Tuesday, May 17, 2011

He pays attention to every detail. Matthew 10:29

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care." Matthew 10:39


I am fascinated by nature. Birds, flowers, blue skies, rain, thunder, lightning, change of seasons. I breathe it in and it gives me hope. I revel in God's glory for the tiniest of details. The soft hues of a rose, the detail in a leaf, peeper frogs, and elephants. He gave giraffes trees that they could eat from, he created a crayon box of Fall colors, and the brightest rainbow of spring. In winter he showes us beauty in the silence and every thing he created has the most intricate of details.

It reminds me how special we are to him. Like an artist, he worked at perfection because he cares and loves us unconditionally. To God we are is art, his perfect creation. And with that he also provides us with unending care and relationship. He wants us to enjoy his creations not only of the world, but his creation in us. We are all beautiful in his eyes. He doesn't see us the way we often times view ourselves. In us, he created a beautiful work of art. I often wonder if he hurts when we don't appreciate the gift? When we try to change our physical attributes, or hide them because we are embarrased by the turn of our nose, the texture of our hair, the size of our hips.

And yet, with all our short sightedness, with all our doubts about ourselves, he continues to welcome us with open arms. There is no rejection in God's arms, no dismissal in his eyes. There is only love.

When we begin to question our self worth, we need to be reminded of his perfect attention to the details.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sometimes Joy is hard to find...


Lately, I have been feeling a little down. Things just don't seem to be going my way. I start to feel sorry for myself, then it moves on to not wanting to get out of bed, or go to work. Its a brief thought running through my head if even for the slightest moment, and yet its there. I look inward to try and figure out what is going on and I then begin to realize I am neglecting to look for the joy. Joy, as opposed to happiness is long term and constant. Even in the midst of the worst of times, joy settles in for the long haul. Its a comfort, a feeling, a knowing that God is there, and he is in control. Its so easy to become shortsighted when we are trying to pay the bills, or dealing with the loss of a job, or loved one. Even illness or simply a bad day at the office can zap us of our energy, make us cry out "Why me, Lord?". "What did I do to deserve this?", "Will I ever feel better again?" So many things can get in the way of our joy, IF WE LET IT.

When I sit back and dwell on the sadness, pain, depression, loneliness or whatever might be happening at the time, I can become so engrossed, that it feeds upon itself, getting stronger and more powerful. But one word can change it. GOD. And another. JESUS. And then it happens, something that reconnects me to my savior. A small bird might land on my windowsill, a gentle breeze might push the curtains gently across my face in the morning, or a kind word might be said. Its so much easier to find what's wrong with life, but when we put GOD in our way, right in front of our face, its very hard to ignore the joy and blessings he brings.

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior."

Habakkuk 3:17-18