What is Life?

photo courtesy of Pixabay

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~Psalms 139:14 KJV

A friend of mine posted a picture this week of a swan walking around Lake Junaluska, NC. Its majestic swagger was evident even in a still photo. I wondered if he was looking for a mate or a place to show her for a nest. 

I follow the Wonderfilled Days blog, though I no longer teach or homeschool or even have children at home, I love reading her explorations and connections to children's literature. Part of her email this week was about The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. She brought to the reader's attention that at the end of most chapters Sam, posed a question, a thought provoking question. 

    "I don't know of anything in the entire world more wonderful to look at than a nest with eggs in it. An egg because it contains life is the most perfect thing there is. It is beautiful and mysterious. An egg is a finer thing than a tennis ball or a cake of soap. A tennis ball will always be just a tennis ball. A cake of soap will always be just a cake of soap until it gets so small nobody wants it and they throw it away, an egg will someday be a living creature."

~The Trumpet of the Swan

We value so many things, our grandmother's china cabinet, or our dad's '67 Mustang. We value the homerun baseball signed by our favorite player and the concert tickets from that special night but how valuable is a life? Tennis balls, fragrant soap, china, cars, signed balls, and tickets are just stuff, even those with memories attached are still just stuff but an egg, any egg is life itself. It will grow and transform into that beautiful cygnet, a bluebird, a salamander, or a platypus. Watching a mother robin tend her nest and seeing the newly hatched chicks is one of my favorite childhood memories. But these are not the only eggs that contain life. 

We may not be able to see the horse's egg or our dog's egg, or even a goat's egg but they all originate as an egg. Neither can we see the human egg inside the mother's womb but it is there growing with God forming the little person's every detail. He creates each human with love and a purpose. Whether there is only one child or twenty, whether the child is born into a family or adopted a child is still created with purpose and loved by God. 

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. ~Psalms 128:3-5

So much is happening to destroy the lives of our children physically, mentally, and spiritually. The swan builds a nest six feet wide to lay her eggs and protect her cygnets. The cob (male swan) swims close by guarding her and the young. Like swans, we need strong homes with watchful fathers and mothers who "fuss" over our families.  I pray we watch carefully over our children from conception to their flight from our nests. 

Father, give us a new heart for children and families. Help us guard them against Satan's entanglements and create a home where the wonders of the Lord and His salvation are shared daily. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

Hey Kids: 

Have you read The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White? Perhaps you have had it read to you. 

Did you notice the questions Sam thought of each night? 

He wrote them in a journal by his bed and pondered them as he went to sleep each night.

When he wondered about eggs he also wondered how the bird knew how to build a nest. 

Take some time to go outside and watch as spring brings new life. Watch as the birds and insects and other animals prepare homes for new life. 

Create a journal for your observations and questions. Ask for help finding literature about your questions. Add quotes from the literature or Bible verses that support your observations and questions.

Wonder at the wonderful world God has created to for us to enjoy and teach us of His great love. 

Purim 1946

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD 

 ~ Isaiah 54:17 NIV

One of the saddest times in recent history is the Holocaust. Since the beginning of creation Satan has attacked God's people thinking he could win. When God provided the first sacrifice He not only showed Adam and Eve there is forgiveness of sin through the coming of His Son but He told Satan he would be defeated by His Son. So all through history Satan has dreamed up plans to stop the coming of the Messiah Jesus. When Jesus was crucified Satan thought he had won until Jesus came forth from the grave, alive again forever more. So what is Satan trying to do now? 

Satan knows one day he will find himself eternally in the bottomless pit, not in control but in eternal punishment of hellfire. His last ditch effort is to destroy God's people, the Jews. Psalms tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Peace is not an absence of war. It's not happiness gained with money. No one can have peace without salvation that gives a peace past finding out. In other words you can't understand the peace God gives without knowing Him in a personal relationship. Scripture says before the great and terrible day of the Lord Israel will come to know their Messiah (Zechariah 12). So we see over and over in history how Satan tried to destroy the Jews. 

In the 1930's a man named Julius Streicher began publishing a newspaper Der Strumer (The Attacker). It was propoganda against the Jews. He also published a children's book, Giftpilz (The Poisonous Mushroom). It too was propaganda to turn the children against their Jewish schoolmates and neighbors.  He was vehemently anti-Semetic, so much so that after the World War II he was charged with war crimes. He was convicted and sentenced to death. A gallows was built. As he was led to the gallows to be hung he said, "Purim 1946". 

Purim the day the Jews were to be destroyed by Haman. Esther had intervened for God and her people. Now there is the feast of Purim to celebrate the saving of the Jews from destruction. 

It seems strange that someone who knew the scripture well enough to know he was a modern day Haman would be willing to be used in such a horrific way. In our times many in government are trying to destroy our faith. They are trying to silence us just as Haman and Streicher tried to do. But as Esther and others stood firm in the face of death, we too must stand firm in proclaiming the gospel even if it comes to death. Satan cannot prevail against Christ and his church. 

on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

~Matthew 16:18 ESV

Father, we know you are a good and perfect God. Though we may go through trials and may even face death, you have promised us a place of eternal peace. A place of no more dying, no more tears, no more pain. Father God, help us look to you for strength in our times of need. May we rejoice in your salvation. In Jesus's name. Amen.


Hey Kids:


Do others make fun of you when you don't go along with their sinful actions?
Are you asked to read books that are against scripture?
These things are happening in many public schools across our country. How can you stand against these things? First and foremost you have to have a personal relationship with Jesus. 

• There has to be a time and a place where you know you are a sinner, you have done wrong things, like telling a lie, disobeying parents, taking something that doesn't belong to you. 
• There has to be a time and a place where you ask Jesus to forgive you and save you.
• There has to be a change in your life, the way you live and behave that is different than the way you were. It doesn't mean you will never sin again but it does mean that when you sin you will feel sorry and ask God's forgiveness so that you stay in the right fellowship with Him. 

God is a powerful helper to those who have come to Him for salvation.  If you've never heard or read the stories of Daniel, Esther, and David, let me encourage you to begin learning about these true heroes/heroines of the Bible. 

Steeped in the Word

 

...his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

 Psalms 1:2

Iced tea or hot tea? Sweet tea or herbal tea? The truth is they are all made the same way. It's just the way you choose to sip them that makes them seem different. They all need to be made with hot water and steep time. Tea is not fast food. Most teas take about five minutes of steeping time. Then it needs to be strained. When I was a child my mom had to pour the tea through a strainer into a pitcher with sugar and water. Even today we often use tea balls for our hot teas. It takes time to make good tea. 

It takes time for things to soak into my mind and then drip down into my heart. Studying God's word is one of those things that I need to allow time to soak. Devotional time is not a fast food. Join me as I  make devotional tea today. 

Refresh Your Prayers

I'd like to introduce you to my friend Lori Hatcher. Her new book, Refresh Your Prayers, is helping my prayer life grow in faith, making it soar in the truth of God's word. I hope you enjoy the sample from her new book. If you leave a comment I will put your name in a random drawing for a free copy of Refresh Your Prayers. Following my blog will give you another entry and sharing on social media will put your name in the hat again. Just let me know in the comments how you shared. 

We all know Bible reading and prayer are vital parts of our faith, but what happens when our prayer lives become stagnant and our quiet times grow stale? We need something more than just familiar verses and the command to pray. In Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise, Lori Hatcher shares five-minute story-driven devotions that spotlight unusual prayer verses in the Bible.

Each devotion ends with a Power Point (a spiritual truth to empower your faith) and a Praise Prompt (a short prayer designed to magnify God and make your faith soar). The Live It Out section challenges you to apply what you’ve learned right now for immediate change.

If you’re tired of your all-too-quiet quiet time, Refresh Your Prayers is the answer.
The UNcommon Book on Prayer – Unusual Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise
Available now at Amazon.com, Christian Book.com, and wherever fine books are sold.

Learning to Trust

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:40

Our dog Winston was the biggest scaredy cat in the canine world. We credit his timidity to his time in “The Big House.” The runt of the litter, seven-week-old Winston was malnourished and mangy when someone dropped him off at the animal shelter.

Thankfully the animal control officer was married to Grace, the president of the animal rescue league. He told her about the tiny, freckle-faced puppy, and she saw potential in him. Eying his patchy fur and protruding ribs, she announced, “I can cure his mange and fatten him up. He’ll make someone a great pet.”

Until his mange cured, Grace kept Winston isolated. By the time we adopted him, he’d spent a large portion of his life alone. We weren’t surprised to discover he had trust issues.

Imagine what it would be like to go from an isolated crate in the corner of a room to a big wide world bustling with sights, sounds, and smells. Falling leaves sent him running for cover. Sudden noises caused him to hide under the nearest piece of furniture. One day we were playing in an open field when a plastic grocery bag blew his way. He bolted like Sasquatch was chasing him.

Winston reminds me of myself in the early days of my faith. God didn’t rescue me from The Big House, but He did rescue me from a dark and hopeless future. He cured my sin sickness and promised to take care of me all the days of my life.

But I had trust issues. At the first rustle of change or clatter of trouble, I ran for cover.
Like the disciples in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, I cried out, “Teacher, don’t you care about me?”
I was convinced—God was sleeping, and I was going to drown.

I had to extend lots of love and patience to persuade Winston to trust me. When scary things frightened him, I called his name, dropped to my knees, and opened my arms wide. “Come, Winston,” I said. “Come to me. I’ll protect you.”

Before long he learned to run to me instead of away from me. One day I walked him on a busy street to condition him not to fear traffic noises. In the distance a fire truck roared our way. Seeing the threat, I dropped to my knees, wrapped my arms around him, and covered him with my body until the truck howled past.

“Don’t be afraid,” I whispered into his trembling ear. “I’ve got you.”

God did the same for me. As I prayed and He answered, I learned to run to Him whenever anything frightening entered my world. When I brought financial needs, sickness, and relationship troubles to Him in prayer, I saw Him respond. When the leaves of uncertainty rustled, I shared my fears with Him. When unemployment, a wayward child, or a troubling situation roared into my life, I sought protection in His mighty arms and found comfort and help.

As He answered my prayers and responded to my needs, my trust grew.
“Don’t be afraid,” God whispered to my trembling heart. “I’ve got you.”

Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to pray about everything. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God met my needs; kept me free from sickness, pain, and sorrow; and intercepted every problem before it touched my life?

If He did, though, I’d never learn to trust Him. My faith would be as malnourished as Winston when Grace rescued him. I’d take every good gift for granted and never recognize that it came from the generous hand of my heavenly Father.

In heaven, nothing will make me afraid, and my faith will become sight. Until then, my fear drives me to pray, and God’s answers grow my faith.

As Winston learned to trust me, our relationship grew sweeter. No longer plagued by fear and distrust, he could freely enjoy the life we shared.

As I’ve learned to trust God, our relationship has grown sweeter too. I’ve learned He’s not asleep on the job. He’s aware of all my needs and is fully able to meet them. This knowledge frees me to face life with confidence.

Jesus asked His disciples two questions in the middle of the storm. He asks us the same: “Why are you so afraid?” and “Do you still have no faith?” Because faith pleases God, I’m learning to embrace every need that sends me running into His arms. No matter what threatens, I find them always open. 

Uncommon Power

God calls me to pray so I can learn to trust Him.

Praise Prompt

Father, thank you for patiently teaching me to love and trust you. I praise you for being trustworthy, faithful, and good. Grow my faith, Lord. When trials and trouble enter my life, help me run to you first. In the strong name of Jesus I ask, amen.

Live It Out

List all the ways God has provided for you in the last week. In the last month. In the last year. List everything from the air in your lungs, to the clothes on your back, to the roof over your head. Think also of the nonmaterial gifts. Has God been faithful? Remember this the next time you feel afraid. Run to Him and grow in faith and trust.

Lori Hatcher is a pastor’s wife who lives delightfully close to her four grandchildren in Lexington, South Carolina. She’s the author of several devotional books including Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise. She’s also a blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Refresh . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).


Taken from Refresh Your Prayers: Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise by Lori Hatcher© 2022. Used by permission of Our Daily Bread Publishing®, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. All rights reserved. Further distribution is prohibited without written permission from Our Daily Bread Publishing® at permissionsdept@odb.org.