Lost and ... Found!

Yesterday morning I awoke to the drumming of pouring rain.

I love the sound.

 I had planned on doing some gardening and I wasn't about to change my plans.

So, in the still early hours of morning I headed outside.

The Lavender needed trimming back.

So with cutters in hand I began to take away the spent blooms.

As the old was cut away to make way for the New I saw something sparkling.

As I bent even farther down to take a closer look I was delighted to see that hidden amid all the foliage were my long lost reading glasses.
I usually hang them off the front of my top.
They must have fallen off when I leaned over to smell the gorgeous fragrance of the blooms!

And so began my meditation for the day.

One of my favourite things to do is to take moments like this,

 and to see them with a Biblical perspective.

God's perspective,
 on the subject of lost and found.

Finding my reading glasses had me meditating upon Luke 15 most of the day.

In this passage Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep,
the lost coin,
 the lost son.

We know him as the prodigal.

Lost sheep need a shepherd.

Lost coins have value.

Lost sons are in need of fellowship with their Father.

You cannot read through these parables without noticing how many times the words "joy", "rejoice" and "celebrate" are mentioned.

And always by the One Who has found,

that which is lost.

v6. "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!"

v. "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!"

v.32 ..."we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found."

Finding my reading glasses amid the spent blooms,

put a song in my heart.

One of thanksgiving.

One of pure wonder.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me... 

I once was lost, but now am found, 

was blind, but now I see!

                                                                     John Newton (1725-1807)

Fighting the Good Fight!

There is a vast difference between fighting over something and fighting for something.  The good fight, fights for the good thing... not over it.  To walk in freedom is worth fighting for.  To forgive and love without constraint is worth fighting for.  To take action in the purposes and will of God, without thought for any person's reaction or responses, only set on pleasing God, and glorifying Him... this is walking in true freedom... true Peace!  It's worth fighting for!

Let Your Light Shine!

The society that you and I live in, has the definite propensity to bring about a lack of restraint in God's people.  The culture that we find ourselves in, by and large, are "unfaithful to the LORD" yet I noticed in my reading today that it was not unfaithful Ahaz whom the LORD chose to humble, it was the people of Judah BECAUSE of Ahaz, king of Israel.

For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,

for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful

to the LORD."

                                                                2 Chronicles 28:19

This verse reminded me of Proverbs 25:28.  A lack of restraint quickly manifests in having no control over our own spirit, which is likened to a city that is "broken into" and  "without walls"... the implication being that the enemy now has access to come in and "kill, steal and destroy."

"Like a city that is broken into and without walls,

is a man (or woman!) who has no control over his spirit."

                                                          

God fully intends that we have control over our own spirit!  Blaming the culture in which we live in, or another person in particular just doesn't hold much water!  What brings about a lack of restraint in God's people and begins the downward spiral is our own unfaithfulness.  Our own desire to run off in all directions, chasing after the next delightful thrill!  Our only barometer being that if it looks good, feels good, smells good and tastes good... it must be good!

The unfaithfulness that brings about the lack of restraint in God's people is shown in our disobedience to God's Word.  Of course the flip side of that old, well worn record is that faith is shown in our obedience to God's Word.  Hhmmm.... how about the question 'where does unfaithfulness even begin?'  I'm thinking that unfaithfulness actually begins with an apathetic view towards God's Word.  How can someone actually be faithful to His Word when they don't actually know His Word?  Yep!  I'm bangin' that old drum again!  I like the beat and it rings true....

Faith KNOWS God's Word and then takes God at His Word and lives accordingly... no matter what any one person, or society as a whole may say or do.  This is truly Living!  And all the time we are to keep in mind and encourage ourselves and one another in the truth that "we are protected by the Power of God through faith."! (1 Peter 1:5)  You want the mighty protection of the Power of God?  It comes through faith!  And faith comes by hearing... and hearing by the Word of God! (Romans 10:17)  Girls... on your mark, get set, GO!... open those Bibles and start you some serious hearing!

Look, there is a wide road that by and large the culture we live in walks upon. I'm beginning to see a little more clearly, this "wide road" that God has warned us about.  I've walked a few miles on it myself and it causes a disquieting, dis-ease within my soul.  I crave, desire, the "Narrow Way" which imparts peace and clarity within my soul.  I find this Way full of joy and rest.

By way of encouragement, let's not be a city that has been broken into and taken over by the culture of this world.  Let's purpose in our hearts to have control of our spirit, by His Spirit, showing restraint and knowing and adhering to the Word of God by faith.  After all... we were created to be a magnificent city, set upon a hill, letting our light shine...