Reflecting the Light

photo by pixaby

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. John 17:11

The moon was setting and the sun was already shining brightly as I left for work Tuesday morning. Both heavenly bodies in the sky at the same time seemed a little odd, but not unusual. We just associate the moon with the night and the sun with the day. Here the leaving of the night and the beginning of the day were overlapping. It occurred to me that this was a perfect picture of what happens in the spiritual realm. It is the same light from the sun that reflects off the moon. It is one light. 

Have you ever heard people say you are a reflection of your family? They mean, people judge the type of family we come from by the way we act. No one wants others to think ill of their family. The moon is a reflection of the light of the sun, just as we are to be the reflection of the Father. Jesus, the Light should shine in a dark world because we reflect him. Jesus said He and the Father were one. We sometimes let the dark clouds of self get in the way of our reflecting Christ. Let's try making ourselves more aware of our reflections this week. Our most important reflection being the mirror image of Jesus. 

Reflect The Light.

Gail

Hey Kids:

Have you ever tried to send messages with a mirror? 

I remember trying to learn the dots and dashes of Morris Code so my brothers and I could send secret messages to each other. We borrowed mom's small make-up mirrors to take out into the bright sunlight. My brother stood on one side of the yard. I stood on the other, both of us with mirror and Morris Code in hand reflecting sunlight into "messages". It became a game of who could send an accurate message, and who could decipher an accurate message. 

We don't want our message of Jesus to be a secret code, but playing this game with the neighborhood kids may be a way to share the gospel. Our lives can reflect Jesus in the love we show to others. 

Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10

The weatherman predicted record cold with moisture rising from the Gulf to meet the sinking arctic air. Snow was on every mind. Hurry to gather groceries, meet deadlines, check the woodpile and the flashlight batteries.

It started with the gathering of clouds and robins in the yard. The still, the quiet, the smell, it all said snow. Then a small twirling flake, and another, and another. Faster, thicker, the white fluff clung to points grass and elbows of trees. Close the schools and make the last mad rush for milk and bread only to find empty shelves and long lines. Hurry home through driving snow, black snow. The speed of the car and the thick falling of the snow created a darkness that was blinding. But snow was white, light. How then this darkness, this blindness?

The speed of life does not wait to contemplate the Light, though the Light gently swirls around us every day. If we look below, it softly falls around our walk. If we look above, it lights gently on our faces. If we look straight ahead, the Light is there in every nook and corner of our lives. At the speed of life, Light is not allowed to shine. It's like the fear of the unknown, the confusion of being told of beauty without the ability to see. It is only when we take the time to "Be Still" that we can know that He is God. He is here to light our way, shine down on us and direct our paths.

How easily we forget and allow hurry and deadlines, woodpiles and the ever ready battery that runs our lives to keep us in darkness. "Be still. Be still and know. Be still and know that I am God," He gently calls to us. May the blessing of the snow allow us the time to be still.

Blessings,

Gail

Hey Kids:

How can you see God this week? 

Look around your feet.

Look up. 

Look straight ahead.

How is God showing Himself to you?

Here's a hint to get you started: Those winter trees you see in the yard that look dead, watch how they change in the next few weeks. Watch them come to life as if resurrected from the dead. 

Got the idea? Jesus was dead but was resurrected to give us life. Salvation causes us to leave a dead life to be resurrected to a new life in Christ and one day the dead will be resurrected to live with Him forever in Heaven.

What other things do you see?

Watching the Signs

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. II Peter 3:9,10.

I smile as I read books to my children about a spring robin. It seems in other parts of the country the appearance of a robin is an indicator that spring is on the way. Robins have to go somewhere to winter. I think it must be here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We can tell when winter weather is on the way by the birds that flock in our yards. And, yes, robins were flocking here last week as well as black birds. We, here in the foothills, knew it was a sign. Bad, snowy weather was on its way. Sure enough Friday morning the snow began. Big white beautiful flakes floating down outside our classroom window. Valentines celebrations and snow make for a crazy southern school day! No, we didn't get to dismiss early. By 1:00 it was quickly melting away. School and life went on as usual.

Wait! Isn't this the same thing we do when looking for the coming of the Lord? We have our ideas of what the signs will be; wars, immorality, crime, etc., etc., etc. People in other parts of the world have seen this type of changes for quite some time. What about China when the Communist took over? What about the creation of the nation of Israel? What about the martyrs of the middle ages. One of the Cardinals said, had it not been for the sword of persecution during the middle ages, the Anabaptist would have over run the world. What was our nation like before the Great Awakenings? Just like the signs of weather to the birds, signs of Jesus coming to one, is a sign of coming persecution to another. If He didn't rescue the Anabaptist of the middle ages or the Christians who fled to Taiwan, or the Christians who protected the Jews of WWII and suffered death in the concentration camps with the Jews, why should we expect to escape our few troubles? Should we not be like the birds, who do not toil, but depend on the Lord to supply their needs? Should we not be strong in the Lord, fulfilling His great commandment to preach the gospel to every nation? Will He find us working as He commanded? God is not slack, neither should we be slack in the work He has commanded.

 Pray, study, pray, preach and be prepared to stand in the face of trouble. 

Blessings,

Gail

Hey Kids

Do you know how people made weather forecast before TV and the internet? 

Even in Jesus' day, the people knew a red sky in morning meant bad weather coming.

A red sky at night was a sailor's delight. Matthew 16:2,3

It may just be fun to spend some time with your grandparents asking them about forecasting the weather. 

Make some journal notes to go back and check the accuracy of the old predictions. 

Don't forget to check the TV predictions for accuracy too. 

I Will Arise and Go To Jesus

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, Luke 15:18

This morning, on my way to church, I saw a Canadian Goose hobbling down to a stream along the side of the road. I wondered why he was alone? What had drawn him to this particular spot? Was he injured as the limp indicated, or was it just the embankment he was traversing?  He was alone and headed for water in a brushy, secluded area. Was this a place of recovery? Was this a place of safety?

So often, it is only when Satan has beat us down,  that we arise and go to Jesus, the Water of Life. We go alone, ashamed and injured by our past. We try to hide our needs. Though the world may not know, God always sees. Maybe we have never gone to Jesus, or maybe it's been a long time. We wonder if God will accept us. Will this be a place of safety and recovery? 

In Luke 15, the prodigal son had to make a choice to arise and return to his father or die in the hog pens. He decided to go to his father and confess his sins. You know the rest of the story. His father placed a ring on his finger, shoes on his feet, gave him the best robe, and killed the fatted calf.  

O Prodigal, "Arise and go to Jesus. He will embrace you in His arms. In the arms of my dear Saviour, O there are ten thousand charms." (I Will Arise and Go To Jesus; J. Hart)

Arise

Hey Kids:

I love watching nature and using a Noticing Journal. A Noticing Journal is a great place to draw and write about the things I observe from nature. God tells us in Romans 1:20 that the invisible things of God are clearly seen in His creation. I like to add a Bible verse on song to my noticings to remind me of the way God shows Himself through all He has made. 

What things will you notice this week? 

How will you describe the great truths of God from your noticings? 

We would love to share in your noticing joys this week. 

Post your drawings and/or writings in the comment section. 

Parents, if you have a noticing journal, we would love to share in your joys as well!

l