Sunday Inspiration

By Hally Franz –

A vibrant and beautiful spring season, middle-school kids and pop culture, good song lyrics and travel—these are a few of my inspirational things. Here’s your challenge for the day. Try singing that like Julie Andrews would have as she romped around a bedroom wrapped in drapes or flitted around Austria. I couldn’t get it quite right.

Who doesn’t savor blooms bursting forth with color and smell, like those we enjoyed during this year’s exceptional spring? How refreshing is a change of scenery? Are we not thankful for ballads that bring tears to our eyes? Young teens are full of entertaining comments, and the entertainment industry never fails to shock. These often provide things to write about. However, when these usually reliable arenas of material fail me, I can count on Sunday service for some good food for thought or a message to chew on.

This past Sunday our minister, LaMar, introduced his lesson on Acts 14 with some comments about the wonder of a child. He reminded us how toddlers find cardboard boxes and cords just as interesting as high-dollar toys and giant stuffed animals. And, he shared an experience he had in India as a young adult. He observed a young person hold a Bible with pure unadulterated excitement and joy that may never be seen in our country, where we take our Bibles for granted.

As we grow older, things that once seemed exciting become ordinary, places once grand become small. When we talk about the “eyes of a child,” we feel melancholy, because we know our adult eyes often fail to appreciate what we see or even recognize what is in our presence. Once those childhood days of discovery are behind us, we can’t get them back, but we can pray that God will help us see each day anew with a grateful and inspired heart.

Honestly, there are those dreary days when my own kids annoy me, and the outside world is just discouraging. I can’t travel more than a few times each year, and some days there isn’t anything I enjoy on the airwaves. On Sunday mornings, though, it is hard to leave worship without a feeling of hope. His word, well-written and artfully-delivered truths, and the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ; these are a few of my most wonderful blessings.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me always appreciate the wonder in Your creation, and remind me daily that the greatest inspirations come in Your Word, readily and freely available to me whenever I may need it.

“Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen” (Psalm 105:4-6 KJV).