Thunderstorms and Nature Songs

              Thunderstorms and Nature Songs
Dear Friends,
     In the beautiful hymn This Is My Father's World there is a phrase, "and to my ears all nature sings." Every song is made up of many notes.  Nature has her own kind of songs.  Some of the notes are soft, gentle wind whispers through the tree branches.  Other notes are booming thunder. 
     Today I was in my garden looking to see what new plants I can find.  My garden is like a song.  A sweet and sometimes tangled mixture of notes.   As you can see in this picture some Lily of the Valley has popped up in the midst of Strawberry plants.  Next to these is a Peony bush and  Autumn Joy Sedum.  
    In Jeremiah 51:16 we can see a beautiful song of nature. "When He speaks in the thunder, the heavens roar with rain.  He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses."
     Notes of rain, wind, thunder, gentle breezes and rainbows make up the beautiful nature songs that God gives us.  Let's open our ears and listen to His songs.
Psalms 95:4-5
"He holds in His hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.  The sea belongs to Him, for He made it.  His hands made the dry land too."

Stone Pavement: God's Pathway

              Stone Pavement:   God's Pathway
Dear Friends,
     A tiny scrap of paper with a heartfelt prayer is placed in a crack of the Wall.  This Wall in Jerusalem is a visual reminder of all that God did for His people in ancient days.  Stone upon stone rising up as a beacon for His people to draw close to Him.  Many people come to lift their voices, sing praises and cry tears of brokenness.  Kneeling on the stone pavement in prayer becomes a pathway to God's power.
     I was reading in the book of Joshua the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River that ended the forty years of wandering in the wilderness.  The amazing miracle didn't end that day.  Joshua piled up twelve stones that had been gathered from the middle of the Jordan river to stand as a memorial, a reminder of the greatness of God.  At the end of chapter four it says, "He did this so all nations of the earth might know that the Lord's hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever."
    The Israelites celebrated Passover before the seven day march around the city of Jericho.  Joshua had sent spies into Jericho to check out the situation.  Rahab helped the spies and told them how the whole city of Jericho was terrified of the Israelites.  She hung a red cord from her window that was in the city wall, the window from which she had helped the spies escape by.  The red cord was a visual sign that those inside this house would be spared from the destruction of Jericho.  This was much like when the Israelites put the blood of lambs on their doorposts so that God would pass over them during the last plague.  
     In John 19:14, at another Passover time, Pilate sat on the Stone Pavement which was his judgement seat, he said, "Look, here is your King!"  Then Pilate turned Jesus over to the people.  He was taken on a pathway to the top of a hill called the Place of the Skull to be crucified.  Pilate posted a sign on the cross saying, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."  Verse 20 says, "... the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek, so that many people could read it."  The place of the crucifixion remains today as a visual reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
     Things like the pile of twelve stones, the red cord, the hill that looks like a skull, the sign that Pilate put on the cross, and the Wall in Jerusalem have been used by God as reminders of His greatness so that we won't stop praying.
Psalms 19:14, 19
"You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate Your awesome power among the nations.... your road led through the sea, Your pathway through the mighty waters-- a pathway no one knew as there!"

Golden Bowls of Prayers

Golden Bowls of Prayers

Dear Friends,

     The fresh new blossoms of Magnolia, Hyacinth, and Daffodils, are giving beauty for us to enjoy.  Those early blooms are a preview for what will come soon.  When you look in the window of a coffee shop and see customers enjoying conversation or a good book along with a cup of coffee it's a preview of what you will get when you open the door.  As the bells on the door chime a welcome when you enter, the intoxicating aroma of coffee beans greets you, beckoning you to the counter to order your favorite drink.  

     Some fragrances tend to fill every crevice of a room more than others.  Coffee is one of those.  Burning incense is like that too.  No matter how high the cathedral ceiling is, the sweet, smokey smell fills the room.

    We know that God collects our tears in bottles.  Psalms 56:8, "You keep track of all my sorrows, You have collected all my tears in Your bottle..."   We also see in Revelation 5:8 that our prayers are being caught into golden bowls of incense.   He deeply loves us and each prayer must be a treasure for Him to keep them in golden bowls!  Prayers that are collected include our offerings of gratitude and praise, giving glory to God, along with our requests.  Incense gives us a picture for prayer much like perfume is the breath of a flower.  

     In Exodus 30:34-35 we read where God gave Moses specific instructions for the preparation of the incense.  We also see when we read The Lord's Prayer that there are elements mingled together to produce effective prayer. These include worship, repentance, forgiveness and thanksgiving.  We can come to God with our prayers when they have been purified by Christ's atonement making them acceptable to Him.  The atoning sacrifice of Jesus is the fire that burns the incense blending with our thoughts and words making our prayers rise before God. 

Revelation 8:4

"The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God's holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the Angel had 

poured them out."

Fervent Prayer and the Broken Axe

      Fervent Prayer and the Broken Axe


 Dear Friends,
      I have seen the movie "War Room" and I am reading "Fervent" both of which are meant to stir us up to pray.  Maybe by writing this letter I can encourage you also.    
     In our busy lives we tend to forget things and we need reminders.  At least I do.  Last summer my garden was filled with  brilliant flowers of many colors.  Pictures of the flowers  help me to not forget and they give me something to hope for during the winter months and in early spring before the flowers bloom again.
     I also use notes for reminders.  I have notes attached to the refrigerator, notes taped to the bathroom mirror, notes on the calendar, notes in margins of books, and more, all so I don't forget things.  It also helps me to write out or journal my prayers for the simple reason that I don't want to forget.  Writing our prayers, our hopes and God's promises can give us visual reminders.  When these prayers are answered and we make a note of the answered prayer our faith will grow.  We will be encouraged to keep pressing on. 
  We can read in 2 Kings 6: 2-7 about Elisha's servant who was working and the borrowed axe he was using broke.  The axe head sank to the bottom of the Jordan River along with the heart of the servant.  Compassionate Elisha threw a stick in the water and the axe head floated to the surface of the river.  The servant picked it up.  His faith was lifted up and how he must have praised God!  I'm sure he never forgot this miracle gift!  Elisha's passion and his compassionate heart fanned the flame of  the faith of the servant in that moment of need. 
     I'm so thankful that the Word of God is filled with examples of God's miracles and answered prayers.  They are meant to be reminders for us that He knows our needs.  Sharing our prayer needs with friends and sharing testimonies of answered prayers will give glory to God.
Hosea 6:3
"Oh, that we might know the Lord!  Let us press on to know Him.  He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming rains in early spring."
    
  
     

Between the Promise and the Fulfillment

                             Between the Promise
                  and the Fulfillment
Dear Friends,
     Right now a few things are beginning to have new growth in my garden.  A few green stems and leaves are coming up from the cold ground.  Now is the time between when I know the plants exist hidden under the ground and when I see them in full bloom.  
     The freshly sprouted leaves and stems are little messages. Their roots need to be in the earth like our feet need to be on the earth. As you read this do you find your eyes glancing up to the picture of the brilliant Heavenly Blue Morning Glory?  The light that is reflecting off the flower is like the Light of Heaven.  We need to have our feet on this earth but have our eyes and our hope on Heaven.  This is how we live between the promise and the fulfillment of the promise.
    Our feet are on a rugged and unchartered terrain.  Stones and rocks may trip us.  Hardships and grief can overwhelm us.
    2 Timothy 3:1 warns us that, "perilous times" would come.  
    This time of life is between the promise and the fulfillment.  The Light is always there when we look up.  
Matthew 5: 3
"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."

Songs Of Slaves

                    Songs Of Slaves
Dear Friends,
     When slaves labored in the fields of the South their songs echoed throughout the land.  Some of the songs were 'code songs' to send messages guiding people to freedom.  Some of the songs were lullabies for the infants they brought to the fields with them.  Many songs were about Bible stories and others were about the hope of freedom. 
    Paul and Silas must have been an inspiration to them.  In Acts 16:25 it says, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God: and the prisoners heard them."  Their singing caused an earthquake and the keeper of the prison desired to have faith like they had. 
     Many of the slave songs expressed the emotions they could relate to in the Bible passages about slavery, oppression, poverty and imprisonment.  The Spirituals that they sang became accepted as authentic spiritual utterances much like the Psalms.  Many of these songs were mournful but others were filled with joy.   They could identify with the oppressed and their music was drawn from the depths of their hearts.
     In the 1870's a group of ex-slaves called the Fisk Jubilee Singers traveled the U.S. and Britain, even singing at the White House, to raise awareness and raise funds for colleges for their people.
     Today the Syrian Christians are being killed, persecuted and enslaved.  Pray for our brothers and sisters and look for ways to minister to them.  May they find songs in the depths of their souls that they can use to lift one another up and be a light to those who persecute them.
Psalms 126: 6
"They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest."
     

With Wings Like Eagles

                           With Wings Like Eagles
Dear Friends,
     This tiny baby wren had gotten blown from its nest before it could fly.  The fragile wings softly fluttered in the palm of my hand.
     Have you ever been homesick?  If you have ever been in an airport you probably have seen soldiers traveling in uniform.  They carry heavy duffle bags full of gear for extended stays away from home.  They are probably the most homesick of travelers.  They spend months enduring grueling training in preparation for battles.  They are cut off from communication with loved ones and learn how to survive harsh circumstances. 
     Our strength is found while we wait on the Lord.  This waiting is not the comfy, under a warm blanket kind of waiting.  This kind of waiting is like getting water from a well or like training for a battle.  It's an active kind of waiting. 
     Strength is needed to first dig the well.  Genesis 26: 19 says, "And Isaac's servants also dug in the Gerar Valley and discovered a well of fresh water."  More strength is needed to remove the stone that covers the mouth of the well.  Genesis 29:2 says, "a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well."
     The bucket next to the deep well is useless without the rope. When we go to Him continually each day our strength is renewed.  His Word is our lifeline.  
     So, like a soldier needs to endure training for battle,  a bucket needs to be lowered into to depths of the well and be lifted up to give refreshment. 
Isaiah 40:31
"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."