This Is My Father’s World
(A friend of mine’s view from her home Sunday evening ~ thanks, Dawn!)
Father, between this morning’s sermon and the experiences of the day, I just have to give You praise for all that You have created! It accomplishes so many things in our lives – peace, contentment, inspiration, and assurance – to name but a few. Praise You for Your mighty acts!
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My heart is full tonight and I need to run with it! Our mighty Creator has moved me! This morning my sermon was Creation Waits and a portion of it dealt with the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Romans 8:20-21,
But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
As I preached, I couldn’t help but think of the beauty I see every day! I write about it frequently. I share pictures of the beauty around me with family and friends alike. I enjoy scenes of grandeur shared by friends. Many have a great appreciation for the gifts our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us and rejoice.
Before I even began to write, a hymn came to mind, This Is My Father’s World.
I’m sure you’re surprised but I have a few books that are composed of the stories behind our hymns – and I loved the story behind this one!
This Is My Father’s World is from a poem written by Maltbie Babcock, who at the time was pastoring the Lockport Presbyterian Church in Lockport, New York. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was a jack of all trades and master of many, actually! He was an outstanding athlete. He directed his university’s orchestra and glee club. He sang. He played several instruments. He was an artist and entertained his friends with impersonations!
But he was most definitely a man who enjoyed God’s creation. While in Lockport he would tell his secretary, as he slipped out for a run or a hike in the countryside, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.” And over time he wrote a sixteen-stanza poem about his love for God and His creation.
Here are the lyrics of the first three verses and I’ve included a recording of it by another one of my favorite Christian artists, Chris Rice. Enjoy the beauty of his rendition and get out to see our Father’s world!
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong
Seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
The battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
(Many of the details of Babcock’s life were from Then Sings My Soul: 150 pf the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories,
written by Robert J. Morgan, published in Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ©2003.)
July 19th, 2020, Sun, 9:11 pm
What Needs Said
Thank You, Father, for a productive day – both inside and out! Bless this time of focused interaction. Amen.
Luke 12:11-12 (<<click to read the passage)
I don’t know how many hours a week that I spend writing. Between the blog and my weekly sermon, there are several hours involved. Just like everyone does, I have life experiences and I am blessed to be able to put them together into messages that I strive to align with Biblical truth.
I have taken no classes in writing. I have not read a single book or article or watched a single video on the “How-Tos” of writing. Looking at it, somewhat objectively (it’s hard when you’re writing about yourself!), I honestly feel that the Holy Spirit [teaches me] at that time what needs to be said.”
Some days it is a struggle. There are times when I have worn myself out with physical activity. Sometimes I have been gone all day and get home late and I need to sit down and write. I’m not complaining, it’s just the way it is.
For those who read what I write regularly, you will remember that on numerous occasions I have mentioned in my opening prayer, my mental state, and prayed for God’s intervention…He has never let me down.
There are times when I get done and think, “Who in the world will get anything out of that?” I don’t get a whole lot of feedback from readers but usually, that is when someone will comment about how that particular post spoke to them. God can use anything that is put into His hands.
Another interesting thought that I have on occasion is wondering who really reads what I write. I find it comforting to see people’s reactions to pictures of our home or our flowers and the beautiful things of God’s creation that I share. When I see them “like” those things on Facebook or make a comment about them, I think, “Hm, people are looking at what I post. They might just read my blog, too!”
I have friends who would probably be less inclined to read something of a faith-based nature. But God’s ways are not my ways, and I know He may very well place a particular post before someone’s eyes who would never choose to read it. But there it is, and it catches their eye and God has one more opportunity to work.
I also post my blog on Pinterest. Karen loves it but beyond my blog, I don’t use it a whole lot…but many people do. I think that many of my international readers have found me through Pinterest. A couple of my posts have been very popular.
Now I’m pretty sure they are drawn in by the pictures, but I would think that some read the posts, too. For example, one post I wrote back in March 2018, is entitled Be as Snakes and Doves. People probably look at it because it would make a pretty cool tattoo! But it has been pinned to people’s boards on Pinterest 2,034 times! God is using it!
Another one was entitled Cancel Code Yellow. It was posted in June 2017. It has been pinned 2,584 times! God uses it all as He sees fit. (If you’d like to see the pics, click on the titles.)
God uses the gifts and abilities He has given us…especially when we lay them at His feet…especially when we lay ourselves at His feet. No matter where we are, no matter who we stand before, the Holy Spirit will use us. He will give us at that time what needs to be said.
July 16th, 2020, Thurs, 7:43 pm
Pull-a-Card!
Father, this one would be appropriate every day!
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
….be pleasing in your sight,
….Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NLT
Luke 12:10 (<<click to read the passage)
My wife, Karen, teaches 1st Grade and one of her main means of discipline for her students is a “Pull-a-Card” behavior management system. At the beginning of each day, each student has a total of 5 cards in a pocket with their name on it. When they break one of the class rules, she makes them pull a card from the pocket. The first card pulled serves as a warning. If they pull a second card, they lose a recess. A third card pulled means they cannot participate in the class’s monthly reward party. Card number four, a note goes home informing their caregivers. And finally, pulling the fifth card earns them a trip to the principal’s office.
Her kids all know the rules and know the ramifications of breaking the rules. Oh, and one more thing, if they can avoid pulling cards for an entire week – they get a treat at the end of the week!
When it comes to being an obedient follower of Jesus, we know the rules. Sometimes we may struggle as to what is right or wrong but, in most instances, we know. Another thing we know is that Jesus doesn’t have a “Pull-a-Card” behavior management system. If He did, I think my cards would be worn to pieces! Fortunately for us, Jesus forgives and forgives and forgives again! We have to ask for forgiveness but every time we do so, we are forgiven! That is one of the awesome aspects of following Him!
Jesus says in verse 10, “Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven…” That is great news! But… “anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” (emphasis mine)
This verse has worried earnest followers of Christ for generations. Many may ask, “How do I know if I’ve blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?! What does that mean even?”
Way back in Luke 11:15, some of those who opposed Jesus accused Him by saying, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”
That is the beginning of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
My study Bible* makes it clear.
The unforgivable sin is attributing to Satan the work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Thus, it is the deliberate and ongoing rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work and even of God himself. A person who has committed this sin is far from God and totally unaware of any sin at all. If you fear you have committed this sin, be assured that your very concern shows that you have not sinned in this way.
God wants us to succeed in following Him! No need to pull a card, asking forgiveness is all He requires, and believe you me, the treat we receive for our obedience is simply out of this world!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
July 15th, 2020, Wed, 8:42 pm
Oh, The Choices!
A day of labor, Father, not at my laptop but of a physical sort. Thank You for the strength to do such things. May I never take such things for granted for there will come a day when they will be much more difficult and eventually when they won’t be possible at all. Amen.
Luke 12:8-9 (<<click to read the passage)
One thing about living in our society is the fact that we have lots of choices. Or maybe these words might drive home the point – oodles, gobs, loads, scads, a slew, or tons. Cereal aisles for instance. Isn’t it crazy?!
Out of curiosity I went onto Kroger’s website and looked up how many different kinds of cereal they have available. They had 17 pages of cereal from which to choose! There was a total of 391 different results! It blew me away! And that was just the cold breakfast cereal choices! That’s just one example!
Books, games, cars, restaurants, watches, even underwear – you name it and we have all kinds of choices from which to choose!
Have you bought a Bible recently? There are more translations than you can shake a stick at and then you have to decide between a slew of study Bibles, regular or large print, paperback, hardback or leather (which includes imitation, goatskin, calfskin, calf split, cowhide, French Morocco, genuine and bonded leather!) It’s just too much!
With Jesus, it’s quite a bit more sane. You don’t have to choose one color from the 152 count Crayola Box! (Here’s the list!) With Jesus, it is black and white. It’s either His way…or it’s not.
Today’s passage from Luke’s Gospel reads,
“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. Luke 12:8-9 NLT
Our choice is a simple one – acknowledge Him here on earth or deny Him here on earth. Whichever one you pick; it will be done the same to you. It isn’t complicated.
For more clarity, my study Bible (a hardbound, standard print, Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation!) has a great list to help us understand what it means to deny Jesus or to acknowledge Him.
We deny Jesus when we
(1) hope no one will find out we are Christians,
(2) decide not to speak up for what is right,
(3) are silent about our relationship with God,
(4) blend into society, and
(5) accept our culture’s non-Christian values.
By contrast, we acknowledge him when we
(1) live moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives,
(2) look for opportunities to share our faith with others,
(3) help others in need,
(4) take a stand for justice,
(5) love others,
(6) acknowledge our loyalty to Christ, and
(7) use our lives and resources to carry out his desires rather than our own.
Black or white…what will you choose?
July 14th, 2020, Tues, 7:22 pm
Sparrows
Father, what a beautiful day! The life that is seen and unseen all about me gives me cause to lift Your name in praise! All praise be unto You, God Almighty!
Luke 12:6-7 (<<click to read the passage)
Sparrows… Have you ever seen one? That’s a silly question. There are found in Northern Africa, Europe, the Americas and much of Asia. They are seemingly everywhere! In reading an online article from Smithsonian Magazine that was speaking of where this small, seemingly insignificant, bird originated, it stated, “…the house sparrow depends on humans to such an extent it might be more reasonable to say it is native to humanity rather than to some particular region.”
For a good many of us, sparrows are where we are. But honestly, we hardly think twice about them.
My Aunt Ruby recently shared the reflections of a friend of hers regarding sparrows. And it caught my mind’s eye in that she said that they don’t provide food for us, they don’t sing lovely melodies, they aren’t vibrant with color. Really, why should we even be mindful of them?
Do you ever feel like a sparrow? Just one insignificant person amongst the billions of people across the globe. Most of us are not flashy. Most of us lead a rather hum-drum existence. We are here for a few years and then we are gone. Do many even notice our coming or going? Some do, yes, but all in all we are but a blip on the radar of a vast humanity.
And we are not alone. Even King David, 3,000 years ago, wrote,
I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop. Psalm 102:7 NKJV
As David did, you may feel like a sparrow but take heart! Jesus said,
“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 NLT
You may be one amongst billions, but God knows you! And most importantly, God loves you more passionately than you could ever imagine!
Of course, all of these thoughts bring to mind an old hymn (Surprise!) It is entitled, His Eye Is on the Sparrow. It was written by Civilla D. Martin with music by Charles H. Gabriel back in 1905. Here are the lyrics and a video rendition of it sung by one of my favorite Christian artists of all time, Larnelle Harris.
Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He.
His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.
His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.
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.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear;
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fear.
I draw the closer to Him; from care He sets me free.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
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.
July 13th, 2020, Mon, 7:27 pm