The Treasures of the Snow

By Gillis Killam –

When the first snow fell this year I was not happy that summer and fall were over. However, God has seasons in their order for a purpose. I might question the seasons, but when I looked out the window and saw the beautiful sparkling white snow, I remembered God’s query of Job in Job 38:22, when He questioned Job’s comprehension of the world around him. There were so many things that Job didn’t understand.

God said, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?”(Job 38:22 KJV) Another translation: “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail” (Job 38:22NIV).

God is not referring to the composition of the snow, as complicated and interesting as it might be, He is speaking about the way God uses snow for His purposes along with the hail and lightning. God is saying He has a way of reserving these elements of nature to fulfill His purpose in judging those who oppose His will.

I understand that Napoleon lost his final battle with the Russians partly because of the snow and harsh winter. When God wanted to bring judgment He used snow, rain, hail and lightning to accomplish His purpose.

It is recorded in the Old Testament that God thwarted the enemies of Israel through water, flood, fire and earthquakes. Remember God’s judgment on Egypt in Exodus, where there is a vivid description of God’s use of natural forces to bring judgment on Pharaoh (Psalm 105:23-33).

Today with so many disasters of nature happening around the world, society doesn’t seem to get this concept. Instead, they criticize and blame God for these storms rather than hearing what God might be saying.

“He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor” (Job. 37:6-7 NIV).

It is interesting that when God speaks about the completeness of cleansing from sin He says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

PRAYER: O God my Creator, help me to learn from the snow and the storms, just what you are speaking to me.

Hurry Up

By Elaine James –

“Hurry up, we have to go!” I yelled.

I ran out onto the back porch with my baby in my arms racing to get into the car and all of the sudden I tumbled, crashing to the ground. I checked out the baby and, miraculously, no injuries.

My toddler came running up with a panicked look shouting “Mom are you okay?”

“Thank goodness we are fine” I spoke with a bit of reassurance in my voice. This could have been more serious. With resolve I said, “Listen to me. Let’s agree right here, right now we will not say the H word any longer.”

“What’s the H word, mom?” Nick asked peering at me with his cute inquiring eyes.

“Hurry!” I explained. “We were divinely lucky this time, but if we continue to hurry every time we go somewhere one of us may get hurt. All hands in!”

I had us put our hands all in on top of each other like the ball players do when they come out of a huddle, and we cheered, “No more hurrying!”

It felt good when we came to an agreement. No yelling. No screaming. Just teamwork. Yay for our team!
The Bible teaches that we are to submit to one another and be team builders. Jesus selected the twelve disciples, taught them and encouraged them to work together. One day the disciples came to Jesus and said, “‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat’” (Matthew 14:15-16 NIV).
Jesus made a plan, the disciples responded and obeyed therefore Jesus was able to create a miracle, which resulted in order, peace, joy and contentment. Teamwork!

This New Year you may prayerfully consider this question “How can I intentionally and deliberately build better teamwork into important relationships in my life?” Wait and trust the Holy Spirit to answer this meaningful question.

You may be tempted to call a teambuilding meeting where you get dreary looks and meaningless head nodding. Consider trying this instead:

1. Get a package of Three Musketeer’s candy bars.
2. Attach a note to the candy stating your desire to build team work in the New Year.
3. Include the motto “All for One, One for All.” Certainly that will pique their taste buds and interest!

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 NIV).

PRAYER: Father, thank- you for a New Year. My desire is to be deliberately intentional in my relationships this year so that I can build a team like you did, Jesus. (Name the team members) Help guide us all with clarity and unity. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Through Life’s Troubled Journey

By Gillis Killam –

Like all grandparents, we pray for each one of our children and grandchildren, not only because we love them, but because we want them to know the presence of God is with them. We never stop praying for them.

Not long ago, one of our grandsons, Hudson, found out that he was diabetic. We were devastated by the news because Hudson is only 12 years of age. Everything seemed fine until his Mom realized something was wrong. He was sent to the specialist in Saskatoon where they stayed for several days to get his blood sugar down. His A1C had been 22, which is very high. Now he has to be vigilant and make sure he is eating right and taking his insulin. Quite an adjustment for a young man!

When I think of him spending the rest of his life watching his diet and taking the needle twice a day, I pray God will help him to draw near to Him, and that a miracle of healing could happen.
Being diabetic myself, I know what is ahead for him unless a new cure is found.

What seems to be a catastrophe may turn out to be a great blessing in his life and family. This is the part of life’s journey where he needs to trust God. Nothing happens in our lives as Christians but that God has some reason for allowing it. I know God can heal him, and this we pray for, but should it not happen right now, we are confident Jesus is “watching over him”.

One reason we know, is that He desires us to know where real help comes from. What comfort it is to know that the One who made heaven and earth is watching over us day and night.

“The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:5-8 NIV).

I pray every day for Hudson that through this journey of life he will know where to look for help and know that God cares and watches over him.

Prayer: I thank You, Maker of heaven and earth that you are with us through life’s entire journey.

Rabbit on the Runway

By Peter Lundell –

A rabbit is on the runway. Now it’s on the service area around the jet.

What? How did a rabbit get there?

Denver International Airport is gargantuan. I’m looking out the terminal window at a rabbit hopping across the tarmac, between rows of parked planes. It is light brown and plump; hopping here, hopping there.

A jet lumbers by, and the rabbit hops some more. It had to have crossed several runways and fields and passed a dozen planes to get to this terminal. How utterly strange and out of place is a rabbit on a runway.

By the time I emerge from my stupor enough to extract my camera, the little bugger hops to the other side of the plane and continues out of sight.

Have you ever felt far from home or far from your comfort zone? Maybe you’ve felt like a misfit. Or just lost or out of place.

Or have you ever been so curious you did something crazy, like the rabbit? Have you ever defied your fears, gone beyond your self-imposed limits, or limits others imposed?

Doing so can seem foolish. It can be scary. And people or systems will almost always push you back into your expected place. If that’s God’s intention for your life, then stay there. But if God made you to be someone else, someone who pursues dreams and dares to make them happen––then learn from a rabbit hopping among commercial jet aircraft. That rabbit has gone way beyond its meadow of grass, across fields of concrete, to hop among silver behemoths. What guts.

Go, rabbit, go!

Prayer: “God, O God. I choose to learn from a rabbit. Lead me beyond my comfort zones and boundaries of fear to venture out in ways that will scare me but will surely grow me.”

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).

Grace to Embrace

By Cindy Martin –

Gifts have been opened, food has been consumed, diets have been started, mistletoe has dried up, and New Year’s resolutions have been promised and some already broken. Kinda’ sounds like a Charlie Brown Christmas review, doesn’t it?

The start of a new year can bring both anticipation and dread. Some folks can hardly wait to see what amazing adventures are waiting to be had in the coming months while others live in a paralyzing web of “what ifs”.

I suspect most of us live somewhere in between fear and exhilaration; simply asking God to give us grace to embrace whatever He has for us in 2014. What if that grace to embrace actually included embracing someone new in your life?

We’ve often heard that the holidays are a very lonely time and indeed they can be without close connections with family or friends to share the season with. But I would suggest that without meaningful connections in our lives, life can be extremely lonely all year long. Jesus teaches and models throughout the pages of Scripture that we were designed to live in community. He celebrated, wept, worked, rested and pursued His life’s mission in the context of other people. While He did spend precious time alone with His Father, the bulk of His time was spent “doing life” with people; simply showing them how to live life the way God designed.

In John 15:15 Jesus tells us, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (NIV).

I would suggest that the fulfillment that so many of us are seeking in our lives can be experienced as we follow the model Christ set out for us. Is there someone in your circle of influence or acquaintance that God is calling you to come alongside and include in both the memorable and mundane moments of your life?

Perhaps there’s someone for whom you could share the wisdom of experience you’ve had in life and in God’s Word that would propel them forward in their own faith journey. Such relationships may not always be convenient and might even get messy at times but God promises that His “grace is sufficient” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

To know that you have been used by Almighty God to facilitate transformation in someone else’s life is not only an amazing privilege, it is a sure path to a life of contentment, gratitude and joy. Why settle for anything less?

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, show me who by Your power and grace, You are asking me to come alongside and embrace.”

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