Month: June 2021

Our Father’s World

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The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell within. Psalm 24:1 KJV

When I was a young Christian we used to sing these words, and I have discovered over the years that most of the trouble I have gotten into in life has been because I forgot them. This is not my world; it belongs to God. Neither I nor any other person gets to make the rules: God does! The whole of creation belongs to Him because He is the manufacturer and as the maker of this world He has put in our hands HIs owner’s manual (The Bible).  Finding out what God’s opinion on a decision rather than so called “expert” advice can save us from a whole world of hurt in our families our finances and our health (Not to mention our eternal destiny). But the good news is that in spite of our failures and sins God still cares about us. Our hope is in a second truth from today’s verse. Not only does the world belong to Him but also the people in it (Yup that’s you and me!). Just like everything else in the universe we were made by God, but with two gigantic differences. First, we were made in God’s image and second, He sent Jesus to the cross for us. Jesus didn’t die for fish or birds, lions, or monkeys. He died for messed up, mixed up and confused human beings like us. Now that is fantastic news indeed! We can have hope because no matter how low we feel we have fallen or how far away from God’s plan we have wandered, Jesus has bent lower and traveled farther to rescue us, remind us that we are His and to bring us home in His arms!

Our Sunday Best

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Perhaps the younger generation has missed out on the experience of Sunday best, so I’ll recap briefly. Even when I was just seven or eight I had to put on dress pants, a shirt and tie and last but not least : black leather shoes. I say last because the Sunday morning ritual given me meant shining those shoes until they gleamed brightly enough to pass my stepfather’s inspection. I’m pretty sure that none of this made us any holier than folks who troop into church with shorts and T-shirts but it did speak volumes about how special the day was to us.

The Bible also lays out a Sunday going to meeting outfit for us to wear. In The third chapter of Colossians Paul tells us to put on compassion, kindness, patience and love. That inspired me this morning to share a little verse. If you are getting dressed for church it is full of fashion advice that just might help coordinate your outfit.

Getting dressed for church on Sunday
There's some clothing we must choose
And an outfit we must pick out
Before slipping on our shoes

Now the Bible points out kindness
And forgiveness are in fashion
And gentleness and patience
Should be worn with God's compassion

But designer jeans of selfish pride
And envy just don't make it
And bitterness should not be put on
Nor the golden chains of gossip

Then over all our Sunday best
What brings it all together
Is the wedding gown of God's own love
That He gives to wear forever!

Wearing Our Sunday Best
by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2021
All rights reserved

This is My Song

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I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live, I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Psalm 104:33 KJV

Our lives are passing with each tick of the clock. Despite everything that television commercials try to get us to buy, there is no product on earth that will make the hands of time spin backwards We are here for only a limited period of time and yet our limits do not limit our value to God. Just as the frame of a beautiful picture does not take away from its value, so the limits of our lives give us a chance to tell others what is important by what we paint inside of it. In today’s Bible verse, King David boldly declared that what mattered most to Him was to be able to praise the Lord. More than 3,000 years ago King David died and was buried. The throne that he sat on and the crown that he wore have long since turned to dust. Even the enormous sword of the giant Goliath has vanished from earth. But the songs David sang are a living picture frame of his life. In the book of Psalms, his praises, prayers, cries for mercy and even his complaints are still preserved for us today.

Every one of us also has a choice as to what will frame the story of our lives. When people read it what will they discover? Will they only remember our bank accounts and accomplishments good or bad? Will our lives form a picture frame to a song of praise> Will they be like the words to the hymn by Fanny Crosby? “This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior, all the day long!”