Tag Archives: rainbow

Thou Art with Me

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Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me. Psalm 23:4

Thank You, LORD, for giving me life,
Not just life,
but life with You.
Not just life with You,
but Your life in me.
Not just Christ in me,
but I in You—my hope of glory.
Not just me in You, but through You I produce good fruit for God.
Thank You LORD for giving me life with grand purpose in You.

Life is not a matter of knowledge of God or doing for God, but of a loving relationship with God.

Tranquility in the Storm

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Rainbow over Wedge Mountain

Lessons from the Pandemic (It is hard to be tranquil)

It is easy to get covid. It is hard not to spread it to others.
It is easy to protest. It is hard to see another perspective.
It is easy to go back to old ways. It is hard to change.
It is easy to criticize. It is hard to receive criticism.
It is easy to believe a lie you like. It is hard to accept truth you don’t like.
It is easy to get anxious. It is hard to let it go.
It is easy to see other’s mistakes. It is hard to see your own.

We all need help to do the hard things
Jesus said, “My yoke is easy My burden is light.”
It’s easy to say I want God’s help.
But, it’s hard to give Him control.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23

Dancing Before the Lord

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Declaring the glory of God

Clouds blossoming in the blue sky.
Do they portend rain?
Or are they just dancing before the sun?
I don’t know, but it is joy to watch.

“The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4

Discovering a Pot-of-Gold

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Rainbow in Tumwater Canyon

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

This verse repeats frequently throughout the Psalms. Two reasons for this come to mind. First the psalmist wants to emphasize that God is good and you can trust Him. Secondly His love is endless and doesn’t fluctuate. I need to hear this over and over because I am like a child awakening from a bad dream—I need repeated reassurance from the Lord God. So read the rest of Psalm 118 it is one of my favorites and when you come to the end, you’ll discover your own pot-of-gold.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. Psalm 118:29

Unending Praise, Unending Joy

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SH_0264-180914-6465-Edit

The joy of praising God.

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Psalm 36:5 NLT

This morning I stopped to enjoy God’s love for me and my family.
To give thanks for the Lord is good and His love endures forever.
So I wrote this psalm:

Give thanks to the Lord, for creating all things.
They display His goodness, and His love, providing us with enjoyment.

Give glory to God, for His love will prevail against all evil.
His great love gives hope to the hopeless.

Give glory to God for His love will sustain us,
In our weakness He stoops to give us His strength.

Give all your worship to God, for His love will allow no other gods
He is jealous and will come out to find me when I wander off.

Worship the LORD, for He is the source of goodness and love.
And we become more like Him when we worship Him.

Give all praise to God, for His love and goodness are eternal,
And will never diminish nor change.

Give all praise to God for His power is infinite.
And it is always directed by His love.

Give all praise to the Lord, for if we do not the stones will cry out,
And we will miss out on the joy of praise.

The Blessing of Being Still

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God cares for the pelicans

This morning my mind is beset by the turmoil of this world. At every level anger, greed, lying, and pride inflict our country. National trust is eroded by the leaders who should preserve and cherish it, and even religious leaders trade truth and justice for political gain. On top of this no one knows how much we have been manipulated by our enemies using social media to push lies and distrust. Our anxiety surges with each news flash. Into this cacophony we are given words to meditate upon:

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

The stillness and peace we long for doesn’t come with one reading of these verses. It takes time before God with thanksgiving, until finally you can say:

I have stilled and quieted my soul; Psalm 131:2

Life is —

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Rainbow coming from aspen grove

Rainbow, a promise of life. Genesis 9:13-15

Life is a gift, given on my birthday.
The moments start rolling each one a tick of the clock.
Life is each now, yet I overlook it waiting for something else.
Life is more delicate than how I treat it.
Life is beautiful, yet often my mind rummages in darkness.
Life is in family, yet I ignore those around me for my smart phone.
Life is loving others, yet my own desires are preeminent.
Life is to enjoy, yet I’m never satisfied with what I have.
Life is laughing at yourself, yet I never get what’s so funny.
Life is listening to the birds sing, yet I only hear the sound of money.
Life is a gentle breeze, yet I push against it.
Life is a gift, yet I am too distracted to receive it.
Lord give me the gift of life, then help me to live it.

Overcoming the Night

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This morning I woke up at 3 AM chased by a nightmare. The dread of my thoughts kept me from falling back asleep. So I tried to pray, but the nightmare kept interfering. Finally in desperation I resorted to reciting “The Lord’s Prayer.”

“Our Father… my Father… my loving Father, hallowed be Thy name.” Yes, the name of Jesus, like a breath of fresh air, began to push my nightmare aside, for holiness does not tolerate the unholy. “Thy kingdom come,” a kingdom of rightness, and goodness, the thought of which makes me rejoice and desire its coming. “Thy will be done, on earth (here and now in me in triumph over my ugly thoughts) as it is in heaven.” How wonderful to know He will impress upon me, and my life, His good and perfect will (blessed are those who hunger and thirst for rightness for they shall be satisfied). As I prayed this for myself, I also prayed this for my family, my church, and my friends. It was at this point I could see clearly that my thoughts set the stage for this day, by either allowing them to drag me into dark ugly places or through prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit to behold the beauty of the Lord and worship Him in His temple.

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple. (Psalm 27:4)

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord
And to meditate in His temple. (Psalm 27:4)

I cannot control my nightmares, but I can ask Jesus to push them away and fill me with His goodness. He even gave me a prayer for that very purpose.

Limitations of Words and Pictures

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There are times when music transports me to the gates of heaven (this last Sunday singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” during worship was such an occasion). That moment, of deep calling to deep, stirred me in a way, that I want to help others share its fullness. But, when I go to write it down, the words are sorely inadequate. So I resort to photography, hints of heaven in nature. But then the photograph I take never quite recounts my glimpse of heaven. Therefore, when you look at the following picture, play your most stirring music, smell the fragrance of the ocean after a rain, and meditate on: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) Then you may catch a glimpse of “Holy, holy, holy! The Lord God Almighty.”

Hope in the Storm