Drawn

One time while visiting Central Park in NYC I had an artist sketch my picture. I was so excited while he was drawing. I couldn't wait to see the finished product. I couldn't wait to see myself through someone else's eyes.

When he was done he showed me the picture and he had drawn it cartoon style and he had made me into a very vivacious woman with big beautiful hair wearing a Wonder Woman costume. It was hilarious. I loved it.

When I read the daily verse today from the NASB version, It uses the word "drawn" and I began thinking about how God would draw me. How would I look through His artist's eyes? What values would He see and portray in my drawing?

But then I went to read the same verse from several versions. The meaning changed for me. I now read that God is "faithful" to me and that He is very patient and kind towards me. 

Yep, that's exactly what I need from Him. And I am so thankful for Him and His loving kindness.

I can't see His drawing of me yet because He is still patiently and lovingly completing me. I can't wait to see the end result.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. (Jeremiah 31:3 NASB)

I will always love you; that's why I've been so patient and kind. (Jeremiah 31:3 CEVDCUS06)

 I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. (Jeremiah 31:3 ESV)

PS: I wanted a pencil drawing to go with this post, but my photo program wouldn't let me do it. So I enlisted some help from our Whew sister, Elizabeth Housel.

While see was working on my photo, I had the same feeling of anticipation that I had while waiting for the real sketch. 

Thank you for your help today, Elizabeth.

Sluggish

A good friend has mentioned this morning that she is having a little trouble getting moving this morning.

I am feeling somewhat sluggish myself. "Sluggish--- like a slug." That's an ugly analogy. I may be moving slowly but that's where I hope the comparison ends.

Anyway...

I have 2 questions for you to think on today:

What are you dwelling on that is frightening you or causing you to be discouraged? And what makes these things too big for God to handle?

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 NASB)

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NASB)

I'll go next

Can you learn how to do things by reading the manual?

I remember one of the hardest things I ever learned to do was set my old VCR to record a show. I read the manual and reread the manual and still the shows did not record. Until someone showed me how to do it.

I remember driving my first big commercial vehicle and the instructor telling me that when I shut 'er down I needed to pull the engine kill. But when the time came to shut 'er down, I put it in the proper gear, set the brake, turned the key off and pulled the key out. The engine was still running. Someone had to come show me where the engine kill switch was.

It is easy to get dismayed (lose your courage or become disappointed) when you are unsure of yourself.

Whether giving a speech in High School or trying new machines at the gym and even  using the self checkout at the grocery, it is ALWAYS easier if someone else goes ahead of you.

God tells us in His Word that He will go ahead of us. We just have to keep our eyes on Him and follow His lead. 

The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB)

Friendship

Someone popped up on my Facebook chat last night by saying, "you are a good friend."

It came random, it came out of the blue. I was not expecting it and it lifted my spirits.

I had been missing my friends. I had been wanting some human connection. But it was late and most were sleeping. I was so glad to hear from her.

My friends are so important. They lift me, they instruct me, they correct me and keep accountable. They are company, they are wisdom. Friendship, companionship and mutual understanding are important.

So often we become like our friends. That is why the Bible warns against bad company, but praises good friends.

I want to be a good friend. 

And I treasure those of you who are my friends.

“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.”

C. S. Lewis

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 12:26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 14:6-7 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.

Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Are you a cracked pot?

Aren't matches and lighters great? Just with a flick of the thumb or the strike of the wrist we can have flame.

I like watching fire, either the flames of a camp fire, a fireplace or sometimes even just sitting in candlelight. It brings peace to my soul.

In ancient days, fire was not so easy. So once they had fire they would keep and carry some hot coals with them as they traveled. Then fire starting would be much easier.

Fire carriers were mostly just a regular earthen vessel that they would use for water or grain or many other things. But because of the heat of the fire the vessels would quickly look completely different from the others. Most often they would crack, but these cracks also served as a draft to keep the coals burning.

When we give our lives over to The Lord. We are like these earthen vessels. People will begin to see that we look a little different.

Day to day circumstances can bring "little fractures" into our lives, but when we have "the light" inside of us it will just look stronger and burn brighter when it is seen through our cracks and flaws.

Don't struggle against the small cracks of life, don't try to hide or cover your flaws, accept them and use them to allow Christ to shine through you for others to see.

Are you a cracked pot?

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:6-9 NASB)

Check it out

About 4 years ago I was talking with a person I worked with and trying to convince them to come to church with me. She agreed on one condition, that the following week I would go with her to her church. So it was settled.

She came with me and heard a fantastic sermon by our preacher and everyone was kind and friendly toward her. She even already knew someone there and had gone to school with them.

The following week I got up and got ready and then went with her to church.

The Sunday School class was about Jonah and the teacher read from some little booklet and no one else said much.

Then when we went to church I was happy as everyone belted out the good old hymns from the book. 

Then the preacher spoke a sermon from the same booklet using the same text as the Sunday School lesson. I followed along in my Bible, underlining and taking notes as I always do. 

I had noticed something. I was the only person in this small congregation other than the preacher that had brought a Bible to church.

Hmmmm!

Now, how were the people here going to know if what is spoken is truth or not? How would they know if they were being deceived? Did they have that much trust in the teacher and preacher? Or didn't they really care? Why were they here then? 

Why would anyone spend two hours of their day going to church but not really care if what they were hearing is the truth of God or not?

Do you follow along when someone is teaching or preaching to you?

Check it out. 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6 NASB)

Watching over you

I used to be a school bus driver trainer. I really enjoyed teaching others how to drive the bus and how to be safe while hauling such precious cargo.

At first almost everyone I taught was intimidated by the size and by all of the knobs and switches. Many were apprehensive of the maneuvers that needed to be performed. Some had bad driving habits that needed corrected. But everyone learned.

My first lesson I always said, "you will listen to me and do things just the way I tell you."

I sat in the seat behind the driver. I would tell them what to watch for. I would tell them where to turn. I would remind them to check their mirrors, watch for hazards, look at weight limits, check for height clearance. I taught them what each of the knobs and switches did. They understood laws. They learned to be bus drivers under my watchful eye.

After the training and testing was over, they were on their own. Would they continue to do as I had taught them?

This is what God does for us. He instructs us. He guides us. He directs us. And He always has His eye upon us.

I think I can hear Him say, "you will listen to me and do things the way I tell you."

You have the choice, will we do as He has taught us?

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Psalms 32:8 NASB)