Jean Pierre de Caussade says, “that each moment of our lives can be a sacrament, a vehicle for God’s love and power. The present moment holds infinite riches beyond your wildest dreams, BUT you will only enjoy them to the extent of your faith and love….to discover God in the smallest and most ordinary things, as well as in the greatest, is to possess a rare and sublime faith.”
God
All posts tagged God
Mercy Me sings the song, “I Can Only Imagine.” ”I can only imagine, what it will be like…I can only imagine what my eyes will see, when your face is before me. Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel….will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall….will I sing hallelujah or be able to speak at all…I can only imagine!”
Maybe it’s time for you to contemplate what it might be like…can you imagine?
I suppose there are many places each of us could call “Paradise.” In my travels I’ve seen many of these kinds of places that God has created for my enjoyment. This picture is such a place I enjoyed for 25 years in Bradenton. Everyday I went to work at Public Safety, this was the view I had (out the conference room window) from the 5th floor of the County Administration Center. This week I sat outside and “contemplated” this view once again and realized how good God has been to me. He has created and given so much! Take some time and find one of the many “paradises” in your life and offer your gratitude. If you don’t make time, you’ll skip by these places and never see the amazing evidence of His work!
Last night I had the opportunity to see some special friends that I haven’t seen in almost 3 years. As I rang the doorbell I was greeted by the family dog (Boone) and the entire Romine family. As we exchanged hugs and greetings, little Josie (4 years old) made her way to me….as I knelt down she greeted me with a hug and the above picture…with a huge smile on her face. She was so excited to offer me this “handmade gift” that expressed her love and acceptance. Outside the obvious, the example little Josie provided was stunning! This is how I see Christ accepting us. Arms reached out, wrapping himself around us, and giving us the great (colorful) gift of life. Little Josie knew nothing about me, yet she accepted me “just as I was.” Not only did I appreciate the time I spent with my friends, I left knowing that God used a 4 year old girl to remind me that I should also accept others just the way she accepted me….and the way He accepts everyone! Don’t miss the subtle messages that are all around you. God speaks in mysterious ways! Thanks Todd, Karen, Jesse, Jake, and Josie for your love and a great time reconnecting!
Those who have ever piloted a plane or ship will tell you the same thing when facing a storm. You MUST decide which way you will go. Your choices are: go around it, go over it or under it (if you’re in a plane), or go through it. You may not have enough fuel to go around it? If you’re flying, going above it could create altitude problems and going under it could cause you to fly dangerously close to the ground (risking a crash). Sometimes, going through the storm is the only choice! In our lives, there will be times we MUST go through the storm. It won’t seem fair, won’t be easy, will create a rough ride, and may cause some temporary disturbances in our lives. At times, it can even cause damage to your ship. During these times, trust God and ask Him to “take you through it!” You will never regret having Him with you when your ship/plane (life) faces the storm!
I was intrigued as I shot this picture on Mackinaw Island. Like many old churches, this historic sanctuary has amazing detail. But don’t miss the magnificent reflection on the cross. We serve a God who “shines” in our lives. If the cross is not reflecting in your life..what is?
Sometimes it’s easy to rely on God to take care of all our issues. We might even “go to prayer” with the wrong approach as we really don’t want God’s will…but our own. Are there times you pray as the dog? Or the child? Our prayers should be about the petition for “blessing” others…. not to “smite” them. The next time you pray, check your heart and see if you “have a bone to pick” with anyone?
The scripture has many references to the word “hand (s).” Some of these pieces of scripture speak to the issue of support, comfort, and peace. God’s leadership provides an interesting insight. He doesn’t call us to “jump through a bunch of hoops,” or “go the extra mile.” He simply asks us to trust Him enough to place our hand in His. He will lead us by His gentle touch.
The next time you look at your hands, imagine them in His.
“The heavens tell the glory of God..the skies display His marvelous craftsmanship.”
Look around…you’ll see HIS presence every!
