Just as the tides ebb and flow, our lives have fluidity. God is with us! We will never know the future, however, He holds the future in His hands.
One of my favorite songs as a child was, “He’s got the whole world in his hands”! With child-like wonder, I would watch the ocean waves come in to shore and recede, searching for shells I would look at the grains of sand on a beach.
His Love is constant
“God, your plans are incomprehensible to me! Their total number is countless! If I tried to count them—they outnumber grains of sand! If I came to the very end—I’d still be with you.” Psalms 139:17-18 CEB
Or on a mountain hike, I would listen to the wind blowing through the Aspen trees and smell the crisp evergreens. I would watch my favorite bird of all; the majestic bald eagle fly effortlessly. And I would ponder that God has the whole world in his hands.
God sees the potential in us even when we don’t. He sees our detours from the plans, and yet He calls to us, perhaps in the whisper of wind. He believes in our future, He wants our destiny to show the purpose for our creation.
This photograph was taken by one of my children, and I thought it represented well, the scripture that identifies the grains of sand. My heart feels the amazing love of our father God.!
We can have moments we feel like a toddler who just placed our feet in the sand, uncertain as our toes flex and feel the warm sun baked top layer and the find coolness beneath as we wiggle our toes. We really do have the promises of God to finish the work he starts in us.
I decided to add this amazing song by Mitch Wong, Fear of the Lord! Listen to the lyrics, delight in the Lord! Praise Him no matter the circumstance.
Take one step at a time as your foot leaves an imprint in the sand or the path where you are walking.Feel the love of Jesus!
Are you parched? Are you thirsty and weary? God has a scripture to encourage you and remind you that His promises are true!
Psalm 63:1-3 NLT O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. [2] I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. [3] Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!
Are you tired? God is with you, our prayers even wordless sighs are understood by our God!
Romans 8:26-28 MSG Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Are you overwhelmed? You are in great company; Moses was overwhelmed as was David! Jeremiah and Isaiah felt stressed out.
Isaiah 61:10-11 NLT I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. [11] The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.
God met each of these men of faith where they needed His wisdom, strength and courage.
God filled their weaknesses with His strength when they humbled themselves into service for His Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 15:42-43 NLT It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. [43] Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength.
Do you feel weak and exhausted by life circumstances? He wants you to call out to Him; He is Jehovah Jireh (our Provider).
Romans 8:26-28 NLT And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. [27] And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. [28] And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Did you know you are a child of God? When you ask Jesus to be your Savior and accept Him as the authority of your life, you are given His inheritance, because of His grace and mercy and His love on the cross! The resurrection of Jesus Christ made a way for each of us to have His inheritance. Jesus is the bridge between God and His children, us!!!
Romans 8:30- 39 [30] And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. [35] Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? [36] (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) [37] No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. [38] And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. [39] No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing can separate us from Jesus, our victory is in Christ alone. Amazing revelation from our amazing unconditionally loving Jesus!
This morning, as I was taking care of our livestock; a horse and a goat, I noticed our sweet 10 year old quarter horse staring intently at me and then standing near the water trough.
My teen had left the hose in the water trough after she filled it last night. As a result of gravity, a great proportion of the water was sucked back into the well.
As I peered over the black edge of the trough, a set of eyes was staring back, a baby robin was clinging to the green lawn hose.
What I originally thought was irresponsible care actually reminded me of how God cares for even the birds.
Worry doesn’t add anything to our day it just drains us. It doesn’t matter who we are. There’s always going to be challenges, but we have to give all of our concerns to the Lord.
Matthew 6:25-27 NLT Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”
We may have relationship challenges, financial difficulties, health issues, perhaps our belief in God feels more doubt than faith. All those concerns, bring us to a heavy bucket of worry.
I love when God shows me in nature what I need: Relying on God instead of my own need to control things.
In Luke 12, the similar story is documented by the disciple named Luke. We get a wonderful reminder that our Father already knows our needs and that our best action plan is to seek the kingdom of God above all things.
Luke 12:29-32 NLT “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”
I think it’s so precious that Jesus ends his conversation with the phrase. “Don’t be afraid little Flock”. We are His little flock and God wants to give us what we need so we have to trust Him.
I pray you will pause in your day today and ask the Lord to show you a sign or maybe even a miracle that reminds you that He is present in your life. He is with us, seek Him.
I felt His Presence strongly as I helped this baby robin from the water trough using a green manure rake, I saw the fear in its eyes. I slowly dropped the rake below the water surface and lifted the Robin off the hose. The bird didn’t move. It just kept watching me warily. Once I cleared my horse and the inside of the trough with the bird and rake, I lightly placed the bird on the ground. The sweet baby robin looked back and then slowly hopped away.
If we are a follower of Christ Jesus, perhaps we are the person holding the manure rake to help other people away from danger or to the knowledge of Jesus. He cares for us so we can care for His people.
God will give you an opportunity to help another person who is created in Gods’ image. Don’t let the moment pass, pick up your manure rake and help when you see someone in need. You may see fear in their eyes, but God will give you the words to bring hope and you may be just what they need at just the right time.
Photo credits by M Mesikapp
“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT
Inspiring Light Through the Cracks 