower because I have always been fascinated with every aspect of creation from the microscopic to the cosmic.

I was one of those nerdy kids who could sit for hours and marvel at plain, ordinary rocks or admire the uniqueness of a single tree. In that respect I haven’t changed much. The difference is that when I look at the various things in the world around me now, I marvel more at the Creator than His creation.

God is awesome and all of nature declares His glory, especially in the heavens. Psalm 19:1 states: The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies proclaim his craftsmanship.

I believe that God created the universe in such a way that we would see these meteor showers as a reminder of how awesome His creation really is. The Geminid shower lasts for days and lights up the sky with fireballs which can be seen from almost anywhere on Earth. And, according to Nasa astronomer Bill Cooke, the Geminid showers “defy explanation.”

God does lots of things on a grand scale that defies explanation. It is His desire that, when we see these things, we turn our thoughts to Him.

The morning after I missed the meteor showers’ peak I was somewhat disappointed that I missed the ‘shower’ and there would only be a trickle of meteors over the next few days. For some reason, probably because of the term shower, I found myself thinking about a passage in the book of Ezekiel that describes a time when the Lord will bless His people with abundant peace and provision. He promises that there shall be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26).

I couldn’t help but think about the many blessings that God is pouring upon the earth even now. Sadly, though, too many people fail to recognize some of them because their ‘vision’ is clouded by the storms of life. We may not be living in the fullness (showers) of God’s blessing just yet, but his blessings continue to rain down on upon us whether we see them or not; and His mercies are new every morning.

I know that the world is very dark now and people are hurting, but like the Puritans, let us pray, “…let me find Thy light in my darkness.” Your circumstances might not change immediately, but God is more than capable of moving those clouds so that you can see His glory rip through your darkness with more ferocity than those fiery meteors which pierce the night sky.

It may be too late to look up and see the meteor shower, but it is never too late to look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28b).

Credit: Wally Pacholka / AstroPics.com / TWAN.

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness | Leave a Comment »

Elbow Grease and Head Cheese

December 13, 2010 by Susan Shimkovitz © 2010 - 2021

I was about seven-years-old when I first learned that elbow grease is not stored in the garage and head cheese is definitely not a dairy product. For the record, head cheese is hardly my idea of food. This nasty lunch “meat” is actually made from the flesh of a pig’s head, tongue, and other gross body parts. Why they call it head “cheese” is beyond me even today, so you can certainly understand why I was confused as a child.

Finding out the meaning of ‘elbow grease’ was really no big deal; I had been using it for years even if I hadn’t known it. Adversely, I nearly vomited when I learned the truth about head cheese the hard way -by tasting it. What kind of adult gives one of the world’s biggest cheese lovers a slice of this nasty stuff (which looks nothing like cheese) and let’s them stick it in their mouth thinking that if it has the word cheese in its name it must be good?

Speaking of cheese, my mother’s heart compels me to share a humorous memory with you. After the birth of my second daughter, my son decided he didn’t want grilled cheese sandwiches anymore. I was a bit puzzled because this was his favorite food at the time.

“Really? Why don’t you want a grilled cheese?” I asked quizzically. “You love those.”

His response made me laugh out loud.

“I don’t want no more girled cheese sam-iches, I want a boyed cheese one.”

I still get a kick out of that when it comes to mind. Then I wonder, how many times have I misunderstood my Heavenly Father while He was “feeding” me His Word?

The apostle Paul wrote: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. I Corinthians 13:11

Studying the Holy Bible is unquestionably one of my all-time favorite things to do. However, I learned a long time ago that some parts of Scripture are far more difficult to understand than others. Consequently, they can be easily misunderstood. How then are we to mature in the faith if we don’t understand some of the more obscure passages? Commentaries are wonderful resources, but ultimately they are just another man’s opinion, which may or may not be as enlightened as our own. It is very important that we read the Bible with the correct understanding.

Our Father made it easier than we think. He inspired the apostle John to write:

But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will[a] abide in Him. (I John 2:27)

I am certainly not minimizing the role of pastors and teachers. These were given by God for our benefit (Ephesians 4:11) and we most assuredly need them, but I am encouraging us all to begin EVERY Bible reading by inviting the Holy Spirit’s wise instruction. Each time we open the Bible, let us pray that the Spirit would help us to correctly read God’s words, setting aside any preconceived notions, personal biases or false teachings- anything that would hinder our understanding.

The first time I did this, it was as though I was reading Scripture for the very first time. I truly began to understand many passages far more clearly, and I believe, more accurately.

Growing in Christ is a life-long process, one that we toil at daily. I pray, therefore, that our spiritual appetites become insatiable, and that the spiritual “meat” we consume is pleasant and nourishing. No spitting this stuff out.

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Psalm 119:103)

Posted in Devotional, Guidance, Spiritual Strength | 3 Comments »

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