The Setting Sun Rises

By Peter Lundell –

The jet took off as the last sliver of the setting sun dipped below the horizon, perfect timing to witness a rare sight. A moment later the gray sky and dark line of the earth was pierced by the same sliver of sun that seemed to push back up. Then a layer of clouds blocked the sun, but behind them the sky grew brighter in hues of orange and blue. As we continued to climb above the stratus clouds, the sun emerged bigger than before. High, wispy cirrus clouds veiled it in a dreamy skyscape, and as the plane continued to rise, the orange ball seemed to ascend with us.

The plane reached its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet, and after a full half- hour in flight, this sun, which had fully set at our moment of takeoff, had risen back up into a full round ball. Nature had gone in reverse.

Of course it was an optical illusion of our rising in altitude, which made the setting sun appear to rise. But still weird.

I wondered about mysteries of the natural world that defy our normal thinking. And I wondered about the supernatural, what we call the miraculous or impossible. From God’s perspective it may all be natural.

In God’s dimension, the Trinity is natural. So is being outside of time and existing in what we call the spiritual world. Probably the strangest thing on earth, Quantum Physics, must be normal to God.

Educated Westerners are probably the most answer-oriented logic-mongers on earth. We don’t like mystery unless we can solve it. But God is full of mystery because He is so beyond us. And sometimes the setting sun rises.

How have you experienced mysteries of God or His creation?

“Lord, open my heart as wide as my eyes. Let me see beyond my sight. Let me embrace the mysteries of Your world and appreciate them as mystery, appreciate You as mystery, for You are infinitely beyond me.”

“Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish” (Isaiah 29:14 NIV).

Spring Cleaning of the Heart

By Cindy Martin –

Often times when we’ve been battered by the inevitable hard stuff of life, not only are our minds and bodies affected but also our spirits. Bitterness, hardness, harshness and cynicism can easily take root during an extended season of trial and pain. As a result our demeanor is changed without us even recognizing the slow fade that takes place.

I believe that David recognized that fade in his own life when he made peace with God after his incident with Bathsheba. He had hardened his heart towards God and even became angry when the prophet Nathan confronted him with his sin.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 ESV). In his deeply heartfelt prayer of repentance, David asks that God would not only create within him a clean heart but also that he would renew a right spirit within him. He wanted God to not only forgive him for the sin he had committed but also to remove the residue it had left on the intangible part of his being. He knew that his heart was not naturally bent towards God – he had proved that by his actions. Yet he also knew that he needed God’s forgiveness AND His power in his life to soften his heart and “bend” it back towards his Savior.

Not always is this a quick or easy transformation. In fact it is often the exact opposite. Yet it’s this process of softening that provides the clearest opportunity for God’s transforming power to shine through us. I liken it to being in the sun – you don’t often recognize the glow the sun’s rays bring to your skin until after you’ve spent time in its presence. Likewise, spending time in God’s presence changes an intangible part of our being that is clearly reflected in our demeanor.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You that You not only want to forgive my sin, You also desire to renew a right spirit within me. Grant me the grace to linger in your presence that I may reflect the radiance of Your transforming power.

Verse: “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:13 NIV).

Strong Trees

By Gillis Killam –

In our second pastorate a young couple was shaken in their faith because their newborn baby girl was afflicted with a condition that necessitated her being in a cast for quite some time in order to correct the condition. They questioned, “We don’t understand. Why God would allow this to happen?” At first, I didn’t know what to say, but the following came to mind.

When I was a young boy walking with my father along the edge of the forest near where we lived, I asked why the trees along the edge were broken, battered, and scrawny. My Father explained that when a new road was being built near our home they had to cut down the trees along the edge of the forest: these trees that had withstood high winds and storms had developed a strong deep root system and became a protection to the ones directly behind them. Now, these once sheltered trees were exposed to the severe weather and did not have the strong roots to withstand the strong winds and so they did not flourish.

My answer to the young couple was, “There is not a strong tree that the wind has not blown on.” I explained to them that God has a purpose in allowing storms to come in life to make us strong in our faith.

We may not understand at the time; however, God is working out His design for us and through this trial will cause us to grow and develop a ministry that may help others in their time of storm. Paul says, “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).

When we are growing up in life and faith we need the protection of stronger people who have experienced the storms of life, like our parents and friends, so that when we grow to maturity, we too will have deep spiritual roots and depth in life.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4 NIV).

Generation to Generation

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Granny was a story-teller. “Susie, I hope you never have to live through a time like that,” she whispered after telling about suffering through the Great Depression. Her painful expression convinced me that her words were true.

Granny told me her grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee Indian. “Susie, my granny embroidered this handkerchief, and I want you to have it.” She gazed at the Indian girls playing on a make-shift seesaw, and I could tell her heart was gazing back at her childhood. Tears formed as Granny rubbed the corner of the handkerchief between her fingers, and then she gently placed it in my hand. Clasping her hands around mine she squeezed, and I felt the love of five generations flow through that small piece of cloth. Granny had confirmed my heritage to me.

Granny told me many other stories, but the most important was about Jesus. When I was a young girl, Granny took me to church. She made sure I knew we were celebrating Jesus’ birth at Christmas. She shared her sorrow of Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday, and we celebrated His resurrection on Easter Sunday. She validated these stories by reading them to me from her timeworn Bible. But most importantly, Granny verified Jesus to me with her life.

Now I’m a Nana, and like Granny, I love to tell stories. I’ve told my granddaughter about my growing up in the sixties, her Native American heritage, and about Jesus. I make sure she knows what we are celebrating at Christmas and Easter. I validate these stories by reading them to her from my Bible. But most importantly, I pray that I prove Jesus to my granddaughter with my life.

King David wrote Psalm 145 to the Lord as a hymn of praise, and says stories of His mighty acts, His glorious splendor, and His awesome works will be told from generation to generation.
Someday, I hope my granddaughter shares Jesus with her own grandchildren, and they with theirs, on and on, through the generations, until Jesus comes again.

Alice Elinor Adkins Shelton, thank you for sharing your stories with me. You and your love live forever in my heart.

Bible Verse: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts” (Psalms 145:4 NIV).

Spam Mail

By Elaine James –

Taking a sip of my coffee I peacefully think “Peace and quiet, now I can get some work done.” I spoke to soon. A “bing” noise from my computer tells me “I’ve got mail”. It is a sting to my nervous system. I get like a million spam e-mails a day! Do you? Some days I just delete them and move on to the important messages. Other days it bothers me so much I feel like I want to explode! I am spending more time dumping into that little garbage can than I care to. Can’t someone invent an anti-anger button on my computer?

I liken this frustration to people or things that I come across every day. That person or thing is right in my face screaming for attention. It wears me down. Are you worn down, feeling like you just can’t take it anymore? Some days I am living fully frustrated and not fully alive.
I diagnose myself with the Paul syndrome defined by Paul himself “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (Romans 7:18 NIV).

Thank goodness there is a prescription for this syndrome which the Holy Spirit reminds me “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22 NLT). Instead of exploding I pray “God give me some of that self-control.”

This prescription has brought me to a place of true peace and the result is:
Episodes< fruit of the spirit How exciting! I pray you are inspired to want: fruit of the spirit>frustration.

I add to my daily regimen a second prescription called thanksgiving. Being grateful takes my one-track mind away from frustration. I am thanking God for: the sun shining; my daughter’s smile; my husband’s kind words; my ministry; a double chocolate donut; food to eat; a friend who checked in on me today; a lady who said “HI” at the grocery store….on and on.

Join me, won’t you? The journey of life will become brighter. Make your thankful list right in the middle of chaos that is going on.

Let’s pray about it:

Father in heaven help me to want more of You and in turn You will fill me with the fruits of the Spirit. Help me to sense that You are developing more inside of me and it is showing on the outside. Thank You for Your medicine. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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