Detours and Roadblocks

     When God wants to teach us something new about Him, about life, about heaven, He stops us in our tracks, He works through a crisis, He opens our eyes in a new way. As my husband and I learned on our trip, a detour can bring new insight, new perspective, spectacular views.

     To press the point this week, we were looking for a walking trail in the city in which we live. We turned onto the wrong road and a huge buck walked merrily in front of us!  Another wrong turn, another miraculous sighting. Moving on, we found the nature center and took several paths winding through lakes and wooded areas. Trying to find our way back, took us onto another wrong path. And about ten feet in front of us, stood a wild turkey! I had never been quite that close and was amazed at the size of it.

     Don’t be afraid of making a wrong turn or finding a detour or a roadblock in your way. God may be leading you to a new path with amazing views, teaching you a deep truth along the way. The best decision, and often the most difficult, is to trust God when you can’t find the road in front of you. Trust Him with your life today. That trust brings freedom, peace and hope.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5=6

Jesus,

You understand the path ahead more than we do. We acknowledge You today as we make our decisions, as we choose the next path to take, as we decide to hope and trust in You.

Amen

    

Detours and Roadblocks

     Often, the roadblocks and detours in our lives are spiritual. It is difficult to see beyond our earthly circumstances, isn’t it? We hurt. We worry. We grieve. We lose hope in the midst of suffering and sorrow. We are human, and the sin-filled earth holds us down, away from heaven’s hope, and from thoughts of our eternal home.

     Forever is…well…forever! That concept is unfathomable to us. How can we live for eternity? Will we sit on the clouds, playing a harp for thousands of years? Not at all! The new heaven and the new earth will be beyond our greatest imagination. The colors, the food, the service, will be abundant and real. We will fellowship forever in the light of Christ, where the sun is no longer needed. Jesus is the lamp!

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:23

However, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”-the things God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

     Our heavenly home is beyond our thoughts, beyond what we can see or hear or touch. He is preparing a special place for you and for me. Stay focused on hope. See your earthly circumstances through the spiritual eyes of eternity. It is forever.

Jesus,

Keep us from turning to despair and hopelessness. With You, there is always hope and peace, love and joy. These spiritual truths are deep and profound. Guide us into seeing the world through spiritual eyes, looking through our roadblocks to You.

Amen

Detours and Roadblocks

     

     A fork in the road leaves us with questions. Which way? How do I respond? A crisis in life needs a response from us. How will we cope? Get angry at God? How did He allow this to happen? I thought He loved me?

     The word, “crisis,” when translated, means “turning point.” We can choose to take a dark road, into despair and hopelessness, turn to alcohol or drugs, respond with anger and seething or we can choose to follow hope. Christ brings hope to those in need. He shares in our sorrow and our suffering. He bears our burdens and grieves with us. The Holy Spirit groans along with us (Romans 8;26)

     I have seen the hope of Christ lead people out of the deepest despair, giving them peace and comfort through the depths of suffering, witnessed His work in leading others to Him through times of need.

     When choosing which way to turn out of a crisis, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author of our faith. (Hebrews 2)

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. Hebrews 3:1

Jesus,

We fix our eyes on You in every crisis. You bring hope. You offer comfort. You give us the peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4) Show us the way out of each and every crisis, turning out hearts to hope.

Amen

Detours and Roadblocks

      The roadblocks in our lives can keep us from God. When we doubt, or are faced with grief or fear, wondering how to go on, we can lose sight of Him. Jesus never leaves us, but when we are stuck in a tough place, it can be difficult to feel His presence, to reach out and let Him lead.

     The Scriptures remind us time and time again, to focus on things above, to see with spiritual eyes, to recognize the brief span of our days and to trust in our Most-High God. He knows right where we are, and He is always one step ahead of us, figuring out where to place our feet for the next part of the journey. Is it time to wait patiently, for Him, to look up with a new perspective?

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

     When faced with a roadblock, we may take a wrong turn and have to back track or begin again. Turn back to Jesus, again and again. If we listen, He has a plan. Listen for His voice today and trust Him. He is right there next to you, no matter which way you turn.

Jesus,

We fix our eyes on You when nothing makes sense, when we hit a stumbling block, when we don’t know which way to go next. You understand.  Let Your voice be heard in the midst of it all.

Amen

Detours and Roadblocks

     How do we find a way through, under over or around the detours in life? They are frustrating, they challenge our patience, and we wonder how to find our way to a comfortable route, a normal life, a better way.

     We found ourselves facing a real detour as we planned our trip back home from Colorado to Minneapolis. You may have heard of all of the fires in Colorado in the past few weeks. Most of them were a long distance from where we stayed, but one popped up out of nowhere along the border of Wyoming and Colorado and the road was closed. We needed to find another way.

     The best route we could find took us about an hour out of the way on what would already be a very long drive. At the crack of dawn, we made our way, turned on the GPS and began our long journey, only to find a “Road Closed” sign because of fire. Now what?

     Frustration hit and just as we were about to turn back, two deer walked slowly across the street, between us and the sign. We sat there for another few  minutes taking in these two magnificent animals, enjoying themselves right beside our car. Detours sometimes bring surprises and unexpected sights.

     We drove back to the small town of Waldon and stepped into the gas station, where a local woman calmed our nerves and told us the road right next to her station would lead us to Fort Collins, Not only that, hat we should expect to see some of the most beautiful views of our lives.

     She was right! I wrote about these views last week. Had we not detoured, we would have missed those sights we will never forget. Is it time to look for a new way? To look up and notice the view? To expect Jesus to find a way out or over or through or under? He is on this road of life with us and He will show us unexpected views along the detours of life.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known. Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do.  I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

Lord,

    It may be difficult for us to see what the future holds and we don’t understand the detours set before us. You promise to lead us, to make the rough places smooth, to light our path and find a way. We trust You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

     

Our Father's World

     As we take in all of creation set before us each day and welcome the rising sun, take in  the beautiful words of this song. Enjoy this day and praise Him!

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears, all nature sings and around me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world, I rest me in the thought, of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise. This is my Father’s world, He shines in all that’s fair, in the rustling grass, I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father’s world, O let me never forget, that though the wrong seems oh so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father’s world. Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is king, let the heavens ring! God reigns, let the earth be glad!

Father,

You speak to us everywhere! In the songs of the birds, in the flutter of the butterfly’s wing, in the setting sun, in the color of the rose, in the baby’s smile. Your creation brings glory to Your name,

In Jesus name,

Amen

Our Father's World

     Today, the summer solstice marks the 5^th anniversary of writing this blog. My plan was to try to write a devotion ,each day for a year. Like everything these days, it seems impossible that so much time has passed. What a privilege and honor it is to write about the Savior, the One who changed my life and gave it depth and purpose, the One who shows all of us how to love and how to live, the One who freely offers eternal life.

     Summer has officially begun! Being legally blind, I appreciate the early mornings and late evenings with sunlight. What a joy to savor the outdoors again.

The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders, where morning dawns, where evening fades You call forth songs of joy. Psalm 65:8

     Having just returned from a 10-day road trip to Colorado, the images, the sounds, and the majesty of creation are engrained in my mind and my heart forever. Have you experienced views that have left you filled with awe, mouth agape, eyes wide, unable to speak at the sheer beauty of God’s creation?

     We experienced God's awe-inspiring creation in natural hot springs, as we visited a 6-acre botanical garden and hiked to view Fish Creek Falls. The sheer volume of sound at the base of the falls brought to mind this verse.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls. All Your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalm 42:7

     Deep calls to deep. The Lord speaks to us through the magnificence of His creation. The sound was overwhelming (and my husband appreciated it as it drowned out our voices!)

     The jagged peaks of the mountains soared above the mist of the clouds, the rushing brook alongside the road poured over the huge rocks into the mountain canyons, the vast amount of pine trees sheltering the wildlife we would see during out stay. There, just outside of the car, we spied a bear, three fox, and almost 100 elk as we drove. The elks faded into the landscape for me, but I did see three and we both saw two moose and many deer. Such design and beauty took our breath away.

    God designed and created this earth for you and for me. It causes me to bow down and worship, to praise His holy name.

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.  Psalm 90:2

Come, let us bow down to worship, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker. Psalm 95:6

Father,

How do we thank You for the sights, sounds and scents of Your creation? This is our Father’s world and we thank You. Teach us to be grateful for all You have made for us to enjoy. We sit in awe of You today.

In Jesus name,

Amen

     We rejoice in our Heavenly Father’s love this week. The closest love on earth is the bond between husband and wife, followed by our great love for our children and grandchildren.  His love is beyond the greatest love on earth. We see just a glimpse of what life will be like in the new heaven and on the new earth one day.

     In the meantime, we can soak in the love of Christ. His love will permeate our souls until we can’t help but share it with our families, our friends and our acquaintances. We can reach out to a hurting world around us, with grateful hearts. He first loved us.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

     To pass on the love of Christ to our families and the world, we need to fill up on His love. Jesus will never let you go. As children of God, believers in the Savior, we are already seated in heaven. We belong to Him forever.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1

     Imagine that! Children of God. Let Him lavish His great love on you today.This kind of love needs to be shared.

Lord,

Thank You for the great love you lavish on us through Your Son, Jesus. We are Your children and we bow in gratitude.

Amen

     This blog will return on June 21^st!  I will be praying for you.

God Delights In You!

     It is hard to believe the amount of equipment, the amount of time and the amount of energy it takes to take care of one tiny human being. It takes both me and my husband to take care of a 4-month-old child! Feeding, cleaning up messes, doing extra loads of laundry, putting him into the car seat he now despises with a passion are all part of a typical day with a baby.

     All of it, every exhausting detail, makes us smile. Every time he smiles back at us. Every time he does something new, we watch in wonder. The changes seem to occur almost daily. A new sound, a new strength, a new maneuver in his little world. And I imagine our Father in heaven smiling with delight as we learn a new verse, as we understand Him a little more deeply, as we take on a new ministry. And He  smiles, even as he cleans up yet another of our messes.

     Just as our little guy will stumble a few times as he learns to walk, Jesus picks us back up time after time, as we stumble through life. Just as Gavin will learn to eat more nourishing food as he grows, so our Father nourishes us with more and more nourishing food for the soul. He will continue to clean up after us, just as our daughters and sons-in-law will do for their children.

     God takes great delight in you. Read these words of love from Him.

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior, who saves. He will take great delight in you. In His love, He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.  Zephaniah 3;16

Lord,

To think You sing over us and delight in us! Thank You for Your great love that watches us, picks us up, feeds us and cleans up after us. Your perfect love is an example for us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Reflect The Light

     I love to watch our daughter hold her 4-month-old son. He gazes back at her with such trust and love. He mimics her smile and talks back to her with his squeals and coos. What deep love is reflected in both of their gazes.

     We can gaze at Jesus with that kind of trust and love. He gives us our children to mold and to teach and to love. They learn to trust us and to look to us for answers as we do with our heavenly Father.

     And just as children reflect and mimic the imperfect love of their parents, how much more valuable is it for us to reflect and mimic the perfect love of Jesus back to the world. Reflect His light. Reflect His love. The light is not our own. It is to be shared.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Fix your gaze on Jesus.(Hebrews 12:2 Colossians 3:3)

Father,

Thank you for the gift of children and our children’s children. We want to reflect the light of Christ on them and others. We look to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Our Father's Perfect Love

     Our parental love for our children is imperfect. As much as we love our children, we get frustrated, exasperated, tired and weak. We say and do the wrong things. Our heavenly Father loves us with a perfect love. He never gets tired or cranky. He loves unconditionally, overlooking our imperfections.

     He understands our children and grandchildren better than we do. We can entrust the lives of our loved ones to the mighty hand of God. He will guide and teach, love and discipline. His ways are higher than ours.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

     When we are weak, He is strong. When we are sad, He comforts. When we are weary, He holds us. When we lose faith, He doesn’t. His ways are higher than ours. Trust Him with your life and with the lives of your loved ones. He is there.

Father,

Your love surpasses all human knowledge. You sent Your Son to earth, to become a servant to all. He died for us. That kind of love is beyond us. Your thoughts are higher than ours. We love You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Our Children's Children

     Perspective changes as we age. When we are young children and 20-somethings, we envision life spanning out forever in front of us. Time seems to move a bit faster and suddenly, here we are, becoming the older generation, the years spanning out forever behind us. What a gift this precious life is! I want to appreciate every moment, every blessing, along the way.

     Today, I count ten tiny toes, touch soft baby skin, feel the tickle of hair on a tiny little head against my chin as he sleeps. Yes, it is our final week of six taking care of our brand-new grandson while his mom finishes up work before summer break.

     Time does move quickly, as I understand more and more with each passing year. I savor his tiny squeals as he listens to his own voice with delight. I hear his almost-belly laugh as Gramps tickles him. I remember the exhaustion of new motherhood and marvel at the wonderful job of parenting our beautiful daughter and handsome son-in-law are managing.

     Blessings of love run through our hearts as we care for this little boy with an inexpressible joy. The child of our child. And we pray for him. We tell him about Jesus. Our greatest desire is that he will understand the love and protection of our mighty God at a very young age. What a gift! This child of God.

Children’s children are a crown of the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Proverbs 17:6

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children. Psalm 103:17

Father,

Our grateful hearts praise You for this little boy. May he grow to love you and live the life You have planned for him. Protect our families as we live out our short lives on earth. Your love is everlasting.

In Jesus name,

Amen

John 17

     Jesus gives us so much in this world. Here is more of His beautiful prayer to His Father in heaven as He gets ready to leave this world and return to His full glory.

I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, fot they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth. Your Word is truth. John 17:14-17

     We are foeigners in this world. Our citizenship is in heaven. If you feel out of place sometimes in this crazy world, you are not alone. Jesus understands. The world hated Him and the world continues to hate His truth. But his truth sanctifies us, changes us more and more into His children. Jesus will protect us, sanctify us and use us. Let His words comfort you and give you strength today.

Father,

We thank You for Jesus, for all that He has done for us. Continue to bring us Your truth, Your Word, Your sanctification in the world around us, so that others may believe.

In Jesus name,

Amen