Created Beautiful

Even the flowers look up giving praise to the One who has created them, given them life and beauty. How much more has God given us such beauty? Each of us has unique characteristics, qualities, and colors far beyond measure to the most beautfiful wild flowers. We too look to God and give praise as his wonders of creations, God's image-bearers.

Prayer

God,

We’re all different. Different needs, desires, places in life, and ages. We do share some things in common, or at least one. In common, we are all hungry to know ourselves as loved by you, our Heavenly Father. We all long to fully realize our home as infants in your arms, cradled and comforted, seeing you gaze down upon us with eyes of compassion and love. We long to know this kind of love that can barely be put into words, but yet that we know is real. Your love is faintly known by some of us, more profoundly by others, yet we all hunger for more. And this is our calling, to know ourselves as children who can give very little but are so open to receive all the love that there is to be given by you.

Sadly, though, we sometimes become old in our hearts and turn away from your love. We try to satisfy our hunger for your love by creating self-made value for ourselves. Sometimes, we do this by judging others based on what they have or don’t have, what they are or are not; to bring ourselves up, we bring others low. Rather than turning to your love to heal our wounds, we attempt our own medical treatment by bruising others.

We don’t always display ourselves to the world as having deep and sincere love for each other whether rich or poor, athletic or bookish, artistic or administrative, charming or rather plain. This tapestry and patchwork quilt we call the body of Christ often becomes separated and fragmented into pieces. Rather than a community deeply connected in our diversity of gifts and characters you have given each of us, we often line ourselves up based on similar perceived values, tastes, outlook or interest rather than truly connecting as a colorful mosaic.

So, we say we’re sorry for this Lord. Today we return to you Lord, as your children. We run to you with our hearts open to welcome your love. Grant each of us an increasing measure or your presence and the knowledge of your love. Just as the wind blows into a sail to push a ship forward, fill each of us with your Spirit that we may go forward into all things knowing of our beloved status. Just as a sailing vessel would create wakes behind it, let our movement forward in your Spirit create wakes of love disturbing the sea of lives that are drifting around us until we reach the shores of heaven and are fully alive in the very presence of your glory. May new and renewed relationships be realized where they never would have been because we each increasingly know of your love.

To you be given all glory, always and forevermore. Amen.

Look

Don't forget - Stop - Look Down - Look Around

There is a lot to see when we stop for a moment.

Not this Way, God

Lately, due to construction and road work, I have often had to sit in back-ups. Anytime I am out and traffic seems light, I give thanks for the break from waiting. This was the case a couple of Saturdays ago. With cool air blowing through the windows and my favorite music playing, I was relishing the scarcity of cars as I drove toward the sun as it melted over the Olympics.

This moment faded fast as I began slowing to meet the 200 meter backup ahead of me in my (formerly empty) right-hand lane. Best I could, I queued my frustration and then jumped into the nearly empty left lane.

Yet, I soon stopped and saw what was causing the hold-up to my perfect evening. At the front was a mallard and her ducklings stuck on the left-hand shoulder with the cement median to their left. They were desperately waddling to cross over the two lanes to their right to the safety of the shoulder and waiting bush. Trouble was, the two front cars (me included) slowly drove forward behind these ducks as they fearfully moved straight forward. The closeness of our vehicles prevented them from leaving the left-hand shoulder and crossing in front of us.

Momentarily, I experienced first-hand the *Bystander Effect. Yet, not for long. Jumping out and drawing on my former-life horse skills. I bravely and beautifully hearded these 9 lives off the road to the honks and thumbs-up of other drivers.

Here's what hit me and will not leave me for a long time. As I was clapping, shooing, directing, and waving these ducks to safety, they were not the least bit happy. Tripping and falling, the little ones were scared to the fullest measure of their pea-sized brains. The mother was just downright angry and nearly ready to attack me though she gave in to my seemingly dictatorial human manners.

I thought of me. I sure am a lot like the mother duck. I become angry when things do not go by my plans. I want things my way. My terms. My timeline. Now. When things don't go my way, I think I'm being led by a distant and uninvolved God or a God who does not have my best interests in mind. I turn to God, "What are you doing? Why this way and not some other way?"

Or, like the ducklings, I become fearful when I see the path I believe I am to follow but don't want to go. In my anxiety, I dig in my heals and become stuck.

Here's what else I do. Seeing myself do this, I'll feel guilty for being this way with God. How could I have questioned God, gotten so upset? I must really have gotten God pretty angry with me for being that way. I best step away from him for a little while, let things cool off between us.

However, I then begin to think of God in a different way, one much more in line with Scripture. (Even this is God's leading.) Maybe God's true way with me is a little more like the style of my duck-hearding. God directs and leads us on the right path. It's the path that seems anything but right to us, particularly in the moment. "You mean I have to waddle in front of all those vehicles?" Yet, it's the way to go, and resistance is really the pathway of death - physically, emotionally, spiritually. As well, maybe he has just a bit more patience with me than I do with myself. I kick, fall down, trip and get upset while learning life's lessons following his path. God takes it in, doesn't turn me away but continues to shepherd and guide me knowing I'm just a wee little duckling who doesn't always know better. God does, though, and he'll continue to lead me on the way to go.

Prayer

Lord your Spirit is present. When we stop. When we cease our minds for a few moments. When we cease our activity. Cease the things we feel compelled to do. Cease our hunger to know, figure out, grasp. Turn from the things we seek to satisfy ourselves. When we end the many words spoken.

When we just stop, we catch a taste of the quenching present presence of your Spirit.

It’s hard to stop and be still sometimes. Even our prayers become a matter of success where we desire to see results. We have expectations for success as we do in so much of our work, hobbies, and daily play. Yet, your Spirit is about intimacy, passion, connection, love. Things that cannot be measured. It is these that our souls are truly thirsty for.

Teach us to wait…to be still...to be quiet.

It is your Spirit that is like a stream to a valley. A stream that brings depth of color to the grasses. A stream that strengthens and grows tall the trees. A stream that provides life for the animals in the valley. A stream that provides character to the landscape. A stream that provides direction and satisfaction for the person lost and thirsty traveler. And so with your Spirit, providing all we need though we often seek it in other, distant and parched lands.

All we have to do is stop our mind, heart, and body wanderings. You are there. You’re the stream that flows and runs after us whether we go up, down, this way or that.

Teach us to move beyond ourselves, to see, feel, taste and know of your present presence through your Spirit.

Daisy

Clouds broke, rain cleared.

Early Morning

You are the morning sun breaking through the long dark night.

Quiet Waters

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.

Looking Around

There is moonlight at night

And by day, sunlight

Even when the skies are cloudy

It's alright

Only may we all

See this as your hand

For you are the one true Author of this land

East from West

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as east is from west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Ps 103: 8-12).

Arbutus

Arbutus trees. Stately, original and full of character. God's art. They keep their leaves year-round with a slight shedding in summer. Their pure white flowers recently appeared in April. More than the daffodils, crocus or scenes of the robins digging in soft soils, these blooming trees give voice to Spring. It would seem to be the reverse, but the greater the previous summer's drought - a tree's anguish - the more glorious and full the April flowers. They give a glimpse of the work being done in us. Trials always lead to beauty.

Relax

Has anyone been fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can't even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don't fuss with their appearance - but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can resond to God's giving. People who don't know God fuss over these things. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You'r my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself. (Jesus' words in Luke 12.)

Beloved

Jean Vanier began L'Arche community, a ministry serving mentally and physically challenged men and women. In one of his books, Befriending the Stanger, he spoke about Frank, one of the residents. Frank suffered on a nearly constant basis due to his disabilities. Prayer was an important part of his life and knowing this, a staff member asked him, "What do you do when you pray, Frank?"

Frank responded, "I listen."

"What do you listen for, Frank?"

"I listen to God telling me that he loves me."

Prayer. Sometimes, a thing we do at the start of events, meals, or gatherings. Maybe something we do as part of a routine each day. It is often done as a result of our struggles, needs, or physical ailments. As our most intimate companion, he delights to receive all connections we make with him.

Yet, at its heart, prayer is about sitting quietly and listening to God's voice telling us how much we are loved. Jesus was baptized, and the first words spoken by the Father were, "You are my son whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Jesus' prayer for us was that we would also know these very words (John 17:20-26). The same intimacy he shared with Father, he prayed that we might experience. Each of us is God's beloved child. Our joy and completion is sitting, kneeling, standing or walking in the quiet presence of the One who speaks these words to us: "You are my dearly beloved child."

There are a few challenges to this contemplative, quiet, and receptive style of prayer. The first is our hunger for success. There is no achievement when our prayers are merely to be in the presence of God, hearing his voice tell us of how much we are loved. We don't see direct results, and no "praise God for answering our prayers!" Prayer where we sit in contemplation of how much we are loved may leave us feeling, "Did I accomplish anything?"

There may also be some fear of intimacy. With ourselves. With God. To sit and listen to God tell us of our deeply beloved status, can be overwhelming. We may want to run. Too much!

Finally, many of us are taught to love, serve and give. Less so, we are taught to recieve love. To sit and receive the very presence of God's love may be like writing with our left hands (if you're right-handed, that is).

May God grant us his grace to intimately know his imeasurable love. May we experience, taste and touch it.