Category: Spiritual Reflections

While leaf blowing recently, I came across these handprints that were left by the previous owners children.

The year 2000 is indelibly etched into the cement. Children’s brains were doing something fun and possibly, at the time, naughty. There has been many a time when carvings have been left — sometimes to the dismay of the property owner.

Then there are the markings people make on their bodies — tattoos, ring piercings, etc. I’ve never understood them. They certainly attract my attention — IF that’s what they are meant to do. But not in a good way. I always think “Why would anyone do that to themselves?” For most, it’s optional.

Then I consider a mother whose Son received a mark …

“She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus.” (A Call To Stand Apart, pg 37)

Optional — yes. Jesus never resisted being crucified. That was the only way He could bridge the relationship gap with us.

Love stretched out His arms and for the rest of His life He will bear the scars, the markings, of that love.

It’s time that we as a society stretch out our arms in His love. It’s time.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26

The geese have gathered to fly south for the winter. And yet, all of them don’t. Some stay behind and brave the cold weather scrounging for whatever food they can find. Are they senseless or do they know something we don’t know?

The Creator sees value in these birds. He sees even more value in us. Yet, somehow, there are quite a few people in this world who can’t see value in themselves.

Made in the image of God, we should be looking up to our Maker with the understanding that “God don’t make junk.”

Every person has value. Now, if only we could take the time to show them.

I couldn’t sleep tonight and, reading a fellow bloggers journal, I came across the story of a man, Horatio Spafford, who wrote the hymn It Is Well With My Soul.

His was a tragic life and he wrote the song after losing 4 daughters at sea.

Tragedy has a way of forcing us to dig deep into our lives and looking at who we are straight-on. It shows us our strengths and our weaknesses.

To have been through through this tragedy and still write the words to this song should not be baffling to me for it is Christ, the Creator of our souls, who knows how to soothe us the best.

The words are beautiful …

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)

And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)

It’s hard to accept but it’s true — we have nothing to fear but fear.

Horatio learned to be content whatever his “lot” happened to be.

To see the video, click here. To read more about Horatio, click here.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”  Philippians 4:11

I am not always content in my circumstances but I strive for that ideal. May God grant me perseverance to succeed.

I’ve recently attended many funerals and each time the people say that the person who died is in heaven. It’s a nice thought but when we look at the Scriptures they don’t talk about a person going to heaven when they die.

Instead, death is called a sleep. The Bible study guide below discusses different Bible texts on the state of the dead. It is not all-encompassing so if anyone has any questions, please feel free to send them along.

Are-The-Dead-Really-Dead?.

This is a Bible study guide on how to have a happy marriage. Special thanks to Amazing Facts.

Keys-for-a-Happy-Marriage.

A kindness, a smile, the smell of fresh rain, the bagging of my groceries, sometimes I am too busy to notice them — the blessings that surround me.

Struggles seem to want to overwhelm me — death, separation, jealousy, anger, sadness, loneliness —

And yet, the blessings are there.

I recently heard this song called Blessings. It’s really really pretty. And the lyrics are so nice.

Blessings

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

 

Written-in-Stone!

This is a great study on the Ten Commandments.