The Sky Sings Praise
Dear Friends,
I took this picture last fall on the first night of a three week visit to Israel. Every night the sky was a brilliant riot of color. She (the sky) was singing praises to the Lord. The clouds glided in dance across the sky in their own worship to the King.
All of Creation is an expression of God's glory. The God who made the universe also made the blades of grass. Within the tiny blade of grass is a detailed construction project. How does the grass grow? Why is it green? How does it take up nourishment from the ground? How does it make seeds? God thought of all the details during the days of creation.
Even now during the winter we don't need to look far before we can see the majesty of God in nature. When the snow falls and covers the cold, brown winter earth with a glistening blanket we can see God's handiwork! Millions of intricately formed snowflakes make up the glittering landscape.
On the bare patches of ground under a tree you can find small,velvety moss growing. A rainbow is reflected onto the wall when the sunlight streams through the sun catcher hanging in the window. Blessings. Things to be thankful for.
He gives gifts of beauty, expressions of His love for us. Each sparkle of a snowflake is a song of praise!
Psalms 148:5
"Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for He issued His command and they came into being."
Beauty In The Thorns
Dear Friends,
An olive grove was planted on a steep, rocky hillside in Samaria. The rocks and boulders were left where they were and the trees were planted in the midst of them. Over the years the trees grew and were at last ready for harvest. Sharp, thorny bushes had grown among the rocks and boulders and under all the trees.
The olives needed to be harvested. Fallen branches became strong staffs for the climb up the hill. Nets were placed on top of the thorny bushes under the trees with rocks to hold them in place. The olives were pulled from the branches and rained down on the heads of the harvesters.
The nets became torn and damaged from the rocks and thorns. Olives would roll down the slope of the hill on the nets then gathered into buckets. Ankles were torn by the thorns. Rocks caused falls into the thorns. These olives would be crushed into healing oil. Praise songs rose to heaven.
In the thorns were small round berries like drops of our Savior's blood. The small, sharp spears pierced His brow while the soldiers mocked. Cruel thorns from rocky ground became the crown of the King of Kings who remained silent while bearing the thorns.
The loss of blood, the loss of comfort, the loss of earthly pleasure can draw us into fellowship with Christ.
John 19: 2-3
"The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. "Hail! king of the Jews!" they mocked, as they slapped him across the face."
Fragrance From The Garden
Dear Friends,
Years ago we had an old fashioned lilac bush in our yard and in the springtime when it bloomed the whole neighborhood was filled with the sweet fragrance of the lovely lavender colored blossoms.
When the woman came to Jesus and broke the alabaster box the aroma from the perfume filled the room. Every crack and crevice of the room was scented with the perfume and every person in the room noticed the sweet smell.
People experience sorrows and their situations can have an effect on lives outside of the immediate situation, sometimes with great impact.
The Abedini family is touching lives all around the world as a result of Saeed's imprisonment in Iran for his faith in Jesus. From inside the cold, dark prison walls Saeed has sent messages of encouragement and love. In a recent letter he told of the loneliness and struggles he faces and then went on to preach to us who are free. From inside those walls, in the midst of threats and pain and persecution his letter tells us of the "...life-giving fire of God's love."
His wife is being transformed like a butterfly emerging from her cocoon. She has told of the changes that God is bringing about in her life as she yields herself to Him. She was fearful of traveling and of speaking to crowds. Now she is a strong voice for Saeed and the persecuted church. She is finding joy in proclaiming the Good News that Jesus is the giver of life.
Like the fragrance of a beautiful lilac bush can't be contained behind a fence or within a walled courtyard, the message of the persecuted changes lives around the world. Believers join in prayer and intercession that Saeed will be released. Saeed's prayer is that the Word of God will saturate the world with "... the lava-like love of Christ."
Unite in prayer for Saeed and for the persecuted church. Pray for those who persecute, that their eyes will be opened to His life changing love.
Hebrews 13: 3
"Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies."
