Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It's overcast, warm and humid today with a breeze blowing, and the smell of rain in the air. But, as a friend told me at church Sunday, every day is beautiful!( And he just recently lost his wife.) What a great attitude!
I did some chores around the house yesterday, and drove to Wendy's late in the afternoon to get a small salad. By that time it was sprinkling and did so for about thirty minutes, then it rained a little harder. There were very few people at the park, because of the light sprinkles, but I saw a beautiful white egret with his long neck stretched down toward the water, looking for lunch, at the bank of the canal. Nearby was an anhinga airing out the wings. I saw some fresh dirt at the gopher turtle hole, so, apparently, he is still going in and out. Good to know.
Well, I have been listening to and reading about the discussion of the pine tar in the glove incident with the pitcher for the Rays. I am not offering my opinion, but have been wondering why, if the Nationals mgr. knew about it because the pitcher used to be on his team, didn't he get reported when playing for the Nationals? Just curious. Cheating is cheating, and wrong, but one of the retired pitching coaches who lives here, says everyone uses pine tar to help grip the ball. A moral dilemma for some, but not for those who have a personal relationship with Jesus. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God devotional:
The city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it. For the splendor and radiance (glory) of God illuminates it, and the lamb is its lamp.
Revelation 21:23
Despite endless cloudy days this spring, the columbines still managed to bloom. Blue, scarlet, and gold bell-shaped flowers with delicate dangling spurs towered over lacy foliage. They danced gracefully in the breeze, their bright colors attracting hummingbirds. Yet, without God's sun, they didn't seem as radiant as in previous springs.
It is the same with humans. Although we follow our genetic codes and grow into healthy people physically, we have not radiance without the Son of God. The windows of our souls appear cloudy, and God's love cannot shine through us.
Just as columbines hunger for the sun's warm rays, our souls hunger for the loving presence of Jesus. Unlike the columbines, however, we can find the Son even on cloudy days of despair.
We can take action to find the Son by simply reading or listening to His Word and obeying it. We can meet Him in a flower garden, where each stem and blossom appear like signposts to His presence. We can hear His praises being sung by the rustle of leaves held in the tree's uplifted branches.
Getting to know Him in a personal way enlightens our soul. His radiance fills our hearts and enlivens our spirits with hope for eternal life with Him in Heaven.
In Heaven, the sun will not be needed because God himself will be our Light. Perhaps Heaven's columbines will always dance with radiance from the glow of God's glory.
(As a footnote; the first time I saw columbines was in Keystone, Colorado, as a delegate from our church. They were beautiful!)
The glory of God, and, as our
only means to glorifying him,
the salvation of human souls,
is the real business of life.
C. S. Lewis
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
