Why would the king, who has the finest flowers in His royal garden, care enough to climb through the forest to find a back woods rose like me and carry me home? He puts me in a crystal vase on His dresser and sets me in a place of honor among His royal flowers. He finds delight in me even though I am prickly and plain. He gives me special care because He sees my petals wilting and He makes sure that I always have enough of all I need. Why would a royal king dirty His hands to pack my roots with fresh soil? As He labours over all the flowers around me I see His sweat stained brow, I notice the mud smeared on His face and I see His hands bleeding from the thorns of the plants He loves. I feel unworthy to be sitting on His dresser as He works hard, but what can I do? I am simply a flower. He caresses my leaves as He walks by and smiles. What more is there for a flower to do but to bring joy to her master?
Perhaps sometimes that is all Jesus wants from us; for us to see all He is and to bring Him joy by honoring Him with all we can do. As a simple flower I can make someone smile with my sweet scent, as a common herb perhaps you can add flavour to a dish or become a healing medicine.
This is a fanciful way of saying we are all individuals, different and unique. Jesus loves us all for who we are and is brought joy when we use what we can do to honor Him.
Tag: Blog
How often do we feel we are going the wrong way when we are really going the only way?
How often do we feel we are going the wrong way when we are really going the only way?
I wonder how often we are truly following God and His plan and the devil comes up behind us and covers our eyes making us think we are going the wrong way. How often do we stop and change course because the devil has blinded us to the path?
God is fighting for us. That doesn’t just mean in our stead He is also fighting to keep us. As God is directing our paths we constantly have the devil telling us we are going the wrong way; that we aren’t following God but are following ourselves, even though we know that is not true.
Sometimes when God is quiet the devil gets very very loud and that can confuse us. But if we focus on God and pray, even if we don’t hear God He can send us a feeling to His direction. Sometimes in the heart racking sobs the unbelievable peace that hits you is God answering you. Sometimes in the wistful joy it’s the pang of uncertainty that is God saying, “be careful.” I have no answer to the question of, “what do I do God?” Because I am not you and only you can know what God is saying to you. It’s that still small voice; that impossible whisper that guides us. It can be so hard to hear, but don’t lose heart because Jesus knows what He is doing with you and He will show you the next safe place to put your foot.
Credit to owner for cover image
When the tears don’t cease
I once said that my guitar has seen less tears than my pillow, my pillow less tears than my dog and my dog far less tears than Jesus, because Jesus sees them all. For some reason we as people get it into our heads that the pain and stress and worn thin feelings we had last week should have been healed and cleared up by this one; That would be nice but that doesn’t always happen.
Last weeks troubles may very well have carried into this week, and you may feel that you have clung so tight for so long to Jesus that you are molded to Him and can never let go.
Bingo. That’s the point. To never let go. That realization is not going to fix your problems but now maybe you see that you have someone to help you through them. I saw a movie where the guy said he regretted letting go of the girl he was in love with so soon because he was enjoying holding her (in a hug). Jesus enjoys holding us; He enjoys taking care of us and I bet He regrets it when we let go of Him too soon, or at all, because He doesn’t want our moments together to end. Our moments do not have to end. If there is a place in our lives we can’t take Jesus with us then it is a place we need to get rid of. But even if we do, and I am sure we all have places we feel Jesus wouldn’t approve of, He would go there with us anyway; this is Jesus friend of sinners remember. Maybe taking Him there with you will help you see how to clean those places up.
Its nice to be able to hold Jesus’ hand no matter where you go or what you do in a day. Its nice to have that support, love and friendship.
Sometimes when you look around and ask “where is God in the midst of this?” He will send you a sign. It may be big or it may be so small that if you closed your eyes at the wrong moment you might have missed it. But it is there. Just a gentle reminder that He is right here in the midst of you and your circumstances. A reminder that He is still holding you up and is still holding your hand.
Jesus, thank you seems a hard word to say at times, but even in the struggles we can be thankful that you are there with us and that you are still God. Amen.
Credit to owner for cover image
What does Jesus say when He prays
What does Jesus say when He prays?
The Bible says Jesus prays for us
and most people I have heard talk about this say that He is praying for our souls. That is probably very true. This week I hit the sea floor and the waves keept shoving me back to the bottom everytime I tried to resurface. In the midst of the drowning I was walking past a painting we have in our house of Jesus praying and it hit me, is He praying for my situation? I suddenly realized that Jesus most likely does not just pray for my soul He probably prays for me. For my problems, for my fears, for my hurts, my needs, my crushing blow days. Jesus probably prays for all of it. So on those nights when it’s 12 am and I still can’t find the words to pray its alright, because Jesus says everything in His prayers that needs to be said. I simply need to support Him with worship.
Jesus. Wow! Thank you for praying for me, for caring that much.
Carried in the cross 