The little toe of anyone’s foot seems a rather insignificant thing. We barely give it notice and not often is it even thought about. For me, that changed in a moment just last week. There I was with my mind on something else — certainly not my little toe — when the phone rings. I go to answer it and on the way my little toe gets rammed into the metal leg of my desk. Oh, wow! Suddenly, every fiber of my being was concentrated on that little, aching, seemingly, insignificant toe.
I hobbled and puffed in pain to the nearest chair. I drew my foot up to the edge of the chair to get a better look. It was already swelling. Quickly I got my ever-ready ice pack from the freezer and held it there for some time. It wasn’t just the toe itself that was swelling, but the whole top area of my foot near the toes. The next thing I did was to wrap the little toe and the one next to it together.
The next morning the swelling was still there but now colors of green and blue were appearing. With the writing of this blog, the color has changed to shades of deep purple. I couldn’t put full weight down on the foot so, with my apartment being carpeted, I sort of slid my way around.
That accident happened on a Thursday night. I knew I was to go to the airport to catch a needed flight on Monday. Would I be able to walk? Would the pain be gone? I had no idea so what did I do? I put out a major request for prayer. My little, insignificant toe was suddenly all important and it needed help and hopefully, quick healing.
As I hobbled through each day I couldn’t help but think of the verses in I Corinthians 12:18-21, 26-27: “But God made our bodies with many parts, and He has put each part just where He wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part. Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you,’ and the head can never say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part.”
Do you ever feel insignificant, overlooked? Please take heart in reminding yourself that God has made each one of us completely significant and needed. He has a plan just for you and no one else. He has laid out your destiny from his own heart. You are a part of God’s overall plan for His church. He desires to use you to help fulfill that plan of sharing His love and the truth of Jesus with everyone.
Still feeling insignificant? Go ahead and ask Father to fill you with that sweet sense of His presence. Ask Him to show you His plan for you today. Ask Him to give you opportunities to show His love to someone else. He will gladly do so, because to your Heavenly Father, you might be a little toe, but if you are hurting, He will rush to comfort and ease your pain. You are indeed vital to your Heavenly Father. He loves you more than you could ever know for His love is immeasurable. Choose today to walk tall and joyful in the knowledge of His love and care for you. Don’t concentrate on being a little toe — concentrate of being chosen by Almighty God Himself to have a part in His Kingdom. What an honor! Walk on! Walk happy! Walk in great joy and thanksgiving!
I heard the mailman at my door this morning so I went to see what had arrived. There was an advertisement for pizza, another advertisement for a sale at a furniture store, and a white envelope. I turned the envelope over and was just about to open it when I noticed something that stopped me — it wasn’t my name written on the front. It was one of my neighbor’s names on the envelope. The mailman has made a mistake and put someone else’s letter in with my mail. No problem. Mistakes happen. I just walked over and put it through the letter slot of my neighbor’s door.
I kept thinking about the name written down that wasn’t mine. I couldn’t claim the letter because my name, which would have identified me as the appointed one to receive the letter, wasn’t anywhere to be seen. It was nothing to do with me. The only claim on that white envelope belonged to my neighbor because it was her name written down — not mine.
That’s when I could feel my lips stretching into a big smile. I got my Bible and searched for the verse I knew was in the book of Revelation. Flipping through the pages, my smile grew even bigger when I found it: Revelation 3:5 reads, “…I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and His angels that they are mine.”
Isn’t that absolutely fantastic? What a wonderful promise to those of us who have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our names are written in God’s own Book of Life and He will never erase our names — never! What does that mean exactly? It means that every person whose name is written down has eternal access to all the glories of heaven; if one’s name is written there, that person has permission to look upon the very face of Jesus. If someone’s name is written in the Book of Life, that person has claim upon an eternity of perfect joy; a place where there are no more tears, no more pain, and no more death.
What relief, joy, excitement, and an immeasurable thankfulness to Jesus for what He did, making it absolutely possible to live with Him forever. If your name is written in the Book of Life, then heaven is your destination. One day you and I will be granted entrance. It’s a certainty, like one’s name on a letter — the promise belongs to us. Jesus wrote it down Himself! No one can take it away.
I close with one more glorious promise to each one whose name is written down in God’s Book of Life: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” I Corinthians 2:9
I did something earlier in the week that I had, at one time, told myself I would never do again. I watched a Lassie movie. I knew what it would do to me. Yes, floods of tears as dear Lassie was lost from her family. Oh, the perils she undertook to try and get back home.
This Lassie movie was set in England. An out-of-work miner sells Lassie out of desperate need to feed his family. The little boy, who loved Lassie, was heart broken. Lassie wasn’t pleased with the new arrangement either. Taken hundreds of miles from the home she knew, Lassie escapes and begins a journey to the place she knows is home. Over mountains, through rivers, breaking free from the dog catcher, and finally trudging through snow and frigid temperatures, Lassie makes it home. It’s against all odds. How could she have made it through such hardship and difficulty? Going home to the little boy she loved was her motivation. He would be waiting for her and all would be well.
As I wiped the tears of joy from my face at the sight of this family reunion with their beloved pet, my thoughts took a sudden turn. You and I are a lot like Lassie, far away from home. None of us are exempt from traveling life’s journey without difficult times. Sometimes we may find ourselves wondering how we will get through some particular calamity. Tears come, hearts break, grief takes hold — the list could go on. Even so, we press on. As Christians, we know the hardships of this present world are temporary. There will most certainly come a time when earth’s journey is over; we will finally make it home. Jesus will be waiting with open arms. Everything we have endured on our long journey home will be worth it all when we see His face, look into His eyes, and feel the warmth of pure love wash over us.
Are you going through a hard time? Are the mountains of challenge too steep? Rivers of possibility too deep to fathom? Just keep walking forward; stay focused on the point of the journey. Never lose sight of your heavenly destination. You and I will, of a certainty, get home; what a wondrous day that will be.
“May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light. For He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.” Colossians 1:11-13
Today is the start of the Easter week-end. It’s a time of great reflection for the Christian as one recalls just what Jesus did for each of us on the the cross over 2000 years ago. For me, as I recall what Jesus did, my mind also thinks upon the disciples. I try to imagine what they must have felt as events unfolded before them. You and I know the story well — we know what comes next. The disciples didn’t have a clue.
Imagine the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. There was Jesus riding on a donkey with throngs of happy people shouting out their praises to Him. Can’t you imagine how proud and happy the disciples were, too? Their faces must have been aching with the smiles that accompanied their glad hearts.
Then events take a sudden and unexpected turn. They all meet with Jesus to celebrate the Passover meal together. Jesus begins talking of one who will betray Him. What? Surely not. Then Judas leaves the meal. What’s going on? The others assure Jesus that they would never betray Him. Then, of all things, Jesus turns to Peter and accuses him! Jesus tells Peter that before daybreak, before the rooster crows, Peter will already have denied he ever knew Jesus, not once, but three times! What? Preposterous! They had had such a joyful day with the people cheering Jesus on. Everyone was in high spirits. Why was Jesus now putting such damper on the occasion?
Then Jesus asks them to accompany Him across the Kidron valley. They enter a grove of olive trees and Jesus begins to pray. He wants them to pray with him but surely Jesus can understand — they’ve had a highly emotional day. They’re exhausted. Why can’t Jesus understand that it’s better to sleep for now? Why couldn’t Jesus stay within the spirit of the great joy they have all experienced?
Suddenly, coming out of the blackness of night, a band of soldiers come, arrest Jesus and take Him away. What? How could this be? What was happening? Wait! Maybe Jesus was going to set up His kingdom now. Yes! That was it! He’s going to overthrow the Roman government and set them all free from its tyranny!
But, no. What was happening? Jesus whipped unmercifully. Men and women mulling about chattering incessantly about what was taking place. The joy of Jesus’ triumphal entry was now replaced with abject terror. Peter denied he knew Jesus. The rooster crowed. Jesus enters carrying a ruggedly hewn cross on his bleeding back.
The disciples watch Him suffer in agony and they watch Him die. That’s it then. The end of their hopes and dreams. There would be no new kingdom. There would be nothing at all. Jesus was dead. Can you picture and imagine their anguish?
Can you then imagine their immeasurable joy when it turns out that Jesus is alive? The stone to His tomb has been rolled away. He isn’t there! He has conquered death! He has risen from the dead!
Have you ever felt like the disciples must have felt in the situation of that week-end when tragedy struck unexpectedly? Have you ever felt let down by the promises of Jesus that haven’t yet come true? Have you endured the pain of hopes and dreams slipping away? The despair that fills your mind when you have no new plan to follow?
May I encourage you this week-end to take heart — choose to trust Jesus for the bigger picture. Remember, you and I can only see today, while Jesus knows the beginning from the end. He holds time in His hands. He does all things well — always.
Have your dreams died? Hope gone? Are you drowning in despair? Look to Jesus and watch Him roll the stone of desolation away. Watch Him revive lost hope. Walk with Him as He fulfills His promises to you in just the right time. He is never too early — He is never too late. The plans for your life and mine unfold at exactly the right moment.
As you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, may you also celebrate His joy that comes after tragedy and despair. It’s a promise. “…weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5
I flew from Atlanta to London this week. I got up to the ticket desk, handed over my passport, and waited while the man behind the desk processed my details. He then tagged my suitcase, handed me my boarding pass, and wished me a good flight. It was while making my way to passport control that it hit me — where was my red passport cover? I diligently searched my carry-on but it wasn’t there. I keep my passport inside this cover, always having to remove it for officials to scan, and then put it back.
Doing an about face, I returned to the check-in desk but my red passport cover was not there. The man behind the desk said he hadn’t seen it. I could only conclude that the person behind me must have seen it where I lay it on the counter and taken it. Returning to the passport control, my steps were heavy, my heart filled with disappointment. Whoever took my red passport cover would have quickly seen it was of no monetary value, but for me, the sentimentality could not be replaced. I’ve had this red, leather, very well worn, passport cover for the whole 34 years of my travels.
If it could have talked, it could tell the stories of traveling behind what was the Iron Curtain. It could have described India, Pakistan,, pasts of Europe, and Iceland. It was with me in Russia and throughout all my days in Kyrgyzstan. Oh, how my disappointment grew as I sat waiting to board my flight. It was a treasure to me — a sentimental one — but a treasure nonetheless.
That’s when my thoughts took a sudden turn. The words of Jesus echoed in my brain, “For where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” Matthew 6:21 I contemplated the most wonderful treasure available to us — God’s own Word. His words of love and instruction, guidance and correction — what a treasure for how to know God, how to live with Him forever, how to know His perfect will for our lives, how to relate to those around us, how to live happy, and peaceful. It’s all there, those nuggets of great treasure and, we can’t lose it. When we store its truths in our hearts, it’s a wonderful treasure that is always with us.
Then, another passage of treasure came to my mind. It’s found in Psalm 119:103-106:
“How sweet are Your words to my taste; they are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your wonderful laws.”
A peace then, God’s own peace, settled in my heart, beginning to soothe and replace my disappointment over my lost passport cover. In the smallest or the biggest disappointments of life — Father cares and speaks His treasures into all wounded places. Let’s not ignore His treasures — let’s store them in our hearts.
From the moment I arrived at my mother’s house three weeks ago, I’ve been keeping an eye on our pecan trees. Upon first glance, I saw them standing tall and starkly barren — not a leaf in sight. Everyday I would look up, hoping to see signs of Spring coming amidst the tree’s dark tangle of bare limbs.
Then yesterday, it happened. I was doing some yard work when I looked up at the branches thatI knew would be there to greet my sight. Nothing — or so I thought, but something had registered in my brain, and I looked again. Yes! There was the evidence of Spring! The tiniest of green buds appeared at the ends of the smallest, spidery branches. Oh, joy! Spring is here!
That’s when I thought of the budding of our lives. Do you ever feel you’re at a stalemate, spiritually speaking? Do you feel like you’re not changing into the image of Christ like you want to? I encourage you to take heart — as long as your desire is to grow in Christ, then just keep on keeping on, focusing on Jesus and His ways, because Spring is coming.
I think of Peter. Remember the time when Jesus was to be crucified? So overcome with fear was Peter, that he denied he even knew Jesus. Peter had failed miserably, but what did Jesus do after He rose from the grave, conquering death? He found Peter and spoke into his life the hope of Spring. He told Peter, just wait, I’m going to make you a rock! I’m going to build my church upon you! Peter must have been speechless at such a proclamation, but it happened. After the power of the Holy Spirit came upon him, Peter was indeed used mightily of God to help the early church grow strong.
Jesus is still speaking today, promising to wash your failures and weaknesses away, to make you into a mighty rock to His glory! How amazing is that! Don’t give up on yourself — that’s what Satan wants you to do. Instead, keep your spiritual ears listening to the words of Jesus and your heart moving in obedience to Him — then wait — Spring is coming. The budding of His power will evidence in your life.
Remember the words found in Philippians 1:6:
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
That’s an absolute promise! Yes, buds of growth will come. It’s always Springtime in our lives when Jesus is our focus.
I was looking at our yard and noticing the dandelions popping up here and there. I like them. They’re pretty — but they are also weeds. If left on their own, they will quickly take over and choke out the good grass. As pretty as they are to look at, they must be cut down. The thing is, they keep coming back and have to be cut down all over again. Even so, the continual cutting away of the weeds is worth the effort for the good health of the yard.
Our spiritual lives are just like good grass that gets cluttered up with the weeds of this world. Before we come to know Jesus, who forgives our sins and makes us clean, we are certainly like a yard full of weeds. How wonderful it is when Jesus, our Holy Gardener, cuts them all away, leaving us healthy and whole.
However, although we’ve been made clean, the temptations of this world can make us yield to the growing of the weeds. Before we know it, they begin to pop up here and there. We tell ourselves that they look pretty. We tell ourselves that a few won’t matter — but they do. They do matter because a few breeds more — always. Thats’ a fact in both our physical and spiritual worlds. Just a few weeds, left unattended, will always multiply.
So, are we doomed to weeds choking up our spiritual gardens because we all yield to temptations? Wonderfully, no! How amazing and loving are the forgiving words of hope that we find in I John 1:8-9, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” As soon as we detect a weed in our spiritual garden, let’s go ahead, confess it, and let our loving, Heavenly Father — our Spiritual Gardener — keep us clean, healthy, fruitful, and whole.
As pretty as some weeds are, a maintained yard is always the most beautiful. It’s the maintained yard that keeps fruits of the Spirit growing, which are love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. (Galations 5:22)
Let’s keep a daily check on our spiritual gardens — don’t let the weeds choke away the fruits of the Spirit — then enjoy your garden and the Gardener with the greatest of joy.
My mother and I went shopping the other day. We both decided that we would like to have a new dress. Walking into one particular store, there was a great sale going on; with excitement we began to peruse the racks of clothes. My Mom chose several to try on — I did, too.
As I was walking down one aisle, I took note of a mannequin and what it was wearing. Would that look good on me? I searched the nearby racks and found the dress. Pulling it out I began to have my doubts. However, I looked again at the mannequin and thought how good it looked. I wasn’t sure at all, doubts swirling in my mind, but I took the garment of uncertainty and went to the dressing room.
Oh, no! Not good! As quickly as I put it on, I took it off again! When I returned the dress to it’s rack, I looked menacingly at the mannequin. How dare it look good when I didn’t! What had gone wrong? Well, I mused, a mannequin is unchanging. It’s created perfectly and stays that way. Humans, on the other hand, are constantly changing with age. Bulges appear where once we thought such a thing an impossibility. There’s nothing we can do about that in our physical worlds. We have to accept that — there comes a time in our lives when we don’t look 20 anymore. Therefore, we have to change our styles accordingly.
Is it the same in our spiritual worlds? Wonderfully, it doesn’t have to be. When we become Christians, the Bible talks about “putting on Christ.” We read in Romans 13:14, “Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” When we choose to dress ourselves in the ways of Jesus, and when we keep that spiritual clothing on, we actually look better and better, no matter our ages. In fact, the more we mature in the Lord, the better our clothes fit as our behavior and speech takes on the resemblance of Jesus. In our spiritual worlds, we need not be discouraged about age distorting our once youthful bodies, because in our spiritual worlds, when we choose to keep ourselves “clothed with Jesus,” then age doesn’t matter at all. We can walk around wearing a garment of praise. When we are “clothed with Jesus,” we have everything of Himself to get us through all our situations in life. When we are clothed in Jesus — that’s a classy style that never grows old.
Last week I shared the news that friends of mine got a puppy. This collie-husky cross was nameless last week. Today, she is called — Mishka. I stopped by earlier this week to visit Mishka. It had not even been a week since she was brought into her new home. It was her first experience of going inside a house, seeing furniture, and hearing all the noises a household makes. It was interesting watching her walk around the first time. Carefully she would sniff and look, trying to make sense of her new world.
Only four days later when I arrive for a visit — there is Mishka running all over the place with a balance of ease and gusto! Was she afraid of the couch? No, she jumped onto it with the greatest of joy. Was she afraid of the coffee table? No, she saw it as her own, special hide-away to lay under. Was she afraid of anything? No, nothing at all. Every wriggle of her tiny body shouted — happy, happy, happy!
As I thought about Mishka, I thought about those of us who know Jesus. We’re like Mishka began – we’re in a temporary home, a sort of makeshift kennel as we go through life. We’re just passing through. Our forever home is yet to come. These thoughts remind me of the song by Jim Reeves – This World Is Not My Home. It begins as follows:
“This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angles beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
It’s wonderful and comforting to know of a certainty that God is our everything and will give us all we need to joyfully and peacefully get through each day. No matter the trouble or challenge — God Almighty is there to supply all we need.
However, as wonderful as that is, it cannot begin to compare with the joy that is yet to come when we leave our earthly home. Jesus told His disciples, just before He left earth to return to His Father, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2
Can you imagine what that will be like? Like Mishka, we will run in ecstasy! We will trust all we see. We will worship Jesus who made it all possible. At long last, we will be home.
Take care not get too comfortable in this world. Trust Father to get you through each day. Be thankful for all He supplies. Enjoy the views of His creation around you. Praise Him for every sunrise — but don’t ever be totally comfortable in this world. After all, it’s not your home. We’re just pilgrims journeying through. Life can be great, but the best is yet to come!
This afternoon, as I was reviewing a certain joy of the day, the words of Luke 15:3-7 came to mind: “Jesus told this story, ‘If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.”
What was the joy of the day? I got to go with friends, Viv and Nat, to look at puppies! Would they choose one? Yes, they did! This pup needed a home and now has one. She was chosen. Now she will learn the ways of her household. She will settle into their routine. She will love pleasing them. She will love hearing the words, “You’re a good dog!” She will love her tasty rewards. She will know she is protected and that her needs are provided. She will come to know and trust all these things. Why? Because already she knows she is loved.
She has been rescued from the very small world she knew. Today, an unimaginable new world opened before her. She rode in a car, walked on grass, and went inside a house. Goodness gracious! What excitement for one who had thus far only known the four walls of a makeshift kennel — and it all came about because she was chosen. Someone came, found her, chose her, and will love her all the days of her life.
Sound familiar? Before someone comes to know Jesus, they, too, are confined to their natural worlds. Then, one joyful day, Jesus comes, like the shepherd going after his lost sheep, and He takes them unto Himself.
He chooses us. He sees our worldly and ungodly hearts, and He cleans us up. He gives us new desires. He pours in a joy that nothing in the natural world ever gave us. It’s unexplainable but it’s real. Suddenly, we are reborn into an eternal security that makes us know of a certainty that we are chosen, protected, and our needs are provided. The more we come to know our rescuer, the more we trust Him, the more we love to please Him, the more we want to know about Him, the more we love hearing Him speak into our hearts, “You’re a good son or you’re a good daughter!” The more we know Him, the more we recognize and enjoy the blessings of being a member of His household. Like the words of the song, our hearts can sing, “the longer I know Him, the sweeter He grows.”
Isn’t it a joy to be chosen? Isn’t it a joy to be rescued from our natural worlds and to be introduced to the holy, supernatural one? Remember, everyone is chosen, but not everyone accepts what is offered. God chooses us, but gives us free choice to choose Him.
Have you chosen Him? If you never have done so before, you can do that right now. Just ask Him to forgive you of your sins, thank Jesus for dying for you on the cross, and tell Him you choose Him. Ask Him to come into your life and to make you new. He will. He will come instantly. He will come and fill you with a joy such as you have never known.
Blessings to all — you are chosen.
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