Children of God

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

I often forget God's love is shown through my salvation. I am thankful today that He is my Father and I am His child. What a beautiful relationship He allows us to have with Him.

Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

1 As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

4 This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

5 “Tell the people of Israel,^[a]
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’”^[b]

6 The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.^[c]

8 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God^[d] for the Son of David!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Praise God in highest heaven!”^[e]

10 The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

11 And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

And this begins holy week. Not the only week to dwell on our Savior's last steps. But surely a week to focus fully on who Jesus was and not on ourselves. May we all be still this week.

Harbor at Rest

"It is, as in the voyage of life, that each care and hardship is a very Mentor of living. Our minds would only vegetate if all life were like a straight canal, and we in a boat being towed along it. The afflictions that agitate the soul are as its shallows, rocks, and whirlpools, and the bark that has not been tossed on billows knows not half the sweetness of the harbor at rest."

This is a quote by Dad sent me from "A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe" a travelogue by a nineteenth century barrister named John MacGregor.

Sometimes I would rather avoid the hardship and just "vegetate", but I know that the Lord has promised to bring my soul to the "sweetness of the harbor at rest" eventually.

Desires

This from "The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions." My mother-in law gave me this book and, though the language is archaic, the prayers still ring true. This one convicted me how poorly I pray and how my values are messed up. How often I ask for material blessings or comforts over spiritual ones! Yet I am comforted that the Spirit is at work in me and can change my desire to His desires.

Oh Thou that hearest prayer,

Teach me to pray.
I confess that in my religious exercises the language of my lips and the feelings of my heart have not always agreed,
that I have taken carelessly upon my tongue a name never pronounced above without reverence and humility,
that I have often desired things which would have injured me,
that I have depreciated some of my chief mercies,
that I have erred on both the side of my hopes and on the side of my fears,
that I am unfit to choose for myself, for it is not in me to direct my steps.

Let thy Spirit help my infirmities,
for I know not what to pray for as I ought.
Let Him produce in me wise desires by which I may ask right things,
then I shall know that thou hearest me.

May I never be importunate for temporal blessings,
but always refer them to thy fatherly goodness,
for thou knowest what I need before I ask;
May I never think I prosper unless my soul prospers,
or that I am rich unless towards thee,
or that I am wise unless wise to salvation.
May I seek first thy kingdom and its righteousness.
May I value things in relation to eternity.
May my spiritual welfare be my chief solicitude.
May I be poor, afflicted, despised and have they blessing,
rather than be successful in enterprise,
or have more than my heart can wish,
or be admired by my fellow-men
if thereby these things make me forget thee.
May I regard the world as dreams lies, vanities, vexation of spirit,
and desire to depart from it.
And may I seek my happiness in thy favor, image, presence, and service.

Caleb's Crazy Hair

Caleb and I had a "crazy hair" photo shoot today. I think this picture is hilarious, and I just wanted to share it with all of you. I hope everyone is doing well!

No sheep goes lost

" See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost." Matthew 18: 10-14

In honor of Annie's sheep picture and my recent feelings of being a lost sheep, I wanted to share this parable with y'all. I realize the true meaning of this parable is that God rejoices in one sinner repenting and will pursue that one sinner at all costs. How amazing that God rejoices in me, a sinner, who continues to wander. I also take encouragement from this passage as i think of it from a slightly different angle- How amazing that no matter how insignificant I may feel or in reality be at times, that is not how my Heavenly Father sees me, he hears my cries for mercy regardless how selfish, small, or large, and HE answers.  

Sheep

I love this sheep. It makes me happy. It was painted by our freind, Wayne Adams. I think at first you're startled that its a sheep's backside, but then you look beyond that and see how beautiful it is. I feel like maybe that's how Christ looks at us. First he is afronted by our sin, but then forgives us and sees the beautiful person He will make us into. And He is faithful to pursue us and won't abandon us.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep." John 10:11-13

obedience and action

We took a look at 2 Kings 4 at church on Sunday and pulled out 5 very practical steps from the widow's actions...

1. recognized her current situation
2. decided to seek answers and help
3. sought the right help
4. she obeyed and stepped out in faith
5. participated in her future and took action in the process

What stood out most to me was her obedience and then the action she took.