Ecclesiastes 5:2 jumped off the page at me. I realized it referred to public prayer, but how often did my private prayer time consist of me doing all the talking? I determined I would spend time listening.
All in Obedience
Do What He Says
Remember when your parents said, just do what I say? Did you ever tell yourself, I’ll never say to my kids, because I said so? Did you keep that vow? I said it as well, and I broke that vow as well. I think God says the same thing to us!
Expectancy or Expectation
My precious granddaughter is in the terrific twos, so her emotions are all over the spectrum. If she does not get what she wants, screaming, crying, and pouting follow.
Upon reading Emmanuel by Ruth Chou Simons, I realized I was more like my granddaughter than I cared to admit.
Without Finding Fault
“Mama, would you help me with this problem?”
Your Holy Ground
Perhaps you’ve sung the song Holy Ground at some point. If so, did you feel like you were on holy ground? Sometimes I feel it more when I’m singing to the Lord, looking at the expansive ocean waters or a mountain range, or spending time with Jesus on my deck.
Writing the Word
Have you ever wondered what it was like to only have God’s Word shared orally? No written scripture to study and memorize? What if no one had ever taken God’s words and written them down so that we have a physical Bible?
A Vital Message
God calls people in every generation to proclaim His truth. Noah preached righteousness. Moses proclaimed God’s laws. Paul carried the gospel to the Gentiles. Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and Billy Graham have boldly proclaimed the truth of Jesus to recent generations.
The Thoughtfulness of God
I have a friend who is gifted with thoughtfulness. Every time I see her, she has a little gift for me.
If…Then
Remember when your mom said, If you ____ (fill in the blank), then I will____ (fill in the blank)? It depends on the if what the then would be. Then depends on what you did with the if. Joyful or painful! Blessing or curse.
Sweet and Sour
I still remember that sweltering sunny day. As a child, picking strawberries was one of my favorite summer outings. I loved walking the aisles, eyeing the perfect berry and plucking it off the bush. As we began, I distinctly remember my mother’s instructions.No tasting the berries before we pay. That’s stealing.
Self-Control
Do you find yourself having self-control in some areas of your life, but others not so much? I know I do. Sometimes I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I go up and up feeling like I have made so much progress and then, bam, down I go at a much faster pace than I went up.
Motion at Your Front Door
A loud thump on our front door shattered our peace and quiet as we relaxed one evening. We looked but could not find anything. Before the evening expired my husband had ordered a ring doorbell for our front porch.
With a ring doorbell a person gets messages on their phone to alert them of any movement picked up on the front porch camera. The message displayed: “There is motion at your front Door.”
No Shame
What makes you feel ashamed? I hate making dumb mistakes, like smarting off without thinking before I speak. In the past, I made many choices that I’m ashamed of. And I still do today if I don’t set my heart on Jesus.
Thornbushes and Brick Walls
Well, Hosea did as God told him to and married Gomer. She conceived and bore him a son, a daughter, and another son (1:3). Then things went awry. Gomer became restless, in spite of the love of Hosea: “I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink” (2:5). She had totally forgotten who had rescued her, protected her, loved her, and supplied all her needs.
Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
Ah, January—fun fact: “January was named for the Roman god Janus, known as the protector of gates and doorways which symbolize beginnings and endings. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future” (almanac.com). Time to put on our two faces of Janus this week and dig into the book of Hosea to build some godly wisdom for 2024.
Prepare the Way – No Excuses
As we waited in our spot by the curb for the annual Christmas parade, our two-and-a-half-year-old grandson grew impatient. I tried to tell him about all of the cool lights and sights the parade promised, but to no avail. I could not believe it when he came up with an excuse for why he would not enjoy the event.
Quick and Slow
While these words have meaning and benefit in our relationship with others, I hear God prompting me to be quick to listen to his voice through His word….to be eager to hear, believing that all is profitable to me and glorifies God. This speaks of a hunger that drives me to Scripture for satisfaction.
Are You Listening?
Have you ever noticed how God speaks in multiple ways when He is trying to get a point across to us? Often when I read scripture and God reveals a new truth, or reminds me of something He previously revealed and I have ignored, I begin to see the same truth in other ways.
Seeing Something New
Have you read a note to yourself from the past and later… it spoke to you in a new way?
This happens to me sometimes.
As I write to encourage others, months later the same message has a new meaning to me.
The Holy Spirit’s Patience
As a child, I remember the pastor referring to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Ghost. Since Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost was one of my favorite cartoons, it is not a stretch to understand why I considered the Holy Spirit to be a friendly version of Casper!