Saturday, February 09, 2008

Overwhelming joy

Today’s Reading: John 6:40 (NIV)

[Jesus said,] “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise Him up at the last day.”

Memory Verse: 1 How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2 NIV)

Good day!

Have you ever asked the question, “What is God’s will for my life?” I find myself asking God that very question in prayer. Longing to be found in the Father’s will is the believer’s utmost desire. When Jesus spoke about the Father’s true bread of heaven, the disciples longed to taste it, because Christ said this bread gives life to the world.

I got to play with eight-month old Andrew this morning. He is crawling everywhere, making little baby tracks from the family room into the kitchen. Andrew looks like a little centipede, sliding his legs along the floor. He has no trouble keeping up with his older siblings, Joshua and Emily. They get on the floor and crawl right along with him. When we seek a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, He crawls along beside us, even when we slip and slide a bit. Our pursuit may seem a bit awkward at first, but the Lord stays right with us, every inch of the way.

Andrew was napping when I arrived today. After a little bit, I heard him cooing and playing in the Pack-N-Play® next to the front window. I went to where Andrew was laying and peeked over the top of his crib. As soon as that child saw me, his face absolutely lit up. The biggest grin appeared on his sweet face. He began to giggle and coo, raising his arms for Granny Deb to pick him up. Andrew gave me wet, slobbery kisses, and that alone, made my entire trip worthwhile. When we believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Only Son and Lord of all, we cannot hide our childlike love and affection. His overwhelming joy lights up our lives and gives us great hope for tomorrow. We simply cannot hide our affection and love.

What is God’s will for my life? The Father urges me to seek out a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and believe. As I humble my heart and accept the Lord without reservations or conditions, He promises I will receive everlasting life with Him; that I will be raised up on the day of His return. This is the Father’s will for you and for me. I invite you to come and experience overwhelming joy in worship this weekend. Jesus is waiting for you to respond. Will you choose to seek Him out and believe?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Friday, February 08, 2008

Walking through the valley

Today’s Reading: Psalm 23 (NIV)

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When I awoke this morning, I wondered how it could possibly be good.

It’s not often when I struggle to see the good, but I do have my moments. This has been a week filled with great tragedy. People are suffering all around me. Devastation erupted across the south in the rash of tornadoes. The death toll continues to rise, as families scramble to find loved ones and begin the process of rebuilding. An explosion at a refinery in Atlanta leaves hundreds dead and seriously injured. Several devoted public servants lost their lives last night n a tragic shooting in the Kirkwood City Hall in Saint Louis, Missouri. And just this week alone, I have prayed for the families of two young people, who were seriously injured in automobile accidents and lay comatose in intensive care units, fighting to live. Right now, a six year old boy is suffering through chemotherapy and radiation, trying to control the malignant tumor growing inside his brain. A wife loses her husband to a long battle with heart disease, and she feels lost today, wondering how she will face the future without him by her side.

We all experience helplessness as we stand in the shadow of death. It forces us to walk through dark valleys where we would rather not go. We ask questions and look for answers. Some questions can never be answered in this life. No matter how much strength and determination we muster, it does not stop death from coming. There is only One who walks with us through this valley and takes us to the other side. He offers hope for new life to all who believe. He is the one King David calls his shepherd. The good shepherd watches over His sheep. He is there, even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. He brings hope and comfort to the comfortless. We count on Him to carry us home. Jesus will not leave or forsake us, especially when we find ourselves wandering in the valley of the shadow of death.

Christ is our only hope in the midst of hopelessness and despair. We can experience His indescribable peace, where no human peace exists. God’s love will find you, no matter where you are right now. There is a Savior, and He is walking with you through this valley. Cry out to Jesus, and allow the good shepherd to hold your broken heart and comfort you today.

May His peace, that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Mannarama

Today’s Reading: John 6:33 (NIV)

[Jesus said,] “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Memory Verse: 1 How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2 NIV)

Good day!

When our family traveled through Colorado together several years ago, we would pull the caravan over and stop to take pictures of the breathtaking countryside. Every woman in the Spaulding clan is a certifiable scrapaholic and habitual shutter bug. We took photos of the baby-blue sky, snow-peaked mountain tops, and flaming fields of golden Aspen trees, shimmering in the sunlit breeze. I have a hard time comprehending that heaven could be more any more beautiful than this.

It is that panoramic view that intrigues me as I’m photographing landscapes. Our camera lenses capture a particular vantage of a certain area when we open the shutter and snap the picture. When we look with our eyes, the unbroken view of the surrounding area simply surrounds us and we are drawn into its intrinsic beauty. It is like the imaginary experience of jumping right into the middle of a beautiful piece of painted art. We are part of a continual, unending scene, celebrated through the eyes of the enamored beholder. We become part of the picture.

The disciples were looking for a panoramic miracle from the Master. They retold the great miracle of how manna fell from the heavens and fed their forefathers in their wilderness wandering. Jesus reminded them that it was not Moses who gave them manna, but the Father who gives true bread from heaven. It is that bread that gives life to all the world. Just like our limited snapshots, the disciples had captured only a little piece of the bigger picture inside their hearts. Jesus spoke of God’s great mannarama – the endless bread of heaven that gives new life to all the world.

In our cozy log cabin, late at night, the Spaulding shutterbugs would gather around the table by the warm light emitting from the large, stone fireplace. Spreading our individual photographs out together, we were able to catch a glimpse of the bigger picture. Jesus calls us today to move beyond the boundaries and limitations we have imposed upon ourselves and begin to experience His mannarama. Jesus offered His very life up so that we might receive the bread of heaven. On this Ash Wednesday, may the Father give you a greater vision, so that you may embrace the intrinsic beauty of His mannaramic view.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, February 04, 2008

The gift of unconditional love

Today’s Reading: John 6:24-25 (NIV)

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Memory Verse: 1 How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2 NIV)

Good day!

Our grandchildren have been grieving the loss of their family pets. Joshua, Emily and Andrew said goodbye to Buddy Boy, their ten-year-old, one-hundred pound German Shepherd, who passed away last week. Yesterday, our grandson Jett was very sad that his puppy, Duke, had died in an unfortunate accident. We love our pets so very much. They bring great exuberance and joy into our daily lives.

When Buddy was younger, before his legs became feeble and frail, he would run the full length of the yard where he played every day and chased cars that drove down their street. His bark and size was enough to scare off any stranger, and yet, Buddy was the most gentile animal I’ve ever met. I watched my grandbabies crawl over Buddy’s back, pull themselves up, while clinging to his fur coat. Sometimes, they would unintentionally pull out clumps of fur, as babies often do. Buddy never flinched or growled, or even acted like he was bothered by it. In fact, our Andrew had just started crawling after Christmas, and Buddy would purposefully place his body near the baby just in case Andrew toppled over. He made certain that baby would land on his body, cushioning the blow of his rolling directly onto the hard floor. Gentile, affectionate, and full of compassion for their masters, pets give us unconditional love. They instinctively trust the hand that feeds them.

Just like our pets know their master, we have the same capacity to know and love our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Father sent His Only Son to bridge the gap between God’s perfection and our human sinful state. It was a crevice way too deep and wide for human passage, apart from God’s amazing grace. For centuries, man has looked for ways to earn the right to win God’s favor. We’ve tried to build our own faulty bridges, somehow closing that gap that separates us from our Creator. We can’t work hard enough or long enough to fix the schism we have caused. Jesus Christ came to extend God’s amazing grace and love for all mankind; yes – he came for each and every one of us. Jesus demonstrated the Father’s great love by offering up His life so that we might experience perfect love like we’ve never known before. Christ protects us when we fall, and allows us the privilege to hold onto his nail-scarred hands, as we learn to stand by faith.

We can completely trust the hand that feeds us! The bread of life is offered for you and me today. We can learn a lot from the unconditional love of our pets. They daily demonstrate the unconditional love of our Savior and Lord. They faithfully keep us company; licking our tear-streaked faces, and loving us even when we are not very lovable. They wait patiently for us to come home at the end of a long day, and greet us with overwhelming exuberance and love. When the disciples asked their Master, “What must we do to do the work that God requires?” Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Will you choose today to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? He is waiting patiently for you to come home to Him. Christ offers you His bread of life and a loving relationship like you’ve never experienced before. Just reach out in simple trust and ask Jesus to come into your heart and be your Master today.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.