Place...Lent Photo-a-Day

Sorry I missed yesterday!

Place – How many times have you been asked, “What’s your favorite place?”  It could be your favorite place to eat or your favorite place to visit but there is a liking to whatever “place” you are talking about.  When I saw this word I thought of Jesus sitting in the temple when He was a boy.  It was the place He needed to be.  He even said to His mother, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house? (Luke 2:49)  Jesus’ place to be was in His Father, whether it be in the temple or in the garden when He was praying. 

So, maybe the question to ask is where is your favorite place to connect with Christ?  Thankfully, Jesus is everywhere and with us all the time so we don’t need to go to a “favorite” place to connect with Him.  Yet, there is just something about certain places that help you connect.  For me it is outside amongst His creation.  While in San Diego a few weeks ago my husband and I hiked a state park.  It was absolutely beautiful.  I stood in awe of God’s masterpiece.  Of course I couldn’t take enough photos to capture the beauty I saw.  When I am outside amongst His creation God is so grand and for me that is so comforting!

What’s your favorite place?  I couldn't just pick one photo this time :-)

Cheryl

Remember...Lent Photo-a-Day

Remember…Should be the easiest word to write about because it is Lent.  We are to remember and reflect upon what it is Christ did for us.  Yet, as I sit here I am at a loss for words.  It seems so obvious.  Christ suffered and died for me.  Christ endured so I didn’t have to endure.  Christ lead by example but do I remember?  No, I turn to my own ways and supposed strength first.  Then I seek advice from others and try to make whatever it is work.  When in reality if I would remember to turn to Christ first things would be a whole heap better. 

Life here on earth is short lived.  Eternal life is forever and that is what Christ did for us.  If we remembered Christ first the worldly things and issues probably wouldn’t be as grand as we make them because in the end we can say in confidence – “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me”  (Hebrews 13:6)

So remember to look to Christ for everything.  

Cheryl

Path...Lent Photo-a-Day

Path…David shares in the Psalms – “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are the pleasures forevermore.” (16:11).  I love how David says “You make known to me the path of life”.  I have learned through some rather difficult situations in my life that God really does know the path for me and makes it known to me.  The key in the equation is whether I am listening or not. 

At one point in my professional career I had been through a whole heap of things and I kept asking God when was it going to be enough!  I wanted to be done but God kept saying NO.  So, I plugged along and after many months had passed God finally said I could go.  It was very loud and clear!  It was loud and clear because I was listening and spending time in His word.  God made known the path He wanted me to take.  One would think that I would have learned a valuable lesson.  I did but in my human nature I have also tried to do things my own way.  I have simply chose not to listen or I really don’t hear Him because I am not tuned into God.  I am not spending time wrapped up in His word and in prayer with Him.  It is really hard to hear someone when the focus is elsewhere.

The path has been set for us and God makes it known to us.  The question is are we listening and letting Him lead us?

Cheryl

Covenant...Lent Photo-a-Day

Covenant...An agreement between two people or a group of people.  It's a piece of paper that indicates what each person will adhere to.  Consider marriage.  Many people feel when they say "I do" there is a covenant between the husband and wife.  You and I both know that the covenant between a husband and wife is never kept perfectly.  I know I have not honored my husband all the time.  Sadly, if we take a look at statistics many people have not adhered to the "till death do us part".  It is almost as if a covenant sounds nice until we don't like what we have to adhere too.  Thankfully, God does not operate like we do.  When God says something it is what it is.  "He remembers His covenant forever, the words that he commanded, for a thousand generations" (Psalm 105:8)

There is comfort in knowing the bible sitting next to me is timeless.  What God said so many years ago applies to me today and will apply for my children and my children's children.  I don't have to go searching for a current author that will give me 7 steps to this or to that.  I can look to the bible and know what I need is there.  His covenant is forever!

Cheryl

Joy...Lent Photo-a-Day

Joy…An interesting word to consider during Lent.  Lent was always relayed to me as a time to truly focus on what Christ did for us because of our sin.  He suffered, He died, and those things do not bring about joyful thoughts.  So to focus on the word joy seems to be out of place.  Yet, the Lent season begins at Christmas because without Christmas there would be no Savior.  Isaiah foretold of a Savior being born – “For to us a child is born to us a Son is given and the government will be on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…” (9:6)  The birth of Jesus is fulfilling the promise God gave us.  There is great joy in that.  In fact, when the angel appeared to the shepherds when Jesus was born there is excitement in the message given.  “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

Jesus grows up and fulfills the promise God gave us through John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”  It is humbling to know we have a God that loves us so much that He would send His Son to die for you and me.  Through Jesus’ death and resurrection we have eternal life.  It is sobering to think Jesus had to die because of our sin.  Again, finding joy in these words is tough.  However, there is joy in knowing we have a God that fulfills His promises.  We can face each and every day with joy because we have been promised the gift of eternal life!

Cheryl

Alone...Lent Photo-a-Day

Alone…A word that can be somewhat intimidating.  Many people do not like to be alone.  It’s lonely.  It leaves us with our own thoughts.  It’s a territory that we try to avoid.  We fill our lives with noise even if we are physically alone so we don’t feel alone. Yet, being alone allows us to focus and hear.  Jesus went off to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before all of the events occurred that led up to His crucifixion.  His disciples were with Him, but when He went and prayed He went alone.  Luke 22:41 notes – “He withdrew from them.”  He withdrew to focus on His Father.  He may have been alone, without His disciples, but He was with His Father. 

I wonder if sometimes we don’t want to be alone with our Father because we don’t like what we hear?  If you look at scripture, Jesus prayed – “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)  Jesus did not get the answer He “wanted” because in verse 44 of Luke 22 it notes, “And being in agony He prayed more earnestly”.  However, in verse 43 it states, “And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”  Jesus didn’t get the answer He was looking for but He trusted His Father.  We may not get the answer that we want; but our Father is with us and gives us what we need to move forward. 

The picture of the desert depicts a great deal of nothing and a sense of being alone.  However, it can also be depicted as a place of God’s beauty and a chance to get away from the “noise” of life and hear our Father.  You don’t need a desert to be alone to hear God.  Find your place that you can focus on God and hear His plans for you.

Cheryl