So. . .

Each day our daughter comes to us and shares what has happened in her day.  Often she will start the conversation with the word "so."  It is as if she is just continuing the last conversation we have had.  We love these times when she opens up her world to us, we look forward to this time of sweet fellowship with her.

".. . the prayer of the upright is His delight." (Proverbs 15:8)

If we want to know what delights the heart of God, we must look no further than our own voice.  Our prayers delight Him.  Our prayers don't just please Him, they don't just make Him mildly satisfied, they delight Him.

The dictionary defines delight as "great pleasure."  The synonyms are pleasure, happiness, joy, glee and gladness.  This is what we cause in the heart of God when we pray --any time we lift our attention and our prayers to Him.

Knowing this, how could we ever approach prayer as a duty, or as a drudgery?  Prayer is not a duty,  it is an opportunity to delight the heart of One who has given His most precious Son that we might have the freedom to enter into a conversation with our Heavenly Father.

How much more should this thought cause us to bow our hearts and open up our world to Him.  How much more precious is our voice in His ears than any voice can be in our own ears.

Let us seek times often during the day when we can delight the Lord, perhaps even beginning our conversation where we left off, "so. . ."

"Pray without ceasing." 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

The Inside-Out Work

In my daughter's backyard is a pear tree.  The limbs are heavy with clusters of pears waiting to be ripe enough to eat.

Generally, a pear tree will bear fruit when it is four to six years old, depending upon the soil conditions and the amount of rain and sunshine the tree receives.  It takes time for the tree to be mature enough to make fruit.

With us, when we become Christians by trusting in the Lord Jesus, His Spirit comes to live inside of us and God begins to do an "inside-out" work of making our character more like Himself.  It is this work of the Lord in us that produces fruit on the tree of our lives. 

Everything that is not consistent with the character of the Lord Jesus will be pruned away and everything that is consistent with His character will be cultivated and nurtured.  He is the Master Gardner and He has a plan and a purpose specifically for each one of us. He wields His shears carefully and only removes that which is contrary to His plan and purpose.  He is a tender Gardner and loves and cherish that which is to remain.

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, 

are changed into the same image from glory to glory, 

even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 

(2 Corthians 3:18.)

Baby Steps

If you have been a regular reader of this blog, you are aware that for several months I have been plagued with plantar fasciitis in both feet.  A visit to the podiatrist, some well-applied tape, and a lighter walking schedule helped my feet to feel much better, but not perfect.

Before our hike on the Appalachian Trail last month, I was concerned how my feet would fare walking over rocky terrain all day for three days.  I anticipated they would be sore, perhaps very sore, but I never anticipated they would be much, much better!  I was amazed that they did not hurt at all on the trail, nor for several days after we returned.

After our return home, I decided to buy some new trail runners, as mine had way too many miles on them.  While at a local outdoors shop the shoes specialist gave the best piece of advice I have heard regarding my feet.

"Sometimes your feet just need a change to heal, perhaps a change of shoe or even just a change of stride."

"A change of stride."  That was precisely why my feet were so much better on the trail, because my stride was constantly changing.  The rocky surface of the trail meant you could not take the same size stride for any length of time.  The changing stride put pressure on different parts of the foot and gave the sore tendon it's due rest.

Coming home, I have tried to remember to take "baby steps" as we were out walking.  In doing so I found that not only did my feet stop hurting, but I was able to go faster with the shorter steps.

When we first become Christians, we want to grow as fast as we can and do great things for Christ.  But in the beginning we are just babes,  and as babes we are "unskilful in the word of righteousness."  

Just as our earthly babies must sit then crawl then stand and finally walk, we as Christians must follow a similar progression.  It takes much time with the Lord and study of His Word to be at a point where we can run.  Many "baby steps" make us grow faster and the Lord clearly expects our growth in Him. Remaining a baby is no more acceptable in the spiritual realm than it is in the physical realm.

So if we find we are merely sitting as a Christian, let us press on to crawl.  If we crawl let us press on to stand, and then to walk and finally to run, remembering that it is the Lord  who worketh in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13.)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; 

Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, 

despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1,2

THE Biography

Our family has enjoyed the PBS television series, "Downton Abbey."  Set in Yorkshire, England in the early 1900's, this series portrays the story of the fictitious Earl of Grantham, his family and the servant who work on their estate.

I took some fiction writing classes in college and I know authors of fiction will often create full biographies of each character in their books, including where they grew up, where they went to school and where they have worked.

Some authors will even create large boards containing the biographical information of each character.  Lines will show how each character interacts with others.  All this information will not make its way into the book, it is meant to make sure the portrayal of each person stays true to their history and character.

The Bible, while not a book of fiction, gives us a faithful and true narrative of the biography of God.  In fact the very first words of the Bible tell us more of the Lord's history and character than we can ever imagine.

"In the beginning God created. . ."  (Genesis 1:1.)

This tells us that God was present before the worlds were made, that He was already there at the beginning of mankind.  It tells us that He is a creative person and that He has the power, the strength and the ability to create.   It tells us that He fulfills that which He desires to do.

The Scriptures go on to reveal the person, work and heart of God as revealed through the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Just as an author has more detail about each character than is revealed in his book, there is so much more to know about the Lord than is revealed within the pages of the Bible.  We will spend all eternity searching out the incredible person, work and character of our Lord, and be thrilled in doing so.

"But as it is written, Eye hath no seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."  

(I Corinthians 2:9.)