Which Way Lord?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Pr. 3:5,6 NKJV

Foggy Glasses

       The drops of water started falling off the visor of my bike helmet as I was riding to church on Sunday.  My purple jacket had beads of water shimmering on the surface, and I was finding it a little difficult to breathe.  There was no rain, only fog hovering around me.  Although when I was at home it looked like it was clearing up, about 1½ km down the path the fog became fairly thick.

       I try to conserve gasoline whenever possible, but this time I was reconsidering my decision to ride.  The path would be fairly safe though because there were bike lanes almost the entire way except for road crossings and a little bit at the end, so I wasn’t really worried about that.  The biggest problem I had was that my glasses fogged up and I couldn’t see sufficiently so I had to take them off- and I don’t usually see things in the distance clearly without them.

       My choice- see well closer, but not so well far away, or leave them on and endure dim vision for the rest of the ride.  At the point I was deciding, there was so much condensation on my glasses that it started forming drops and rolling down the lenses.  Off they came, and I prayed for my safety.  Meanwhile a thought came into my head, “…For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1Cor. 13:12)

       There is a lot said about this scripture in commentaries, but to me it is basically saying that as humans we see only partially and imo it’s talking about everything.  Our mere, finite, human minds cannot comprehend all the complexities of the truth, God and life, therefore we cannot ‘see’ it.  We don’t ‘see’ God as He really is, only how we perceive Him to be or how He is based on what we were told when we were young.  We don’t ‘see’ life or ourselves in the same light the Lord does because we are biased based on our history.  We don’t ‘see’ what is to be because we are influenced by what we want to be, how it should be done, and who all we think should be involved!  It’s like we’re looking at everything with foggy glasses.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  1Cor. 2:9 

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  1Jn. 3:2 

       There will come a day when we shall ‘see’ with clear, sharp eyes, and that day is when the Lord returns for us, His people.  In that day, we shall see Him as He really is and not as the image we have of Him in our mind.  Right now, we can only picture how heaven will look and how eternal life will be lived (foggy glasses!) but one day we will be living in it and all will be crystal clear to us.  The more often we take off our foggy glasses now as we sit at the Lord’s feet, the more prepared we will be for what is to come.  Face to face with our Lord:  ‘Then I shall know even as I am known.’

               Thank You Jesus for all You have done.

                      Help me to see clearly everything You need me to see.

Yum… Rice Cakes

 

       Bet you’re saying, ya, okay (with head shaking), who in their right mind actually enjoys rice cakes.  After all, it’s like eating puffed wheat with a little bit of sugar on it; dull, dull, dull.  I used to be one of those people but after wheat decided it didn’t like me anymore as proven by very terrible (and stinky) effects, I have changed my mind.  They aren’t so bad after all, and if you get the right flavour, they are actually tasty.  In fact, I just polished off three of them as part of my lunch.  Eating them is like living in a make believe world where I can eat bread again!!!

      Our perceptions change over time and circumstances.  When I could eat anything I wanted, warm bread slathered in melted butter was appealing, but with the repercussions of that meal, it not longer interests me.  Before I was born again into Christianity, I would have thought Christians were either fanatics or sourpusses.  It didn’t seem like there were any in betweens.  After being born again, I remember an unbeliever saying Christians don’t have any fun.  At first I was insulted because I had a lot of fun, but then I was a teen.  When I considered the adults, I had to confess that a lot of them didn’t seem to enjoy life.  Ah… the perceptions of a teenager!

       Lately, I’ve been thinking back on my own life and how it has changed.  First I believed Christians were dull like rice cakes, and after salvation I thought unbelievers were really like them, but in the end I see that I am the rice cake.  Some people perceive my life as boring, but to me, it is the most exciting time of my life.  My family is relatively healthy and I love them dearly.  I have never felt so good about who I am, who I will be, what God has done, what He continues to do and will do in me.  I feel alive like I never have before and every morning fresh joy and peace fill my heart.

       Does it sound like I am one of those fake- happy all the time people?  Oh, my life is not perfect at all.  Come on, I have two teens right now- enough said on that!  Hubby and I have our relational ups and downs, we both have health issues, our house and vehicles fall apart, just finished 3 ½ years lay off and still getting back on our feet, a mom who needs help, more driving than I like, etc.  Friday brought a dead battery (a call to CAA and waiting time) which meant I had to go home instead of to the store I needed to get to- so I couldn’t buy a particular gift- which meant I had to go out Saturday to complete the shopping- which normally irritates me because it’s a waste of gas when I should have been able to pick it up on Friday!!!



Come... follow Me!

       How can I feel so alive and have joy and peace when so many things fall apart?  One word- nope- one man- Jesus.  He has changed me forever, for in Him is life- abundant life, eternal hope, joy and peace unending, and always- amazing love.  The Lord has delivered me from bondage once again, and “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jh. 8:36)  When I was a teen, I hated life, but now in my 40’s with more fullness in Christ than I ever imagined, I love life… and I love the Lord.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  Jh. 14:6

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die… 

Jh. 11:25,26

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  Jh. 3:16

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  Jh. 14:27

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  Ps. 16:11

(Nothing) shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Rom. 8:39

       So call me a rice cake, a fruit cake, or anything else you like, just come… join me on the greatest adventure of all- life in the Lord Jesus Christ…

amazing, miraculous, abundant life!

…I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jh. 10:10