Stony Conclusions ~ Merciful Loving

Stony and cold ~ taken last winter

I have stony places in my heart.
Because of my love for truth and its implications,
I justify these pride-filled inclinations.

God’s truth deserves allegiance.
It is absolute and unbending.
Truth, written in stone, is never ending.

But truth warmed by love is best.
Hardness impairs truth’s gentle out flowing.
Its embrace, annihilated by stones stacked for throwing.

Christ, the Truth, is our loving example.
Willingly, He brought light unto chaos.
The Rock, struck so that living water could reach us.

****

Out of adoration and allegiance to God’s word, it is all too easy to look down on those who don’t.  To walk in a hardened self-righteousness toward others. 

I accumulate grievances and conclusions
I judge and criticize
I demand perfection in others, when I’m not perfect myself

****

Stony conclusions vs Merciful Loving

God does not tolerate sin, but lest we forget, that includes our sin, too.  I am all too quick to make stony, judgmental conclusions about the shortcomings of others.  By doing so, I refuse to let mercy guide my willingness to love.  My stony heart runs the risk of growing cold.

Out of displeasure over their sins, stony hearts repel and reject others. 

Soft hearts, however, invite and embrace others, despite their flaws, remembering that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace.

Mercy requires that we love and believe the best for others.  We never condone or compromise on truth, but by recognizing our own sin, are able to reach out in love.  Mercy causes us to refrain from focusing on the flaws of others and instead take it all to the throne of God. 

Mercy lovingly draws near, then waits on the Lord for opportunities to share His uncompromising truth.

The law was given on stone.  It demanded perfection.  Through Christ, though, the veil was torn, splitting asunder the barriers of imperfection and making the living of the law possible.  Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf broke through the unattainable requirements of the law, thereby offering grace to the lost and rejected.

Christ died for all of our sins.  He is no respecter of persons, but wants everyone to come to the saving knowledge of His truth.

We all have areas in our hearts that are prone to hardness.  However, stones block our nearness to God.  They prevent His love from flowing forth, because stony places cluster as rocks; rocks that are all too easy to pick up and throw at one another.

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”
Ephesians 4: 14, 15

My prayer:
Lord, don’t let me become a vessel so hardened that I am closed off from loving others.  Break apart my stoniness.  Use the broken shards to collect and pour out living water. 

Keep my heart pliable.  Don’t let me remain in stony condemnation of others.  Remind me that I too am a sinner, ever in need of Your grace.

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Joy Realized ~ Prized Heritage: Poems For Karina

A bouquet for Karina

I no longer do, but for nearly twenty years, I worked as a baby nurse. I’ve attended many deliveries, held hundreds of newborns and seen countless tears by overjoyed parents.  No matter how often I witnessed the birth of a newborn, though, it never diminished my awe of the event.

Babies are a miracle from God.  Their arrival into this world brings a joy like nothing else.

It was an honor for me to write the following poems on behalf of Karina (Karina’s Thought) and her husband Kevin, in celebration of the birth of their first child, a son. 

One, Two, Three ~ Joy Realized

One cry from a newborn babe,
Our lives, now completely changed.
One glimpse at a tiny face,
Our plans, now rearranged.

Two eyes gazing back at us,
Our pride, now overflows.
Two hands, reaching out in trust,
Our love, now ever grows.

Three lives making family,
Our hearts, now intertwined.
Three souls meeting finally,
Our joy, now realized.

Although newborns typically bring much joy, there is also an inherent responsibility for the parents.  God forms a child in the mother’s womb, and then delegates the upbringing to mere humans.  The good news for parents, especially first time ones, is that He does not leave them to flounder, trying to figure out what to do in trying to raise their precious little one.

Contained within the pages of God’s Word are numerous passages and illustrations, teaching us how to raise our children.  To do it right, we must use Scripture as our sole authority.  Adding in the godly wisdom of Christian mentors and prayer supporters provides the path to successful parenting, especially in these troubled times.

Prized Heritage

Precious angels,
Blessed miracles;
Entrusted to us,
  Their hearts pliable.

Priceless treasures,
Needing to know;
Dependent on us,
So, Truth we must show.

Purposed offspring,
God’s own reward;
Expected from us,
To train in the Lord.

Prized heritage,
Gifts to raise right;
Requires that by us
On God we rely.

****

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.”
Psalm 127:3
NKJV

Many blessings Karina and Kevin!
With love, Sue
09/2014

Heavenly Serenity

Serenity ~  taken early one foggy morning

Heavenly serenity
A place of perfect rest
Free of calamity
Of wars and pestilence
Wondrous tranquility
Where peace weds discontent
Throughout eternity
No more unhappiness
God’s sweet serenity
Will bring true blessedness

****

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Revelation 21:4

“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.”
Psalm 46:9

Tranquility

Won’t it be wonderful there?

****

For more of my poems, go to Poetry Corner here

God’s Love Invading

Invading ~ the surroundings

I look around
And see God’s love
Invading
Every aspect of my life
And that’s a good thing

It’s flame
Igniting every fiber of my soul

I look behind
And see God’s mercy
Covering
Every sin-stained part of me
And that’s a saving thing

It’s benefits
Blessing every step of my eternity

I look ahead
And see God’s faithfulness
Fulfilling
Every one of His promises
And that’s a wondrous thing

It’s encouragement
Conquering every doubt in my being

I look above
And see God’s handiwork
Amazing
Every crevice of my heart
And that’s a glorious thing

It’s majesty
  Rising up as praise in my spirit

****

“Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.”
Psalm 40:16

I took the photo above, while on a trip with my husband to the Gulf earlier this year.  This was just one of the stunningly beautiful sunsets we saw.  It was as if the hues of orange and red invaded our surroundings, rendering permanent change to the landscape. 

God invaded the landscape of our world with love, when He sent us the Son. Through Jesus, the Father’s love drew near, and dwelt among us. However, God never intended that love simply to come near and just surround us. He longs for Christ’s sacrificial love to invade us, in a good way.

*If you let God, His love will invade your depravity, erase your past, and rearrange your destiny.  He will interrupt your plans and ignite your spirit with a song of praise.

Have you merely heard of God’s love?  Will you allow His love instead to invade your life, for good?

For more of my poetry, see Poetry Corner

God’s Opinion is What Matters ~ Snippets of Rain

Overlooked ~ clematis seed pod

People may dismiss you, do I?
People may overlook you, do I?

I made you.
I understand you.
I listen to your every word.
It doesn’t matter whether others think about you.

 When you connect with Me, I hear.
I’m Who matters.

****

Pour yourself into Me;
I receive you.

Take your eyes off the opinions of others;
I understand you.

Focus only on Me;
I complete you.

Dismiss the lies of the enemy;
I adore you.

Adored ~ my clematis this year

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”
Psalm 139:17

****

At times, I struggle with caring more about the opinions of others than what God thinks.  I have a hard time separating out their responses to me and focusing on His instead.
Yet, we answer to God, not man.
The Bible is clear that the fear of man brings a snare. (Prov. 29:25)  It traps us and stifles our progress.  We must never allow what others think to stop us from stepping into who God called us to be.

For similar posts, see Snippets of Rain