Numbers 23:19-20 “God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind.  Has he promised, and will he not do it?  See, I received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.”

This is a story I did not know.

The king of Moab called on Balaam, who some considered a prophet of God, to curse the Israelites because his people were afraid of them.  He wanted to have the upper hand if it came to war.  The king sent gifts and an entourage to escort Balaam back to him for this curse.

Four times the king showed Balaam the Israeli camp from different angles.  Four times Balaam sought and received words from the Lord God.  He cleared stated to the king that he could only repeat was he was told by God and that he would not deviate from what he was told.

This man, Balaam, was not an Israelite yet he sought the words of God and would only follow them?  This man was not an Israelite but God clearly spoke to and through him?  God is bigger than we allow him to be in our own minds.

I seek to hear and obey just as this story leads us to do.  We have received a command to bless; to love.  He has blessed and loved and we cannot revoke it.

Lord,

Let this strange story remain in my heart and mind today as I meet people, teach school and cook meals.  In all I do let me hear you and not deviate from what you say.  All people are your people; guide me in blessing and loving them as you have blessed and loved me.  Amen.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Sometimes we need new perspective.

When my kids are having a day filled with unhappiness and general grumpiness I have them take a few moments and think of the good things of the day.

When we are grumpy, sad or angry it can be hard to find things to be happy about.  I ask my kids to find five good things about the day.  It helps them gain new perspective.

I can turn on the television and watch the news, allowing it to fill me with dread and despair; that is easy to do.  The challenge is to watch the news and find reasons for rejoicing.  Beyond the special interest stories that the news stations throw in for a bit of light in the midst of the heavy, there are reasons to rejoice in the Lord.

I struggle to remember that the Lord has his hand in all things when I see battles and wars, tensions in countries near and far.  I struggle to rejoice when friends and family suffer.  When I struggle I try to remember that I do not see as the Lord sees.  Only he knows from beginning to end and we only have a glimpse, a small piece of the whole picture.

I need to rely on my faith in God.  Regardless of what is going on in my small world or the whole world, I trust in the Lord.  When I hold on to that trust and faith, I am able to rejoice in the Lord, I am able to rejoice always.

Lord,

You know all, I do not.  It is clear as I study your word and learn more of you, that we have all the reason to rejoice and no reason to worry.  Help us gain new perspective so we can rejoice in you always.  I pray this in your holy name. Amen.

Psalm 15:1-2 “O Lord, who may abide in your tent?  Who may dwell on your holy hill?  Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart;”

Spring is just around the corner.

The seasons continue around and winter is quickly coming to an end conceding its turn in the world to spring.  Yesterday was a day of hunkering down for a bitter cold day but I know as I look at the calendar that it will not be long before we gaze at early spring flower buds and the grass awakens from its winter hibernation.

We also quickly come to a time of reflection and repentance on the church calendar.  Lent is just around the corner and tradition holds that we take those 40 days to reflect on ourselves and repent of things we need to change.  It is through these times of reflection and repentance that we come to be upright and blameless in the sight of the Lord.

Every day is an opportunity to abide in the tent of the Lord; to dwell on his holy hill.  We must come blameless and righteous, speaking truth from our hearts.  The only way we fallible humans can manage this is through the cleansing blood of our Savior, Jesus.  Join me in the cleansing search with Christ.  Let us come to the holy hill and praise the Lord for his salvation today...

Lord,

I lift my hands and my heart in praise and adoration you to today.  Search me, cleanse me, and make me new in your eyes through your grace and redeeming love.  I only want to speak truth from my heart; I want to be blameless in your sight.  I want to abide with you, always.  Amen.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

This is love at the very core.

We can spend hours, no, days reading passages in the bible, teachings and prophecies that speak of the vengeance of God.  If we look at these passages on the surface level, it tells of a God who is angry, full of judgment and condemnation.  We must look a little deeper.

If someone walked into my home while my children were being disobedient and stubborn, they might see a parent who is angry and full of judgment and condemnation, they would need to look deeper here too.

Even in the prophecies and teachings that warn of God’s judgment there are many words of hope mixed in.  The prophecies and teachings of the bible all have the same core message, love God because he loves you.  I never stop loving my children, even when I am angry.  How much more does God, the source of love, never stop loving his children?  These verses remind us of how much God loves us.

He loves us all, each of us, so very much that he sent a perfect sacrifice to break down the wall between life and death so that we could enter in just through our faith.  He does not come to condemn but to save.  He does not come to reject but to love.  Yes, Jesus loves you!

Lord,

Thank you for these easy and beautiful words in John.  Thank you for the blessing of being able to come to you through the gift of Jesus so that we can easily step into your love and light.  As we learn and believe in you, help us share that knowledge and faith with others so all may come to live eternally in your holy love.  Amen.

Hosea 6:3 “Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is a sure as the dawn, he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.”

Sometimes it is tempting to give up.

I hear the words “I can’t” almost daily and I have had more than one conversation with my kids about not giving up.

Just because something is hard or challenging does not mean we throw in the towel and quit, right?  If that were the case I never would have learned to ride a bike or drive a car.  I never would have learned how to ski or even read a book.

Reading this passage in Hosea could easily cause anyone to just give up.  God is angry and hurt at the unfaithfulness of Israel and Hosea is called to show Israel what that looks like and tell them about it as well.  Throughout the book of Hosea there are passages telling of God’s anger and there are passage telling of God’s mercy and love.  He never gives up on Israel; He keeps on loving them, correcting them, teaching and forgiving them. 

He does the same for us.

When I look at my days in review I see times of rebellion, times of blindness and times of humility and love.  I am no different than Israel in my spiritual journey.

God does not give up on us.  He teaches us through his steadfast love to continue striving forward, try again, start over and keep pressing on.  I press on to know the Lord, knowing he is sure and true like the spring rains that water the earth.

Lord,

When I come to you in humility and truth you are there.  You bring showers of love and mercy, healing and guidance.  Thank you for your unending mercy and love.  Thank you for teaching each of us how to press on and for inspiring our hearts to press on to know you more and more.  Help me honor and love you in truth today.  Amen.

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”

The kids like to toss rocks into the river when we stop in Glenwood Canyon on our drives to the western slope of Colorado.

We always stop at the same rest area in the canyon because there is good access to the Colorado River and the kids like to pick up rocks of different sizes and toss them into the river.  They like to see how far they can throw them and how big a splash the rock will make.

Once the rocks are thrown, they sail through the air for a moment and they sink into the river never to be seen by us again.

Wouldn't it be great if we could toss our worries and anxieties into the river like those rocks?  How far can we throw them and how big a splash will they make when they fall into the deep flowing waters?

This simple verse reminds us that we can.  Peter calls us to toss or cast our anxieties away, onto Jesus, onto God and leave them never to be seen by us again.  Our Lord waits with open arms, with deep flowing love to accept as many worries and anxieties as we have because he cares for us; He loves us beyond measure.

The Colorado River does not care how many rocks my kids and the thousands of other kids throw into it, the river can handle it without a problem.  God willingly accepts however many anxieties we throw or cast to him, he can handle whatever we throw his way, no problem.  Let go and walk into this day feeling lighter and freer.

Lord,

We cast our anxieties to you only to wade back into the stream and seek out our rocks again.  Gently remind us that you hold them for us and we no longer need them, you will carry them without a problem.  Open our hands to receive the mercy and love you have for us, replace anxiety with peace, fear with hope, sadness with joy.  I ask these blessings on each of us and pray we will share these things with those around us today.  Amen.

Revelation 19:12 “... and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself”

Throughout the night I was awakened and the song “Crown Him with Many Crowns” was going through my head each time.

When I finally got up to stay, I looked up the song to find out what scripture, if any, the song was based on.  I was led to this verse in the book of Revelation.  I almost closed the bible and started all over again but I needed to write my thoughts on this.

What are the many diadems or crowns that he wears?  Are they the different titles he holds or crowns from many people, many nations, the Universe and all that is in it?  It is not clear to me in this passage of scripture what these crowns represent.  The song lyrics describe the different titles that Jesus holds; Lord of love, Lord of life, Lord of heaven...

Whatever the crowns stand for I am sure of one thing.  He is my King and I believe he is the one true King of all.  Whenever I face eternity and I come to the throne in all my spirit, I will gaze upon my King with many crowns and I know I will be received as a beloved daughter.  This alone is enough to make my heart sing.  I gladly give him my crown; I only have it because he gave it to me through his grace and mercy, his death and resurrection.

Today, my heart sings the old hymn Crown Him with Many Crowns and I go into this day striving to honor him in every way as my King and Lord.

Lord,

There is so much mystery that surrounds you.  I read scripture to learn what you taught when you came to earth but even in your teachings you tell us there is much we are not ready to learn yet.  I long for the day I can learn more in your presence.  Until then, I praise and honor you for all you have done for us.  Thank you for teaching us and for redeeming us for eternity with you.  Amen.