Open your Bible to the middle and there you find the hymnbook of God—those inspired songs full of praises and prayers. God inspired the psalms for many reasons, but one important reason is to enhance the worship of His people.
Divine Lenses
There is no doubt in my mind that Jonah had a greater than passing acquaintance with the LORD. After all, he was a prophet with whom God shared His mind. The Hebrew for know is “yada: to know by experience”.
Out of Your Comfort Zone
The last thing Jonah wanted was the quick about-face of those nasty Ninevites. After all, they were the enemy. No way did they deserve compassion! Can’t you just see him gritting his teeth, having a real pity party. Hmm, I’ve been there a time or two myself.
Forty More Days
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land (2:10). Whew, a bit of drama! In my mind’s eye I see Jonah shaking off the gastric juices of that big fish with a shudder. What a relief!
In the Belly of the Big Fish
I love the little aside about the sailors. No way did they want to throw Jonah into the turbulent waters. They did their best to row back to land, but the sea grew even wilder than before (1:13).
Run, Jonah. Run
Ah, January—I love Januarys. Januarys beckon me to step back and consider the old year. I transpose my Canadian memories of crisp snowfalls to cover the muddy paths I’ve been over. I cry to the Lord: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7). But then Januarys urge me on to chase the new with vigor: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
Angelic Protection
The thought of God charging angels to “keep watch over you” comforts me, especially since I mostly think of angels watching over children. When my young son fell out of a tree, his sister ran into the kitchen screaming for help. As I headed out the door, he passed me on his way in.
God as my Protector
My son-in-law built a charming playhouse for his girls. But to my surprise, he recently converted that same little house into a chicken coop! I now believe the chickens’ shenanigans have provided more entertainment than the girls’ playhouse adventures.
God as my Deliverer
I noticed it in the inner courtyard of a home in North Africa’s Atlas Mountains. Its intricacy reminded me of a Tinker Toy creation. What a surprise to discover it was a handmade stick trap for snaring small birds—a common pastime for local boys while tending their goats.
God as my Refuge
We once lived in “tornado alley,” the East/West path tornados travel through our state. The first tornado that barreled through our little town left a lasting impression on me. While warning sirens blared, I rushed all four children into the bathtub then squeezed in among them.
The Secret Place
The Holly tree in my front yard provided a favorite childhood secret place. Its tangle of branches allowed me access to a forked limb, my special sitting spot.
Meeting the Need
My neighbor texted me to ask if we had nets to cover the two fruit trees in our backyard to protect them from the anticipated winter weather. I have to admit, I had not even thought about how the cold temperatures could bring death to our trees.
Freeze Warning
After the unexpected bad weather we experienced a couple of years ago in South Texas, people took the anticipated freeze warning seriously. The forecasted eighteen degrees definitely fell below any normal winter temperature in the South.
Not on Our Own
We are all on a journey. Interestingly enough each one travels his or her own unique path, but there are commonalities that tend to draw us together.
What We’re Here For
What started out as a normal Wednesday morning quickly changed into one ordained by God, an indescribable blessing!
Voice in My Head
When our pastor started preaching from the book of Romans, we received stickers of a visual way to share Christ with others. I stuck mine in my Bible and promptly forgot about it. The day it fell out changed my life and eventually the life of someone else as well.
Seasons: Day 5
As I write this, it is still August and still hot. However, in the little garden by my front porch something interesting has happened. The day lilies, whose spent foliage stood like brittle, brown sentinels during the hottest part of the summer, are sending up new green leaves. On more than one occasion, I was sorely tempted to pull up my little garden eyesores and be done with it. Only one thing stopped me: those husks could be providing shade and protection for tender life beneath the soil.
Seasons: Day 4
During a recent lunch conversation, a friend and I got on the topic of “significant” birthdays. The particular number under discussion was one looming on her horizon, but solidly in my rearview mirror, making me the expert on the subject.
Seasons: Day 3
If you ask young children to name the seasons, some might answer, “Christmas, Easter, July 4th and Halloween.” Following that train of thought, the sign of each new season would be the bursting forth of appropriate merchandise on the shelves of local retailers. Ah, sad, but true…
Seasons: Day 2
On day 4 of Creation, God placed two great lights in the heavens. Lights we recognize as the sun and our moon; one direct and one reflective.