Author: Jayne Lawson

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”

I do not like spiders. In fact, I have a very strong fear of these eight-legged creatures. It doesn’t matter if they are big and scary, or tiny and harmless, they still frighten me. However, a spider became an inspiration for me as I faced a difficult situation and found my hope dwindling.

When a spider builds its web, it weaves a beautifully intricate pattern composed of silken threads. The web is its home, and its main function is to capture prey for food. Occasionally, I find a web near my garden where I like to sit and read my Bible. I grab a nearby stick and use it to wipe away the web in hopes that the spider will not return to build again. But it does. The next day, another web is there! Again, it is shimmering in the sunlight with tiny drops of dew on its threads taunting me. Bravely, I wipe it away again, feeling victorious until I see it! A tiny little creature is suspended by a thin silk thread dangling from a broken web. The spider simply hangs on, swaying in the breeze. I realize that the delicate little thread of silk is its only hope, and it clings to it. Resigned, I know that later it will move up the thread and begin the process of web-making once more, maybe hoping its web will finally remain intact. For whatever reason, I can’t kill the spider. I actually feel a wee bit of compassion for it, so I let it be. I wonder if its heart is sad when I destroy its web, and then once the web is restored, it becomes a hopeful “web of life” to the spider by providing a way to get food and a place to dwell.

There are times when my hopes are threatened with destruction. The web of life that binds together my heart, spirit, and soul becomes heavy and in despair. But like the little spider, I also have a thread of hope that is my lifeline, and that thread of hope is the Word of God. No matter how many times I am knocked down and lose hope, no matter how many times my “web of life” is torn asunder, I have a scarlet thread that connects me to my Saviour. It alone is my hope, and I cling to it. It is what the Holy Spirit uses to encourage me. It is God’s infallible Word that will overcome any fears or doubts I harbor in my heart, and when my thread of hope is rebuilt into a web of spiritual truths, a “tree of life” springs up within me, encouraging me in my situations, and helping me remember that God causes all things to work together “…for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Like that little spider, I just need to hang on and trust God.

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

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Which verses in the Word of God has sustained you when hope was waning?

Proverbs 8:17 “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Love is a decision. When I “fell in love” with my husband, each phone call from him thrilled me, and every time we were together my heart soared! But eventually the flutterings of romance faded, and the reality of sustaining a relationship emerged. Most of the time, loving him is very easy, but occasionally it’s a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. (I’m sure he experiences the same with me!) Sometimes I am disappointed; sometimes I get angry; sometimes I am hurt, but through it all, I continue to love him. Why? Because I made a decision to love him.

Loving God is the same way. It is a decision I made. Initially when I first met God, I fell “head-over-heels” in love with Him, but like my love for John, the giddiness of new love changed into a more deep and abiding love as time went on. The newness wore off, and there were times when my expectations of God were not met. I faced times of questioning, disappointment, even anger with Him. It might have been easier to walk away, but I didn’t. Why? Because I made a decision to love Him.

Nowhere in I Corinthians 13 does it tell us that love is easy. In fact, if you read the chapter, you might come to the conclusion that loving someone is actually quite challenging. To love someone means being longsuffering toward them (having patience), putting them first, enduring all things, and more. That’s quite a bit different than the impression we get from greeting cards, isn’t it? Loving someone takes work, commitment, and determination.

I’ve never really thought about applying the principles of 1 Corinthians 13 to my relationship with God, but they are just as relevant to my love for God as they are to the love I have for my husband. So I wonder… am I patient with Him as I wait for Him to answer my prayers (v.4)? Am I humble before Him as I approach Him (v.4)? Do I act in a way that pleases and honors Him (v.5)? Do I rejoice in the truths that He shows me in His Word (v.6)? Does my love for God bear all things, even the hard things (v.7)? Do I believe all the things that He has promised (v.7)? Do I endure all things, knowing He will meet my every need (v.7)? When life gets rough, do I pull away from God, or do I have hope in Him and run toward Him (v.7)?

Sometimes things happen in my relationship with God that are unexpected, and some of those things I may not understand or even like. But those things don’t change the fact that I love Him.  Loving God is a decision I made a long time ago. He made a decision to love me too. In spite of my sin, my failures, my humanity, on an old rugged cross, God made His decision to love me.

Oh, what love!

“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.” Jeremiah 31:3

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How has the knowledge that God made a decision to love you changed your life?

Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

A few weeks ago, I visited the library with my granddaughter. On the checkout desk there was a mesh enclosure in which several butterfly cocoons were suspended inside. The cocoons were unmoving, yet as my granddaughter rested her head on folded arms, she simply watched the seemingly dead grayish brown shrouds as they silently hung by a tiny appendage attached to a branchlike structure. Nothing was happening to them; they were as still as if they were frozen in time, yet her eyes never wandered from them as she quietly watched and waited. She knew that at the right moment, something glorious would happen… a beautiful butterfly would emerge! She didn’t know if this would be the day, so she carefully scanned the cocoons for a sign of their imminent coming.

When Jesus was buried, his disciples retreated to a safe place. Unsure of what the future held for them, they waited. For what? I can only speculate. Perhaps, like my granddaughter, they hoped for a favorable sign that something good would soon happen. Maybe they were just hoping for something…anything… that would replace the growing fear in their hearts. Maybe they sat quietly, huddled together, waiting, not knowing what to do, when suddenly all their fears were replaced with joyous celebration! Three days after the crucifixion, Jesus was alive! He had risen from the dead and appeared to His followers! From that moment on, His disciples were empowered to share the gospel message with the world… Jesus is alive! The Son of God has risen from the dead!

Today, we are in a waiting period as well. We see the signs all around us, but we are still waiting. For what? The “glorious appearing” of Jesus! In John 14, Jesus told His disciples that He was going to heaven to be with His Father for the specific purpose of preparing a place for those who believed in Him. He then added, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). Jesus is coming again! There is no other Biblical prophecy needing to be fulfilled before He returns, and so we wait.

Waiting does have its rewards. My granddaughter was rewarded for her patience. Yesterday, we went to the library again. The mesh enclosure was filled with multicolored butterflies flitting about, spreading their wings. The disciples were rewarded for their faithfulness when Jesus appeared to them in the Upper Room and they saw their risen Saviour. We, too, will be rewarded one day soon when we hear the shout and finally see our Lord Jesus Christ descending to meet us in the air!

As you celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, keep waiting expectantly… He could return today!

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

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“Oh, what a moment, when we see Jesus;
When we stand face to face in His embrace;
And thank Him for amazing grace,
Oh! what a moment, when we see Him.”

(excerpt from “Oh, What a Moment” by Squire Parsons)

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

Everything is not always black or white, or so I’ve been told. I’ve heard that there are always “gray areas.” For example, just yesterday for the first time, I heard of a flexitarian. I can remember a time when a person either ate meat or they didn’t. Now there are turketarians, lactotarians, ovotarians, and more! There actually are far too many “-tarians” to enumerate here.

Gray areas can also be found in personal accountability. For example, I grew up during a time when lying was considered to be wrong… period. Now, there are bold-faced lies, lies of omission, white lies… all related to a specific degree of lying in which some are supposedly less of a lie than others and thus more acceptable.

Lastly, I remember a time when there were only two political ideologies… conservative or liberal! Now we are plagued with “gray areas” in our government. We have the moderates, the extremists, the progressives, the ultra-this or that, and even some positions that seem to be anti-American!

Gray areas seem to be a way to legitimize a position of compromise or the unwillingness to take a stand. If I can’t make a decision, I can opt for a “gray area.” As I pondered my verse for today, I realized there are no gray areas in a life lived for Jesus. Living for Christ is definitely black or white. I’m either striving to follow God’s Word, or I’m not. And what was even more eye-opening for me was that if I am not living for Christ, I am living against Him! There is no middle road (Matthew 12:30). I am to live my life according to what I am learning through His Word. It is a continuous learning process, which enables me to grow in my faith and make decisions that are “right in the sight of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 12:28). If I choose not to follow Christ, then I am deciding to follow the ways of the world and the powers of darkness. I cannot claim to be walking with Christ if I continue to have one foot in the world. It just doesn’t work that way. That doesn’t mean I am perfect. I still make wrong choices, but I learn from them, repent of them, seek His forgiveness, and continue striving to live a life more acceptable to God.

The choice is clear. Either I’m walking with Christ or I’m not. Period. No shades of gray.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”                    – Joshua 24:15

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“Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord, to thee.”  (excerpt from “Take my Life and Let It Be” by Frances R. Havergal)

John 13:36 “Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.”

My husband and I have a trip coming up soon. We will be traveling to a foreign country to which we have never been before. John has been perusing the travel books for months, and he is feeling confident in the sites he has chosen for us to visit. I have been studying an online language program and now have mastered the common greetings and essential questions, or at least what I consider to be essential. We have even booked an overland rail tour, trusting our tour guide to show even more than we will see on our own. There has been a lot to do in preparation for our trip, but we are ready!

As a Christian, there is another trip that I am anticipating. Once again, I will be traveling to a place I’ve never been before, but I’ve heard so much about it that I can’t wait to see it! It’s heaven! Some of my family and friends are already there, and I am eager to join them to see the sites. I already have the travel guide, my Bible, and I’ve been reading about my destination. With golden streets and a crystal sea, it sounds absolutely wonderful! When I first get there, I’ll be partaking in a fabulous “get acquainted” supper that I think is going to last for about seven years!! I’ll meet my personal tour guide for the first time face-to-face. His name is Jesus, and He has some exciting excursions planned for me! It sounds like it’s going to be the best trip ever!

I’m hoping to take a few friends with me, but the departure date is just around the corner, so you need to book it now. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to show you my travel guide. It explains exactly how you can go on this trip. It starts down the Romans Road and once you’ve walked that path, you’ll be off on the most wonderful adventure you could ever imagine! Oh, the best part about this trip to heaven… it lasts forever! I hope to see you there!

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

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Are you ready to go?

Luke 12:7 “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

I am chuckling to myself as I write this. I am envisioning God with His arms crossed, a slight tilt to His head, and a faint smile on His face as He looks down at me and simply shakes His head. I can almost hear Him saying, “Really, Jayne, if you’d just quit trying so hard and let me handle it, everything will work out as it should.”

I need to listen to Him.

Lately, my morning devotionals have been spot on for my immediate needs, and through them God has been showing me how vital it is to begin my days with Him. I know, you’re saying, “What? Doesn’t she know this?” Yes, I do, but sometimes the truth has to hit me in the face repeatedly for me to grasp it. I thought I’d share a few of the “Aha!” moments I’ve recently had.

Aha! moment #1 – I have been having a difficult time trying to maintain a healthy regimen to the point that I was constantly thinking about the failures of my efforts. God sent me a message: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Truth – I need to depend on Him for it is through Him that I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).

Aha! moment #2 – I have been trying to figure out what words to use when sharing tracts with people I meet during the day. I play out scenarios in my head, but nothing seems right, so I’ve refrained from handing them out. God sent me a message: ““If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5). Truth – I need to remember that He is the One who will equip me with what I need in order to do that to which He has called me (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Aha! moment #3 – I have been concerned about which road to take in regards to publishing a book. Unable to contact one of my publishers, I have been fretting about what to do. God sent me a message: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). Truth – I need to remember that even the little things in my life are important to God, for He did not say to cast some of my cares upon Him, but rather all of them! (Philippians 4:6)

So, what have I learned? My life will undoubtedly be filled with “Aha!” moments as the Holy Spirit continues His work in me. Thankfully, He never tires, even when it takes me a long time to finally “get it.” The importance of beginning each day with the Scriptures is what will sustain me, guide me, and keep me near to the heart of God. That’s where I want to be… that’s where I need to be.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.” – Psalm 19:7-11

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What “Aha!” moment have you experienced lately?

Proverbs 27:9 “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.”

Last year, with the help of my granddaughters, I planted a small flower garden on the perimeter of my prayer garden. Never having the proverbial green thumb of a proficient gardener, I wondered what would happen to the garden this year. I haven’t tended it with the exception of spreading some mulch around the dormant (I hoped) or dead (probably) plants from last year. For the last few days, I’ve been eyeing a few suspicious buds that seemed to have appeared just recently. Today, I was rewarded with a beautiful little pink rose that had burst forth to greet the morning sun! It was surrounded by a few more promising buds with hints of pink visible between the sepals.

As I oohed and ahhed over my roses, my thoughts meandered to my day at church yesterday, and my heart oohed and ahhed once more over the sweet ladies at my church that I count as friends. I love them! For whatever reason, this past Sunday I was overwhelmed by the friendships that I have made over the years there. Some of these ladies are older than me, some are younger, and I treasure them all. Sometimes they smile at me across the sanctuary (tiny buds of color); sometimes they meet me in the aisle and give me a warm hug (newly opened bloom), and sometimes they share part of their lives with me through an encouraging word or story (full flowered blossom). I truly have a lovely garden of wonderful friends!

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  – Hebrews 10:24-25

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How do you blossom in someone else’s friendship garden?

John 4:14 “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Last night in AWANA, a little boy in my Sparks group came up to me with these flowers in his hand. He said he had kept them in the bottom of his backpack, and now wanted to give them to me. The sweetness of his gift really made my night! Sadly, by the time I had arrived home, they had wilted badly, and I doubted they would survive. However, I put them in a glass of water before I went to bed. This morning, I awakened to this sight! They were as beautiful now as they had been when he had given them to me!

As I gazed at them, I realized that I was just like those flowers. Sometimes I feel wilted and barely able to make it with all the burdens of life, but when I am refreshed with God’s “living water,” I perk up once more, refreshed and ready to continue on for Jesus!

Feeling a bit weary? Dip yourself into God’s Word for a refreshing drink of His living water! You’ll be amazed at the difference in your life!

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”   – Psalm 1:3

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Know someone who’s been drooping lately? Offer them some of the Lord’s living water!