Category Archives: Direction

“Do Not Touch!”

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boundaries

My most favorite moment of the day is the one in which my husband returns home from work –or anywhere, for that matter. Although, yesterday was one of those rare occasions when, instead of being greeted with a hug and kiss, my beloved greeted me with the words, “Don’t touch me!” And I am certainly glad he did!

Allow me to explain. In his line of work, my husband is occasionally exposed to the one thing that I am deathly allergic to, and he is not willing to risk my well-being, should any of the nasty stuff be lingering on him or his clothes. Of course, he enjoys my hugs as well, but he loves me way too much to allow a simple moment of pleasure to put me in harm’s way.

When my beloved says, “Don’t touch me!” I am always thankful; not only for the caution he has given, but also for the additional steps he takes to keep me safe. After his warning, he immediately showers and washes the clothing he was wearing so I do not have to touch them. Afterwards, when I finally get my hug, I feel all the more loved.

And that makes me think about our loving Heavenly Father. He too has established some boundaries for mankind, which are all designed to keep us safe from harm. And He loves us enough that He takes care of even the minutest details as we trust Him, and obey Him.

What about you dear reader, have you ever been frustrated by any of those ‘Thou Shall Not’ instructions in the Bible? If so, I would like you to encourage you that any time our precious LORD says no, He is not doing so to hinder us –quite the opposite in fact; they are simply boundaries meant to keep us safe and enjoy a more abundant, healthy and happy life, as it is written:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Having said that, the next time that you hear that soft voice of conviction warn you, “Do Not Touch,” even for something as simple as a book, or a television show, I hope you will walk away, rejoicing in the overwhelming love of your Heavenly Father -a love that cares too much to allow you to put yourself in harm’s way.

This too shall pass!

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bunny.engergizer

Certainly, we all need to: Put on the whole armor of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

Although, truth be told, sometimes the devil has absolutely nothing to do with those insufferable days and seasons when everything that can go wrong does; and like the Energizer® bunny, just keeps on going. Comedian and Gospel singer, Mark Lowry, has often said that his favorite Bible verse is, “This too shall pass!” Of course, that’s not a literal verse, but the concept is certainly found within the pages of our precious Holy Bible.

Dear reader, I pray you start every day, especially the more difficult ones, with the full assurance that When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles (Psalms 34:17).

And, if you listen closely during those trying times, you will most assuredly hear the LORD gently remind you, “This too shall pass!”

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Is your armor scratched and well-worn? If so, you may enjoy my Rays of Light blog:
KNIGHTS IN DAZE
(click on this link to view)

Normal People Worry Me

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Adorning my refrigerator is a rather large magnet that reads: Normal People Worry Me! I’ve told my closest friends they have no cause for concern, though, because there’s hardly a normal one in the bunch. Still, despite the lighthearted jest, I do believe that being abnormal is, in today’s world, a good thing, because the LORD doesn’t care for “normal” either.

How can we know this?  Obviously, the LORD doesn’t rely on magnets to make His thoughts known, but He has certainly given us His word, wherein, He speaks of His children thus:

For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself… (Deuteronomy 14:2)

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14).

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people… (Exodus 19:5).

The word peculiar, in both Hebrew and Greek, has the same meaning; something that is uncommon, set-apart and very valuable. Quite the opposite, normal denotes that which is common or ordinary.  Hence, when looking back on my adolescent years, I find it humorous how often I then  lamented that, “I just want to be normal.”

Presently, normal is the last thing I want to be.  Which brings me back to the aforementioned magnet; whenever I see that humorous little phrase, “Normal People Worry Me,”  I sometimes take a moment to ask myself if my witness, as a believer, is commonplace and ordinary. After all, each of our lives, like a refrigerator magnet, clearly displays a message.

Dear reader,what message does your life display? Is it “peculiar” enough that people take notice of the LORD, whose ambassador you are. Or, is your life so normal, your Christian witness so common, that the world simply overlooks it?

It’s your choice, you can either blend into the world effortlessly, or you can choose to be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (I Peter 2:9).

“I Was Asleep”

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My son recently upgraded to a larger, softer bed. A few days later, hoping that this had helped to alleviate some of the discomfort that he had been having, I asked, “Did you sleep any better?” Without skipping a beat, he nonchalantly answered, “I don’t know. I was asleep.”

To some, this answer might sound smart-alecky, but to those who know my son to be the concrete thinker that he is, his answer was perfectly logical. It never occurred to him that within my question, there was an implied inquiry as to whether or not the new mattress had a positive effect on his body. Still, his answer took me by surprise. I expected a yes or no, at the very least, but instead, he simply answered that he was asleep.

That plain, uncomplicated response brought to my mind the following Scripture:

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:
for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
–Psalms 4:8

Dear reader, it doesn’t get any simpler than this. The Lord has everything under control, and He will take care of us! I pray, therefore, that whenever you are distressed and discomfited, that you will not be tempted to stay awake at night fretting and worrying. Let us instead look to Jesus as our example. When the storm was raging, He was sleeping on a cushion in the stern of the boat (Mark 4:38). Likewise, when the storms of life raged so fiercely that others feared you would drown, I trust you simply, and confidently, told them, “I was asleep!”

Another Voice

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This morning I awoke to the cheerful sound of a puppy barking. Pleasant as this was, I don’t have a puppy. I do, however, have a vivacious cockatiel that loves to entertain. Boaz has a whole repertoire of songs he likes to whistle, and sounds he likes to mimic.

Admittedly, there have been times that I have mistaken some of Boaz’s sounds for others, especially his imitation of the oven timer, which he has skillfully mastered. However, being bamboozled by a feathery friend is a far cry different than being deceived by an enemy. I would like to say that has never happened to me, but sadly, it has happened far too often.

This afternoon, I was reflecting on the ease by which a person can be deceived, when the following scripture came to mind:

And when he [Jesus] putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.   And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers (John 10:4,5).

The truth is, dear reader, that today’s culture tends to bombard each of us with all kinds of “voices” –voices which beckon us to turn this way or that; to do something, buy something, accept something. While most demand simple life decisions, all too many of those “voices” serve only to distract, or confuse us in our faith, if we aren’t careful. Sadly, in our present culture, what used to be black and white has slowly turned into varying shades of gray, and that which used to be absolute has become ambiguous, even in the church.

So how do we know where to draw the line? How can we, as Christians, be “culturally relevant” without weakening the foundations of our faith? It’s quite simple, really. As one of Christ’s sheep, we will know His voice. And if we purpose to listen to His voice daily, we won’t be duped into following another, nor will we be easily deceived by the adversary of our souls. I don’t know about you, but this brings me great comfort!

Running On Empty

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I’m beginning to think my least favorite letter in the alphabet is E, but that’s only because I’ve seen it a bit too much lately. There I was, driving one of my kids to work in a vehicle that was parked in the driveway, emptied of gas by her sibling, yet again.

Oh, the frustrations of being a single car family –our second vehicle recently bit the dust– and oh the frustrations of realizing half-way where you need to be that you probably don’t have enough gas to get there. Fortunately, we weren’t going too far, and there was a gas station across the road from my daughter’s workplace.   Even though this was not my station of choice, I was able to drift there on fumes,  put a few dollars worth of gas in the tank. then drive to the preferred gas station and fill ‘er up. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Truthfully, there are times, when my spiritual tank is on empty, that I only have time to pray briefly, putting just enough fuel in the tank to get me by until I can “fill ‘er up”– more often than I care to admit. At times like that I have to remind myself that Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing, in  Greek, means to pray without intermission. Paul wasn’t speaking of super-lengthy prayers, nor was he speaking of praying every minute of every day; he was merely encouraging his brethren to pray frequently, never letting long gaps develop in their prayer life.

What about you, dear reader, do you ever feel like you are running on empty, and cannot find enough time to pray as long as you would like, for whatever reason? What we all need to remember is that it’s not so much the quantity of time spent in prayer that matters; it is the quality. Let us, therefore, make every minute count!

“Quit Yer Caterwauling”

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“Quit yer caterwaulin,” they used to say. As a youngster, I somewhat resented the sounds of children at play being likened to a bunch of screeching, quarrelsome cats. But now that I’m getting up in age, I can certainly sympathize with some of the older folks just wanting some peace and quiet.

I often feel that way when it comes to all of the clamor this world dishes out; unwanted phone calls from telemarketers hocking their wares, billboards screaming their messages to every passerby, soap box soldiers, and television commercials –many quite inappropriate, all vying for our attention, time and money. And the clangor goes on and on.

Admittedly, this world’s enticements and coaxing often seem to me to be little more than the raucous din of caterwauling. During those times, I am so very thankful for the privilege of being able to shut the world out and slip away for some quiet time with my precious LORD. As the Psalmist wrote:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (91:1,2).

As for today, the morning has just begun, yet I feel a stirring, a deep-down longing, for that heavenly quiet time. I cannot, therefore, think of a better time to silently tell the world, “Quit yer caterwaulin!” then slip off for some alone time with He who is worthy of all the time and attention we can give.

Dear reader, may you also find time today, and every day, to abide under the shadow of the Almighty and bask in His sweet presence. There, in the secret place, you will find peace and rest for your weary soul, and refuge from the bombardments of this world should you need it.

Blessings….

My Reality Check Bounced

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“My reality check bounced,” lamented one frustrated soul. Who amongst us has not experienced that sentiment on occasion? I remember too well the first time my bank of faith was severely overdrawn: I stood angry, throwing a tantrum,  a new-born believer accusing God, as though that were really possible, invisible fists waving, tears streaming.

You promised thus and such, I reminded Him. Yet every time I take a few steps toward you, I complained further, you kick the ladder out from underneath me.

Dear reader, if you know me personally, or read my blogs regularly, you might think this sounds nothing like me, and you would be correct. But this event happened many years ago when I was still wearing spiritual diapers, immature, not realizing that it was time to take baby steps into those trials that would serve to increase my faith and build character.

If only I had internalized Psalm 9:10 before my world fell apart, Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you, I may have behaved less like a spoiled child and fought the good fight. In those early days, however, I didn’t know how to hang on to my faith in a Job-like situation and so I grumbled and wailed.

Have you ever been there, friend? Are you there now? Perhaps you are presently going through a battle and feel, as I did those many years ago, that God has deserted you in your time of need. If so may I say, in love, that your reality check has bounced. GOD has said He will never leave us nor forsake us. And we know that He will cause all things, even our trials and sufferings, to work for our good. (Romans 8:28).

And you can take that to the bank!

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid (of them): for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (Deuteronomy 31:6).

The Lord replied, “My precious child, precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering
when you saw only one set of footprints…
It was then that I carried you.

Footprints in the Sand — Leona Lewis (click here to listen)

Walking Upon Impossibilities

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These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Greetings in the name of our precious LORD.

I don’t know about you, but my get-up-and-go seems to have gotten up and gone, and for the last few weeks I haven’t been able to find it. Pesky little medical conditions tend to do that to a person, but I am not the least bit discouraged. For now, I am resting my body, and more importantly, I am resting in the promises of my precious LORD. I do plan to dust my keyboard off very soon, but for today, I want to share one of my  older “Rays of Light” blogs that I feel quite applicable to my situation. Hopefully, it will bless you as well, as you face life’s challenges.

Walking Upon Impossibilities

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” Thomas Carlyle, Scottish Historian.

Sitting in a crowded waiting room this past week, I watched a very young girl make her way slowly across the room. Tears pooled in my eyes at the thought that this crippled child would have to use crutches for the rest of her life. But she wasn’t the least bit sad. From the sweet, careless smile which lit her innocent face, it was quite obvious that she didn’t give her legs a second thought.

I was reminded of William Pitt the Elder, a British Politician, who was an extremely influential figure during the French Revolution. What Pitt lacked in physical strength, he more than made up for in determination. The concept of limitation was a foreign one to him.

Though he rarely delegated duty, he had at some point during the war given a direct command to one of his officials. When the man balked at the impossibility of the task, Pitt reprimanded him by pointing to his crutches and confidently declared: “Sir, I walk upon impossibilities!”

There is no question that all of humanity is currently facing difficulty and hardship. The future holds many uncertainties and without God, I believe, little hope. With God, however, there is much hope because with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Whatever you are going through right now, dear reader, remember that we may all lose a few battles, but we will most assuredly win the war. Now is not the time to give in to discouragement; there is too much work to do. It may be difficult, but let us all rise to the challenge.

Marie Currie, French physicist and Nobel Peace Prize winner summarized this well. She said “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that…. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”

It is far too easy to allow circumstances to cripple us. And when they do, we can choose to accept them as insurmountable, henceforth hobbling on emotional crutches. Or we can look them squarely in the face and declare, as Mr. Pitt did, “I walk upon impossibilities!” Let me remind you again, with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).

Like A Flood

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Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.

This past weekend, the weather here was horrendous. We were hit with the whole gamut of storm threats, including tornadoes, hail and flooding. In fact the hail stone pictured –or should I say hail boulder- was one of many that pounded this region. There was quite a bit of property loss in our area, but praise the LORD, there were no serious injuries.

I thought of the second half of Isaiah 59:19: When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. However, the ancient Hebrew texts did not have commas, or paragraphs for that matter, so instead of reading:

When the enemy shall come in like a flood —the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him

the verse could just as easily read

When the enemy shall come in —like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

What’s the difference? The difference is where you place the emphasis. Dear reader, when you are bombarded with the storms of life, do you focus more on the storm, or on the one who can calm it?

It is only natural to feel completely overwhelmed at times. Undoubtedly, many of the folks here that lost their homes in the tornadoes felt that way. I’m sure they could relate to the words of King David did when he penned the following:

My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm.
Psalm 55:4-8 NIV

But David didn’t stop there, allowing his situation to flood him with despair. Instead, he confidently proclaimed, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me” (verse 16).

Dear reader, I leave you with these encouraging words from the same Psalm; may they flood you with peace during your roughest storms.

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (verse 22).