It Is GOOD!

This morning, unlike the morning of my last post, I did NOT wake up with a song in my heart.  I woke up with concerns about a busy day ahead of me and a minor challenge facing me this weekend. However, I'm very grateful to say that did not last long.  Almost immediately the first verse of Psalm 92 came to mind, "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord." (KJV)  

Too often I've thought of giving thanks as some sort of dutiful fulfillment of a social obligation.  I was taught always to give thanks when someone gave me a gift.  Whether I liked the gift or not was immaterial.  What was important was that I expressed gratitude and acknowledged that the person had thought enough about me to give me something.  I think sometimes I carried this sort of thinking into my expressions of gratitude to God.  

Now, there's certainly nothing wrong with expressing gratitude for a gift.  It's important to acknowledge the thoughtfulness of those around me!  But giving thanks to God is much more important - and not because God needs my thanks to feed His ego or something.  I NEED to be THANKFUL!  By making a conscious choice this morning to give thanks to God for the many blessings He has given, it transformed my attitude from one of worry and fretfulness, to one of joyful peace!!!!  What an amazing thing! It is indeed a GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS! It is transformative and magical! 

Father, thank you so much for all you do!  I am continually amazed at the way the gifts I give you turn out to be even bigger gifts for me!  Giving thanks is such a great example of this.  I give thanks as a gift to you and get an even bigger gift in return!  The peace and joy you give is amazing and I am so grateful, Father!  That you can lift my burdens so easily is such a marvelous thing.  Thank you, Father!

For more on how I created this page, check my papercrafting blog.

I Will Joyfully Sing in the Morning

Today's page emerged from another experience of awakening feeling very grateful, with a song of praise in my heart.  I already had done a page about singing to God in the morning (one of my favorite pages), but I knew there were similar verses and went looking for another one.  I found it in Ps 59:16 - "But as for me, I shall joyfully sing of Thy lovingkindness in the morning, For Thou hast been my stronghold, And a refuge in the day of my distress." (NASB)

The saying I put in the upper right corner comes from a stamp that says "Music washes away from the Soul the dust of everyday life." And I am once again reminded of the importance of starting my day with joyful praise.  It is so easy to get caught up by the "dust of everyday life" and become distressed - forgetting that God is keeping everything running right (Ps 119:164, The Message Bible).  But joyful songs of praise and a focus on appreciation for God's lovingkindness can go a long way towards cleaning me from that "dust".

This morning, as I was singing those songs of praise, I was able share via e-mail with a kindred spirit about our spiritual walks with God, and it was a wonderful time of praise for both of us.  I LOVE when I get to do that!

Father, I am so grateful for all you are and all you do in my life!  Thank you for the opportunity to share with a kindred soul about your love and kindness to us!  Thank you for being my stronghold & refuge. Thank you for the way you ensure that ALL things work together for good.  Thank you for the way you keep everything running right and and the way you guide my steps - keeping my feet from slipping off the path.  I am so grateful.  I love you, Father!

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As usual, the "how I did this" can be found on my paper crafting blog - here. 

Relic or Relationship?

For several days I've been thinking about the stories in the first seven chapters of 1 Samuel.  I've already shared some things from the first three chapters.  Today's illustration focuses on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chapters where we hear of how badly Eli's sons abused the office of priest.  And how God warned Eli that they would both die on the same day.  Today's story is the fulfillment of that promise.  When the Israelites went to battle with the Philistines and were defeated by them, they started asking why God hadn't given them the victory.  They decided they needed to take the ark of the covenant with them into the next battle to ensure their victory.  So Eli's sons brought the ark to the battle.  The Israelites were soundly defeated, the ark taken by the Philistines, and Eli's sons killed.  The picture I have in the upper left corner of the page (created using a free download from Kidco Labs), really speaks to me of the lack of respect Eli's son's were showing as they carried the ark into battle.

As I pondered the story, I began to contrast it with the story of King David's relationship with the ark as recorded in 1 Chronicles.  He said to all the people, "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul. (1 Chron 13:2,3 NIV)  In the next couple of chapters there are several examples of Him asking God about going to battle with their enemies and proceeding as God told him to proceed. 

I realized that with the lack of respect for God, the ark, and the office of the priesthood that Eli's sons exhibited, the ark had been relegated to a religious relic - an artifact that they began to believe had power in itself to win their battles.  By contrast, King David treated the ark with utmost respect as a reminder of the need to seek God's guidance.  So, what about me?  Do I relate to something as a relic when I should be focusing on relationship?

Father, do I ever treat religious objects as what has the power, rather than looking directly to You? My first thought is, certainly not! I don't even have any "religious relics".   Quick on the heels of that thought, however is the thought - what about the Bible?  Are there time's I've been content to simply read the Bible and feel I've "spent my time with God" - rather than taking the time to listen deeply within my soul for that still small voice of God speaking to me?  

As I ponder these things, I find myself right back where I was as I create the previous page!  "Speak Lord for thy servant HEARETH!" (1 Sam 3:10 KJV).  Father, you know that right now I need your direction in my life in a special way.  You know the challenge I am facing and how I'm really not sure what to do.  Father, please give me direction and make it very clear to me how I should proceed.  I don't want to be in the position of straining at gnats and swallowing camels.  I don't want to be so rooted in legalism that I make life harder than it needs to be.  But I also don't want to ignore things that are important.  Too often, I don't know where I fall on that line, Father, but you do.  Please guide my thoughts and actions as I seek to do Your will, Father.  May I be courageous enough to do what you would have me do - even if that is a very uncomfortable place to be.  But may I also be willing to bend if that is what is called for.  Father, please direct me this day!  Thank you!

Speak Lord

As you may have noticed by the words on my Bible Cover, I want God to speak to me.  I want Him to guide and direct me in my life.  But as I was contemplating these words in I Samuel 3:9&10, I realized a very important concept that Eli taught young Samuel.  He was to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." (NRSV)  

LISTENING!  Why is it so much easier for me to focus on what I want from God, instead of what He needs from me?  I want Him to speak, but how much focus do I put on LISTENING?  

This brings to mind the passage in John where Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27, NRSV)  I note that this is the prelude to one of the promises I cling to.  As the Names of God version puts it: "My sheep respond to my voice, and I know who they are. They follow me, and I give them eternal life. They will never be lost, and no one will tear them away from me. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than everyone else, and no one can tear them away from my Father." (John 10:27-29, NOG)

Father, I am so grateful that NO one can pluck me out of your hand - not even me by doing something stupid!  Father, I choose to LISTEN and RESPOND - to FOLLOW you however you lead.  Thank you for holding me in your hand and keeping ANYONE from snatching me away from you.