Rained Out

By Michelle Lim –

This baseball season the weather turbulence has rained and snowed out many of the games. Every day there’s a ball game my two boys look out the window wishing away the clouds.

As much as I love watching my sons’ baseball games, one day last week my emotions were a bit more ambiguous. We had already cheered through three games and attended three practices. Just this once I looked out the window wishing for rain.

My elation as the first plump droplets slapped against my window faded in the disappointment on my son’s faces. I managed to feel a dash of remorse, momentarily.
Just as soon as the remorse passed, all thirty seconds of it, my mind filled with all of the things I could do with the new time.

When I stood at the window wishing for rain, I had to hear the first rain drops before I knew that we’d be rained out. My faith in rain wasn’t that great even though we’d had many of rained out games during the season.

This reminded me of another man’s faith in rain. In 1 Kings 18, God told Elijah to go
present himself to Ahab and God would send rain on the famine ravaged Samaria.

Elijah didn’t look out the window. He just obeyed, knowing that God would do as he
promised. He believed so earnestly that he sent the servant seven times to look for rain
clouds.

When a cloud the size of a man’s fist was all that could be seen he warned everyone to
hurry down from the mountain before the rain stopped them.

What incredible faith that all Elijah had to see was a cloud the size of a man’s fist for him
to know that God had answered.

Oh to have the faith of Elijah in everyday life, believing that God can do anything with the mere suggestion of its possibility. Now, every time I look out the window I remember Elijah and his amazing faith. I look for a fist sized cloud and smile because I know that God can do anything with even such a small hint of His Presence.

Bible Verse: “So Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you” 1 Kings 18:44b.

Deadheading

By Charlotte Riegel –

While working with the Green Thumbs Ministry team at our church, I noticed the west pansy bed looking rather bedraggled. It looked as if it needed water in spite of the recent rains we’d had. Perhaps the building had sheltered this bed and prevented it from getting much of the needed moisture.

However, before watering, I decided to do some deadheading, removing flower heads that are past their prime. It’s a bit like getting a haircut. If spent flowers are not removed, the plant will direct energy into creating seeds, however, if the dead flower heads are removed quickly, the plant will direct energy into creating beautiful new flowers.

An hour later I could hardly believe my eyes. The flower bed looked rejuvenated and quite beautiful. I then realized lack of water had not made this bed look so awful, but rather, the many spent flowers hanging their heads at the end of their normal cycle.

I pondered this miraculous makeover for several days and then wondered if my life is sometimes like that pansy bed. Do I have ‘spent’ flowers drooping from my life? Is it time to prune my activities and commitments because some of them are past their prime and causing me to look bedraggled? By removing areas in my life that are basically ‘dead’ I could freshen up and be rejuvenated. This would free up energy to create new ‘flowers’.

Does your life need some deadheading? Don’t hang onto areas of your life that are spent. Let them go and make room for some new endeavors. You will be amazed at your renewed vigor, creativity, and beauty.

“Thank you, Master Gardener of my life, for pruning me to become more fruitful in Your vineyard.”

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1- 2 NIV).

Generations

By Mollie Bond –

I listened to a radio program’s promotion touting the latest report on the “Emerging Adults” Generation. The promo added that the beliefs held in this upcoming generation were unbiblical, and expressed concern that the church had no future.

My insides crinkled. I smoothed out my emotions before continuing to work while listening to the radio. Yet again, I stewed, it seemed the elder generation was trying to “fix” the younger generation, implying there was something terribly wrong with them. What gripped me the most was that the show did not have any “Emerging Adults”: no one younger than 50 to give an opinion, good or bad. No one to have a conversation with, to grapple through what was unbiblical. “Emerging Adults” were a study to be done, not people who needed grace and love.

How many times had I judged the older generation before me? Am I condemned to judge the generations after me as less respectful than my own? Will I have conversations to learn why generations swing one way or another, and then use the opportunity to be grace-filled?

God doesn’t bias Himself against one generation or another. God is about people, not studies. He shows his love to a thousand generations. As his daughter, I should learn to do the same.

After listening to the radio ad, I engaged in a conversation through e-mail that lasted for months with another from the Baby Boomer generation. I learned some valuable insights. I allowed the opening of my mind as I took time to listen, with the radio off.

PRAYER: Lord, so much of the time I find myself judging someone for various reasons, but especially their age. I pray I find those moments as opportunities to distribute Your love, and to reflect a desire to keep Your commandments.

“but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:6 NIV).

Chaos Reigns

By Charlotte Riegel –

There is a new hole in a wall opposite my kitchen. The spare bedroom furniture occupies the living room amidst the normal living room furniture, making that room unusable for its intended purpose. Most of one wall is gone in the spare bedroom. Plastic sheeting hangs at various doorways in an attempt to contain dust. It also serves to slow normal mobility in my small house. We are now into month 15 of house renovations, first in a house being sold and now in the older house we bought. Ugh.

My stress levels often run high while hammers bang and dust seems to collect everywhere. I know ‘this too shall pass’ but sometimes find it difficult to keep my focus on the positives that await at the end of these renovation projects. I’m grateful for summer weather so I can spend significant time outside, away from the interior chaos.

It occurred to me I sometimes avoid upgrading my spiritual life because it too creates upheaval and chaos. I’d rather stay comfortably uncomfortable in a state of deteriorating walls of prayer and neglected time studying God’s Word. Yes, I know I should be more diligent in my spiritual maintenance and life improvement. I often turn a blind eye, thereby allowing the debris of life to cause more chaos and upheaval long term than if I’d taken the time and effort to be proactive and preventative.

Renovations on our houses or in our personal lives are all too easy to ignore, but I am reminded that personal life renovations are very worth the end result. Paying more attention to my food intake and being more diligent about getting onto an activity routine may help get me off the high blood pressure medications. It will mean some renovating of my schedule and changing old habits for a while, but I know the end result will be worth it. “Focus. Focus on the end result,” I tell myself over and over when I just don’t feel like complying with the messy changes any more.

And now, off to find my neglected prayer journal.

“Speak, LORD. I am your servant, and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:9 NIV).

“The first step in renovation is to identify and correct conditions that caused the problem.” Tom Samples

Incredible Grace

By Cheri Cowell –

With the temperatures climbing like they have been lately, I was reminded of a group of people from an area church who decided to take bottles of ice-cold water to people who were working outside. They thought this simple gift of love and compassion might be a chance to witness and would also be something “Jesus would do.” Two team members set out on a Saturday with four bottles of water to give away. They were very discouraged after several hours. No one was mowing their lawn, walking their dog, or washing their cars. It was too hot. When they were about to give up they drove by a laundromat and saw two women who looked a little weary from the heat. These good samaritans handed them the bottled water then discovered the women were living with their families out of a van parked out back. The two water-bottle-missionaries were able to help this family find shelter and a meal. Not the opportunity they thought their day would provide, but it would be what Jesus would do. God desires us to extend grace to the weary.

Paul was encountering a lot of people who thought they were safe and secure because of their lineage, their wealth, their position in life, their deeds of charity, or their allegiance to Paul. Paul wanted to make it very clear that although the Jews were the chosen people, it wasn’t their heritage that saved them. It was God’s grace and His grace is given freely to those who deserve it and to those who don’t. If we are to do as Jesus would do, we need to look on the needs of others as an opportunity for us to share grace, especially when those who need it don’t really deserve it.

“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:1-6 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the opportunities You provide to share Your grace and love. Help me to broaden my view of those who are in need so that all of Your children might come to know Your incredible grace.

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