Walkin' in Sunshine

Psalms 97:10-12 Hate evil, you who love the Lord who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones; and give thanks to His holy name.

I’ve mentioned before that I love to read and study from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible. While reading this scripture this morning in Psalms my eyes kept being drawn back to the underlined word ‘hand’. I thought I had a direction to go with the devotional this morning…except for that pesky word ‘hand’ calling my attention. The ‘holy tap on the shoulder’ comes when He wants it, not me.

Since it is a Key Word study Bible, the word was underlined for a reason; I flipped back to the reference materials in the back of the Bible to see what it had to say. There were many uses but the specific note for this scripture was hand, power. So we can read He delivers them from the (hand) power of the wicked. It goes on to elaborate that ‘hand refers to a literal hand, although not a human one’. He delivers them from the hand of the wicked then reads He delivers them from the power of the wicked in the spiritual realm. That made sense since the words preceding it were the Lord who preserves the souls of His godly ones;

How reassuring it is to know the hand of God delivers us from the hand evil. Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. This line brings a beautiful picture to mind for me. In Biblical days seed was sown by hand, not machines laying down seed in neat compact rows. It was literally cast out by hand in a sweeping motion to cover a larger area.  Just close your eyes for a moment and see our Lord in His radiant glory casting out His heavenly light all around and gladness raining down over us!

Evil is darkness and darkness cannot occupy light. So there we are, His people, shielded from evil’s power by His very hand, the same hand that sows His light around covering us. We are then given gladness for the upright in heart. If that’s not enough to make you want to twirl and dance in thankfulness, I don’t know what it would take for you!

Victory Song

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.




I had a song come in my head last night about ‘victory’. It was there when I woke this morning, so I looked to see what scripture was related to victory and found this one (of many) in Matthew. The Lord is quoted in this scripture in Matthew and it contains an important principle which I think we sometimes tend to overlook. Many believe and even teach that if someone acquires much material prosperity, then God has surely given them favor, and that if someone is undergoing extreme trial, it must be because they have sinned or that they lack faith. But the Lord says that the sun rises and the rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. A life of good circumstances does not necessarily mean that God is with us. And likewise, a life of trial and suffering does not mean that God is not with us!

⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If we base our lives on our circumstances, we are no different than people without God. What makes us different from the world is that we have something far greater than our circumstances! We can live victoriously both in want and in plenty because we have a relationship with the living God! Note, however, we are instructed to ‘love…and pray for our enemies’ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. This is what shows we are His children, not material wealth. I’d rather be a child of the Living God in a tent than a godless wealthy person in an earthly mansion. Regardless of where I lay my head each night, the sun will rise and the rain will fall on my little tent and that mansion. The key is the love and prayer that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

This part of the scripture is probably the hardest part to walk out. It is so easy to love those that love us and our own family – our own kind - that we are connected to but the real test of this scripture is to love and pray for our enemies. I do not think it coincidence that the Spirit prompted me to pray for someone stirring up grief and conflict in our family while that little ditty about victory was flying around my head, do you? The Lord speaks to us in many ways; rare is the time you will get a clap of thunder and bolt of lightning or a burning bush. The prompting to pray for that person sure wasn’t my idea! The song was dropped into my head and spirit, I didn’t create it. Yet there they were at the same time. Hmmmmm

There is nothing wrong with rejoicing through the good times but we need to rejoice through the bad as well! If you’re going through some hard times, choose to rejoice in the Lord today! We have a greater treasure and a more amazing victory when our lives are centered upon Him at all times!

Seek Contentment

Philippians 4:12 says, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Do you ever feel empty? Like nothing is working in your life? Many people in our society suffer from emptiness. Most people look for happiness, which is short term. Happiness is a counterfeit high that quickly goes away. They hope the next superficial satisfaction will be the one that lasts. But it doesn't. External happiness is like cotton candy; it's sweet for a moment and dissolves an instant later.

The peak of emotion is happiness; the valley is sadness and depression. Many feel dissatisfied with life and look to things to bring us up. We look to more money, to have bigger and better things. We want to look better, feel more accepted, have more power and find love for our happiness. Rushes of happiness are short lived. When we rely on outside things to make us content, we will be disappointed. What we all really want is deep down soul-satisfying contentment that lasts a lifetime.

Let’s look again at Philippians 4:12 "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." The beginning is "I have learned."

Contentment is learned, it doesn't just happen. Contentment has everything to do what is inside of us. True peace & happiness comes from within. The source is Jesus Christ. We learn and grow when we accept His love & forgiveness. Our need for acceptance and accolades from outside and/or man fades when we know in our hearts the joy and contentment only Jesus and can bring.

It’s a slippery slope of disappointment and pain when we look to anything else to fill us. Contentment, like spiritual joy, is not based on circumstance or situations and especially not other people. It is a deep seeded, satisfying internal fire in which we bask, the glow of the fulfilling love Jesus offers which is not tempered by time or circumstance.  

My friends, I pray you are filled anew with an all encompassing contentment and the joy of the Lord!

Dedicated to my dear friend, Patricia McGuire July 26, 1946 - June 30, 2011

Blooming Where We are Planted

2 Corinthians 10:12b but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

     An ancient legend tells of a king who walked into his garden one day to find almost everything withered and dying. After speaking to an oak near the gate, the king learned that he was troubled because he was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine overheard their conversation and added that she, too, was upset, for she could not bear delicious fruit like the pear tree. The pear tree heard his name and began to complain that he did not have the lovely odor of the spruce. And so it went throughout the entire garden.

     Near the very edge of the garden grew a little daisy. As the king approached, he noticed her bright little face, full of life. “Well, little flower,” said the monarch, “I’m glad to find that there is at least one happy face in my garden.”

     “Oh king,” she said, “I know I’m little, and not many people notice me, but one day I realized that you if planted me here, you must have had a good reason. So, your majesty, I’ve determined to be the best little flower I can be!”

     Who among us has not, at one point or another, compared ourselves to something we admired in someone else and found ourselves lacking? When I was in high school, my aunt used to send my mother the clothes my older cousin didn’t need any longer for me. My cousin was tall, long body and long legs. I was short, possessing neither long body nor legs. I could not wear her clothes unless my mother took them apart and remade them for my smaller body. My cousin was also beautiful, had awesome blond hair and was a teen model for a large department store. To me, it looked like she had it all and I got the hand-me-downs. You can imagine what that did to a teen girl already struggling to survive in a critically dysfunctional home. I felt I didn’t measure up.

     This wasn’t my cousin’s fault, she had no idea I felt this way. As adults, we have discussed this. I was surprised to learn her mom always compared her to her younger sister and she felt she was the odd duck that didn’t measure up.

     If you are determined to compare yourself to others, you can easily find someone prettier, smarter, richer, more educated, sweeter, more talented in something you always wanted to do but can’t, funnier and more ‘successful’ by worldly standards.

     We must come to a place where we trust that God has a reason for creating us the way He has and has planted us in just the place he desired. Not one of us is greater than the next. Comparing ourselves with one another will only make us wither. When we become satisfied in His creation (that is us), that’s when we’ll find true happiness... and we will shine like the little daisy in the story above.

    A garden is not defined by one plant alone but by the complexity and beauty the variety of specimens contribute and the love and nurturing care the gardener uses to oversee the garden. Let’s give God our all our disappointments and be determined to be the best that we can be for Him! He’s the Master Gardener; let’s grow where He planted us into what He created us to be.

The Cost of Happiness

In this crazy world today more people are buying into the ‘more stuff + new stuff = happiness’ trap. This can be material and/or relational stuff. Tired of the old couch, get a new one. Bored with the same spouse, get a new one. We, as a culture, seem to place a high value on acquiring ‘new stuff’. It is not a matter of ‘need’ but a ‘want’ we are trying to appease. Regardless, when we give ‘stuff’ power to determine our level of happiness we are no different than the monkeys discussed below. Watch for the parallel.

Charles Swindoll wrote about these men who bring in animals from Africa for American zoos. They say that one of the hardest animals to catch there is the ring-tailed monkey. For the Zulus of that continent, however, it’s simple. They’ve been catching this agile little animal with ease for years.

The method the Zulus use is based on knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand to reach the seeds inside. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. This he cannot do. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and nab him.

     

      The monkey is determined not to let go of the seeds because he is convinced they will make him happy. Apparently, sitting with his hand stuck in a melon is not too high a price for the creature because he clings to his possessions to his own peril. Know any people like that? Of course you do. 

Recently, I have been witness to a couple going through divorce. It amazes me the tenacity to which ownership is being exercised over material things. So much so, that one party clings to retaining things they do not even want but claim them just so the other party will not get them. This isn’t about the tragic loss of a marriage but about who can walk away with the most toys and possessions. I guarantee you none of the stuff will fill the void in their lives when the dust settles. Not one piece of furniture or box of dishes will matter then.

There’s a pretty clear moral to this story, wouldn’t you say? If we really want to be free, we must let go of the material things we love. The more we hold on to our earthly possessions, the more frustrated we will get and eventually, we will be entrapped.

Let’s let go of the worldly things we’ve been holding on to. God has much greater things for us to be doing than sitting here with our fists in a melon!

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.