Breath

 

It had been a trying day, filled with deadlines and interruptions.  As dusk filled the sky, I realized the day had passed and I just couldn't seem to relax.  With my phone in hand, I went out to the deck to sit in the fresh air.  I opened the Calm app on my phone.  Yes, it seems as if they have an app for everything.  This one, in case you aren't familiar with it, provides a variety of ways to help one relax.  As I open the app, the first thing it says is, "take a deep breath".  

The next ten minutes finds the woman talking me through a calming meditation, focusing on my breath.  "Breathe in, breathe out - focus on each breath," she says.  As I do this, I realize that I am relaxing.  By focusing on my breath and sitting in a relaxed position, I found my shoulders easing of pain and the stress leaving my body.  After ten minutes, I felt less drained and more "alive".  

As dusk turned into darkness, my thoughts took me to my Lord, who truly breathed life into me.  Not only did He give me physical life, more importantly, He breathed life into my soul.  By turning my thoughts to Him that evening, I realized that each breath I take is a gift from Him.  As our Dear Lord breathed life into the dry bones so long ago, He also breathes life into me today.  He fills me up with the breath of faith in Him, brings my soul to life, and gives me hope.  One breath from God gives me life.

My thoughts also took me to Jesus' last breath.  "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.'  When he had said this, he breathed his last."  Luke 23:46.  This may have been Jesus' last breath before he died, but as we all know, it wasn't His last.  His last breath became our first breath.  By Jesus dying on the cross for us, we can breath in the knowledge of knowing we will see Him in paradise.  Our breath in Christ helps us to relax and be calm, knowing that when our last breath on Earth occurs, our life with Jesus begins.

Breath is necessary for all living.  On Earth, it is necessary for us to have physical life.  Yet, the breath of faith in our Lord and Savior brings us such greater life - the life everlasting.  The next time I need to relax, I will take a deep breath - and know that my life comes from God.  Will you join me?

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the breath of life.  May we all breathe in the knowledge that our breath comes from you and gives us physical AND eternal life.  Amen!

Falling to Soft Ground

 

I wait so long for three weeks in October.  During these three weeks I watch the leaves transform from green to an incredible array of colors.  Also during this time, I watch the leaves drift from the trees to the ground.  I may enjoy this time as much as the colors themselves.  My husband doesn't seem to like this time of autumn as much, probably due to the fact he is in charge of picking up the leaves.  Yet, me?  I see it completely different.

I watch as a strong tree who has held onto these many leaves for the last six months releases these beauties.  The journey each leaf takes as it leaves the security of the tree and wafts down to the ground amazes me.  Some get caught up in a passing breeze and fly far off.  Others lay at the foot of the tree.  Whatever way they fall, the leaf is released by the tree and ends its trip by reaching the soft grasp of the green grass.

As I sat on my deck watching the leaves fall gently downward today, it reminded me so much of the times when my anxieties, frustrations and worries get the best of me.  I am the tree and the things I worry about are the leaves.  Many times, I will hold onto them, waiting for the worry or the frustration to change - transform itself.  I believe if I keep trying I can change my worry, I can change my anxious thoughts.  Typically these situations don't result in beautifully transformed thoughts.  Typically the devil does his work and the worries grow!  What may have started as something small will snowball into a huge weight upon my shoulder.

Introduce God's everlasting arms.  When the worry grows to a point where I find it hard to stand, my Lord reminds me of his everlasting arms.  He encourages me to release those thoughts, release those frustrations, and let them fall - like leaves - into the soft ground of His arms.  God reminds me of who is in control, who can defeat the devil, and who can bring me peace.  As I release my worries, God is there to embrace them and take them away from me, just as the grass takes the falling leaves away from the tree.  In the end, there is peace.  In the end there is hope.  In the end there is grace.  

The cool crisp air surrounds me.  The smell of the leaves fills the air.  The beauty of the leaves on the green grass is brilliant.  In this one moment, I truly know that my Redeemer Lives - just for me.  Let us remember to release our "leaves" to the one who gladly takes them into his loving arms.  May this bring you peace.

Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for your everlasting arms.  Those arms are always there for us - to catch our worries, our sins, our fears, our doubts and bring us to a place of comfort, and joy, and hope and grace.  When our lives seem to great to bear, may we be reminded of this so that we can release all that is weighing us down into your arms.  Amen!!

Leaves in Harmony

 

There are many reasons I enjoy autumn.  The cooler and crisper days truly energize me.  The coziness of a hoodie makes me smile.  The smell of apples cooking tingles the senses.  Yet, most of all, it's the leaves.  I have read much on the transformation of green leaves to these brilliant colors.  I fully understand that there is a scientific reason for this phenomenon.  I will not stop believing, though, that God takes out His paintbrush to provide us such incredible beauty.  I am truly mesmerized.  It's not a good thing when you are driving, but when you take a long walk, you can stop and admire this incredible beauty.

On our walk this morning, I made my poor husband stop so I could take pictures of what we were seeing.  The pictures never do the scene justice.  The brilliance of the colors don't pop in pictures as they do in nature.  As I tried to take the "perfect picture", I noticed something about the leaves.  In spring, regardless of maple, oak or birch, the leaves on the trees all begin green.  As autumn begins its majestic entrance, the leaves all change to different colors - some orange, some red, some yellow - all working in harmony with each other.  If you are afforded the opportunity, sometimes all those colors can actually be on one tree.

Forces of nature will continue to astound me because of their teachings.  Nature teaches us incredible lessons that, if we are willing to humble ourselves and learn, can help us in our daily lives.  The lesson of autumn leaves?  Whatever color we are, whatever race we are, whatever differences we may have, we can live together in harmony.  The leaves live in harmony with each other - complimenting each other's beauty.  

Why can't we live like leaves?  Why can't we live in harmony with each other - complimenting each other's beauty?  Human differences on this earth are many - just like the enormous differences of trees.  Short, tall, husky, skinny, brilliant or muted, the trees and the leaves on those trees live together.  Let us learn from them.  Let us we live together in harmony as the leaves shine in harmony.

Our Dear Lord wanted nothing more for us than for us to all love one another.  In Romans 12:9-21, Paul continues to share with us HOW we can do that.  His goal is to ensure each person understands what they can do to bring forth the harmony and peace that Jesus wants for us.  We will have differences.  We will have opinions.  We will see the world through our own glasses.  Those differences shouldn't separate us, it should celebrate the glorious world that God gave us and all the people in this world.  Just as the autumn leaves are reveled and celebrated each fall, so should we revel and celebrate in each person's brilliance.  

It's there for us to see - this brilliance.  It's there for us to notice, for us to share, and for us to celebrate.  We can be so grounded in our own beliefs that we lose sight of the beauty in other's beliefs.  Not everyone is going to agree with my thoughts (my own family doesn't see things the way I do~~).  Yet not showing understanding, grace and mercy is not showing love - and that is not our purpose here on earth.  Love one another - and let's learn from the leaves - and live in harmony.

Heavenly Father, may we learn from the glorious nature around us.  The differences of others is not to be suppressed, but to be celebrated - as the beautiful leaves during autumn.  Give us the ability to see each other through your eyes, not ours.  May we live this life in harmony - giving value to each person as you have - and showing love.  In your glorious name we pray.  Amen!

Kind vs. Cruel

 

Human nature says "an eye for an eye".  It is our basic instinct to take revenge on those that hurt us or our families.  This can be seen in so many scenarios.  Responding to unkind words with cruel words.  Responding to unkind acts with cruel acts.  It certainly seems to be extremely evident in our world today.  "Make me mad and I'll take revenge" seems to be all around us.  We all seem to view these situations from afar, yet, is our behavior all that different?  Our actions may not be as strong, our words as hurtful, but how are we reacting?

As I reflect back upon times when someone said or did something hurtful to me, I can't say I always responded as a "Jesus girl" ought to respond.  I certainly have said my fair share of unkind words.  What I think is worst, though, are thoughts I may have had and thoughts I shared with others around me.   It seems as if we are going to be hurt, we are going to rally all those around us to know how we have been treated.  We may not say anything back to the person directly, but all the time and energy spent chatting with others is certainly not blessing those who may have lashed out against us.  

Responding to cruel or unkind words/actions with the same type of behavior that was given to us is not responding in a blessed way.  As I think back, Jesus often asks us to behave in a way where we should respond to cruelty with kindness.  We certainly had a great role model in Jesus.  So many times during his time here on Earth he responded to cruel words and actions with kindness.  Right up to his time on the cross, ensuring the thief entrance into paradise. 

So how do we do this?  How do we respond to cruel words and actions with prayers of blessings?  We turn to the one that teaches us how - Jesus!  

• Prayer - May we talk to our Heavenly Father and ask him for his help.  Our sinful nature needs help and the only one who can help us is Jesus.  Ask Jesus to give us the strength to change our hearts and minds to show blessings to those that lash out against us.  Respond to cruelty with kindness.
• Words of Christ - Let us open the Bible and look at the many ways Jesus responded to those who persecuted him.  May we soak in his words and meditate on the goodness of Jesus in each and every situation.  Through his responses we can see how he responds to cruelty with kindness.  He is a wonderful teacher.
• Walk in His Way - After we pray and read, then we need to do the hard part - act.  This can take on so many different scenarios, each one is important.  Silently praying for those who lash out against us, not returning a cruel word or action with our own cruelty, and not gossiping about the situation with others are all ways we can walk in Jesus' way.

Replacing cruelty with kindness can sometimes be a difficult challenge for us humans.  Yet, we are fortunate to have a Savior who is patient with us, giving us many ways to learn from him, and leads us to bless those who persecute us.  May we always follow Jesus' lead.

Dearest Jesus, help us to always respond with a sense of kindness and blessing.  This can be so very difficult for us to do.  You have provided us with so many examples of how we should behave.  May we keep that front of mind and in our hearts.  In your name we pray - Amen!