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February 22, 2014

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God's Promises

Who Is God?

God said to Moses: I am the eternal God. So tell them that the Lord, whose name is “I Am,” has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on. [Exodus 3:14-15 (CEV)]

God was and always has been. He is and forever will be. There is no beginning and no end to him. He is Yahweh: the great I AM. How can our small minds possibly comprehend the enormity of God? Our understanding is limited by our vocabulary and there are no words sufficient to describe Him. Oh, Lord, help us to understand.

I am God. I am who I am. … I am what some would say ‘holy, and wholly other than you.’ The problem is that many folks try to grasp some sense of who I am by taking the best version of themselves, projecting that to the nth degree, factoring in all the goodness they can perceive, which often isn’t much, and then calling that God. And while it may seem like a noble effort, the truth is that it falls pitifully short of who I really am. I’m not merely the best version of you that you can think of. I am far more than that, above and beyond all that you can ask or think. [From “The Shack” by Wm. Paul Young]

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February 20, 2014

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God's Plan, Prayer

The Butterfly Effect

butterflyOh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? [Romans 11:33-34 (NLT]

A simplified explanation of the “butterfly effect” is that a small change to one thing can result in a large change to a seemingly unrelated thing or condition somewhere else. In theory, the flap of a butterfly’s wing could cause a hurricane several weeks later. When we say our prayers and ask for something or someone to change, we need to remember that God is the only one who can see all of the ramifications of that alteration. While we have a very limited concept of what the future will bring, God’s view is all-encompassing. He has a perfect view of yesterday, today, and tomorrow all at once. He sees not just our lives, but all of the lives before us, with us and that will come after us. He knows exactly what will happen if he grants our prayers, not just to us but to everyone else, too.

Thank you, God, for your limitless vision and infinite wisdom when answering our prayers.

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February 19, 2014

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God's Grace & Love, Nature

We Know the Artist

zebrasThe heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or words; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. [Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT)]

Recently, I toured an art museum with a docent who told me about each artist’s life and work. Knowing something about the individual artists helped me to better appreciate their art.

Aren’t we fortunate that we know the artist who scattered the stars, painted the stripes on the zebra, sculpted the Rocky Mountains, fashioned the delicate hummingbird, and handcrafts each flake of snow? When we observe God’s artistry, we’re doubly blessed. Not only do we know something about His majestic work, but we also know the Creator personally!

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. [Romans 1:20 (NLT)]

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February 18, 2014

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God's Plan, Obedience

How Will We Respond?

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. [Jonah 1:1-3a (NLT)]

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” [Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)]

When God calls, will we hear his voice or turn a deaf ear? And, once we hear his voice, will we be willing to heed his call? Like Jonah, will we run the opposite direction or, like Isaiah, will we respond, “Here I am. Send me!”?

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February 15, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, God's Grace & Love, Joy

Let’s Go Fly a Kite

2014-2-15Jerusalem, sing and be happy! Israel, shout for joy! Jerusalem, be happy and have fun! [Zephaniah 3:14 (ERV)]

We sometimes take ourselves way too seriously. Our reading is often for the sole purpose of learning or spiritual enlightenment, not simply pleasure. Our walks or runs aren’t for enjoyment but to burn calories and get fit. We feel the need to be intentional about every moment of our lives, but must everything we do have a serious objective? When was the last time you enjoyed your old photos without feeling guilty about not having them sorted or put in albums? When was the last time you took a run and didn’t check your pace or pulse? When was the last time you relished the beauty of your garden without thinking about the weeds that needed to be pulled? Christians, especially, can be a serious, if not a somber, group. “Fun-loving” or “light-hearted” are usually not the first adjectives that come to mind when one hears the word “Christian.”

This has been a brutal winter for many. Some have endured terrible weather, others have suffered from health issues, and yet others have been troubled with financial or family problems. Whether we call it relaxation, enjoyment, or amusement, God’s gift of fun replenishes us. So, today, let’s have some fun. Why not play a silly game, build a snowman or a sandcastle, watch a sunset, have a snowball fight or walk in a nature preserve? Watch an Abbott and Costello movie, read Dr. Seuss, sit in front of a fire and enjoy a cup of cocoa with whipped cream and marshmallows, have a picnic (inside or out), or go to the zoo. Fly a kite, do jigsaw puzzles, go to the dog park and play with your pooch, curl up by the fire with Agatha Christie or Stephen King, or look through old photos, remembering the good times and laughing at the outfits and hair. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself and don’t feel guilty about not being productive. We’re told to “make a joyful noise,” and while having fun won’t bring us joy, I’m not sure we can ever be truly joyful without having a little fun! Fun, like every other good and perfect thing is a gift from God; let’s not forget to have it!

Thank you. Lord, for the gift of fun; never let me forget how to smile and relax. Help me understand the difference between wasting time and having a good time!

But God was always there doing the good things that prove he is real. He gives you rain from heaven and good harvests at the right times. He gives you plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy. [Acts 14:17 (ERV)]

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. (Bertrand Russell)

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February 14, 2014

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God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Thanks & Praise

He Sends Us Valentimes Every Day (Valentine’s Day)

But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. [Psalm 42:8 (NLT)]

We are loved and God doesn’t play favorites with his people. He couldn’t love any of us more than he already does and He won’t love any of us less. He loves the leper as much as the missionary, the street-weary prostitute as much as the social worker, the homeless addict as much as the soup-kitchen volunteer, the embezzler as much as the humanitarian and the sinner as much as the saint. No one is considered damaged goods or ‘seconds’ in God’s world. He loves us all! Thank you, God, for your unwavering love for us your flawed children.

God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us. [Fulton J. Sheen]