Is God Searching For You?

 When I was around eleven years old, or so, we stayed on the property of a friend who did lapidary work.  She went on rock hunting expeditions and found raw rock that held lovely surprises inside.  With the tap of a hammer, she revealed a rough stone that was not beautiful yet.

  Formed millions of years ago, these gems waited for her experienced hand to turn them into something extraordinary. Before my fascinated eyes, she freed them from the past and made them into something new and beautiful.   With tools such as slicers, saws, buffers, and tumblers she shaped and polished them to their true beauty.

She then made them into jewelry: pins, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings, each one of a kind.  People came from long distances to see and buy her wares.

In the same way, God seeks us and calls our name.  When we turn to Him and acknowledge Him, he hones and polishes us to the perfection possible for us.

He makes us into a new creation who will spend eternity with Him. Each of us is a beautiful jewel in God’s collection.

Is God searching for you?  Listen carefully and you may hear His voice.  He wants to free the jewel inside of you and let your brilliance and beauty shine forth.  He wants to bring you to Himself to hold for eternity.  It is up to you as He never forces anyone to come to Him.  He wants you to come now, just as you are.  Are you ready?  

Photos from Public Domain

It All Burned

I heard someone screaming near the house on the street behind us.  I looked over and saw flames leaping high in the air.  I called 911 and they said they were on the way.

As the owner visited a nearby friend, the fire devoured everything she owned.  Neighbors used  garden hoses.to save the place next door    It was damaged but not destroyed.

 One moment, she had the treasures accumulated over a lifetime.  Minutes later, it all burned.  She lost things we take for granted.  She needed to replace medications, ID cards, drivers license, all her clothing, everything.

 Her community rallied to help, as she had no insurance.  Donations poured in, both money and material things. People debated the cause of the fire.  Many said it was accidental while others thought it was deliberately set.

 

Confirmation of the suspicions of most of the neighbors led to more unease and distress.  Another house also burned earlier in the week and everyone knew it was not an electrical problem.

Naturally we all felt stressed, jumping at every strange noise as we wondered who would be next. We all looked suspiciously at unknown cars and strangers in our neighborhood. Some wondered if the culprit lived here. Rumors quickly arose and made it hard to filter truth from gossip.  In short, we worried about our houses, our safety, and the well being of others around us.

Many things happen every day.  Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, fires, mudslides and other disasters threaten our peace of mind.  However, it is all in God’s hands.

Matthew in the Bible told us a lot about worry.

Matthew 6:27-29

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 

 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  KJV

Bad stuff happens all the time.  You read about on the Internet, hear it on the radio or television and sometimes hear it from a friend.  When it strikes close to home, it affects us more deeply as we know what happened and more important, who experienced it.

We can rest assured that in spite of what happens, God cares for us.  He provided aid and comfort to our neighbor through friends and strangers.  Even as human behavior grows more bizarre by the minute, God still takes care of us.  Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead.  He will heal our wounds, our secret fears, and the dread of the world’s surprises if we turn to Him trust Him and take Him at his word.

 

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  KJV

All photos  from public domain.

I Remember Daddy

My dad was quite a character.  He was a mining engineer, meaning that we moved a lot.  There was always a fabulous gold mine beyond the hill, lead and zinc begging him to dig it out of the earth, and Spanish loot or buried treasure to find in his spare time.  When he came home with a sparkle in his eye and toting a hunk of rock, we just started packing.  We knew we were moving and he always took his family with him.

He often told us stories.  He regaled us with tales of four legged snakes, monkeys in the zoo, ferocious lions stalking around and many others.  You probably never knew that zoo monkeys eat pancakes with syrup on Sunday. His vivid imagination and intelligence help set off a spark of creativity in my life.

He was always around doing the best he could for my mom and us until he disappeared from our lives when I was 12.  There was no more time to ask questions, say I love you,” or even tell him goodbye.

What about your father?

Father’s Day gives us a chance to reflect on our fathers and show our appreciation. If he has departed this earth, it is a good day to tell stories of old times, look through the photo albums and reminisce, and keep his memory alive in our children and grandchildren.

If your father is alive there is still time. Ask him the stories of his life.  Make peace with him if you need to do that.  Forgive him or ask him to forgive you. Tell him of your love and appreciation.  God, in the Bible, tells us to honor our parents.

To all dads

Happy Father’s Day and thanks to fathers everywhere.  Have a happy day. You mean so much to your children, no matter their age.  “A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.”   Knights of Pythagoras

Find Peace in an Evil World

Sometimes people tell me they do not listen to the news any more.  They say it is scary and depressing.  The news is full of heinous crimes, senseless killings, and bizarre events. Through social media, specialized news sites, videos taken by citizens, and other means, we are bombarded with information about what is wrong with the world.  It is evil and we must live here.

During World War 11, the demonic Hitler unleashed himself upon Europe. He wanted to create a master race by eliminating people that he considered inferior.  Mass slaughter, slow starvation, lack of medical care, and medical experimentation killed millions.

One of my best friends lived in Denmark at the time.  I met her in high school in California.   She told me the story of that time as a small child in wartime.

Her parents hid Jews in their house knowing how dangerous it was. They were unafraid because they knew that God was in control of whatever happened.  

Another good friend lived in Holland during the blitz.  Daily and sometimes hourly air raids forced her, her family, and others into shelters.  Life became scary and unpredictable.  She tells of the terror of a six year old when bombs exploded all around them.  She knew even then that God was with her.

Evil lived in the world then as it does today.  War, genocide, rioting, kidnapping, and other ills take many lives.  People suffer and die from horrible diseases.  Gunmen run amok.  Snipers kill people in the mall or fast food places.  The war on drugs ruins many lives. Invasions, sneak attacks, scams, and unknown horrors lurk ready to strike. 

How to find peace

What can you do to insulate yourself from the increasing trouble and chaos in the world now and to come?  Know that God is in control.    The first step is to spend some time getting to know Him.

How can you know God better?

Think of your best friends.  You got to know them by talking to them.  You found out what they think about things and their reasoning behind it.  You spent time with them and learned from each other.  While we will never know the thoughts of God, we can become closer to Him.

Spend time talking to God.  Bring Him your requests and pleas for yourself and others.  Praise his excellent goodness.  And spend time listening for answers.  Conversations run both ways, it takes more than one.

Learn more about God

Spend time reading the Bible, the inspired word of God.  Many people wrote it in different styles and from different perspectives, and many years apart but the stories show you God’s relationships with people.  It tells what makes Him angry and what makes Him glad. Through reading you get to know Him better.

When the next disaster strikes, when the next madman tries to take over the world, or personal tragedy blots your life, you will know that God is in control.  You can know the peace that passes all understanding.  Start now or start anew.  You knew you always wanted to do that.  Now is your time.

All photos from public domain.