For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him – But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children. Psalm 103:11; 17 ESV
During Lent, many of us carefully consider what things we are willing to give up. But maybe we ought to think instead about what new thing we will dare to do for Jesus. While our love is defined by things like a ring, a promise of a gift of flowers, God’s love stretches far beyond our horizon. We often sing about how God loves us – no matter what we have done. But this love of His is also eternal and will extend after we are gone to our children, grandchildren, neighbors and even our enemies. God’s love is more than just passionate emotion; it is dynamic world changing power. God’s love stirs everything and everyone it touches into action. God’s love forms planets and feeds the hungry. The love of Jesus transforms water into wine and murderers of Christians, like the Apostle Paul into messengers and martyrs for the faith. So why not ask today how in some small way, can we reflect this “High as the Heavens are above the earth,” love of Jesus Christ? How can we show to others God’s everlasting love that was given at the cross and in the joy of Easter morning, when He rose from the dead?
“Don’t you like the window that we just installed?” He asked when he saw that she wasn’t enthralled “But Gramma the level was perfect” he said But she was certain still shaking her head
“It’s the eye of the artist,” she replied with a grin So he went to the window to check it again Then sure as the sun sets each day in the West His level confirmed it was low on the left
Now, twenty years later I recall with a smile That the work that we did was still off by a mile We just didn’t notice the sag of the sash But the eye of the artist saw all in a flash
And the Artist of Heaven, left His throne room above To come to my window and fix it with love For the eye of the artist sees beyond who I am Then He lifts me up by the blood of the Lamb
For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost. Luke 19:10 NLT
I love to feed the birds who hang around our community. Now, for the, “Don’t feed the birds” purists, know that I don’t do this every day. But about once every week, while out on my walk, I bring any leftover bread from a restaurant meal or leftover crackers or chips from our small group meetings. Last week, my wife and I brought a bag of some stale corn chips, but when we arrived, only one lonely Ibis was standing by in the usual place where I feed them. So, we smiled and said something about his being the lucky Ibis and began tossing out the crumbled chips. But our lonely lucky recipient wasn’t alone for long. Almost immediately, as if by magic, first one, then another and finally thirty in all were joyfully pecking at place where we had distributed their little treat.
Their joyful abandonment at the few crumbs we passed out that afternoon made us really laugh and reminded me of today’s verse. Even though those birds weren’t receiving anything of eternal value, they joyfully danced about, making sure they didn’t miss even the tiniest crumb. They sorted through the tall grass, wove their way through the crowd of feathered friends and thoroughly delighted in what we gave them. That reminds me of how Jesus told us that we need to pay careful attention to how His Father delights in feeding the birds. Now, we are far more precious to God than sparrows, ravens or Ibis, but He uses them to teach us a lesson on joy. So often we lose our joy when things don’t go as planned, we don’t reach the goals that we had set or we face difficulty, suffering and sorrow. But the difference between joy and disappointment, contentment and anxiety is that we want to dictate what is on the menu. We overlook that God has a daily bread planned for each of us and it isn’t stale, leftover crumbs. The details of our day have been carefully chosen by Him, just for us. Our job is not to dictate the how and when of His provision, but to joyfully seek out every crumb that He has set before us. Things were not always joyful for Jesus while He was on this earth. But the Bible tells us that, seeing the joy that was ahead of Him He endured the suffering of the Cross. While there was not a single detail of the day of His death that anyone in their right mind would consider joyful, Jesus found what others missed. A lost thief, a hardened centurion, a frightened disciple, a grieving mother and a crowd of enemies each received a blessing from Him. He could still give joy because He saw the joy that lay ahead of Him. He finished His time here on earth with the joy of knowing that He had finished everything that the Father had sent Him to do, and that one day all of us who trust in Him could join Him in Heaven and rejoice forever in His presence!
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