The Sabbath is a Gift of Grace
It’s not a law we must obey
Or just some answer on a test
But it began at the creation
That God made a day for rest
Just as the sun was going down
And as His children lay to sleep
He gently covered them with night
And then bowed low so they could meet
And in the morning walk the path
And tell them how His hand had traced
The course of daybreak and the stars
Then gave a Sabbath gift of grace
The Sabbath is a Gift of Grace by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2021 all rights reserved
So God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation. Genesis 2:3 ESV
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? Luke 12 :24 KJV
After spending the last six weeks alone while my wife is taking care of her sister on the other coast I decided to just play hooky yesterday. I did nothing more work related than have breakfast, pack a few things and head to the beach. For me there is nothing more stress relieving than walking along the shore, listening to the waves and watching birds. Maybe Jesus also walked alone watching birds. He taught us to be as gentle as doves and told us we were of more value than sparrows. Today’s verse focuses on a less lovely bird – the raven. To me they are just big homely looking black birds, but God chose to create them with the special purpose of showing us worriers that He will take care of us. Well, I didn’t see any ravens at the beach – but I did get some great photos of a Great White Egret, who didn’t appear to be too worried about anything – not even my presence! I hope you enjoy my bird photos for the week and that if you are also struggling sometimes with stress that you take a quiet walk and talk to a bird or two. Have a blessed night everybody!
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I
But when the trees bow down their heads
The wind is passing by
Excerpt from Who Has Seen the Wind? by Christina Rossetti
I’m not much for remembering long pages of flowing verse from Dylan Thomas or T.S. Elliott, but what stays with me are tiny snippets of poetry that take quiet walks with me when I am alone. This week as I was struggling though some personal issues I remembered Christina Rossetti’s line, “But when the trees bow down their heads” and God gently quieted by heart. I had been making a fuss about things I could not understand like a crying child who refuses to take his afternoon nap. But like the perfect Father that He is, God comforted me with the reminder that faith is the way He chooses for everyone to walk with Him.
Sure, Moses saw the burning bush and Peter got to see Jesus transformed on the mountain. But for the vast majority of us, our faith is built on somewhat less spectacular experiences. In fact Peter himself points out that our hope and joy is based on a Jesus who we have never seen.
And though you have never seen him, yet I know that you love him. At present you trust him without being able to see him, and even now he brings you a joy that words cannot express and which has in it a hint of the glories of Heaven; 1 Peter 1:8 Phillips Version
Some of you are probably struggling with loneliness, sickness or heartache, wishing that Jesus would just show up and fix things. It would be great to see God swing into action like Spiderman, just as our enemies close in, but He has a better way! His solution does not depend on anything we can see, but on the unseen love of Jesus Christ. We believe not because we have seen, but because we have experienced God’s gift of joy by means of a faith that gives with us, “A hint of heaven” and God’s Spirit whispers, “That hint is more than enough! “
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