Think on These Things

 "Whatever things are true..." = "Jesus loves me, this I know!" 

THINK ON THESE THINGS

“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things,” Philippians 4:8 NKJV.  The NIV translations ends with the words, “think about such things.”

 In these challenging times in which we’re living, it’s easy to have thoughts filled with negativity.  Too often, I find myself thinking about how many people are still coming down with Covid and how many have died – which leads to fear and sorrow.  The need to wear masks and distance from people has caused further stress by isolating us from friends and family.  Add to that, the uncertain and bitter political climate, and we find ourselves living inside a toxic mix that easily leads to negativity.

 God knew there would be times like this.  All through the centuries since Paul wrote those words to the Philippians at God’s bidding, people have suffered through challenging times.  Yet, God doesn’t want us to fall prey to the enemies push toward fearful, sorrowful, despairing, selfish thinking.  He offers us an alternative that’s a far better way.

 The two verses in Philippians that precede the “thinking happy thoughts” verse above, go like this:  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (4:6-7).

 Put these three verses together and you have a wonderful prescription for overcoming all of the negative junk swirling around us.  God's got this!  Let’s trust the loving heart of our Father and cling to His promise that He will replace our anxiety and confusion with peace and joy.  
           Ah, peace and joy – just what the doctor ordered (:

Note:  I saw this stain glass of our Lord as the good Shepherd in the First Congregational Church of Portland, in Oregon.

God's Creations

 

GOD'S CREATIONS

   It's time for a trip to the Zoo in Norfolk.  It may be chilly and bleak outside, but we can enjoy a warm, colorful visit to one of our favorite zoos from the comfort of -- well, wherever you are at this moment!
   Don't you love the flamboyant beauty of the Peacock?  He even has a haughty look on his face.  I always think the fancy headdress and long, glowing tail feathers should make this bird a "she," but it's the male of the animal species that sport the colorful plumage.  Note the close-up of his fancy skirt below.

You might say, the "ayes" have it

"Say what?"  This Giraffe is giving us a hard stare.

Aww!  This Red Panda looks so cute and cuddly.  

I feel like I'm seeing double, but these Patagonian Cavy stay paired together for life - so I guess they felt they should stand like matching statues too.  These animals are only found in Argentina - and apparently, Norfolk.

"Did we wake you, Mr. Lion?"  With eyes half-shut and that grumpy expression, looks like someone stayed up too late last night!  

In contrast to Mr. Lion, this Meerkat looks bright-eyed and -- well...I can't tell if he's also bushy-tailed.

And last, but far from least, we have a majestic Tiger, partially hidden by bushes -- not a sight you would want to run into on a hike through the forest.  So glad I live in Virginia instead of Tanzania!

 "And God made the beast of the earth, according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth, according to its kind. And God saw that it was good," Genesis 1:25.

When God spoke to Job, He said, "But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you...who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind," Job 12:7-10.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief visit to our local Zoo.  It's always a wonder and amazement to see the great variety that God displays for us in His vast and varied creation.  And with all of this marvelous creation, let us say, "I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works, I will be glad and rejoice in You," Psalm 9:1.

Omnipotent God

 OMNIPOTENT GOD

I love this stain glass window that sits above the doorway of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fredericksburg, Texas.  This vibrant glass portrait depicts our Lord as the Almighty King of kings – His rightful title.

We might say that Jesus’ first entry onto earth came “not with a bang, but a whimper.”  His second coming will be the polar opposite.
            The first time He came as a helpless baby, born in a dirty stable of humble parents.  The second time He will come as King of kings, Creator of the universe and ready to assume His throne.  This time He will arrive, not with the whimper of a newborn baby, but with the bang of the eternal Creator who has arrived to set His creation straight.

            We look at the world around us and wonder at the direction it’s headed.  Yet even when it looks like evil has won, believers need not fear.  It often appears to be darkest the hour before dawn.
            The world doesn’t realize it, but it’s marching to the beat of the Master Drummer.  God created time when He created our universe.  His timeline was set before the first tick of the clock at the beginning of it all.  Do we really think there hasn’t been a single minute when this awesome God wasn’t totally in control of His creation?

 Let’s look at some of God’s statements that give us a glimpse into Who He is:
       “’For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done,’ saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’” Isaiah 46:9-10.
       “Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool,’” Isaiah 66:1.
       “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?...who shut in the sea with doors?...Can you send out lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are!’?...Everything under heaven is Mine,’” Job 38, 41.

              

             The next time we become fearful and confused as we look at the chaos in the world around us, remember Who is in control.  The book of Proverbs reminds us, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,…He turns it wherever He wishes,” 21:1.
            God is in control of presidents, countries, elections, etc., etc., etc.  There is no “random” and there are no accidents.  Every thread God pulls through the tapestry of this world’s timeline is specific to His plan.  God works with perfect precision.  Everything has a purpose.  We can rest in the assurance of that truth.

            The more we acknowledge the omnipotent grandeur of Holy God, the more we’ll know that He is the Power Who will bring all things to the final, perfected conclusion contained in His Master plan.  And even as we kneel before Him in utter amazement and worshipful humility, He reaches out and lifts us, His beloved children, into His loving arms and says to us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you,” Jeremiah 31:3.
            Oh, the wonder of amazing grace, that the Almighty God of all time and space should reach down and tenderly love little ole you and me!
            “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1.

             We are blessed indeed!

  

---Note:  I’ve used a number of familiar clichés in this post - for the fun of it, and also because they actually fit.  Here are their origins:
    -“Not with a bang, but a whimper,” written by T.S. Eliot (1925) in his poem, The Hollow Man.
    -a quote about being darkest the hour before dawn, written by Thomas Fuller (1650) in his religious travelogue.
    -a quote about marching to the beat of his own drummer was written by Henry David Thoreau (1854) in his book, Walden.

The Red Balloon

THE RED BALLOON

 

A few weeks ago, when I was eating breakfast and looking out the window, I spotted a small splash of red among the bare limbs high in the trees behind my house.  

  I soon determined it was a red balloon stuck among the skeletal treetops.  For several days, I watched the balloon wave in the wind, its metallic surface catching the sunlight and shining like a red lightbulb attached to the limb.  It was nice to see this bit of color in an otherwise gray landscape.

  Then, one day, the red balloon was gone.  My eyes searched the treetops, thinking perhaps it had floated to a different spot and I’d see it in another tree.  It was one of those cloudy, dreary winter days and the nice splash of red was nowhere to be seen.  I felt disappointed to see it go.

 Two days later, a flash of red caught my eye.  Ha!  The balloon was still there.  It had been there all the time – I just hadn’t been able to see it because it was cloudy and apparently the balloon had laid still against the far side of the tree limb.

  Immediately, I felt like God was showing me an illustration of a truth I'd just read.  God works in such mysterious ways and He will use the most mundane things to show us a bit more about Himself and His relationship to us. 

 At the time, I’d been reading my morning devotional, “Jesus Calling,” by Sarah Young.  The author writes as if Jesus is speaking to us, saying, “…your awareness of My Presence falters and flickers…When your focus is broad enough to include Me in your thoughts, you feel safe and complete.  When your perception narrows so that problems or details fill your consciousness, you feel empty and incomplete…Learn to look steadily at Me in all your moments and all your circumstances…Fix your gaze on what is unseen, even as the visible world parades before your eyes.”

  Sometimes we feel God’s presence wrapped around us, like a warm blanket on a cold day.  Like a balloon, flashing its red light as if to say, “Good morning!  I’m here to cheer your day!”  Other times, God seems so far away we wonder if He still knows we exist.  For some reason, we can’t see Him or feel His presence, so we think maybe He’s not there – like the day the red balloon was not visible.

  Just like the red balloon was there all the time, God is always right here with us.  He has promised never to leave us or forsake us – never, ever.  James reminds us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” 4:8.  Because God is always near us, I believe that verse means that we need to draw near to God so that we will feel His nearness, because it’s our awareness of His Presence that falters and flickers.  He is always here.

 “We love Him because He first loved us,” 1 John 4:19.

“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit,” 1 John 4:13.