Three-Legged Race

By Cheri Cowell –

Have you ever participated in a three-legged race? A rope or bandanna ties the left ankle of one person to the right ankle of his or her partner. The two are to then run as one person from the starting line, usually crossing over a finish line or around an obstacle and back again. Running a three-legged race is difficult unless you know the secret.

Our peace making efforts will be in vain if we try to obtain peace through our own efforts (following all the rules), through group affiliation (church membership), or national identity (American, Canadian, or Western). For when we give our lives to Christ, we become one not only with Him, but also with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are in this three-legged race together and will only cross the finish line to win the peace if we pull in the same direction. That is the secret. You, the Holy Spirit, and others are in this race together. Are you pulling as one?

“You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way” (Ephesians 4:3 NCV).  

Prayer: I admit that sometimes I pull in my own direction. Help me to pull together with You, Lord, along with my brothers and sisters so we can cross the finish line together.

Frienemies

By Cheri Cowell –

The oldest member of the church was talking to the new minister. “I am 90 years old, sir, and I haven’t an enemy in the world.”

The minister responded with great interest, “That is a great feat.”

Proud, the woman added, “Yes sir, I’m thankful to say that I’ve outlived ’em all.”

If you’ve lived any length of time, you’ve developed a few enemies, or possibly friends turned enemies. Sometimes it is something we’ve done, or should have done. But there are times when a friend sets himself or herself against us for no discernable reason.

We can work hard to make peace with all people, but this becomes difficult when we don’t know the problem. We need to trust that God knows the circumstances and then set about aligning our ways with His. We aren’t to worry about the situation, but instead we are called to leave it in God’s hands. In the end, when we don’t expect it, our right living coupled with a grace-filled God will produce the peace between friends that we’d hoped would come.

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7 NKJV).  

Prayer: My heart is heavy when I think about this friend who has turned against me. I will take this advice and focus on living right while trusting You to bring peace between us.

Stop and Smell the Roses

By Cheri Cowell –

Some of us are always on the go. We take two things off our to-do list and add six more. There never seems to be enough hours in the day. More than once we’ve said if we could clone ourselves for just an hour we might catch up. But the truth is, we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves if we got to the end of the list. We watch other people who seem to relax while the laundry is piled high and the weeds are overtaking the garden, and we wonder how they do it. How can they relax when there is still so much to do?

Perhaps these people have learned the secret of true rest. They realize not one of us is promised another minute of life, and all that striving and labor won’t add a day of living. So it is good to stop and smell the roses, to rest and relax, even when the to-do list is a mile long. Take some time today to smell the roses, to take a walk in the woods, to watch a sunset or sunrise, and thank God for another minute of life.

“One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NASB).

Prayer: Help me to resist the urge to keep going. Instead Lord, help me to stop and rest, and while there to smell the roses.

Sparkling Clean

By Cheri Cowell –

There is something special about a clean house. When the floors are mopped and vacuumed, when the cobwebs are swept away, when the dust layer is removed and everything shines, it feels good. If there were a magic wand that would create this wonderful scene, the stores wouldn’t be able to keep those wands in stock. Unfortunately, someone has to do the work.

Sanctification is the big word used to describe the cleaning God does in our hearts as we submit our lives to Him. The scriptures say God desires to present us blameless before Him. Said another way, He wants us to be made holy from the inside out, clean and pure like a freshly cleaned house.  Our part is to submit to the process of having every area of our lives opened for Him. There is no magic wand, and sometimes God has to scrub really hard to remove layers of dust and grime, but in the end, we will shine and sparkle for Him.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5: 23 NKJV).

Prayer: I want to be pure, holy, and blameless for You so I submit to the cleaning process. Make me sparkle for You.

Peace Like a River

By Cheri Cowell –

The word ‘obey’ is not considered a positive word today. Ask children to tell you what the word ‘obey’ means and many would have no idea. We don’t stress obedience. Perhaps this is because we struggle with our own obedience. It feels like we are surrendering, giving up, even losing. That’s because at the heart of obedience is the requirement of humility. Humility asks us to bend and finally surrender our wills.

Yet, the amazing thing about obeying God is the peace that flows through you and your life when you finally surrender to him. Like a full-flowing river, peace will wash over your life when you quit struggling and finally surrender. When you obey and give up your right to be right, good things flow to you like rolling waves of the sea. When your will is fully surrendered to God, peace will flow in your life like a refreshing river.

“If you had obeyed me, you would have had peace like a full-flowing river. Good things would have flowed to you like the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:18 NCV).

Prayer: I admit I struggle with obedience and the humility required, but I long for my life to flow with peace. So, help me to bend and surrender my will to Yours, God, so good things will roll in my heart like a refreshing river.

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