Once Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit they immediately become aware of their nakedness and are ashamed. They quickly fashion coverings of fig leaves to cover themselves. They hear the Lord walking in the garden and they hide from him. After he calls them out, forces them to explain their actions, and metes out their punishment he makes some more substantial garments for them out of animal skins.
This same dynamic plays itself out today in our relationship to the Creator. When we become aware and acknowledge that we have sinned, we feel ashamed. In a sense, we feel naked as well, our soul is laid bare before the Lord – and sometimes to those around us as well, depending on how and to whom we have hurt when we have sinned. We, too, are often tempted to do a hasty cover-up to assuage our guilt and shame. But, nothing is hidden from God and he will seek us out in our own garden through the conviction of the Holy Spirit and force us to explain ourselves.
In the overall sense of things, unlike Adam and Eve, we don’t have to have our punishment meted out to us, because Jesus has paid the penalty for us. That does not mean, however, we are completely prevented from facing any consequences of our actions. But the good news is, just as he covered their nakedness, he will wrap his garments of mercy and forgiveness around us. We can then put away the feeling of shame and walk with him again unhindered.
As I stepped outside yesterday morning, this is the scene that greeted me. Several things came to mind from this one image.
First, the rising sun on a new day reminded me of Lamentations 3:22-23 where we are told that the Lord’s mercies and compassions are new every morning. Yesterday’s worries and troubles are now in the past. Not forever gone or necessarily resolved. But, today offers a chance for a new perspective and a new opportunity to trust in God to be at work helping me through them.
Second, as I looked at the long extended branches of the tree I was reminded of all the birds I have seen take refuge and rest there over the last 20+ years. I then reflected on Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” And also on Psalm 92:1, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. “
Finally, my thoughts turned to today’s Worship Service where we will celebrate All Saint’s Day with a time of remembrance of those lost over the past two years. If you look close, that large tree with the extended limbs is now dead and will need to be taken down in the near future. However, if you look even closer you can see around the bottom of the trunk that there are several small shoots that are growing around it. They are in a sense a legacy of the tree that will soon be gone. The same is true of the loved ones we will honor and remember today. Their journey here on Earth may have ended, but they all leave behind a rich legacy of new growth in their family, friends, and others they touched throughout their lives.
For today: May you see the mercies and compassions of the Lord. May you find refuge and strength in his Presence. May you remember loved ones in your life that are now gone with smiles and happy memories and live in a way to continue the goodness and love they shared with you while they were here. AMEN.
To Like or Comment, please click on title and open in a new tab.
Psalm 37:4
"Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart."
There have been times in the past, and even still to this day, when I’ve felt frustrated, thinking I’m serving God faithfully yet wondering why certain things aren’t going the way I would prefer. At those times, I am tempted to argue with the psalmist that I am not receiving the desires of my heart. What I must remind myself, however, is that the possibility exists that I am wrong about the true desires of my heart.
We all think it is easy to know what we want. But the world around us manipulates and deceives us into believing we desire – even need – things that in reality we don’t. These desires may be material in nature or just experience or relationship oriented. We are bombarded by marketing ploys every day telling us what the good life should consist of. Some of these ploys we are aware of and some we are not.
The reality is that the Creator who designed me knows the True desires of my heart even in a way I myself don’t always know.
To Like or Comment, please click on title and open in a new tab.
Psalm 56:8 “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
I thought about this verse the other night when at 2:00 a.m. after waking up from having dozed off in the recliner, I found myself feeling an inexplicable sense of sadness to the point I was crying myself back to sleep after retiring to bed. I still don’t know why I was sad and why I was crying. But I do know that I wasn’t alone. God was there with me. He knew what was hurting my soul even if I didn’t. Over the years I have come to understand and believe that tears can be prayers. Even when I have no words for my sorrow, God can interpret the reason.
God doesn’t always need to hear our words to hear our prayers. All he requires is for us to be intentionally present with him. Speak when you need to speak. Listen when you need to listen. And even cry when you need to cry.
To Like or Comment, please click on title and open in a new tab.
Contrary to the childhood rhyme, I know words can hurt. Though they may not break bones, they can break spirits, wills, and psyches. Which sometimes is even harder to heal.
Let me uplift, enlighten, encourage, and offer hope to others with what I speak. Let that include the words and thoughts I speak to myself as well.
Amen.
To Like or Comment, please click on title and open in a new tab.
“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18
Several years ago I and many other family members would take an annual trip to Ocean Lakes Campground during the month of October. As often as I was able, I would rise early enough in the morning to catch the sunrise on the beach. This was most definitely not an easy task for me because by nature I am not a super early riser. Additionally, my current work schedule is a late one so sunrise usually occurs during the mid part of my sleep cycle. However, the mornings I was able to pull it off were always worth the grumblings it took to drag myself out of bed and out of the camper.
It is an amazing and beautiful thing to watch the day awaken around you. Even before the sun peeks over the horizon, you can see the darkness begin to scatter about and become overtaken by the light spreading around you. Dim though it may still be, after the deep blackness of night it is inviting, comforting, and infused with a promise of warmth and hope. Then as the full orb of light appears, the horizon bursts with a golden glow. Slowly it continues it ascent increasing in such brightness that you can no longer look directly into it, although its presence is undeniably all around you.
The memory of the last sunrise I was fortunate to take in at the beach came to me several weeks ago when the above verse from Proverbs was included in my daily devotional reading. These words from Scripture that I had read many times before struck me in a new way that day. I reflected on the beauty of the metaphor found in that small proverb.
A journey with Christ does indeed follow the same arc as a daily sunrise and ascent. Living in the darkness of the world’s environment, someone or something opens one’s eyes and introduces them to a small glimmer of light and hope. Even if that becomes a powerful and life-changing moment for them at the moment, the fullness of knowing Christ does not happen all at once. Just as I described my beach sunrise experience, it comes in stages. Darkness begins to scatter and a dim light begins to spread. Then, as one delves into the reading of Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers the light of Christ and his guidance becomes ever brighter in their life.
Here on earth, we experience the apex of the sun’s ascent and can watch as it descends again throughout the day. This is not true with the rising of the presence of Christ in our lives. Our journey with him is a continuous increase with the noon day fullness only occurring upon our death when enter fully into his presence for eternity. That being said, we can and will have moments when clouds disrupt and cause moments of haziness within our spiritual life. Yet, these clouds cannot completely block out the light of the Son of God. These moments of doubt, fear, worry, anger, or other hindrances in our lives can and will be scattered again if we keep our focus on the light that still shines.
Wherever you may be on your current journey into the rising sun, my prayer is that you continue to follow the path of righteousness, take in that first gleam of dawn and follow it into the full light of day.
To leave a comment please click on title of post to open in a separate tab
I enjoy starting off my day with a hot, bold cup of coffee. It helps wake me up to the world around me and helps me be a little less grumpy throughout the day. I said less, it does not always mean I won’t have a few grumpy edges. Also, I love my Keurig single cup coffee maker that I got last year for Christmas. By inserting a K-cup, which holds just enough coffee grounds for one cup of coffee, into the machine I receive a fresh serving of coffee each time. No more pots of coffee languishing around growing stale and bitter at the Peeler household anymore.
Last Sunday morning, mom called while I was brewing my cup of coffee. I noticed when I sat down at my desk that I could see through to the bottom of my black coffee cup. I thought that was quite odd – usually black coffee in a black cup is not all that transparent. I started investigating and realized that because of the distraction of talking on the phone I had not inserted a K-cup into the machine. Now, all I had was a cup of hot sugar water. Not exactly what I was hoping for and definitely not what I needed to wake me and prepare me for the day ahead.
Along with my cup of caffeine, I also try to start my mornings with a Bible reading and devotion. I am ashamed to say I am not always as eager to approach this activity. It’s not so much that I don’t want to do it, it is usually that so many other things are vying for my attention that I am often tempted to put the devotion on hold until later when I have a free moment. But I have learned that if I don’t start my day with prayer and reflection that free moment never materializes. There is always something else to do and that quiet time just keeps getting pushed down further on my daily agenda until the day finally runs out.
I have also learned that I pay a price when I allow that to happen. Those days I am just like that hot cup of water – weak and lacking in taste and boldness. By taking a few moments at the start of the day to allow God to speak to me I am allowing him to insert his version of a K-cup into my heart and soul. He gives me the grace and love I need for that day. Not just for my needs but for those that I will encounter that day. I cannot claim that even those days when I am faithful in my devotion time that I always make the right decisions, say the right things, or even share God’s love with those around me like I should. But I am certainly more apt to do so. I find it a little easier to be gracious to others because I started the day being reminded that there is one who loves me and who offers me grace for my shortcomings.
Whether or not you are a coffee drinker I suggest starting your day with prayer and reflection. Drink fully and freely from the Cup of Grace that is offered to you. Remember, the price has already been paid and there are free refills all day and everyday.
To Like or Comment, please click on title and open in a new tab.
Notes from a Book Nerd 