Mid-Week Message - Security From Our Father

"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."   Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

One of the vivid memories from my childhood is a time that there was a thunderstorm in Amarillo, Texas.  It was in the middle of the night and I was scared.  As I always did when I was afraid at night, I called out for my Daddy.  He came in to check on me and asked me what was wrong, even though he already knew.  Because I was feeling so insecure, he pulled my bed away from the window and positioned it near the door so that I could see across the hall to my parents' bedroom and know he was there and I was safe.  

I think back on that night now and realize what a beautiful picture it is of my relationship with God.  When I am scared, He is always there.  No matter what time of day or what the situation, He is always there to help me feel secure.  Just as my earthly father acknowledged my fear, so does the Lord.  During this past year there have been numerous times when I didn't know what was going to happen next.  Our lives were completely turned upside down and I found myself in unfamiliar territory not knowing what my next step should be or in which direction.  To say there were days when I was terrified is an understatement.  But I knew where I could go for refuge.  

Psalm 23:4 in the King James Version says, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."  When I read that there is something that jumps out at me and that is the word "shadow."  In order for there to be a shadow, there must be a source of light.  Since God is light, we know that even in those deep, frightening valleys we can be sure of His presence.  If we know that He is there then whatever is causing our fear loses its power.

Fear is a powerful tool used against us by the enemy.  He loves it when we feel frightened and alone.  It creates an opportunity for him to whisper such things to us as, "Where is your God now?"  He wants us to doubt the Lord's presence.  He wants us to feel isolated so that our faith will be shaken.  His goal is to create a wall of doubt that will separate us from the Father.  What we have to keep in mind is that there is nothing greater than the Almighty.  His greatness is always bigger than any situation we can find ourselves in and His light will always overcome any darkness that the enemy attempts to create.  We just have to have our eyes open to see it.  

I don't know what your circumstances are.  I share my own experiences in hopes that they may resonate with something you are either going through currently or have gone through.  My prayer is always that hearts can be touched in a timely manner and that the Lord will use the words He gives me to reach into lives that are needing to see His light.  I have no reason to write these messages except to glorify Him.  I pray for each of you and ask for His blessings in your lives.  If you are in a place of fear today, my hope is that you will see the Light that dwarfs whatever is causing your fear.  That light is the reassurance that you are not alone.  Keep your eyes on the Light rather than whatever is causing you to be fearful.  The temporary will always lose out to the eternal. 

Mid-Week Message - Always in His Sight

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer..."   1 Peter 3:12a  (NIV)

I can still see the look in his eyes.  When my daughter was four years old, we went to Texas City, Texas to visit my parents and my aunt and uncle.  One of the things I wanted to do was to take her to Galveston to see the beach and the ocean.  On the evening that we chose to go, my father, who never wanted to miss a moment with his first grandchild, decided to ride along.  

Before we got to the beach, she spotted a roadside carnival and began asking if we could go there after the beach.  She liked the sand and all the water, but she was most excited about stopping to have some fun on the way home.  Being that I also always loved carnivals, we stopped.  

She rode the Merry-Go-Round and a couple of other rides meant for young children.  We played a couple of the games and had some cotton candy.  She was curious about the Ferris Wheel so I asked the man who was running it if it would be safe for me to take her for a ride, as I was concerned about my weight causing a problem.  After giving me the history of the wheel, he assured me it was more than sturdy enough.  

Now my father had never liked this particular ride.  He didn't trust it and he surely did not want his daughter and granddaughter on it.  He told me he didn't think it was a good idea and he asked me to please reconsider.  However, by this time my daughter was excited and, frankly, so was I.  After taking our seat and as the wheel started moving, I looked at my father and saw distress.  He was so worried.  

When I recalled this incident the other day, I began thinking about our Heavenly Father and how diligent He is to watch His children.  Psalm 139 tells us that He is always aware of what we are doing, so I wonder what the look would be in His eyes when we put ourselves in danger or engage in sinful activities.  

The look in my dad's eyes came from his love for us.  If our parents love us that much, just think how incredible the love of God is!  I didn't honor Daddy's request and it hurt him because he was trying to keep us safe.  When we fail to follow the Lord's leading, we have to be aware that we are choosing our own path rather than staying under the protected cover of His wings.  

Thankfully, nothing happened to us that evening.  Were I to have the chance to relive the moment, I would take my father's advice because now I understand that, in his wisdom, he knew that I was putting both myself and my daughter in avoidable danger.  With age comes a deeper understanding of the frailty of life.  I am so grateful for his deep love and that the Lord chose that precious man to raise me.  And I am astounded by what the Father has taught me about Himself through my time with my dad.  

Lord, thank you that your eyes are always on us.  How I'd love to see the look of love that you have for each of your children.  

"I sing because I'm happy.  I sing because I'm free.  For His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."  💓

Mid-Week Message - A Lesson From a Ferris Wheel

  "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer..."   1 Peter 3:12a  (NIV)

I can still see the look in his eyes.  When my daughter was four years old, we went to Texas City, Texas to visit my parents and my aunt and uncle.  One of the things I wanted to do was to take her to Galveston to see the beach and the ocean.  On the evening that we chose to go, my father, who never wanted to miss a moment with his first grandchild, decided to ride along.  

Before we got to the beach, she spotted a roadside carnival and began asking if we could go there after the beach.  She liked the sand and all the water, but she was most excited about stopping to have some fun on the way home.  Being that I also always loved carnivals, we stopped.  

She rode the Merry-Go-Round and a couple of other rides meant for young children.  We played a couple of the games and had some cotton candy.  She was curious about the Ferris Wheel so I asked the man who was running it if it would be safe for me to take her for a ride, as I am always concerned about my weight causing a problem.  After giving me the history of the wheel, he assured me it was more than sturdy enough.  

Now my father had never liked this particular ride.  He didn't trust it and he surely did not want his daughter and granddaughter on it.  He told me he didn't think it was a good idea and he asked me to please reconsider.  However, by this time my daughter was excited and, frankly, so was I.  After taking our seat and as the wheel started moving, I looked at my father and saw distress.  He was so worried.  

When I recalled this incident the other day, I began thinking about our Heavenly Father and how diligent He is to watch His children.  Psalm 139 tells us that He is always aware of what we are doing, so I wonder what the look would be in His eyes when we put ourselves in danger or engage in sinful activities.  

The look in my dad's eyes came from his love for us.  If our parents love us that much, just think how incredible the love of God is!  I didn't honor Daddy's request and it hurt him because he was trying to keep us safe.  When we fail to follow the Lord's leading, we have to be aware that we are choosing our own path rather than staying under the protected cover of His wings.  

Thankfully, nothing happened to us that evening.  Were I to have the chance to relive the moment, I would take my father's advice because now I understand that, in his wisdom, he knew that I was putting both myself and my daughter in avoidable danger.  With age comes a deeper understanding of the frailty of life.  I am so grateful for his deep love and that the Lord chose that precious man to raise me.  And I am astounded by what the Father has taught me about Himself through my time with my dad.  

Lord, thank you that your eyes are always on us.  How I'd love to see the look of love that you have for each of your children.  

"I sing because I'm happy.  I sing because I'm free.  For His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."  💓