One of These

Matthew 6:28,29 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

Jesus asks again, the same thing he asked before, about clothing.  Isn’t that interesting?

I really don’t know too many people that worry about clothing, exactly.  Of course, I’m sure there are many people who do, but I would guess that’s not one of their biggest worries.  But what if Jesus is talking here about covering, that which identifies and presents who we are, to others?

Now that, people worry about.  

We worry about how others will perceive us, about the image we present, and about whether or not we’re doing a good job of covering up all of those things we don’t want others to see – those private things.

This time, instead of looking at the birds, Jesus now turns our attention to flowers – lilies in particular. Lilies are striking, fragrant flowers.  Did you know that oil extracted from a lily has healing properties?

Jesus says to look at them.  Observe them.  Even in all of their beauty (which they do not achieve through any effort of their own), Jesus says that Solomon – a king with a wealthy kingdom – didn’t even compare to the beauty of this flower.

What this says to me is that all of the things I worry about underneath my own coverings of identity, presentation, and intellect that I present to others who outwardly see me is not the clothing I am to be concerned about. Jesus wants me to be covered and clothed with his provision, his beauty, his fragrance, and his healing properties….

Wow.  I’m sitting here soaking in this thought…will you soak with me?

Being Worried

Matthew 6:27 And who of you by being worried can add a single  hour to his life?

Without directly saying the word “death” here, Jesus is speaking to our worry about dying. 

How much time do we spend worrying about death, when it’s going to happen to those we love, how or when will tragedy strike,  how we will survive, and so on.  These questions mostly arise in my own life when I hear of a sudden death in the family of someone I love.  I’m stricken by panic and fear, and sorrow and sadness, all at one time – and it’s too heavy to bear.

Jesus asks us another question, that rephrased as a statement might read like:

Worry doesn’t add to your life, it only takes away!

Worry is a joy-robber.  We are joyful when life is good, all those we love are well, and everything is coming up roses.  But one thought of devastation or loss and we can plummet into a pit of despair, joy nowhere to be found.

Worry doesn’t accomplish anything good.  It doesn’t add time to our timeline of life.  In fact, we have to come to terms with the fact that our lives are in his hands, and that’s a good place for them to be…for whatever time he gives us here on earth.

One of the best antidotes for worry is thankfulness.  So when we start to worry about death, we can start thanking him for life.

Look at Them

Matthew 6:26 says, Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

This is another verse about birds, which we referred to in our last topic discussion.  But here, it’s in light of this new topic – the cure for anxiety.

Birdwatching is, according to Birdhouses 101, one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the United States. People are intrigued and amazed by birds, their strength, and their power.

But Jesus wants us to focus here on the fact that birds don’t toil and fret and store up for themselves mounds of provision for “bad times.” In fact, they soar, they fly, and they land to nibble on seeds and gather sticks for their nests, with seemingly not a care in the world.  God makes sure there is seed and nesting for the birds…everywhere they fly.

Then Jesus reminds us that we are worth much more to him than the birds.  We are made in his image after all, and we are his children, his sons and his daughters.  He doesn’t want us to be anxious about the things we need in life.

Are you a bird watcher?  Maybe you should be.  Maybe we all should be.

The Cure

I’m going to look at Matthew 6:25-34 over the next few days, because at the beginning of this passage it says “Cure for Anxiety” as the topic heading.  Don’t we all need a cure for anxiety in this world in which we live?

^{Verse 25:} For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 

These are Jesus’ own words to us, instructing us to not worry about the things that concern this life – like food, drink, and clothing.  But the next sentence asks a question to which begs an answer from all of us, but yet Jesus also provides the correct answer.

Yes, life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

In other words, food, drink, and clothing are needs that our heaven father knows we must have in order to function in this life – that’s a given – so no need to fret over it.  He will provide.

But while we strive at providing all of those things for ourselves, we sometimes forget to live and take care of our bodies.

It’s hard work to provide for even simple necessities of life, especially if work is slow or pay is poor.  But worry, added to that hard work, makes for an anxious life.

It’s easy to SAY that we  need to enjoy life and take care of our bodies well, but it’s hard sometimes to do these things, in light of our “needs” taking so much of our time and energy.

Jesus tells us here to let the worry go, so it must be possible…

Don't worry.

Come Assemble

Revelation 19:  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ”Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid heaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.”

Here at the end of the Bible, the last book, we read about a scene in heaven, one where the King of Kings and Lord of Lords reigns over all.

An angel is standing in the sun (wow) and cries out to all the birds to come assemble for the great supper of God – to eat the flesh of kings and mighty men and horses.  There are many verses in the bible prior to this one that talk about birds being invited to come and dine on dead carcasses.

I suppose the vulture is the most ominous of all birds, and when I come across one in the middle of the road, picking at a dead animal, I’m disgusted. 

There are birds of prey, and then there are birds of beauty.  The birds of beauty are symbols of freedom in Christ.  The birds of prey are symbols of the plight of those who do not believe.

I don’t want to be found under a vulture as his dinner.  I want to be found among those who soar with Him, right to his throne.

Observe the birds today.  Listen to their voices and their chirps and their songs, and smile.  And if you see a large bird descend to the ground to eat, be thankful that you are not his dinner, but give thanks that you are among those who soar and find refuge under the shade of His branches.

Under Its Shade

Mark 4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

Here in Mark, in the New Testament, we see that when we hear the Word of God (the seed that is planted in our hearts) and it falls into good soil (a receptive obedient heart), that word takes root and grows up and becomes that stately tree we read about in yesterday’s devo.

In fact, even just a tiny word, received in faith, can grow taller than all other plants in our lives, forming large branches, inviting birds of the air to come nest in its shade.

The cool thing about the Word is that it does all the work, if we just receive it and believe it.  Trees don’t stress and pant and freak out over growing tall.  They take root by the water, they lean in towards the son, and they soak.

And then when their branches are strong and leafy, they just provide shade for the weary, strength to the weak, and a place of refuge for those who are fleeing.

Where are you planted?  What are you drinking? Are your branches full and providing shade for others?

If not, just receive his Word into the good soil of your obedient heart, and dig deep...

Among the Branches

Daniel 4: ‘The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to the sky,

And it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, And the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, And all living creatures fed themselves from it.

The Bible uses trees and fruit and branches and yes, birds, to describe abundance, blessings, and strength.  In fact, we are called to be oaks of righteousness.

In this verse, we see a tall stately tree (maybe like a Redwood), but this one is visible to the whole earth.  Wow.  In this tree is food for all, and the birds live among its branches.  In other words, it provides nourishment and safety to those who care to come and enjoy.

Everything that lives feeds from it.

This is our reward and how we bring glory to HIM when we are a tree planted by the living waters – we bring forth fruit in season – we become a dwelling place for those who are hungry and tired – and we are beautiful.

Like Flying Birds

Isaiah 31: “As the lion or the young lion growls over his prey, Against which a band of shepherds is called out, And he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise, So will the Lord of hosts come down to wage war on Mount Zion and on its hill.”  Like flying birds so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it;He will pass over and rescue it.

I love the similes in the Bible!  And the imagery!

Can you see a growling lion waging war?

Can you see a flock of flying birds offering protection?

I don’t recall ever reading another passage where the Lord’s protection is compared to flying birds.  I once read that the V formation of flying geese is 70% more effective than flying alone.  I’ve also seen a huge mass of birds descend upon a parking lot or land stop a tree, and it’s so amazing to watch, I stop in my tracks.

There are other verses, though, that describe the Lord hiding us and protecting us under his wings, and enabling us to fly like eagles.

Observe the birds today, how they flock together, fly together, swoop together and soar together.

God loves to remind us of his care when he points us to look at his creation.

Bird of the Heavens

Psalm 104 He sends forth springs in the valleys; They flow between the mountains; They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; They lift up their voices among the branches. He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.

When’s the last time you sat and listened the voices of the birds among the branches?  I rarely do, but my husband hears them each morning as he awakes and begins to leave for work.  I only hear my work calling me and I miss the chirping of the birds altogether.

God created all of nature and gave it to us to have dominion over it, and to enjoy the fruit of our labors as we work in it.  He sends rain so that water flows and waters those who are thirsty in the fields.  He sets birds on branches to sing and coo, sending praises down to all who dare to stop and listen.

All of Psalm 104 is about the majesty and glory of  God in creation, including the birds.

  

Read it and be blessed.  

In fact, we will look closer at Psalm 104 over the next few days.

The Dove

Genesis 8:11 The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her  beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth.  Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.

Remember the story of Noah and the ark?  God made sure that birds were taken on the voyage of all voyages, when the rest of creation was destroyed.  And it was a bird that God told Noah to release from the ark at the end of the rain to see if all was well, and the flood was receding.

In this story, the bird was a dove.  The dove carried a leaf back to the ark and this signaled to Noah that the water was down.  The next time the dove flew, it did not return because it no longer needed the safety of the ark – because the sun had dried up all the rain.

Every time we see a rainbow, we remember God’s promise to Noah after the flood.  But I think we should also think of the story when we see a dove.

Maybe we’re in a flood right now and feel as though we’re about to drown, never to reach the safety of dry ground again.

Observe the doves of the air and remember God’s promises.  They are true, he is faithful, and he is a restorative God of all good things.

Winged Birds

Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”  God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

Yes, I’m starting a series of devos on birds in the Bible.  I’ve realized of late that I rarely stop to listen to the birds cooing or singing, and that in doing so, I’m missing out on the rest that listening to and observing nature brings.

God gave wings to birds at the beginning of time to fly “in the open expanse of the heavens.” And he called it good.

For today, just observe the birds that fly around in the air.  Isn’t it interesting that birds are everywhere?  They aren’t just in Africa, only in wooded areas, or just in the sea – they’re everywhere.  The sky is their home.  Their wings enable them to soar.

Join me on this trek through scripture, observing the birds of the air, and see if you don’t find rest, hope, and amazing wonder at God’s winged fliers.

Do You Hear It?

Rev 5:13

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb,be blessing and honor. 

Now we’re in to the description of heaven, as told by John.

Every created thing in one voice, John heard them giving praise to the Father (remember the one who invited us to sit next to him on his throne?), and to the Lamb (Jesus, the son of God who was slain for our sins), because they are worthy of blessing and honor.

John shares with us what he heard – the sound of heaven – the sound of millions of voices of the created singing to the Creator.

I can’t even imagine that, can you?  I’ve been to a few concerts where the music literally lifted me away to a higher place for a few moments.  And that was only a few hundred people.  Can you imagine several million?

It’s going to be glorious in Heaven, that’s for sure.  And we can even enter that praise experience here, before we go.

Hear his voice, invite him in, join him next to his Father on his throne, and kneel in adoration and praise.

Knocking

Rev 3:19-21 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.  He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Have you seen those old oil paintings that depict Jesus knocking on a door?  I love that he is always wanting to come visit with us.  He stands there knocking until we open and invite him in.  He doesn’t intrude, he doesn’t knock down the door and push his way in, he waits for the door to open.

Not only does he knock, but it says here that he’s saying something, because he invites us to hear him.

He’s asking to come in and dine with us.  That’s what family does.  That’s what friends do.  They sit at our table and we eat together, as we converse and enjoy each other’s company.

And then what’s incredible is that he invites us to sit down with him on his throne, by his Father.

That’s royalty.  That’s family and we belong to the King.

The King wants to sit with you today and enjoy your presence, and invite you to enjoy His.

Do you hear his voice and his knock?

Just say yes, and let him in. You’ll be glad you did.

Remember....

Rev 3:3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

Yesterday’s devo reminded us to use our ears to hear what the Spirit has to say.

This verse says to remember what we hear, keep it, and repent.

These are strong words in this last book of the Bible.  It’s no joke that Jesus is returning.  It’s not a fantasy that heaven is real.  And it’s certainly not funny if we keep on sinning when we’ve heard the truth about the right thing to do, but we continually turn away and choose the wrong thing.

Jesus says he’s coming like a thief in the night.  In other words, if we’re asleep and not on guard in our spiritual walk, we might sleep right through it!

Jesus comes to all of us through his Holy Spirit to work and to bring out his kingdom in our lives and in the lives of others.

We must hear, obey, retain his words in our hearts, repent of sin, and be aware of the fact that his Spirit is always at work in us, speaking, leading, and working God’s will hear on earth…as it is in heaven…until the earth is no more.

Hear

Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

This phrase is repeated throughout this second chapter of Revelation.

It sounds silly, doesn’t it?  We all have ears, so why does he say “he who has an ear, let him hear?”

We all know our kids have ears, and we know they can very well hear us when we’re talking to them.  But kids become masters at “tuning us out” when they don’t want to obey.  They hum, they play, they make noise, or they even cover their ears when we start instructing them and they don’t want to be bothered.

John has important words to say in this chapter, and he’s calling those who are listening to uncover their ears, open their hearts, tune in, and listen up.

Why?

Because the Spirit has something to say.

Do you have an ear?

Hear.

A Loud Voice

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying...

I love this verse.

Sometimes for some of us, the only day we are “in the Spirit” is on the Lord’s day – when we’re at church.  The rest of the week we are preoccupied with life, family demands, and our own thoughts.

But isn’t it cool that when we are “in the Spirit” we are then able to hear his voice.

The rest of the book of Revelation unfolds as John (the writer) shares with us what he heard from a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet saying to him.

I think God enjoys speaking to us.  He mostly listens to our pleas, petitions, and cries.  But I think he likes to talk back and share great mysteries with us, IF we are available and listening.

It’s a good practice to be “in the Spirit” on the Lord’s day.  

It’s an even practice to be “in the Spirit” every day so we can hear his voice and his whispers and his shouts, as he talks to the spirit within us and reveals the beauty and wonder of things to come.

It's Near

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Do you ever wonder if heaven is really ever going to happen?  Our grandparents thought Jesus would return in their generation, then our parents preached it, and now it’s our generation, and we have our own kids…and then they have kids.

Will the return ever happen? 

This verse says we are blessed if we read about it and heed (take to heart and obey) the truth, because the time is “near.”

There are days when we get so caught up in this world and all of its demands on our lives that we forget to even think about heaven and when we all might go there.

Revelation is a hard book to understand, and we’re not meant to grasp it all.  In fact, we’re meant to read about heaven, long for it, and expectantly await the mystery of the splendor of it all to unfold.

I love a good mystery movie, and I love it when I can’t figure it out, and then at the end I’m surprised.  That’s the best kind!

Jesus is coming.  Heaven is for real.  We are blessed if we believe.

Joy Like This

III John 1:4 says I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

As a parent, isn’t that the mark of success, to realize and see that our children are walking in the truth we’ve taught them as we raised them?  I think it is.  Our hearts are warmed when we see our kids making wise choices, serving God with all their hearts, and functioning as healthy adults.

As our father, it thrills His heart too, when we hear his Word and walk in it.  In fact, it brings him joy. 

If we have children who are not walking in the truth in which they have been trained, it hurts our hearts and we do all we can through prayer to ask the Lord to change them, enlighten them, prod them like shepherd does his sheep, back to living water and green pastures.

God is a much more loving father than we could ever be, and that too is his heart, to gently lead his children who have wandered off, back to the place where he can care for them and provide all that they need, in the safety of his leadership.

Do you have children who walk in the truth?  Give thanks, and always pray for them.  

Do you have children who have wandered away from the truth they have heard?  Give thanks for them, and always pray as well.

And enjoy the joy...

This is It

II John 1:6 says

And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning,  that you should walk in it.

Love is walking in what God has commanded us to do.

Love is obeying what we heard in the beginning.

Love is walking in what we’ve heard.

A marriage that is successful is one where both parties remember their vows and they stick to them, and they walk in them.  In other words, they remember their covenant to love each other in every circumstance or situation in which they find themselves.  And then it takes both parties walking in that commitment in order to thrive together as one.

It’s no different with God.  He is always faithful, never wavering in his love for us.  It’s we who waver, doubt and quit walking.

All we have to do is go back to the beginning and reaffirm our faith and love in him, and he grabs our hand and calls us to walk beside him again…

This is love.

Whatever

I John 5 says, This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

We like this verse because it says we will have whatever we ask of Him.  But in reality, we know that’s not true, right?  Does any parent give their children everything they ask of them?  Certainly, not.  Good parents know it’s not best to give children too much candy, every toy in the store, or grant every wish for even solace.  Good parents know that their children need to grow and learn and mature, and become responsible adults.  So sometimes they say no, because they know best.

This verse says we must ask “according to His will” if we want to receive.  And the sure things we know about his will are that he wants us to love one another and love him with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. So when we ask for things that contribute to those two  directives in our lives, we will receive them.

We’ve often heard that God is not a genie in a bottle. Thank goodness!  We all know that children who are never told the word no grow up to be brats that no one likes.

Go to God in confidence when you pray.  And pray for things that you know please his heart.  Then watch him take care of the “other” things you thought were so important to ask for.

Remember another verse that says to seek his kingdom first and he will grant all that we need.

He's the perfect Father to his children.

The Message

I John 3:11 reminds us of something Jesus said early on in his ministry,

For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

Love one another.

That’s worth hearing again.

Love one another.

Sometimes it’s good to go back to the beginning of our walk with Christ, back to the start of the gospels when Jesus first spoke in authority to his listeners, or back to the beginning of the Bible, with the first verse that tells us “In the beginning God…”

Those beginning words, the things we heard that were the foundation on which we stand, we need to hear again.

Love one another.

What does that look like, today?  Observing a neighbor in need? Calling a friend to tell them we’re praying for them? Giving our time or resources to enable a friend to thrive?

There are so many things we can hear in this world, all in the course of one day.  But it’s those things that we hear loudest that we attend to…or tune out.

Love one another.

Today.

Have You Heard?

I John 1:5

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Sometimes we read scripture, listen to sermons, hear others speak of His goodness in their lives, and we even experience a few moving moments, ourselves.

And then there is that moment when we really HEAR what God is saying to us in the middle of the night, while we’re driving down the road observing the sunrise, or while we’re playing with our children in the middle of the floor.

It might be a loud voice, a quiet whisper, or a settling of our soul, but we really hear it and we understand it and we grab hold of it.

This writer grabbed hold of the truth he had heard about God:

He is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

That’s enough hearing to last a lifetime.  Do you hear it?