Yes, it’s that time of year again; a day when you may receive or give flowers, balloons, candy or cards to the ones you love!  All over the world, it’s the day that people show their love by giving something tangible to their special some ones . . .  and this reminds me of another scripture about a tangible gift that was given in love to us over 2,000 years ago:

“But God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life.”   John 3:16

Unlike God’s gift, after Valentine’s Day is over, the flowers will die, the candy will be eaten, the balloons will lose their air and fall to the ground, and the cards will get tossed in a box somewhere or even be thrown away, but God’s love for us, and the love that is shared with one another, will never pass away.

Isaiah 54:10 says “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

And oh, how He loves us! Recently I read an article written by teacher and author, Robert Wells, and in it, he pointed out some amazing traits about God’s Love for us.

“His love is perfect. There is nothing that can be added to or taken away from God’s love. It is complete. He cannot love you anymore than he does right now and his love for you yesterday was the same as it is today, and it will be the same tomorrow. And there is absolutely nothing that you can do to cause God to love you any less.

God’s love is eternal. God’s love for us will never cease nor will it ever end. It is unchanging and unalterable, and it will never run out. There is no way that you can use up, exhaust, or consume God’s love.

God’s love is personal. God loves each and every one of us. We are not just a number amongst millions and billions of others. He desires a personal and intimate loving relationship with you. He longs for the time when you simply talk to him, when you think about him, when you ask for his help or guidance, when you ask him to speak to your heart about some matter. His love for you is so great that you walk surrounded and bathed in his love. He wants you to know that he is concerned about every single aspect of your life.

Many ignore him their entire lives, never think about him, never try to find out what he is like, never take the time to get to know him, never talk to him, never ask for his guidance. That has no effect at all on his love for you. He will still wait for that day when you begin to accept him and realize that he wants to rain down upon you that awesome perfect unconditional love. That love is there and it will always be there, just waiting for you. And the person who understands this incredible love and who has put their faith and trust in the hands of Jesus, knows beyond a doubt, that Jesus will never ever give up on anyone.

God’s love is beyond our understanding. Not one of us knows why God loves us and has saved us. Yes, we know that God is love, and that we are his creation, that we are his children, but it is still mysterious to realize that even as we continue to sin, as we continue to fail him, as we continue to break the promises that we make to him, as we continue to be disobedient to him, he still loves us as much as he ever did. God never says, “That’s it, no more love! I’ve had it with you!” You can’t do anything to get God to stop loving you. God’s unconditional love is far beyond our understanding.

Yes, God hates the sin, but even as we are sinning, he still loves us with that perfect unconditional love. It is a love that is simply beyond the comprehension of the human mind. Man’s inability to understand God’s great love is probably best described by Paul in Ephesians 3:19, where in describing God’s love he uses the term, “a love which surpasses all knowledge”.

God’s love is measureless and limitless. There is no way that we can exhaust the love of God. There are no limitations or boundaries on God’s capacity to love, and that is why God deeply loves the most unrepentant sinner and waits anxiously for the day that he asks to be forgiven.

God’s love has no favorites. God does not have favorites and he loves the sinner as much as he loves the saint, but he does have intimates, and these are the people who spend time with him, who talk to him, who listen to him, who obey him, who seek his guidance, who love his word, who want to learn how to love him. These intimates are the ones who want to find God’s best for their lives. And God makes this intimacy available to each and every one of us. So this all powerful, all mighty God of love wants you as one of his close personal intimates.”

Scripture also tells us in 1 John 4:19 that “We love because He first loved us.” His love for us has taught us to love, and the love we receive from God allows us to return that love and spread it to others.

 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”  1 John 4:7

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:27

The number one reason why each of us was born is because God loves us. You were created by God to love and to be loved, and His love for us is the greatest thing in the entire universe, seconded by the love we have for each other. The very essence of God’s being, his personality, his very nature – is love and the whole motivation for God sending Jesus into this world was love. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.”

As you watch the following video, it is my hope that on this Valentine’s Day and every day of your lives, you will always be reminded of His great love for you and for every person He has created.

Let’s pray.

Thank you, Father, for your amazing love!  For loving me so much that you sent your only Son to die in my place, to take the punishment for my sin, even though I am the one who deserved it.   Thank you for loving me so much that you would show me such mercy!  Help me, Father, to completely surrender to you every part of me . . . every part of my life . . . so that I can truly say I love you with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.   And as I do, that my heart would be filled with your compassion and great love for others. Father, I want to see others in the same way you do and love them with the same love.  Help me to do that, Lord, through the power of your Holy Spirit, so that others will see and come to know your great love. And I ask all of these things in the precious Name of your Son, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

personal gratification:   the prize

as I choose rose-colored glasses to cover my eyes,

so I see no pain, feel no pain, bear no pain . . .

and as Christ-like vision is consequentially diminished,

a call to servant hood and ministry is never started, never finished,

while alone and unattended, the disregarded cry,

and a time may one day come when the neglected one will die,

and what heretofore was the anthem of “me, myself and I”

will become a dirge of regret for the balance of my life.

– Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

So, how’s everyone doing right now with their Christmas shopping? All the gifts purchased? Everything wrapped? All the Christmas cards sent? No? Well . . . take comfort because . . . on the 12th day of Christmas, I’m sad to say for me, I’m way behind with gifts beneath my tree!

Yes, I’m right with you! Even though I had the best of intentions to start early and get everything done in plenty of time, I am nowhere near being done!

Every year at this time, it seems there are still so many gifts I need to buy or make . . . and I only have so much money . . . and I can’t just get any gift; it has to be the right gift for the right person . . . and so my mind goes into overdrive, creatively trying to come up with that perfect, you know, “Martha Stewart” type of gift for everyone.

Then there are the cranberry and banana nut breads and the assortment of cookies that I need to bake and, of course, “taste-test” (which for me means eating at least one for every batch baked!). And that wouldn’t be too hard to accomplish with joy if it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been trying to stay on a diet since Thanksgiving and so every bite of cookie makes me feel guilty.

Then there are those once a year, “keep in touch with friends and family” cards that I need to send out. Now you would think a woman who can whip out stuff on the computer would have enough sense to whip out a generic pre-printed letter for her cards and not feel this huge need to write a personal note for every card. But, no ~ not me. Each one has to be handwritten and personalized.

And how about all the Christmas activities we get invited to? Sometimes I wonder why it seems that all the fun things have to happen between Thanksgiving and New Years, and then we sit around bored for the rest of the year. It’s so overwhelming trying to decide which event to go to, with the risk of who will be offended if I “no show”.  I’ve decided that what really happens during this time of year is most people, who intended to have some kind of a party all year long and didn’t, get the “Now or Never Syndrome” at Christmastime!

It happens every Christmas with me. Along with the fact that my office workload always seems to increase this time of year with year-end proposals, there is also the hustling, bustling, shopping, traveling, cooking, parties, banquets, pageants, church Christmas cantatas and children’s programs, decorations, trees, lights, and holiday clothing purchases. Sadly, every year I seem to get caught up in the busyness of Christmas, stressed about making arrangements to see and please everyone, pressured to balance an already busy schedule with unlimited amounts of additional activities, pushed to attend, give, join, gather and perform.

And then, in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle, I hear that still, small voice of the Father in His unceasing love whispering to me, “Cheri! You’ve forgotten again the reason for the season, my daughter. Choose the better thing and come away with me for a little while.”

And as I listen to His voice and do as He asks . . . it becomes an “ahhhh” moment. Instant peace. And my perspective comes clearly back into focus as I’m reminded once again that:

The best thing, Lord, I can do today is love You,
and it’s such a very simple thing to do ~
when I consider Your divinity
and everything You’ve done for me,
as I contemplate these things ~
How I love to love You!

The best thing, Lord, I can do today is love You,
for when I love You, I can’t help but want to serve You too ~
and as I take the focus off of me,
I’ll become who You want me to be ~
committed to You totally!
It is a very good thing to love You!

The best thing, Lord, I can do today is love You,
for when I love You . . . You so freely love to love me too!
You said You love those who love and serve You ~
what a mistake it would be to refuse You!
I was created to love You!
This woman lives and breathes to worship You!

You said:

You will shower mercy on the ones who love You . . .
You will give them their very heart’s desires . . .
You’ll set them on high and deliver them . . .
You will preserve them and fill their treasures . . .
No eye has seen nor ear has heard,
nor has there entered into the heart of man ~
for those who love You ~ all the wonderful things
that You have prepared for them!

Yes, the best thing I can do today is love You,
but it isn’t because of the things You’ll do for me.
It’s for the wonderful thing You’ve already done
when you gave the gift of Your only begotten Son.
For this thing alone, Lord ~
It is my joy to love You!

So, everyone, in the last couple weeks of this Christmas season, I just want to encourage you to take some time in the midst of your busy days to choose the better thing, to find a quiet place with the Lord, and make loving God your first priority! It truly will renew you and empower you to make Jesus the reason for every gift you give, every cookie you bake, every card you write and send, and every activity you attend. And the true Christmas Spirit, the Holy Spirit will fill your lives with the joy of Christmas!

Unto us a child is born; unto us a Son is given!
Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Our Prince of Peace!
During this Christmas Season and for the remainder of my life,
is there any greater gift I could receive?

For Who, but You, gives eternal life to me?
Who, but You, loves me wholly just for me?
Who, but You, heals my soul and sets me free?
No one. No one, but You!

And who, but You, always intercedes for me?
Who, but You, supplies everything I need?
Who, but You, would die solely just for me?
No one. No one, but You!

For You are God. You’re my Provider.
You’re my Healer, Comfort, Shelter.
You’re my Rock and I’m covered by Your hand.
You’re my Savior, my Deliverer.
You are my dearest friend.
For every need I have, You are I AM.

What a Christmas present! What a perfect gift!
Thank you, Lord, for being all I need.
Help me to remember what this season’s all about:
there IS no greater gift than You for me!

Let’s pray.

Dear Father,

It happens every Christmas. Sometimes we get so caught up in the hectic busyness of the season that we lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, and the reason for the celebration in the first place: the perfect gift of your son, Jesus Christ. I pray that your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control would fill us and be seen in us and that our lives would bring you glory during this Christmas season and throughout the New Year. In the precious name of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Cheri Henderson

http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

Today’s devotion is a short one, but one I wanted to share with you since we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving in just a little over a week.

Yes, next Thursday, many of us will be gathering with family and friends to feast on things like roasted turkey, dressing and gravy, cranberry sauce, devilled eggs, sweet potatoes and a host of yummy, decadent desserts!   But for us, as followers of Jesus Christ, thanksgiving is more that an eating extravaganza . . . and it’s more than a one year event, isn’t it?  Every day should be a day of thanksgiving for us because, as Psalm 92:1 says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord”.  

And why is it such a good thing?  Here are a few scriptures that tell us why.

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:8-9

“Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise?” Psalm 106:1-2

“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30.  It glorifies Him!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

And then there is the New Testament account of the cleansing of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 which is a great example of why it is so good, so beneficial, to give thanks unto the Lord.  I’m sure you probably remember the story about the ten lepers who were banished to the outskirts of the city because they were so sick, so deformed and so highly contagious. They knew the law very well and obeyed it by staying within the boundary that had been set for them. But as Jesus and His disciples were passing through the village one day, their only option was to shout from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”!  Jesus saw them and responded by telling them to “show themselves to the priests”. And in obedience to what Jesus commanded, they were cleansed!  Can you imagine what was going through their minds as they made their way to the priests?  They looked at their hands and there were no more disfiguring sores!  Fingers or noses that had previously rotted and fallen off from the disease . . . were all now in place again!  One of the lepers may have exclaimed to the other; “Look at your face; it is as smooth as the day you were born!”

But this is where the story takes a turn. Nine of the lepers, caught up in the joy of being reinstated into society, probably immediately went out to find friends and family whom they hadn’t seen in months, but Luke 17:15-16 says “one of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.”  Jesus then asked, “Were there not ten that were cleansed; should not ten have returned to give God praise?”

The tenth one had distinguished himself as one who was thankful . . . and he didn’t have a problem expressing it!  His original request was made with a “loud” voice . . . but his resulting thankfulness and praise to God was also made with a “loud’ voice!  And, as a result, his reward was greater than the other nine. Yes, their obedience to His command resulted in their physical healing.  But as the tenth leper bowed in humility at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him, Jesus told him that his faith had made him whole.  He was not only healed of leprosy, but every aspect of his life was restored.  What a difference being thankful makes! 

What this biblical account shows is that God responds positively to a thankful heart. In addition to physical healing, through his expressed thankfulness, the tenth leper also received:

• Jesus’ personal proclamation of blessing,
• a complete restoration – body, soul and spirit
• and a greater intimacy with God.

Yes, it is always a good thing for us to give thanks unto the Lord!  So with our voices raised and our hands lifted high, “….be thankful unto Him, and bless His name, for the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations.”(Psalm 100: 4-5)

Content with little, content with much;
how could this possibly be?
Because my love, my devotion, my focus, my passion
is Jesus . . . and that makes me happy.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace . . .
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone are more than enough
for me to be totally thankful.
What more do I need? What more could I want?
Dare I moan about things I have not?
Should my contentment be based upon possessions and wealth
or the treasure of my friendship with God?
A Redeemer who died in my place for my sin
deserves all I have, all that I am.
If I devote my attention to earthly success,
it dilutes my devotion to Him.
He’s the One I was created to glorify;
not my self, my desires, my fulfillment.
If He is my focus, I need nothing more ~
because He is the source of contentment.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace,
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone should be more than enough.
They are. And He is. And I’m thankful.

So let us with great thanksgiving,
go through His open gates,
enter His courts with worship and praise,
give thanks and bless His name!

He’s our sweet Jehovah Jireh;
He provides all we’ll ever need.
Our Jehovah Shalom, He eases our mind;
He is our Prince of Peace.

He protects us from the lies of men
because His name is also Truth.
Lord, you’re our Living Water
and we’re continually refreshed by You.

Our good and gentle Shepherd,
with Your guidance we’ll never stray.
The path we follow is Yours alone
because You, Lord, are the Way.

You greet us softly with each new day;
You’re our Bright and Morning Star.
Because You are the Great I Am,
You are all these things and more.

Oh Father, we are so thankful
that Your name is holy and true.
You are our everything; You are our all!
We delight in praising You!

So let us with great thanksgiving,
go through Your open gates,
enter Your courts with worship and praise,
give thanks and bless Your name! 

- Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

The Lord reminded me of this as I was driving into work one morning and was unexpectedly greeted by the most brilliantly colorful, spectacular sunrise I had ever seen.  I was awestruck by its beauty and, with great pause, I slowly spoke the words of a phrase that my husband often says in similar situations . . .  “Will you . . . . look . . . . at . . . . that?!”

Have you ever crested the top of a hill
where a spectacular view awaits ~
a brilliant sunrise
or other splendid surprise ~
so incredible, it takes your breath away?

One of those unexpected moments
when you’re driving along as you do,
expecting nothing more
than to see what you’ve seen before,
and the Creator suddenly steps in front of you?

As if to say, “Hello, there!  Here I am, dear child!
I painted this right before you crested the hill;
a perfect painting . . . perfect timing . . .
I knew that you were coming!”
And be reminded, child, it won’t be long until

you’re moving right along in the normalcy of your day,
expecting to see the things you’ve always seen,
when you crest that moment in time ~
the hour the Father will decide ~
and the Beauty you encounter will be Me.

God longs for you to know that He loves you, and one way He shows that is through His magnificent creation. In the rush of the day, the frenzy of solving problems and worldly pressures, if we would just take a moment to stop, look and listen, we can see His fingerprints everywhere, be refreshed by it, and our hearts can’t help but be stirred to offer a moment of praise to our Creator.

Since the weather has gotten cooler, I’ve started sleeping with our bedroom window open again and I so enjoy it!  The fresh air and chilly temperatures always help me to sleep so much better!  The open window also provided me with another lesson from the Lord when early this morning before the alarm even rang, I was awakened by the sound of hundreds of singing birds . . .

A glimmer of dawn appears on the horizon
as if a wand the Maestro raises to begin
a symphony of praise,
announcing the birth of a new day,
as birds throughout the land begin to sing
songs no man has ever thought to vocalize or compose,
as thousands of birds sing thousands of melodies
that blend and flow in unity
to create a heavenly harmony,
awakening man again to His new mercies,
and as His hand spins slowly the earth around and round,
the glimmer of dawn continues o’er and o’er,
across the globe continually
the chorus of nature sings and sings
songs of praise to God, King and Creator.

Psalm 71:8 says: “Just as each day brims with your beauty, my mouth brims with praise.”

How often do we not realize that the simple pleasures in life were created and placed in our lives to glorify God? Think about it. Everything you see and hear is a product of God’s wonderful creative hand. Everything we touch can somehow be traced to the Creator of the universe. Too often in life we fly along at warp speed, rushing through life so quickly that we don’t take time to notice the beauty around us.  Moving through life with blinders on, trying to complete our many tasks, we don’t think about creation or its Creator, let alone just sit back and enjoy it.

Children seem to understand this on a completely different level than adults do. Have you ever seen a child admiring the beauty of butterfly? They are enthralled by its beauty and grace. Have you ever seen a child hold a dandelion and rave about how pretty it is? As adults we want to set that child straight and tell them that a dandelion is nothing more than a weed. Chances are that child will argue that we are wrong and it is a beautiful flower and if you pick enough of them, you will have the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. You know what? That child is right.

God’s beauty is as small as a tiny flower or as grand as mountains and icy glaciers, yet His signature is always there. It is waiting to be seen and appreciated and to speak to you in individual, God-designed ways.

In fact, very soon we will be surrounded by vivid colors unlike any ever found on a painter’s pallet.  The leaves are already starting to turn and soon will transform from hues of green to a spectacular blend of fiery yellows, oranges, reds, and magentas . . . all a breathtaking demonstration that there is no artist like our Father!  What the painter’s brush can only imitate, He has created!   His awesome paint palette amazes me daily! And He does it all — every single day for us!

And just think about all of the sounds — the melodies of creation — that our Maestro has written and directs!

Psalm 65:9-13 says:“The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.”

And Psalm 96:11-13:  “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord.”

How can any sound that I make
ever equate
to the ones that you create, Lord?
Rolling thunder,
crashing waves,
rustling leaves,
a gentle rain;
powerful,
melodic,
some whisper,
some vibrate.
Every sound,
Your own design;
to each event,
specifically assigned.
I listen, amazed
by the mixture of praise
for my Creator . . .
and I wonder . . .
are the sounds
that come forth from me
as beautiful to You as these?
If I sing a little off key
do You pause to listen to me
(and then perhaps smile)?

Lord, may my praise for You
always be pleasing!

In a sin-sick world surrounded by pain, suffering and hardships, there is, simultaneously, a world of God’s beauty that He has given us to enjoy.  It’s good, even necessary, for our mental, physical and spiritual health to take a moment once in a while to “stop, look and listen” . . .  and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, to close our eyes and listen to the beautiful melodies of nature. . . all created by God to refresh us, give us pleasure and draw us closer to Him. 

So, as you go about your day, I encourage each of you to become more aware of your surroundings. Notice the beauty of the flowers in your garden, the birds as they sing to one another, the sunset, the moon and the stars that light the night.  God created each one of them for you.  And while you’re enjoying all that He has created for you, praise Him!  The One who knows each star in the heavens and every bird in the air . . . how much more He cares for you! 

The sun goes down
and with it the sound
that accompanies the day,
but I stand quietly
in the darkness
and the night sounds
begin to arise.
Crickets chirp and locusts sing,
a bat on the prowl, the flutter of wings;
the volume increases
and the cadence intensifies
as the hour grows later.
In the midst of the darkness,
creation still worships its Creator.
And in the midst of dark days,
this creation will worship her Creator.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank you for your world that proclaims your glory. Help us to slow down and to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of your creation, the gifts you have given us, and to not take these things for granted. The beauty of your creation can lighten our hearts in the midst of the darkest of nights.  God, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and stir our hearts to worship you as we gaze upon your beauty! We ask all of these things in the name of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 – Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

My father has had some serious health battles over the past 6 years – starting in 2005 with a heart attack that resulted in a triple bypass and a pacemaker, and then most recently, surgery to remove malignant melanoma on his back and arm, and then inside his ear.  He’s completely lost his hearing in his left ear and partially in his right, he fights stroke-level bouts of high blood pressure, and the tremors, weakness and choking that comes from Parkinson’s disease. He is a precious, precious man, a lover of God, and one who played a major role in leading me to Christ. The hip break was the last thing his already frail 6’1”, 145 pound body needed.
 
Every day of every week this past month has been a real test of faith for me, as I sat beside him in the hospital, helplessly watching him as he moaned in pain; when he reacted adversely to pain meds the hospital gave him and became so delerious, he thought I was his wife and he didn’t recognize my husband at all; when he fell from the bed, injuring his head and cutting his hand; and when the rehab facility told us 10 days ago he would need to remain in their care for at least another month, while others expressed their opinion he would never leave the facility at all.  All of this, though, was offset by beautiful moments when, as I sat in his room, Dad sang hymns of praise to Jesus while he was asleep; when he held my hand and told me how proud he was of the woman that I’ve become; and when he told me he’s ready to go home to be with Jesus and he thinks it will be very soon. 

During all of this, the Lord has continually reminded me that he is always “ahead of the game” in every one of our situations.  Revelation 1:8 says: “I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.” 

Think about that!  The One who created us, our loving Heavenly Father, is the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end.  And He is already there in our tomorrows and He knows exactly what we’re going to be facing before we even get there.  Who better to be there before we even arrive? Psalm 46:1-3 says: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

In Habakkuk 3:17-19, it says: “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, yet I will rejoice in the Lord!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.  The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.”  Habakkuk’s vision ended with a beautiful word picture:  No matter what happens, I will find joy in the Lord, and he will make me as surefooted as a deer.  Habakkuk does not say that the Lord will make his way easy, but, rather, that the Lord will sustain him along his path.

And so Matthew 6:34 makes perfect sense when it says “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself”, and Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”, and Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Dark, billowing clouds overtake the sky.
United, they block the sun.
Gloomy shadows are cast upon the earth
and it seems as though night has come.
Where once the light glittered amongst the leaves
… and bright rays danced upon the ground;
where once the sun shone with such clarity,
now only storm clouds abound.
Why did the clouds choose to gather here?
How long will the darkness endure?
Powerless to cause them to dissipate,
how I long for the sun to return.
Helplessly I glare at the threatening forms,
when slowly, so silently,
a small ray of light filters through the mass,
disrupting its unity.
Though the sun itself has not yet appeared,
that tiny ray is a lifeline for me –
an assurance of things that are hoped for;
a conviction of things unseen.
Life.
I can’t control it,
direct it,
correct it,
or perfect it;
but when I submit it,
commit it,
and to the Lord give it,
the burden becomes His and not mine
And whatever the situation that lies ahead,
He’ll give me the grace to endure it,
and someday quite soon,
I won’t even recall it
When the reality of eternity is mine . . .

and there’s great peace in the knowledge of that.

Oh, and also by the way . . .  three days ago, Dad was released from the nursing rehab facility and he is now home recuperating. He’s still very frail and doesn’t have his strength completely back, but his witty sense of humor and that beautiful sparkle in his eyes have returned. We are so thankful to have him home and are praying he will improve day by day.  He will one day be going home to Jesus . . . but not today!

There’s a beautiful old hymn that some of you may or may not be familiar with called, “It is Well with my Soul”.  It was written by a Chicagolawyer, Horatio G. Spafford, in 1873. You might think to write a worship song titled, ‘It is well with my soul’, you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicagolawyer. But actually the words of the song were not written during the happiest period of Spafford’s life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.

Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because of Horatio’s legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords’ only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.

Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest — DL Moody needed the help. He was traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French steamer ‘Ville de Havre’ across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. He would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: “Saved alone.”

On November 2nd 1873, the ‘Ville de Havre’ had collided with ‘The Lochearn’, an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people.  Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up.

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out ofNew York to join his bereaved wife.  During the voyage, the captain of the ship called him to the bridge. “A careful reckoning has been made”, he said, “and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep.” Horatio then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the same God who sustained Mr. Spafford and his wife also sustains us.  Mr. Spafford’s song reveals a man who had an unwavering trust in the Lord and who was able to stand with great peace and strength in the wake of horrific tragedy.  The source of Mr. Spafford’s strength was found through the precious blood shed by His Savior, Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of his sins, and the sure hope of his resurrection.  The hope of reunion with loved ones and the joy of seeing our Lord face to face should supply us with strength enough to face all of life’s trials and fill us with “joy unspeakable and full of glory”.

So for whatever trial you may be going through right now or may face in the future, always remember the One who loves you most is already there and knows what you’ll need to stand strong.  1 Peter 6:9 speaks well to the trials that we face where it says:   ”In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an unspeakable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

And so my prayer for you and me is this:

Heavenly Father, we love you and praise your name above all names. Many of us our experiencing different kinds of trials in our lives, Lord, and we ask that you please hear the cry of our hurting hearts. Oh Lord, sometimes the circumstances we face are hard to comprehend, let alone bear. Please surround us with your presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to stand in strength and peace. We ask for patience and courage to wait upon you with faith and trust. We want to see through spiritual eyes full of faith in the face of all these trials and troubles.  Lord, let us see your truth of what lays beyond these troubles. Let us keep our minds and hearts focused upon you and Heaven to come. We love you Lord and give you all the glory.  And we ask all these things in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

–Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

 
  
Have you ever thought about all of the defining characteristics that society uses to categorize, label or evaluate the people on this planet . . . and how easy it is to get caught up in measuring ourselves by society’s yardsticks? 

Single or married, female or male,
my level of education, the clothes that I wear,
how much I weigh,  the shape that I’m in,
the length of my hair, the color of my skin,
youthful and vibrant or slow and aged,
my recreational toys, where I vacation,
the number of people who call me friend,
the area or neighborhood that I live in,
the make/model/year of the car that I drive,
the achievements of my children whether adult or child,
my place of work and what I do each day,
my spouse’s success and his level of pay,
my religion, my church, my spirituality,
my language, my genetics, my nationality –
all characteristics that should define me
if I lived by the standards of a shallow society,
but I’m a Christian and I am living for an audience of One
and, thank God, He doesn’t measure me by any of the above.
His yoke is very easy and His burden is very light;
worldly pressures to conform matter not when my Savior’s Jesus Christ  . . .
God accepts me on the basis of Jesus’ life and sacrifice.
The Life that is truly life has become my life.

“As He is, so are we in this world.” – 1 John 4:17

Kinda takes the pressure off a bit, doesn’t it, to know that we don’t have to try to impress the world or win the approval of men?  Instead, as Christians devoted to Jesus Christ, we’re living for an Audience of One and we march to the beat of a different drummer, the Divine Drummer.

At the memorial service for the legendary baseball player, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Thompson, who was Mickey’s friend and former teammate, shared that Mickey had been really uncomfortable with being considered a role model, especially in light of his personal struggles with alcohol.  In his concluding comments at the memorial service, Bobby shared the victory that Mantle experienced when he confessed his sins to Jesus Christ and received God’s forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. Bobby then closed the memorial service with the following poem:

Your name may not appear down here in this world’s hall of fame.
In fact, you may be so unknown that no one knows your name.
The trophies, and honors, and flashbulbs here may pass you by with lights ablue,
but if you love and serve the Lord your God, then I have news for you.
This hall of fame is only good as long as time shall be,
but keep in mind, God’s hall of fame is for eternity.
This crowd on earth, they soon forget the heroes of the past.
They cheer like mad until you fall, and that’s how long you last.
But I tell you, friend, I’d never trade my name however small
that’s written there beyond the stars in that celestial hall
For every famous name on Earth or glory that they share
I’d rather be an unknown here and have my name up there.

The world defines success as possessions, power and position. Advertisers promote success in terms of material possessions: expensive automobiles, fine jewelry, large mansions, luxury yachts and the latest electronic gadgets. But physical possessions, power and position don’t produce lasting happiness, do they?

Unfortunately, I have to admit that when I was young, I got caught up in the “designer jeans” mentality (Gloria Vanderbilt and Calvin Klein were my jeans of choice), and I always had to have the newest, most popular clothes, hairstyles, shoes, jewelry, and music albums (for the younger readers, these were the large vinyl records that preceded CD’s and iTunes).  As I got a little older, it became sporty little convertibles and other more expensive things, and essentially I walked around trying to compete with and impress my co-workers, friends, and family with my “cool” things and my “cool” appearance”. 

But I discovered that materialism and always wanting more are like a large glass of water with a pinhole leak.  You can’t see the water disappear, but your cup is never full.  And after I surrendered my life to Christ, the Holy Spirit began to show me how deeply caught up I was in materialism and the stifling, stressful, competitive spirit of the world, and I  began to understand the greater meaning of putting my treasure where my heart is.  “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Luke 12:34.  And when you walk in that, it takes the pressure off!

Granted, it’s a continuing, daily process for me, but the Word of God is a continual reminder of what He has to say about it.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel: 16:7b-8

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” –  1 John 2:15–17 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” – Matthew 6:19-20

“And do not keep striving for what you are to eat, what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.  For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things . . . Instead, strive for his kingdom” – Luke 12: 29-31

So I have to constantly check myself to be sure I’m making decisions and operating as a citizen of God’s Kingdom, who is striving for the Kingdom, and that I’m not reverting back to being a self-centered, flesh-gratifying consumer, who is trying to compete with and impress the world.

A self-centered consumer is mostly concerned with bettering their place in society by getting what they think they need.  Their identity and value are grounded in their possessions, and merely having enough is never enough when others have more.  Having a standard brand is never enough when others have superior brands.  And having the old model is never enough when the “new, improved model” is now available! 

But a kingdom person does not store up things that will rust, break and be eaten by moths.  A kingdom person doesn’t worry about what his neighbor has.  A kingdom person lives for an Audience of One.

And when my Audience of One looks into my heart, I want him to see someone who longs for His pleasure, not someone who hungers after her own.

Who owns my heart? Who has my passion?
If I were forced to part with every possession?
My jewelry, my car, my money, my mansion?
Could I count it all joy because my life’s true passion
transcends earthly things?

Surrounded by so many wonderful things,
my home, my car, my necklaces and rings,
perhaps a camper, motorcycle, a new ATV,
a swimming pool, hot tub, a wide-screen TV -
all quite enjoyable I really must say,
but wood, hay and stubble at the end of the day,
nice to have around, but someday I’ll “leave town”
and none of these things will go with me.

And so the thought is sobering to me
that my purpose, my life’s passion can never be
wood, hay and stubble . . . to gain and to keep
because if it does . . .  than it’s become my god . . .
and my heaven . . .  oh so brief . . . is here and now.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” –  1 Timothy 1:6-8

Content with little, content with much;
how can this possibly be?
Because if my love, my devotion, my focus, my passion
is Jesus . . . then that makes me happy.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace . . .
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone are more than enough
for me to be totally grateful.

What more do I need? What more could I want?
Dare I moan about things I have not?
Should my contentment be based upon commodities and wealth
or the treasure of my friendship with God?
A Redeemer who died in my place for my sin
deserves all I have, all that I am.
If I devote my attention to earthly success,
it dilutes my devotion to Him.

He’s the One I was created to glorify;
not my self, my desires, my fulfillment.
If He is my focus, I need nothing more ~
because He is the source of contentment.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace,
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone should be more than enough.
They are. And He is. And I’m grateful.

Let’s pray.

Father, I desire your pleasure more than anything.  You and you alone are worthy of my adoration, and your opinion of me is the only one that matters. Please forgive me for the times I’ve tried to “keep up with the Joneses” and seek the approval of others over your applause through things I’ve bought or the things I’ve done or said. Your blessing means more to me than anything this world has to offer.  Father, you give the best gifts and I desire only yours.  Please give me the wisdom and grace I need for this journey and let everything I do bring only you the glory.  I ask all these things in the name of your precious son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

–Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com

my level of education, the clothes that I wear,

how much I weigh, the shape that I’m in,

the length of my hair, the color of my skin,

youthful and vibrant or slow and aged,

my recreational toys and where I vacation,

the number of people who call me friend,

the area, the neighborhood that I live in,

the make/model/ year of the car that I drive,

the achievements of my children whether adult or child,

my place of work and what I do each day,

my spouse’s success and his level of pay,

my religion, my church, my spirituality,

my language, my genetics, my nationality –

all characteristics that should define me

if I lived by the standards of a shallow society,

but I’m a Christian and I am living for an audience of One

and, thank God, He doesn’t measure me by any of the above.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light;

worldly pressures to conform matter not when my Savior’s Jesus Christ  . . .

God accepts me on the basis of Jesus’ life and sacrifice.

The Life that is truly life has become my life.

“As He is, so are we in this world.”  (1 John 4:17)

Kinda takes the pressure off, now doesn’t it?

– Cheri Henderson, http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com