Early Morning Light

I love those mornings when I wake before the sun and have time to sit in the dark, watching the light gradually increase. The dim light provides a soft glow in the room, making me even more aware of God’s presence. As I bask in the Lord’s presence, the dark room transforms, slowly turning light gray. More objects are observable. Gradually, the light grows until I can see everything in the room clearly.

When our world seems dark and spinning out of control, perhaps it’s time to sit in a darkened room and wait for the dawn. Wait for the dawning of God’s truth, the dawning of His presence in our souls. Sit quietly. Wait to be aware of His presence. Just as the light slowly transforms the room, let His presence enter your soul, lighting all the dark places. Allow the darkness of fear, regret, and anger lighten in His presence. Allow His light to fill your soul with love and grace.

Let His presence slowly permeate your soul, lighting its darkness.

The Mystery of Christ

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know that mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3

My prayer for you is that you will learn more and more of the mystery of Christ, and that He will fill you with His wisdom and knowledge.

Healing What Ails You

Earlier this year, I caught a nasty virus, the kind that plays havoc with your digestive system.

Of course, we were out of town when it hit. During our granddaughter’s dance competition, we sat in the balcony watching so many beautiful dancers. While waiting for her solos, it hit hard.

The closest bathroom was upstairs. I had to run up two flights of stairs! Unfortunately, it hit every ten minutes for a couple of hours. I made many hurried flights up those stairs. Luckily, no one else was around, so I had some privacy.

Clearly, my body was trying to get rid of whatever was causing all these problems. Later, at the doctor’s office, I learned that norovirus was the culprit. After some pain pills, bowls of steaming hot soup, and a week of rest, I felt 100% again.

If only it were that simple with the soul. If only we could vomit out all the nasty thoughts and evil desires. If only that would happen without us even having to think about it.

Impure thoughts in? What if the soul would just automatically spit them out?

That would be easy, wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately, we can carry impure thoughts and evil intentions within us that poison our souls and harm those around us.

Unlike a virus, they don’t automatically purge themselves from our souls.

But God, in His infinite wisdom, shows us how to purify our souls.

Prayer and self-reflection begin the process.

Asking God to forgive us cleanses our soul.

Opening the bible and reading God’s word continues the healing.

Just as our bodies get rid of the viruses and germs that cause illness, so our souls have ways of cleansing our sin and spiritual disease. God, our great physician, provides ways for us to draw closer to Him.

Thank you, healing God, for recognizing our sin and spiritual disease. Thank You for providing healing for our spiritual ailments.

Beauty in the Weeds

I love a well-cultivated garden and neat rows of corn and sorghum, without weeds sticking out among them. Wheat fields, without weeds, are gorgeous just before harvest when those golden grains toss in the wind like waves in the ocean.

Even so, there is beauty in the weeds. Take a thistle, for example. The plant is ugly and stickery. Those sharp spines all along the leaves and stem can do some damage to your legs when you walk by or your hands when you pull them out of the ground. Yes, they are ugly.

But when the thistle blooms, wow! The ones in my area produce lovely lavender blooms, so pretty.  God creates beauty, even on the ugly thistle plant, even on the weeds. Of course, I pull the thistles before they bloom, so they don’t produce more thistles.

Sometimes, deep in my soul, I feel like a weed. My spirit can get ugly and stickery at times. Pity the poor person who comes near when my sharp spines are out. But God, in His wisdom, and in His time, creates beauty in my soul. He allows the blooms to form and creates beauty that outshines the stickery parts.

At times I get frustrated when others are being all weedy and stickery. I may lose patience with them and think there is no hope. But, again, God in His wisdom, and in His time, can bring forth the beauty in even the spiniest of weeds. I need to exercise my faith and watch for the joy and beauty of His redeeming grace to bloom in the weedy person.

At other times, the world around me seems filled with weeds. Problems abound. Wars, chaos, arguments, poverty. It all looks pretty weedy and feels so stickery. But God is always at work, even in the places that are overcome with ugly, stickery weeds. He is at work, bringing forth His blooms, in His way, in His time.

When I get discouraged by all the weeds in the world, I recall the words of Paul in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  When I do this, I can see God at work in the ugly and the stickery. Then I am able to look beyond the weeds and see their blooms.

Oh God, creator of all beauty, when all I see is the weeds, remind me that You are creating beautiful blooms.