I’ve had to step back for a while from regular posting. I have needed time to rest, and this labored bit of verse reflects my heart. I hope it might point you to our Savior. He is teaching each of us in different ways, a daily lesson on rest, (though I often struggle with my homework!)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:44 NKJV
One Spring Day, as I was getting ready to mow the grass for the first time, I happened to notice a cluster of tiny purple wildflowers growing right in the middle of our lawn. Hating to just cut down such a beautiful sight, I decided to put the mower away for a few days and went into the house. A minute later, I heard a knock on our front door, and when I opened it, I found my neighbor standing there. “I hope you don’t mind,” he sheepishly asked. “But my kids are hoping you would let us have a few of those little flowers growing in your lawn for our flower garden.”
“Sure! No problem!” I answered, delighted that they loved those little flowers too. So, I hurried and found a trowel, then together we dug out a few clusters, which I slid into a small pot so my neighbor could carry them home. Their simple request reminded me of the treasure in the field, in Jesus’ parable. Because, just like the kingdom of God those blooms were almost overlooked. Just like God’s kingdom, they were a treasure whose value almost no one noticed. We need the eyes of those children who were living next door, who discovered God’s treasure right in our own back yard. Jeus tells us that if we must be willing to humble ourselves and go knock on his door, and ask, and He will be delighted to invite us to dig it up in His word and bring it home to plant it in the garden for our heart!
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Psalm 18:3 KJV
Here in Florida, we have more than our fair share of hurricanes, at least passing by if not hitting us. This leads to many of us staying glued to latest the weather reports, wondering whether this is the time we will need to evacuate. Being now a veteran of worrying and watching these storms, my wife and I have often asked ourselves, “Why in the world are they sticking that poor weatherman (or weather lady), out in the middle of the mess?” As we were watching the luckless weather-beaten reporter on day, a sizeable branch blew down the street, sideswiping them and sending them scurrying for cover. Thankfully they were okay, but it got us to thinking and we decided that they were showing us those people out in the storm, so we would take their forecast seriously enough to prepare for it.
In today’s verse, King David is standing out in the storm. He is surrounded by enemies who have less than happy plans for the end of his life. The men who are out there are five times as many as he has on his side. Adding to the imbalance of numbers, the army looking to kill him is better armed, better trained and better fed. It would appear they are all about to be slaughtered, but in his quiet times while watching his father’s sheep, David has prepared for this storm. He knows what to do: Call out to the Lord! I share this morning’s meditation with you because these last several weeks I have been going through a few health-related storms of my own. Besides a bad bout of strep, I also have some long-term issues with my vocal cords that has me seeing a specialist. But this morning I remembered this verse and the song we used to sing with these words, when I was a twenty-something. In those days, nothing hurt for long, my energy seemed limitless, and I could blithely sing that verse, because I was not standing out in the storm. But I am glad that while things were easy-peasey in my life, I learned this promise, because today I was able to pull it out of my storm preparedness kit and use it to good advantage. God knows the forecast for each of our lives. He is not taken by surprise, nor swept off His feet by the branches blowing down the streets of Heaven. Whatever kind of storm you might be standing out in today, be sure to call with all your heart to the Lord. He is listening for our cry and is as ready to deliver us right now, no matter where the hurricane makes landfall!
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