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The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. Psalm 27:4 (NLT)
Where does God live? Is there any building that can contain him? Does he have a street address? A post office box? A quaint walkway leading up from some street in heaven to the front porch, complete with wicker rocking chair?
Of course not! There is no place that can contain him. The idea of God being some kindly old gentleman sitting on his porch watching the world go by as he sips on a cool glass of lemonade is preposterous! And the notion that we can escape God’s presence is clearly spoken against in Scripture. For no one can find a hiding place where God does not already dwell.
So what does David mean that he wants to dwell in the house of the Lord all of his days and meditate in his Temple?
Here’s what I think it means. David, the man after God’s own heart, knew that his God was everywhere. He himself writes, ‘Where can I go to escape your presence’. But David never, ever wanted to forget that he was in the presence of almighty God.
During our times of loneliness he wants us to remember that God is our constant friend. During those times we of rebel and sin he wants us to remember that God is a merciful and forgiving Father. During times of illness he wants us to remember that our Heavenly Father holds the soothing oil of healing and is ready and willing to apply it to our lives. During those times when relationships fail and leave us emotionally wounded, he wants us to remember that true comfort comes from his touch.
With our Heavenly Father as our Lord we need not ever feel alone or forgotten or unforgiven. We need never feel that once we have fallen there is no getting up. He never loses sight of us even though sin and worry and guilt can keep us from seeing him.
Because of the grace offered through Jesus Christ our Lord we need never feel that God is not near. Nothing can keep us from enjoying his presence if we but come to him and ask.
PRAYER: Father God. I praise you today for the promise of your constant companionship and friendship along every step of this journey we call life. There are so many times I’ve felt alone or forgotten. So many times people and religion have let me down, but no more. From this day forward I ask that I may always sense your presence with me. Through the power of your Holy Spirit I ask that you never let me forget that you are with me. In you I rest. In you I find all comfort. For I am never apart from your presence. Amen.
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12
The tiny seed is an amazing thing. When we plant our gardens we cultivate the soil and make it as easy as possible for the plant to grow. But in nature, that isn’t the case. A tiny seed floats to the ground. It falls into the smallest of crevices in the rock. Soon tiny fingers of roots emerge from the seed and take root in the rock.
Over the years, in all sorts of weather, the roots from that tiny seed continue to grow harder and stronger. The rock is no match for the tenacity of the roots. Soon, after years of struggle, a tree grows out of the sheer cliff. No cultivation. No special tools. Success comes from persistent pushing against seemingly impossible odds.
It happens over and over again in nature. Life springs from the most unlikely places all because of one small seed dropped in an unlikely spot. Sometimes the wind carries it to its resting place. Other times it hitches a ride with some unsuspecting carrier to a spot perhaps miles from its origin.
Each of us has an opportunity to be seed carriers along the path we call life. Sometimes we have opportunities to throw out those seeds intentionally. Other times our ‘seeds’ may be quite by accident.
A seed of encouragement scattered in someone’s life may result in hope. A seed of forgiveness fosters peace. A seed of appreciation brings the fruit of joy. A seed of understanding can make relief bloom. The seed of patience grows confidence.
What seeds can you spread today? Cultivation isn’t required, only willingness. Expertise isn’t needed only love, because passion beats technique every time. When Jesus was asked the most important commandment, he gave two and both were summed up in one word: love.
The seeds of love you spread will break the driest soil, the hardest rock, the soul that has all but given up on life. It may be something as simple as a smile or a ‘thank you’. It may be something as hard as saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I forgive you.’ Perhaps it will be something as compassionate as, ‘I don’t agree with you, but I understand and accept you.’
Sow love today in the lives of those you come in contact with. Don’t worry about whether you thing the soil is ready. Ours is not to cause growth. Ours is to plant seeds. Seeds of love. Seeds of forgiveness. Seeds of grace. The seeds of Christ’s love that you sow today may take time to sprout, but nothing can stop them from growing.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the love you continue to show me even when I’m hardened and rebellious. I pray that you would empower me to sow seeds of your love and forgiveness to everyone I come in contact with today. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:53
Have you ever watched a proud new mom looking for clothes for her new baby? Oh, fathers are interested too, or try to be, but mom’s look for that perfect outfit to show off baby. She scours thrift stores and garage sales for outfits in good condition, she shops all the sales at the department stores. She exhausts every avenue to find ‘just the right thing’ for baby.
Then baby grows up and starts to choose his/her own clothes, sometimes to the chagrin of mom, dad and grandparents. Somewhere along the line they are influenced by friends, TV and movies and who-knows-what else to develop their own look. Adulthood brings a different set of rules and a different set of clothes. Some for work and some for play, some practical and some not so much.
Regardless of the style, color or size, all clothing has some things in common. Clothing wears out. Eventually, no matter how much you care for it, the favorite shirt will someday have to be discarded. Clothing also goes outlives its usefulness. Clothing goes out of style. We outgrow a certain style or type of clothing. Life circumstances demand that we wear a certain type of clothing, especially for work.
When someone gets clothing as a gift it’s because someone very special wants you to look good. They go to the store and shop for just the right outfit. That outfit, in their mind, gives a sense of ownership to them. Every time you put it on, and they see it on you, it brings a smile to their face and a warm feeling to their heart. Why? Because, they gave it to you and when you wear that outfit it not only shows you love them, but it’s a reminder to them of how much they love you.
We not only have physical clothing. We have spiritual or emotional clothing. Clothing we put on every day to cover up how we feel about ourselves, others and God. Like physical clothing, our spiritual/emotional clothing can change with time. When that happens we go out to find something else that ‘fits us better’, but that search is meaningless because we can’t find the right thing to clothe our heart without Jesus.
A relationship with Jesus Christ is the only thing that can clothe our heart. It’s the right fit for our personality. It’s just the right style to enhance our creativity. It never wears out. Never goes out of style. Never loses its ability to protect who we are.
Best of all, when Jesus looks at us he smiles. Jesus smiles when he sees us in our spiritual clothing because he bought it just for us and it reminds him of how much he loves us and how much he gave for us.
Like physical clothing, our spiritual clothing can get dirty. We make mistakes. We choose the wrong path. We get rips and stains from life circumstances. Jesus’ forgiveness cleanses our clothing and makes it brand new.
If you haven’t done so, thank Jesus today for the gift of your spiritual outfit that will last for eternity. Remember that every day he looks at you and smiles because you are wearing the outfit he bought just for you.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. Thank you for the gift of salvation. I don’t deserve this spiritual outfit you have bought for me. I’ve made so many mistakes. I’ve done so many things to hurt myself and others. Forgive me for those times of hurtfulness. Clothe me with the forgiveness only you can give. In your name I pray, Amen.
Won’t God protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won’t he be concerned for them? Luke 18:7 (CEV)
Someday, when this life on earth is over, I’ll cross over into the presence of my Lord Jesus. I don’t really know what awaits me or how it all works. I only know who will be there and that is enough for me.
When I get there, my plan is to spend the first 1-2 million years worshiping him at his feet. Gazing into those eyes of love I’ve waited to see for so long. Examining the scars on his hands and feet and the scar on his side, the very markings that made it possible for me to even enter his presence, much less spend eternity with him.
After those 1-2 million years are over, I’d like to ask him a few questions, respectfully of course and in extreme love. I want to ask Jesus why so many of us have prayed for healing only to see that healing come in the way of the grave, while other people pray for healing and see miraculous, unexplainable healing.
I want to ask him why some kids from very good families make choices that harm their family and themselves, while at the same time kids from very dysfunctional families make good choices that glorify God.
I want to ask him why so many women and children are abused when they are surrounded by loving, praying, caring friends. And why natural disasters and political upheavals and financial greed were allowed to run so rampantly when so many people prayed against it.
There are so many other questions I want to ask Jesus when I get there. Then again, maybe not. While I consider all the pain of my own life, the stupid choices I’ve made, the rebellious, selfish, harmful decisions that affected my life, I realize that in so many ways my prayers have been answered.
I don’t understand why things happen the way they do. I wish he would answer my prayers in my time and in my way. But his timing is always best. We see tragedies in life in need of ‘fixing’ for life to be complete. He sees opportunities in life to draw us closer to him. When the bad stuff happens we can choose to be angry (and miserable) or trusting (and at peace). His goal is for a life of peace in the midst of the struggles. His desire is for us to experience the forgiveness and freedom of grace.
Christian Author, Max Lucado says, in his book ‘A Gentle Thunder’, “Though you hear nothing he is speaking. Though you see nothing he is acting. With God there are no accidents. Every incident is intended to bring us closer to him.”
I may not understand why bad things happen in this world, but my trust is in the one who loves me and promises to meet my needs.
PRAYER: Father God, there are some many times that I am confused by what happens in life around me. Prayers seem to go unanswered. Relationships fail. Bills increase while income decreases. In the midst of all this, I trust your promises. Empower me to trust you for all my needs. Thank you for Jesus. I can’t wait to see him face to face. Amen.
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 (NLT)
The difference between dying love and love that lasts is never letting yourself stop appreciating the things your loved one does for you. The picture I get of lasting love is the elderly couple I once knew. These grade school chums had been married for 68 years. He still called her ‘Buttercup’ and she still called him ‘Baby’.
They walked every day by my house until health issues kept them from doing so. I still see them in my minds eye walking hand in hand, talking with each other and laughing on occasion. They obviously enjoyed life. The obviously enjoyed each others company after all these years.
One day shortly after she died, I stopped by to visit my old friend. He was still mourning the loss of his ‘bride’ but even in his sadness there was a twinkle in his eye as he remembered all the little things that she did to make his life fulfilled.
Finally, I got up the courage to ask him the million dollar question, “So, what’s the secret? Is there any one thing you did as a couple to keep the flame going for almost three quarters of a century?”
He pondered for a moment. Then he leaned towards me as though he was about to share the golden nugget of truth for all eternity…which he was. “Buttercup and I made a decision early in life that we would never forget how much we appreciated each other for who we were and not for what we did. Oh, now, mind you. There were some tough times. But we always went back to that one thing. Appreciation of each other for who they were in spite of the blunders we might make.’
I smiled. We talked a few more minutes before I had to leave. Three months later my dear friend joined his ‘Buttercup’ in the arms of Jesus, but I never forgot the lesson learned that day, and as I’ve pondered his simple words I’ve reminded myself that that’s the kind of love Jesus has for us.
Jesus has a lasting love that says, “I appreciate you. Not for the things you’ve done, but for who you are.” Regardless of the mistakes I’ve made in my past. Regardless of the doubts I’ve had, the times I’ve mistreated people or the times I’ve ignored my time with him. He loves me. He appreciates me!
Everything good in life comes from a Heavenly Father who, through his Son, Jesus Christ appreciates you. He wants to walk with you every day. He wants to talk with you, to love you. To hold your hand when the path gets treacherous. His love never changes, never grows old. Sometimes I think of my old friend and I smile as I think that right now Jesus just may be calling me his ‘Buttercup.’
PRAYER: Jesus, I thank you today for the love you have for me. It’s so hard to imagine a love so great that you are willing forgive me and forget the times I’ve failed you and failed others around me. I pray that you would help me to live every day with the reminder of how much you love me and how much you appreciate me. Help me to show your love to others and apply it to my own life as well. In your name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 