Author: Jayne Lawson

“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” Acts 2:23

I have often read things in the Bible and wondered, “How could they have done that?” How could Adam and Eve have disobeyed God in the garden? How could the Israelites have worshipped the golden calf after crossing the Red Sea? How could Peer have denied Jesus three times? And then, when I consider the crucifixion of Jesus and the people’s rejection of Him, even after hearing His words and seeing the miracles He performed, I wonder how could they have cried, “Crucify Him!”? Even those who were learned in the Scriptures denied His deity!

Then I think of the here and now. As I examine my own life, I find I am guilty of the same actions. I know who He is, and I know what He desires of me, yet many times I fail to obey. I cannot blame it on my humanity as if I had no control over it because frankly, I do. I’ve made decisions that do not honor God. In my own way, there have even been times when I have chosen to worship an idol over God. It may not have been in the form of a golden calf, but if it replaced God in my heart, even if only for a few minutes, it was an idol.

When I have kept silent when others have spoken out against God, I have denied Him. When I have refused an opportunity to share the gospel due to my “discomfort,” I have denied Him. When I have not taken a stand for my faith, I have denied Him.

And then I have to wonder, have I also cried “Crucify Him!” as well when I embrace sin by rationalizing it with excuses? Things that are abhorred by God are now readily accepted by the world. With whom do I stand? Each time I make excuses and allowances for the things that God’s Word tells me He hates, it is like a hammer blow to the nails that were driven into the hands and feet of Jesus. Yes, in my own way, I have also cried out, “Crucify Him!”

The enormity of my sin threatens to engulf me, and I am overcome with sorrow.

Yet, despite all of my sin, God loves me! He loves me with an everlasting love! (Jeremiah 31:3) Jeremiah 1:5 tells me that God knew me before I was born. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…” God knew how flawed I would be, how many times I would disappoint Him, how many times I would fail, yet He still loved me. In fact, He loved me so much He chose to send His Son to die for me, so I could have a personal relationship with Him!

Jesus left the glory of heaven for one purpose – to become the Saviour of the world. That means me and you. He chose to shed His own precious blood for us, to suffer great agony, and to die alone on the cross because we needed to be forgiven of our sins in order to have a relationship with God. Romans 5:8 states, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

There are not enough words to express my gratitude for all that Jesus has done for me even though I will have an eternity to try to do so. Through His sacrifice on the cross, I have been forgiven and promised eternal life in heaven with God. I cannot imagine standing before Him, seeing those nail-scarred hands and feet, and knowing my part in it, but I will finally understand the depth of His love for me. And despite all my past sins, I will stand before God blameless forever because of Jesus. The Bible records that God said, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)

I am forgiven. I am made whole. I am a child of God for all eternity.

All because of Jesus.

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

(from “Jesus Paid It All” by Elvina M. Hall)

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

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There is nothing we can do to merit God’s love. He loves us simply because He chooses to do so. What amazing love!

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” Romans 12:12

George Washington once said, “Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.” Perseverance is the “stick-to-it” attitude; the “keep on keeping on” philosophy; the “never give up” way of thinking. However, persevering in difficult times is challenging. Opposition can be formidable, and hope can seem a distinct and remote flicker, but those who persevere in the Lord will be rewarded. Galatians 6:9 states, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Sometimes, however, we feel like we just can’t go on. It is then that we must rely on the strength of the Lord. The Bible reminds us that “The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.” (Psalm 28:8) He is “… our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) In Isaiah 55:6, His Word tells us, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” When we draw near to God, He draws near to us (James 4:8), and He provides the strength we need to persevere through any situation, whether it be big or small. There is nothing too trivial for God. When He said to cast all our cares upon Him, He didn’t include, “but only the big things.” It is through God’s strength that the victory becomes ours. (Exodus 15:2)

Because we know that God is with us and victory is assured, we can rejoice in that hope! The Bible states in 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Even before we see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, we can rejoice knowing that God will give us exactly what we need to prevail. Therein lies our hope! “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13) No matter what lies ahead, God will see us through if we call upon Him, and we call upon Him through prayer.

Prayer is the key to unlocking the strength of God in our lives. Prayer is our lifeline. It connects us to God, our Creator and our Father. It is through Him alone that we can find the ability to persevere and the hope that we so desperately seek. We must make all our requests known to God (Philippians 4:6); we must believe God hears and answers prayer (Matthew 21:22), and we must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There is no higher honor than being able to communicate with God.

The Bible says we can come boldly before His throne. How can that be? Because when Jesus died and rose again, the temple veil tore in half from top to bottom in the temple revealing the area known as the Holy of Holies… the place where God was, and the place where only the high priest could enter. The torn veil symbolically demonstrated that access to the Lord was now available to all! God desires to hear from us. His arms are open wide, and He waits for us to come to Him. Why? Because He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and He wants no one to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) He wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us, and that relationship is just a prayer away.

If you have never asked Christ to forgive your sins and become your Saviour, you can do that right now. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead to become the world’s Saviour, simply bow your head and pray to Him. Admit you are a sinner who needs to be forgiven, and then ask Him to forgive you of those sins and come into your life as your Lord and Saviour. He’s waiting to hear from you!

My hope is in the Lord who gave Himself for me
And paid the price of all my sin at Calvary.

For me He died; for me He lives,
And everlasting life and light He freely gives.

His grace has planned it all, ‘Tis mine but to believe
And recognize His work of love and Christ receive.

For me He died; for me He lives,
And everlasting life and light He freely gives.

(from “My Hope is in the Lord” by Norman J. Clayton)

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2

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A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only one that will cause you to persevere through the trials of today and rejoice in the hope of tomorrow.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

We like to think we don’t judge people, but the truth is, we do. Everyone does. It may not be intentional, but it happens all the time. Maybe it’s someone we see in the grocery store whose clothes or hair are a bit unconventional. Maybe it’s someone who cuts us off when we’re driving on the freeway. Maybe it’s in the past of someone that we refuse to let go. Whatever the reason, we tend to make judgments.

Sometimes we say things that come out totally wrong, and we offend someone even though we never intended to do so, and so we are judged by our words. Sometimes we are judged by the actions of a family member. Sometimes we are judged by past sins, and sometimes we are judged simply for who we are. Sometimes we judge, and sometimes we are the judged. No one is immune. We may not admit it to ourselves, but it happens.

I may be judged by people, but I am so glad that I am no longer judged by God. When I accepted Christ as my Saviour, He forgave all my sins, past, present, and future! I am no longer judged for my mistakes, my misguided thoughts, my wrong actions. Why? Because of Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” None. However, the removal of God’s judgment does not remove the responsibility I have to live my life in a godly manner.

Therefore, I must work hard to avoid judging people. It is wrong of me to do so. From God’s perspective, I am no different than them. No better, no worse. I must learn to look at people through the eyes of Christ. The loving, forgiving, accepting eyes of Christ. When I consider those who have hurt me, or those who don’t exactly do what I would do in given situations, or those who are different from me, I must remember that Jesus loves them as much as He loves me. He died for them, just like He died for me. I have no right to judge others for any reason. I do have the responsibility to love them like Christ loves them. With His help, I am learning to do just that, and I know I can do it because Philippians 4: 13 reminds me that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

(from “Just As I Am” by Charlotte Elliott)

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:5

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“Do not judge someone’s story by the chapter you walked in on.” – Anonymous

“But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.” Psalm 22:19

As citizens of the United States, we have certain rights that are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. A few examples of these rights include the freedom of worship, the right to keep and bear arms, the right to due process, and the right to peaceful assembly. These rights are not earned; they are a part of one’s citizenship. If people feel that their rights have been infringed upon, they will often become upset and demand their rights be reinstated.

As Christians, we have certain “rights” as well. The Bible explains the rights that God gives us when we accept Christ as our Saviour. There is nothing we have to do to receive them except first accept God’s gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Like our political rights, we cannot earn our spiritual rights. They are part of our citizenship in heaven, which we obtain upon becoming Christians. Here is a partial list of our “rights.”

In America, a citizen also has certain responsibilities, such as voting or defending the Constitution. It is interesting to note that our civic responsibilities are often not demanded or exercised. Sometimes they are not even regarded as important, so they are often neglected or ignored. Citizens can be quick to demand their rights, but reluctant to meet their civic responsibilities.

Along with the rights, Christians also have responsibilities, but sadly, sometimes those responsibilities are disregarded as well. Here is a partial list of spiritual responsibilities.

Rights, whether civic or Christian, are passively acquired; responsibilities require action. It’s easy to accept one’s rights, but it takes courage to step up and be responsible as a citizen and as a Christian.

It may not be on the mountain’s height, or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s front, my Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls, to paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine, I’ll go where You want me to go.

I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, o’er mountain, or plain, or sea;
I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, I’ll be what You want me to be.

(from “I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go” by Mary Brown)

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17

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Are you a passive or active follower of Jesus?

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4

A promise is “a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified.” (Webster’s 1828 dictionary). There was a time when promises were made by the spoken word or a handshake, and there was no doubt that those making the promises would keep them. That is not so today.

A person’s word or handshake doesn’t mean the same today as it did in bygone years. Promises are broken much more often today than in the past. For example, marriage vows traditionally include the promise to remain married until death, yet divorce rates skyrocket with approximately 40-50% of marriages in America ending through legal separations. Another example is seen when politicians make a plethora of promises during their campaigns. Often those promises fall by the wayside once the politician is in office. Lastly, think about advertising. How many products promise outcomes that never come to fruition? Use a specific toothpaste for shiny white teeth, or drink a particular drink and the pounds will fall off. We are faced with broken promises in so many aspects of life that it can make a person skeptical when hearing someone say, “I promise!”

There is, however, one who has never broken a promise. When God makes a promise, He keeps it! His promises are all throughout the Bible. A few examples include the promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah, the promise to never again destroy the world by a global flood, and the promise to send us a Saviour. Each of these promises was made and kept by God, and there are many more promises in the Scriptures that record how God has kept His word.

Here are five promises made by God that I especially love. One has been fulfilled in my life; one is in progress, and the last three are those whose fulfillment I am highly anticipating!

Great and Precious Promises of God

1. Promise of the Holy Spirit – “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33) God fulfilled this promise to me when I accepted Christ as my Saviour.
2. Promise of long life – “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)” (Ephesians 6:2; see also Exodus 20:12) The Bible says that man lives approximately threescore and ten (70) years. I am not that old yet, but I am living out that promise right now!
3. Promise of eternal life – “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” (1 John 2:25) One day, I will go to heaven and eternity with God will begin. This is a future promise for me.
4. Promise of the crown of life – “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12) This is a future promise that will be fulfilled when I am in heaven.
5. Promise of Jesus’ return – “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) This is a future promise, but there are signs that it could be fulfilled very soon.

Because God has never failed to keep a promise, it gives me the assurance that what He has promised regarding the future will come to pass. God has never made a promise He did not intend to keep. His Word is solid and true; we can depend upon it forever.

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

(from “Standing On The Promises” by Russell Kelso Carter)

“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” Isaiah 54:10

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“I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know are yea and amen.” – John Wesley

“Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14

The book of Job centers on a man who has lost everything… his home, his livelihood, and his children. In despair, Job wishes he had never been born and questions God’s reasoning in it all. In the 37^th chapter of this book, Elihu is asking Job how he can take issue with God, and admonishes him to remember who God is by taking time to think about all the things God has done. Elihu urges Job to calm down and reflect upon the works of God seen in nature, things that man cannot explain or control.

These works are described as “wondrous.” According to several online dictionaries, the word “wondrous” is defined as “inspiring a feeling of delight; that is to be marveled at; astounding, or amazing.” Sometimes we need to take a step back and allow time to reverently ponder the “wondrous works of God.”

Consider these.

1. One tiny cell replicates itself and then begins to differentiate in its duplication to eventually form a human being with different organ systems that work perfectly together for a lifetime.
2. Planet Earth revolves around the sun at the perfect distance to sustain life. A little bit more one way or the other in its orbit would alter the planet’s ability to support any type of living organism.
3. Plant life was designed to produce oxygen as a waste product, which humans and animals need to live. Meanwhile, humans and animals produce carbon dioxide as a waste product, and that is a key part of the photosynthetic process of plants.
4. God created newborn baby kangaroos (the size of a grain of rice to a jelly bean) with the instinct to crawl up its mother’s abdomen and into a huge pouch to locate the spot from which it can attach itself and obtain nourishment to continue its development.
5. When our skin is damaged, it can mend itself, often without leaving any trace of the injury. It also helps regulate body temperature, releases waste products, acts as a barrier to harmful things, protects against UV radiation, produces vitamin D, and allows us to evaluate our environment through sensations such as heat, pressure, and pain.
6. Nitrogen is a necessary component for life that is found in our atmosphere (78%), but it is in an unusable form. Through precipitation, nitrogen is converted to a form than can be used by plants, and thus life continues.
7. Everything in our body gets time to rest, even if it’s just for a small amount of time. Everything that is, except the heart. Once the heart begins beating, it continues nonstop. It can be overworked and abused, but it continues beating on the average of 72 times a minutes throughout a person’s lifetime. No other muscle can do this.
8. Waves of energy travel through the air, hit a tiny flap of tissue in your head, transmits those vibrations through bone and fluid to a tiny piece of nervous tissue that takes it to your brain which interprets that as sound.

These works of God are often taken for granted or attributed to an evolutionary accident. It’s time to look at these and many more for what they actually are – wondrous works of God!

Perhaps we should all take Elihu’s advice to Job.

There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is the wonder that God loves me.

There’s the wonder of springtime and harvest,
The sky, the stars, and the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul
Is a wonder that’s just begun.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!
Just to think that God loves me

(from “The Wonder of It All” by George Beverly Shea)

“And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.” Luke 5:26

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What wondrous works come to your mind when you think of God?

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5

When it comes to love, actions always speak louder than words. Maybe that’s why Valentine’s Day finds our loved ones showered with flowers, candy, and cards. We are showing our love for someone by our actions.

A little more than 2,000 years ago, God put His words of love into action by sending His Son, Jesus to become our Saviour. It is because of this great love that we are “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13) when we will be united with the Lord forever.

The hope we cling to as Christians will never cause us to be ashamed. Why? Because we known that God does indeed love us! His love is decreed throughout the Bible, and its foundation is sure! God’s love penetrates our hearts and souls, and we know without a doubt that we are the object of His divine love. Perhaps the most famous Bible verse, John 3:16, affirms this love for us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Not only did He sacrifice His beloved Son, Jesus, but He did so while we were still His enemy. Romans 5:8 tells us “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Even knowing how depraved we would be, how sinful we would live, the Bible also says in Jeremiah 31:3 that “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” God has loved us forever and will continue to do so!

Additionally, God wanted us to have no misconceptions about the extent of His love, so He gave us His Holy Spirit to confirm this great love for us through the illumination of the Scriptures, which testify to the enormity of His love for us. Here are a few verses that manifest the love of God.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” Ephesians 2:4-5

Whether you receive a remembrance of love from someone or not on this Valentine’s Day, you do have a gift from God to remind you of His great love for you. It’s the Bible, God’s Holy Word. Still not convinced? Open it up and go to the concordance. Look up the word “love,” then read those verses. When you are finished, there will be no doubt that God loves you! Happy Valentine’s Day!

In letters of crimson, God wrote His love
On a hillside so long, long ago
For you and for me, Jesus died
And love’s greatest story was told

I love you, I love you
That’s what Calvary said
I love you, I love you
I love you, written in red

(from “Written in Red” by Gordon Jensen)

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37

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Is God your valentine? If so, how have you shown your love for Him?

“And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.” Micah 1:4

Providence Canyon is known as Georgia’s “little Grand Canyon’ because of its colorful layers of sandstone and clay. With sixteen canyons total, it is a beautiful geological formation in southern Georgia. When I visited this site, I was struck by how much it reminded me of Arizona’s Grand Canyon.

The world-view scientific consensus is that the Grand Canyon began to be carved by the Colorado River about 5 million years ago, give or take a few hundred thousand years. One would assume that Providence Canyon also took a long time to form, but that’s not the case.

According to the Georgia Department of Education, “In the late 1800s people cleared the land of trees to farm the area. They took no measures to avoid soil erosion, so the small gullies from heavy rains continued to form and get deeper. By the 1850s these trenches were up to three feet deep causing a path for the water to continue to erode the soils during each heavy rain.” Apparently, we have Providence Canyon as a result of poor farming techniques.

It clearly doesn’t take millions of years to form a canyon, and while it may have taken more than 200 years for the Grand Canyon to form, there isn’t a compelling argument to insist that it’s formation took as long as traditionally believed. It is more believable that a worldwide flood 6,000 years ago carved Arizona’s famous landmark as waters receded, especially when you look at the short history of Providence Canyon’s formation.

“The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.” Nahum 1:5

This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas–
His hand the wonders wrought.

(from “This is My Father’s World” by Maltbie D. Babcock)

“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” Job 38:4

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Never underestimate our Creator!

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4

I am constantly amazed by what God does for me. Not that I doubt what He can do, it’s just that sometimes I forget how much He loves me (above and beyond saving me from my sins – as if that’s not enough!), and He actually loves to do things for me as undeserving as I am.

I love to write, and today’s blog has to do with how the Lord unexpectedly blessed me in regards to writing my latest novel. Having finished the manuscript, it was time to design a cover for the book. A few months ago, I had been sent a picture of a beautiful painting of the crucifixion. It would be perfect for my book cover! After a little bit of research, I located the artist and asked how much it would be to use his work on the cover of my book. The cost was too much for me, so I put Plan B into action. I decided to ask my granddaughter, Ryanna, if she would consider drawing the cover for me. I knew she loved to draw, and I already had several of her illustrations on display in my home.

Happily, she took the challenge and produced exactly what I wanted! It did, however, have many similarities to the original painting, and I was concerned about copyright infringement. After one email to the artist, he gave me permission (at no cost!) to use both his painting and Ryanna’s drawing any way I wanted! I was stunned in disbelief. It was incomprehensible to me that a famous artist would be “moved by the Lord” to meet my need (his words). God blessed me in a way I had never expected! Ephesians 3:20-21 states “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

It was more than I could have ever asked for… in fact, it truly was more than I asked for because I had never taken this matter to the Lord in prayer. I never considered asking him to intervene because I thought that it was too small a thing with which to bother God, but Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…!”  He truly did bless me above all that I thought could be possible for my cover design!

When I shared this with my daughter, she reminded me that God delights in giving His children the desires of their hearts even when they don’t ask Him for it. It’s hard to admit how forgetful I am at times in my relationship with God. I forget He really does cares about the little things. I forget He loves me as a father loves his child (Matthew 7:11) and how important I am to Him. “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)

I had forgotten that God cares about even the smallest things in our lives. I Peter 1:5 states “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” This verse doesn’t tell me to cast only the big things in my life; it says to cast all things upon Him. Shamefully, I asked Him to forgive me for forgetting to pray about this, and I know He forgave me without hesitation. What amazing love He has for me… and you!

Today, I am once again humbled by God’s goodness to me. I continue to be awed by what He’s done for me… how He answered a prayer I never uttered, and how He blessed me beyond anything I could have imagined. I cannot understand the love He has for me, but I am so very glad He loves me as He does!

Oh, how He loves you and me
Oh, how He loves you and me
He gave his life
What more could He give
Oh, how He loves you
Oh, how He loves me
Oh, how He loves you and me

(from “Oh, How He Loves You and Me” by Kurt Kaiser)

“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39

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God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. – Augustine

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

Today everything around me became a winter wonderland! The snow began to fall mid-morning, and I watched in wonder as the flakes grew larger, and their whiteness began to envelop everything. When I went outside, it was so quiet; there was an all-encompassing serenity everywhere as the snow continued to silently fall. Soon everything was blanketed in white, and then unexpectedly, the birds came out! Their songs were the only thing I could hear as they fluttered around my bird feeder.

This was a beautiful picture of the forgiveness of sin. Upon accepting Jesus’ atoning work on the cross, our sins are forgiven forever. God removes them as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), and He remembers them no more (Hebrews 8;12). We become “whiter than snow” because of His righteousness. And then, when the Holy Spirit of God illuminates our understanding and we realize who we now are in Christ, we burst forth in song as we rejoice in our salvation!

There’s within my heart a melody;
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
“Fear not, I am with you, peace, be still,”
In all of life’s ebb and flow.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know,
Fills my every longing, keeps me singing as I go.

(from “He Keeps Me Singing” by Luther B. Bridgers)

“The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.” Isaiah 14:7

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Thank you Lord for saving my soul!