Lessons From Nature

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. Psalm 96: 1-3

The sun peeking through my bedroom window lured me outside early this morning. I quickly got dressed, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed out the door. I made my way over to the pond and sat down on the pier overlooking the water. It was a perfect morning! A gentle breeze caressed my face as I inhaled deeply of the fresh mountain air. A woodpecker could be heard busily drilling away on a tree nearby. Crows seemed to be carrying on a noisy conversation in the distance. The reflection of the trees danced on the surface of the rippling water. The sky was a brilliant deep blue with just a few cotton-like clouds drifting across from time to time. Once again, I was amused by the lessons we learn just by observing the world around us.

As I gazed at the trees towering above me, I was reminded of God’s power and that we never need to fear we will be too weak to accomplish anything when we depend on him to help us. Every ounce of strength we need will be supplied by his hands. As the gentle morning breeze kissed my face, I was reassured that God is with us. Even though we can’t see him, we can feel his presence surrounding us. The reflection of the trees in the rippling water was a reminder that Jesus is to be reflected in our lives, so that others might come to know him. The song of the birds was a reminder that we have a reason to sing, for he died on the cross to set us free! And like the birds, we too must sing our Heavenly Father’s praise boldly, so that those around us will hear the joy resounding through our lives; the joy that comes only from knowing him.

Wedding Preparations

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roaring of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." Revelation 19: 6-8

As my youngest daughter prepares for her wedding next month, I've been reminded of what great detail and planning goes into a wedding. Of course we had to find the most beautiful dress. The flowers for the bouquet have to be exactly right to match the dress. Great care is taken in selecting the music and decorations, and the excitement in the air is contagious. Nothing shines brighter than a young girls eyes when she talks about her fiance, and nothing compares to her excitement as the wedding day approaches. Being a hopeless romantic, I'm enjoying every minute of it! There is just something special about preparing for a wedding that makes the cares of everyday life seem to fade away. When the wedding date is weeks away, nearly everything you think about or do is centered around that much- anticipated event.

While preparing for my daughters wedding day, I've been thinking about what will be the greatest wedding celebration of all time; the day Christ, the bridegroom, comes for the church, his bride. We do not know when that day will come, but it certainly could happen at any time. It will be the ultimate wedding celebration! Scripture tells us to be ready, yet it seems as if few Christians today are even thinking about it.

We must get ready! When the bridegroom arrives for the wedding, what will he find us doing? Will he find us well-prepared and longing for his arrival or will he find us caught up in selfish pursuits scarcely thinking about him at all? Are we beautifully dressed spiritually or is our wedding gown stained with pride, selfishness, and ungratefulness? Can others see the love sparkling in our eyes when we talk about our bridegroom? Are we exuding excitement that is contagious? Are we so focused on our heavenly wedding that our earthly cares and worries just seem to fade away?

Just as my daughter's special day draws near, our heavenly wedding celebration draws nearer and nearer with each passing day. What a glorious day it will be! I want my bridegroom to find me prepared when he arrives. I want to be beautifully dressed in my finest spiritual attire, eyes sparkling with love for him, and my heart longing with anticipation to see his face. I want my excitement to be contagious. It could happen at any moment. It's time for the bride to get ready!

Like the Feet of a Deer

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. Habakkuk 3: 19

Being a lover of the outdoors and nature, I'm always thrilled when I read scripture. The Bible is rich with details about God's beautiful creation, and it's always exciting to dig deeper into the verses and reflect on them. In Habakkuk 3: 19 we are reminded that God makes our feet like the feet of a deer and enables us to go on the heights. When studying this passage, I learned that the deer referred to here is a female red deer called a hind. This deer is very surefooted. It's hind feet land precisely in the same spot where the front feet stepped. It can run across rocky mountainous terrain with gracefulness and agility. Its powerful legs allow it to ascend steep hills with ease and leap over obstacles in the way. It's able to run securely and not get off track.

Way too often we settle for the lower ground rather than the heights. Our legs and feet feel weak and weary. We become complacent in our spiritual walk, allowing the cares of life to creep in and lure us away to the land of mediocrity. We forget that we have the feet of a deer! We forget that God intended for us to have an abundant life brimming with His blessings! Rather than being surefooted, we stumble along on the pathway of life just going through the motions of daily living.

God has so much more for us than mediocrity and just going through the motions of life. If we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, we have everything we need to be surefooted. He is our strength. He enables us to leap across life's obstacles. He refreshes our weary souls and gives us rest. He fills us with peace in the midst of difficulties. Our hearts overflow with joy in His presence.

Are you ready to ascend to the high places? Then inhale deeply and breathe in the pristine air. Stop and smell the wildflowers on the journey. Bask in the beauty of nature. Life on the heights is breathtaking!