Whatever God’s gives is enough
Every word from His lips we receive
Any crumb from the Master’s own table
Feeds five thousand of those who believe
Crumbs From His Table
Doorways of Seasons
When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance.. James 1:2-3 Phillips
God has planned the seasons of our life to be doorways. Though the passing from one to the next seems like a fearful trial, James tells us that when trials come; to welcome them as friends. When I am feeling stressed over changes I cannot stop it helps me to remember the back door of the house where I grew up. It led to my favorite place – Mom’s kitchen! That was where my friends and I waited whenever she passed out fresh chocolate chip cookies and through which our neighbor’s wife knew she could come even if we weren’t home to borrow an egg. The passing of life’s seasons is like God’s kitchen door. Oh without a doubt, an unknown challenge lies behind every one of them. But when we bravely take hold of the door handles we will find that they open at our slightest touch and beyond lies a pathway leading us closer to Him.
Our youth is like the doorway slamming open with the power of a spring thunderstorm. It is terrifying, confusing or wonderful depending on the day. But it seems that the moment we master the trick keeping our balance the fragrance of ripening apples entices us on towards the doorway called summer.
There muddy April pathways give way to the green pastures of June and torrential showers hush to still waters. But then after only a moment to rest by a quiet stream God’s voice calls us to walk a bit further. There the nip of frost at the tips of our fingers tells us that the gateway to harvest lies just ahead. There sit baskets ready to fill with apples, corn to be picked and hay to be put in the barn before winter.
Last comes the fourth season, and though we all tremble at the thought of winter, God has not designed it to be so. Faith tells us, “Don’t be afraid! This is why we have come all this way. Enter with courage!” There we will find God’s great banquet table with the bounty of all the seasons heaped high. There in the center of the feast God’ sets as His centerpiece the book of His eternal promises. For we who have trusted Christ this cold and silent season is a place of rewards and a celebration. Then if we listen we will hear the sound of a heavenly rain gently softening the fields and preparing us for the eternal springtime just up ahead!
A Landscape of Hope!
But I say, love your enemies!Pray for those who persecute you! Matthew 5:44 NLT
This morning Deandra who writes Imago Dei on WordPress got me thinking about the issue of complaining. (I have done more than my fair share) and how it affects our lives and my initial comment on her blog led me to an entire post. So thank you Deandra and here is my story of hope for complainers like me. The link to her post is here…
Back when I worked as an apprentice landscaper I had a boss named Al who specialized in making me crazy. When I struggled making a straight line on the edge of a flower bed he’d say, “That looks like a dog’s breakfast!” Or he’d take a look at the bush I had just trimmed, snatch the tool from my hand and re-trim it then give the tool back and ask; “What are you Polish?”
One night when I was bringing my complaint session about Al home to my wife, God began to convict my heart that I needed to be praying instead of griping. Even though I wasn’t a bit excited about the idea I knew it was the right thing to do. So I began with short prayers like, “Bless Al and his family.” Now it would be great to say that immediately things got better; but the reality was that at first I just didn’t get so mad about his remarks. Also my own attitude started changing and I began to try harder to improve my work.
The best day happened some months later when just Al and I were working together on a job out in the country. At noon Al glanced at his watch and said “Go ahead and take lunch. I’m just going to keep working.” So I sat down on a big rock and opened my lunch pail and saw an entire loaf of my wife’s home made zucchini bread. “Hey Al, don’t you have anything to eat?” I asked. “Don’t worry I‘ll get something later.” “Hey, at least take five minutes and try some of my wife’s home made zucchini bread.” I insisted. It didn’t take much to convince him to sit down and try a sample. “Wow! That’s amazing!” he mumbled between bites as I shared my extra bottle of water with him to wash it down. My life wasn’t perfect after that lunch, but breaking bread with Al gave me hope. I had hope because I saw that God cares about changing tough circumstances and difficult people. I knew it- because he changed me. Now that’s a landscape of hope!
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