Light

God's Word shines light into our lives.

A light to guide use.

A light of revelation.

A light to keep us from harm.

A light to guide our steps.

If we refuse to open our eyes, we can not see the light.

If we run off on our own, thinking we know the better way, we may find the path darkened.

But God's Word remains a beacon to guide us back to where we should be.

Open your eyes.

Open your heart.

Walk in the light.

Sweet Words

Despite all he gray hair I have, I still adore Winnie the Pooh. That lovable bear always is scheming  and dearly anticipating the wonderful taste of his favorite food - hunny! Disguise himself as a rainbow and float under a balloon until he can get hunny. He'll do that. Gorge himself on so much hunny that he can't escape Rabbit's hole. He'll do that too.

God's Word is sweeter than hunny (and even sweeter than honey)! What will you do to read it? Will you get up early in the morning so that you can read it in the still quiet of a home that will be later bustling with activity? It's that sweet! Will you speak the Word of God to others to make your words sweeter? Please do. Will you drizzle the Word of God over your daily events so that they are sweeter? You should. Will you consume the Word of God so that you can settle your stomach upset my worries and anxiety? Dearest reader, His Word is good for that too!

Sticks And Stones

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

I can remember reciting that many times when I was young. And almost every time I can remember that words DID hurt me. Though I hate to admit it, I've been on the other end of that also. I've been the one doing the insulting.

Insults hurt. But they don't have to. If we are focussed on God's love for us, if we remember all that He has done for us, if we trust His word, we can handle whatever insults come our way.

When we are insulted, the insults may draw our attention to something we lack or some way we fall short. They draw the attention to us. If we remember God's love for us, if we remember the works,He has done for us, if we trust in His word, we are drawing our attention to Him. He can handle it. He is so much bigger than any insult. He never changes.

So when you are insulted, dear reader, don't dwell on the insult, dwell in Christ.

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes... Why are my eyes closed in the first place? Am I resting or sleeping? Are my eyes closed because I am trying to focus on something? Am I trying to imagine something? Am I closing my eyes because there is something I don't want to see? Maybe my eyes are actually already open, but I am totally oblivious to what is around me? Maybe I'm blind and it doesn't matter whether my eyes are physically open or not - I can't see. There are many things that may prevent us from seeing the wonderful truths in God's word. A simple prayer may unlock the marvelous for us. Do you want to truly see?

Storing Up

Squirrels gather food for the winter when times are tough. There may be times when they need to draw on what they've saved when there is nothing else to eat. We should be storing up God's word in our hearts. There may be tough times ahead and we need God's word to get us through. There may be times where we are facing trials and temptations. We need God's word to help us through. Read it. Savor it. Memorize it. Store it up for the future. It's worth it.

What Are You Focussed On?

What are you focussed on? Are you trying to get in shape? Lose weight? Excel at your job? Find a new job? Find a husband? Find a new husband? Finish school? Raising your kids? Preparing to have another kid? Preparing a meal? Wondering where your next meal is going to come from?

How much attention do you pay to God's word? Do you know that it is worth focussing on? Not just the easy parts. Even the long genealogies are worth reading. So is the Law. There's not part of God's Word that we can ignore. There may be passages that don't apply to us or at least don't apply to us now. We can learn from it all. We can learn about God's character. We can learn about His plan of salvation. We can learn about the right choices others have made and how they were blessed by them. We can learn about the wrong choices others have made and how it affected them.

Don't focus just on one part of God's word. Don't cherry pick just a few favorite verses. Read it. Read it all. Meditate on it. Focus on it. Let it breath into your life. Celebrate it. Don't be ashamed of it.

Fully Known

...to make the word of God fully known

Colossians 1:25

What do I do to make the Word of God fully known or know to its fullest? It would seem to me that if this is my goal, I should keep several things in mind.

Do I know God's Word?  If I am to make His Word fully known, I should be studying it daily.

Do I know God's full Word? Am I guilty of focussing on part of His Word and ingnoring other parts of it?

Am I making it known? It's one thing for me to read and study it, but if I am just keeping it to myself, that's just keeping my light under a bushel, isn't it.

Am I making it known to all those around me? I may share what God is teaching me through His Word with my family or my friends from church, but am I sharing it with my neighbors or with my coworkers?

Oh Lord, I pray that as I read and study Your Word, you help me to understand it all and see the picture of Your love, holiness, mercy, and grace that is woven throughout it.  Help me to live a life according to Your Word and to share it's glorious riches with ALL those around me.

Amen.