Isolated Place
Father, I am always grateful for Your watchcare over me. Getting up on the roof three times yesterday to repair a damaged cap on the vent of our woodstove, was more than I had bargained for but rain comes in this weekend. Up and down without a hitch – thank You, Father!
Luke 4:42 (<<click to read the passage)
When I first began this devotional journey back in 2015 my life was composed of different things. I was still working at Kohl’s and my schedule at that time lent itself more to getting up early to read, write and pray. Over time that changed and I began doing those things whenever I could squeeze them in, much as I do today.
I must say there was something special about rising before the world around me began to stir. At that time, I was usually up by 6:00 AM and it gave me a good hour to spend with the Lord. Traffic was almost non-existent. I would sit in the living room. Karen was still in bed. On most mornings it was still dark out. Peaceful. Still. Quiet.
The first part of today’s verse states,
“Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place.”
That is from the New Living Translation. Other versions use “secluded” (AMP), “solitary” (NIV), “remote” (MEV), and “desert” (KJV). It was vitally important that He get away – as far away as He was able – from all the hustle and bustle of life. His ministry was just getting started and already the crowds were diligently searching Him out.
But as my Life Application Study Bible states, “Jesus had to get up very early to get some time alone. If Jesus needed solitude for prayer and refreshment, how much more is this true for us?”
When we do it is not nearly as important simply doing it. Where we do it is not as important as simply doing it.
From experience, I am telling you that if you can make getting alone with Jesus a habit in your life – whenever and wherever you can – it will most definitely change your life.
How many well-meaning Christians crave a closer walk with Jesus? And it is just like anything else – you, and you alone, have to decide that it is important enough to do…to apply yourself to…to give yourself over to.
I need to lose weight but only I can decide that it is important enough to do.
I need to get into better shape physically but only I can make myself do it.
Alcohol abuse. Drug addiction. Pornography obsession. Gambling habit. The list can go on and on but only the person in the middle of it can make the choice to get out of it. We can seek out help but we must choose to begin.
Jesus’s greatest desire is for you to spend time with Him. He already knows you – and has known you since before the earth was formed (Ephesians 1:4)– so what is holding you back? Nothing – absolutely nothing – is more important than this decision…right here, right now. So what is it going to be?
Jan 8th, 2020, Wed, 5:47 pm
Dormant and Barren
What a beautiful last couple of days, Father! Even in this time of year where there is not much visible life, I am still moved to give You praise for the intricacy of Your creation! With foliage at its max, one can’t really see what lies on the floor of the woodlands or through the woodlands, but now all is laid bare. It is an interesting view into the previously unseen.
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Along that train of thought, I couldn’t help but notice the multitude of barren trees along the many highways and byways of my route this morning. If there were leaves present (and those trees were few and far between) they were brown and void of life.
As I pondered, the trees reminded me of humanity…specifically of those without the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives. All of us, like trees, exist because of the mighty hand of our Creator God. Each of us, at the core, has life within us – a spiritual life. But for many, that life is dormant. Until that life is brought out by our Creator, we are barren.
If trees could talk, don’t you think they would tell us that they may be dormant and barren now…but in their heart of hearts, they know that spring is coming. And with its arrival, they will be dormant and barren no more! They will enshroud themselves with lush foliage, beautiful to behold! Some similar in their beauty but not one single tree like another. They will proclaim God’s glory for they are what they were made to be, perfect in every way!
While trees may follow their Creator’s directive for life, we, on the other hand, have the ability to choose what we allow to happen to us. I have chosen His touch upon my life to no longer be dormant and barren but sadly, many others do not do the same. Instead, they try all kinds of things to find life but nothing works. Our world says, “Try this! Try that!” But to no avail. Only the touch of our Creator can bring life. Only He can enable us to enshroud ourselves with His love and the endless beauty it brings!
Lord Jesus, help us all to realize that only You can bring the grandest of our hopes and dreams to life. We find true fulfillment in You when we proclaim Your glory by becoming what we were made to be, perfect in every way! Amen!
He who has the Son [by accepting Him as Lord and Savior] has the life [that is eternal]; he who does not have the Son of God [by personal faith] does not have the life. 1 John 5:12 (AMP)
Jan 7th, 2020, Tues, 12:31 pm
But for a Breath
Father, thank You for so many words of encouragement that I have seen today in regards to the anxiety I posted on yesterday. I am grateful that Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9 NLT) Your assurance brings great comfort.
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Before Daylight Savings Time kicked in this past November, just about every morning I would see two white Pekin ducks and one mallard duck, off in the yard from a pond on my high school/middle school route. They waddled in a line purposely searching for food. There was nothing special or flamboyant about them. They were just your regular run of the mill ducks but they were a consistent part of my morning routine and brought a smile to my face each time I saw them.
A couple of weeks before Christmas break as I came up to that area from another direction, I beheld a disturbing sight. It was still dark but I was pretty sure that in the road were feathers over what was left of a white Pekin duck and a mallard. That afternoon, I came upon them again and sure enough, two of the ducks had lost their lives. The loss of something so simple yet beautiful was saddening.
This past weekend we had the chance to catch up with some of my mom’s side of the family. We took my mom and dad with us and enjoyed spending time with my aunt, my one cousin, and my other cousin’s oldest son, along with his wife and young family. They have three sweet girls – a four-year-old, a two-year-old and a brand-new baby!
I loved watching them interact with their parents! Lots of energy, with plenty of wiggles and giggles! And of course, their parents just took it all in stride – it’s part of being a parent.
Now that I am getting older, I quite often will take the time to encourage young parents. One thing I point out is that time is fleeting. I didn’t mention the ducks but just as their lives were cut short in the blink of an eye, so quickly will this precious time that these young parents are currently experiencing with their family, pass into history, as well.
It is easy to take for granted, those special moments, those special people, in our lives. Unfortunately, when we are in the middle of it, it seems so mundane – nothing special or flamboyant. It is just life. It is when we look back upon it that we realize how special it was. Our parents, our children, our friends. Not one of us truly walks this dusty globe but for a breath in view of eternity.
Cherish those moments. Hold them tight, not in an attempt to never let them go or to let them grow but knowing that “this too shall pass” and the gifts we have of the present will be no more.
Psalm 90, written by Moses, is the oldest recorded psalm and in it, verse 12, passes along a very applicable bit of wisdom.
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (NLT)
Jan 6th, 2020, Mon, 12:45 pm
Anxiety!
Good morning, Father! I am looking forward to a good day together. Though I have not written in a couple of weeks, we have nonetheless been together. Thank You for the many blessings of the season – safe travel, good fellowship with friends and family, and wonderful foods. Show me today what You would have me share. Amen.
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Anxiety. Life can easily be filled with anxiety. And the Christmas season lends itself well to cranking up our stress levels. Some things that stress others, don’t stress me.
I try to help, but I’m sure I don’t put a dent in the stress Karen experiences during the holidays. We host her family’s Thanksgiving get-together and a Christmas open house for both of our churches – that means cleaning and cooking and lots of baking!
Then there’s getting all the gifts we are giving, getting around a “Thank You” for all the wonderful gifts from students and church friends, wrapping gifts, decorating our home, etc., etc. And of course, much of that occurs when she has taught all day!
It is appreciated by all and I am so proud of the fact that she excels at it all. …but it is stressful. It brings anxiety…for her.
As I said, I try to help, but I’m sure I don’t put a dent in it.
But I do have anxiety, and many may chuckle at what stresses me. When we have a house full of people, family or friends, I stress about making sure I speak to everyone. I stress that I may interact with some more than I interact with others. I stress that I miss when some people leave and I didn’t get the chance to thank them for coming and to give them a heartfelt farewell. I so appreciate them being able to come.
Another area of stress is when Massey comes home. His coming is not stressful, it’s the fact that he will leave that’s hard. Many times, I am very good at not thinking about it. I savor each day that we have, embracing each moment. And then, like this year, I stress because I think, “This is our last week! We haven’t done this or that. Have I truly savored and cherished each moment?” It literally kept me awake last night! It is not unusual for me to get up a couple of times in the night but I can usually get back to sleep pretty quickly…but not last night…
Jesus spoke to us about anxiety in Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT),
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life…” v.25
He goes on to speak about not worrying about what we will eat, drink and wear but He stresses that our heavenly Father knows us and loves us. He cares about every area of our lives.
“These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. vs.32-34
Lord Jesus, there is no need for worry for everything is under You. Help me to trust You in every aspect of my life. May I give it all over to You. Amen.
Jan 5th, 2020, Sun, 7:40 am
A Christmas Hiatus
I thank You once again, Father, for the snow day last Tuesday. Since then it has been steady with work, a family Christmas yesterday and today, our normal worship services this morning but with an added Candlelight Service tonight. We will be able to catch our breath for a day before Massey comes home! We are surely blessed!
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This time of year, even with a change of vocation, is still taxing – physically, mentally and even spiritually. When we are weary, the devil doubles up on his attacks, wanting us to fall.
So, as I am want to do. I will take a short hiatus from writing until sometime after the beginning of the year. I am going to take time to recharge, to spend time with family, which as Massey gets older, is something Karen and I cherish more and more.
So for my last post of the year, I thought I would share our Christmas letter that we traditionally send out with our Christmas cards. My apologies to those of you will already have read it but to all a most Merry Christmas!
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It’s hard to believe that 2019 is almost gone; flown by and drug us along with it, willing or not! Our lives, as well as yours, I am sure, continue to be full to the brim with so many things that clamor for our attention. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get it all done.
Karen continues to impact the lives of 1st graders, finding herself in her 18th year of teaching at Highland. I’m amazed at how she can motivate them to accomplish so much in the short time she has with them. Even children who struggle find themselves far exceeding what even they thought they could accomplish! She is a role model for what a teacher should be and does not get enough credit for her care and excellence! She is not an entertainer; she is a life changer!
Massey continues to keep his nose to the grind and hopes to complete his doctorate at Texas A&M next semester. He submitted his first journal paper this August to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers: Journal of Fluids Engineering, which is currently under review. He’s currently working on his next study and will be taking his preliminary exams when he goes back in January. He’s planning to start, finish and defend his remaining work by early May next year. He just recently got back to Aggieland after presenting at the American Physical Society: Division of Fluid Dynamics annual meeting in Seattle. He was quite excited at how well the talk went and at the questions he received afterward, not to mention the exploring and hiking he and some of his labmates did in the Pacific Northwest over Thanksgiving. They had a great time and we are looking forward to seeing the 1,000+ pictures he’s told us about! Because of the seemingly unending workload, he hasn’t been home since last Christmas, though we traveled to College Station to spend some time with him this past summer. We are excited to have him home here in a couple of weeks!
I have been out of retail for a year now and so enjoy my new occupation! It most certainly has its challenges, but I love the kids and I am coming to truly appreciate my fellow drivers and leadership – another family to love and another “church” to which to minister. I have never been a “crack you over the head with a Bible” kind of person, but my faith is there for all to see. I pray that the Lord will continue to use me in the midst of it all.
I continue my “part-time” responsibilities as pastor of the Beulah and Liberty Chapel congregations. Participating in an interactive group with pastors of other like-size United Methodist churches, I have recently challenged myself to ‘dream again’. We have done so much in the past through our ministry and in the last few years, it seems that I’ve just been able to keep up with the bare necessities. With the Lord’s help, I pray that he will let this old man “dream dreams” (Joel 2:28). Only He knows where He will lead us!
I continue to blog (morethanuseless.com) and have now made over 1,200 posts! Altogether I’ve had almost 38,000 views by nearly 18,000 visitors from 134 countries across the globe! God continues to bless my efforts. I claim Isaiah 55:11 NLT for its impact, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
We pray that you have sought out God in your life – if not He is diligently reaching out to you. We pray that His love and compassion fill you as you strive to fulfill His calling upon you – for nothing is more important. Merry CHRISTmas!
With a never-ceasing love! Thom, Karen, and Massey
Dec 22nd, 2019, Sun, 4:21 pm