Tag: GoodnessMercy

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A Morning Accident

This morning started differently than I had planned. I had stood up to open the blinds and on my way back to my chair I kicked my coffee cup, spilling it on the rug.

Whatever!

Did you catch that? I was able to get the coffee blotted up and do it with a good attitude. To be perfectly honest, my thought was “Lord, what does Your word say about a spill?”

I didn’t want frustration to spoil the beauty of the morning. Let me share with you what I found.

“Jesus said: Don’t judge others, and God won’t judge you. Don’t be hard on others, and God won’t be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. 38 If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.” Luke 6:37-38 CEV

I like that! When I treat others with respect, kindness, forgiveness and understanding, I will receive back what I’ve given – SPILLING over into my lap. Wow, what a way to start the day.

Then I was reminded of another verse about spilling over.

“The Lord is my shepherd. I will always have everything I need…You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies. You welcomed me as an honored guest. My cup is full and spilling over. 6 Your goodness and mercy will be with me all my life, and I will live in the Lord’s house a long, long time.” Psalm 23:1, 5-6 ERV

My cup is full and spilling over with the goodness and mercy of God for my entire life. Spilling over is a good thing when it comes from God.

If your morning didn’t start the way you had hoped, stop and look at how God’s love is working on your behalf. You may find that what you thought was a mess becomes a message.

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Beauty & Goodness

I just felt I needed to share with you about the goodness of the Lord and the beauty He brings to our lives.

We’re surrounded by so much that is the opposite. Sometimes we get distracted and lose hope.

Last night while putting one of our grandchildren to bed we had this conversation. “Sometimes the devil gives me bad thoughts and I can’t sleep.” We prayed for peaceful sleep and told the devil he couldn’t bother him in the night.

A little while later he called out and said he couldn’t sleep. He was bothered by bad (he means scarey) thoughts. I went in and asked him, “Who’s bigger? Who’s stronger? God or the devil? Every time God and the devil fight, God wins and God is here to fight for you”.

Simple, childlike trust. He went to sleep and slept peacefully through the night. Sometimes we adults forget that the battle isn’t ours, it’s the Lord’s and He has already won. Our job is to trust Him and not feel we have to do it on our own.

“Give honor and praise to the Lord, whose power and beauty fill his holy temple.” 7 Tell everyone of every nation, ‘Praise the glorious power of the Lord.8 He is wonderful! Praise him and bring an offering into his temple.'” Psalm 96:6-8 CEV

God, our Father, fills our lives with beauty and power. He does not leave us helpless. His goodness follows us all the days of our lives.

“The dry desert will rejoice. The desert will be glad and blossom. 2 It will be covered with flowers and dance with joy. It will be as beautiful as the forest of Lebanon, the hill of Carmel, and the Sharon Valley. This will happen because all people will see the Glory of the Lord. They will see the beauty of our God.

3 Make the weak arms strong again. Strengthen the weak knees. 4 People are afraid and confused. Say to them, ‘Be strong! Don’t be afraid!’ Look, your God will come and punish your enemies. He will come and give you your reward. He will save you.” Isaiah 35:1-4 ERV

We have God’s promise of His goodness all the days of life here on earth and when this life is over we have the promise of living in His house, in His presence.

“For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever.” Psalm 23:6 NLV

We used to have a saying, “God is good all the time, all the time God is good”. He is! There is no God like our God, the creator of the heaven and the earth.

“How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. 20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.” Psalm 31:19-20 NLT

Take a look at the beauty around you, your Father created that for you to enjoy. It is to be a reminder of His goodness and power!

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Bedtime Routine

Do you have a bedtime routine? I do.

For years I have gone through the same bedtime preparation. In our last home our bedroom was right off the kitchen so I would make sure the coffee was ready for morning before I went to bed. I didn’t want to wake Dave by clanging around in the kitchen. Now that we are in the RV fulltime, I’ve added a few more steps to the process. I make sure my robe and slippers are on the sofa, the coffee is made ready to start, my cup is on the countertop and my computer and Bible are set out. No cupboard doors to open and close, no rummaging around to find things.

And then I head to bed.

This morning, it occurred to me that the Lord has an evening routine as well. While I sleep, He is working.

“It is useless to get up early and stay up late in order to earn a living. God takes care of his own, even while they sleep.” Psalm 127:2 CEV

The Father is the master planner. He desires for us to share in His goodness with us each and every day. Some days we will face adversity, but He assures us that we won’t be destroyed by it. In fact, He sets a banquet table, a table of His blessings, for us to enjoy while our enemies watch.

“You set a table for me right in front of my enemies. You bathe my head in oil; my cup is so full it spills over! 6 Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the Lord’s house as long as I live.” Psalm 23:5-6 CEB

I have come to realize that the Lord has each day planned for me. He has a purpose that He has designed. My steps may take me before those who hate me and would like to see me destroyed but they won’t be successful in their plans. I can sit and enjoy what the Lord has prepared without fear.

Personally, I only fill my coffee cup about 2/3 full because I don’t want to spill but the Lord wants my cup, filled with His goodness, to overflow! He gives to me an abundance – more than I need. The Father assigns goodness and mercy to follow me though out my day, they are my constant reminders of His presence.

At day’s end, He gives me this assurance:

“I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.” Psalm 4:8 CEV

And when bedtime comes at the end of the day, the routine is repeated.

“Oh Father, there is great peace in knowing that You have arranged my day and filled it with Your love and provision”.

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Gilded Skies

I am far from a song writer, but I certainly appreciate the way they put words together to paint a picture.

Where is an old hymn, “May Jesus Christ Be Praised”, that often fills my heart and sets my mind singing.

When morning gilds the skies

My heart, awakening, cries

May Jesus Christ be praised.

A like at work and prayer,

To Jesus I repair

May Jesus Christ be praised.

There is no better way to start the day than with praise!

Before we are tainted with the news, emails and text messages; before we see our daily schedule or pay the bills, first and foremost we should set our days on a course of gratitude.

On mornings’ like today, it would be real easy for me to start my day complaining. The internet signal has been so weak that each time I try to connect to a different app the connection drops and I have to wait minutes, yes minutes, to reestablish the connection. 

Somehow, I don’t think the Lord’s wants me to get frustrated when telling you about His love and goodness. 

“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

Let delays be an anthem of praise.  If you’re stuck in traffic, praise the Lord for keeping you safe on the highways. If you are waiting for an appointment praise God that your situation isn’t life threatening and you can afford to wait.

Look for opportunities to bless those around you who are also feeling the pressure and frustration of waiting. Praise God for His blessings, seen and unseen. His hand of protection is on you and He is directing the path before you.

“In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NIV

Look to the skies and praise God that He has blessed you with another day!

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What A Wonderful World

If you’ve been reading my blogs for any length of time you know that I am fascinated by clouds. Yesterday did not disappoint.  This is the image I captured about 7 a.m.

What a wonderful world our Father has created!

Each time I see a sky like this my heart says, “Oh Father, you do great work”. When I was younger I sang a song by John W. Peterson, “It Took A Miracle”.

“My Father is omnipotent, and that you can´t deny;

A God of might and miracles, ´tis written in the sky. 

CHORUS: It took a miracle to put the stars in place;

It took a miracle to hang the world in space.

But when He saved my soul,

Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace.”

That’s how I feel. Each day the Lord shows me something special – another expression of His goodness and love. He never disappoints! But the greatest miracle is the one He has done in my life.

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.” Psalm 107:31 NLT

I realize that some may think I am a bit unrealistic but for years I have prayed that the Lord would show me the good around me and keep me from becoming cynical and unkind. He has answered that prayer!

We live in a world where God’s wonder abounds.

Our job is to be an ambassador of His love. There is so much that is ugly and cruel. There is pain and disappointment, I won’t deny it but God’s goodness and love is so much greater than any of that.

“We are Christ’s ambassadors. God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, receive the love he offers you—be reconciled to God.  21 For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us!” II Corinthians 5:20-21 TLB

When I see a sky as beautiful as it was yesterday I am reminded that my Father, who made that sky, has told me to come to Him boldly whenever I find myself in need and He will be there to help. That is His message to all of us.

“So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.” Hebrews 4:16 TLB

There’s an old Louis Armstrong song that’s lyrics bring a smile to my face and I hope it will make you smile too.

“I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and for you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world”

Declare the goodness of the Lord. We live in a wonderful world!

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