Category: Lamentations

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Love Without End

I’m a big country music fan – real country. You know Randy Travis, Tracy Byrd, Barbara Mandrell, Travis Tritt, Lorrie Morgan, Vince Gill and George Strait.

This morning it was the words of a George Strait song that sneaked into my heart during my quiet time.

“They said, “Let me tell you a secret about a father’s love
A secret that my daddy said was just between us
You see, daddies don’t just love their children
Every now and then It’s a love without end, amen
It’s a love without end, amen”

Whether married or single, a couple or alone, this Valentine message comes to all of us from the Father above. We can never truly love or be loved until we experience His marvelous, wonderful, unconditional life-giving love. It’s a love without end!

The love we have, give and experience on our own is only a shadowed comparison of the love that He offers us through Christ.

“How great is God’s love for all who worship him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth! 12 How far has the Lord taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west!” Psalm 103:11-12 CEV

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

Never ending, east-from-west kind of love. Stop and think about that. If you ever start to go east and continue in that direction, never turning back, you will never go west. You will always continue in an easterly direction, it will be a never-ending path. Each morning His love is new and fresh; as long as we experience morning, we will experience an outpouring of His love.

God’s love brought heaven to earth, something only God could do. Love came wrapped in the form of a man; a man named Jesus. Jesus was the embodiment of love, even on the cross His love spoke, asking forgiveness for those who were responsible for His crucifixion.

His love for us brought Him to death and that same love brings us to life!

“ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:8 & 21 NLT

“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26 NLT

I’m not sure if you’ll receive candy or flowers, a card or a gift today but one thing I know for certain is that we will all receive a love without end, Amen!

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The Power of Love

Have you bought any Valentines this year? I was just thinking about the card boxes we made when I was in elementary school. For some reason, I can still picture the box I made and took to my third-grade class.

Maybe that year was more memorable because we had just moved back to my hometown and I was in a new school, making new friends. I was the “new” kid, the outsider, and I wanted to fit in so badly. Eight years old wanting to be accepted…

I remember carefully choosing each Valentine and putting a classmate’s name on it, some were more special than others. I had to let my new friends know I cared. Mom made a plate of cookies for the class party, heart shaped and frosted with white, pink or red icing. Those were a hit!

It may seem silly for me to be sharing these childhood memories but it’s a reminder to me of the power of being loved.

When I opened God’s word this morning, I was met with these words.

“What if I could speak all languages of humans and even of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 What if I could prophesy
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. 3 What if I gave away all that I owned
and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.” I Corinthians 13:1-4 CEV

Yes, those verses precede some of the most quoted verses in the Bible, they are from the love chapter, I Corinthians 13.

Paul was an educated man, passionate, and giving. He had been maligned, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten and imprisoned all for the message of Christ. How did he keep going? How did he continue to preach? Why was he so driven to deliver the message of Christ? He knew his sacrifice was useless without love.

“Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5 rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. 6 Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. 7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.8 Love never fails!” I Corinthians 13:4-8 CEV

Love doesn’t give up – it endures. God never gives up on us.

“…I think about this, and I have hope: 22 We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my God, and I trust him.’” Lamentations 3:21-24 ERV

You may be like that little eight-year-old girl who was hoping to fit in. Let me tell you the truth she has learned. God is faithful and His love never fails. He is waiting to show you just how much each and every morning.

That’s the power of love!

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Think On This

I wonder how often we overlook the important because we are focused on minute details.

Sometimes we allow the “little” things to block us from what truly matters. I heard a Bible teacher comment on this verse in Philippians and it gave me a greater perspective of what my daily mindset should be.

“Christian brothers, keep your minds thinking about whatever is true, whatever is respected, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever can be loved, and whatever is well thought of. If there is anything good and worth giving thanks for, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 NLV

Thinking on what is good, pure, lovely, true and worthy of respect will stop us from jumping to wrong conclusions. When we deal with others we should be slow to take offense. It’s possible that the other person has just had a very bad day and they didn’t mean to be rude or critical. Think on what is good, loving and kind.

Let God’s love flow to them, showing them His compassion. Afterall, doesn’t God extend His loving-kindness to us even when we are at our worst.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!'” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Each day is filled with challenges but we have God’s example and His strength to handle them in a way that brings God glory.

I want you to stop and think about the most difficult person you have ever encountered. Now, with their picture in your mind think about God’s love.

“Do not trouble yourself because of sinful men. Do not want to be like those who do wrong. 2 For they will soon dry up like the grass. Like the green plant they will soon die. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good. So you will live in the land and will be fed. 4 Be happy in the Lord. And He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Give your way over to the Lord. Trust in Him also. And He will do it. 6 He will make your being right and good show as the light, and your wise actions as the noon day.” Psalm 37:1-6 NLV

Don’t fret, trust God, do good, be happy. Think on these things and let God handle the rest!

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Start With Love

Each morning I start with love. I profess my love to the Father, Son and Spirit of God. Then I search His word and hear Him speak love over me. It’s an amazing way to begin each day.

When Scripture is put to song, it really stays with me. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to end, they are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness, oh Lord. Great is thy faithfulness.”

Steadfast: a. firmly fixed in place : IMMOVABLE, b: not subject to change: firm in belief, c: determination, or adherence : LOYAL

God’s love is steadfast: firmly fixed in place; immovable; not subject to change; determined; loyal. And His love is towards me!

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 24 ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:22-26

We have all failed. God knows that and His love never ceases. It is new to us each morning. He sees what no one else sees; the times we’ve tried and the times we’ve grown tired from trying. He loves us in our efforts and loves us in our failures.

“ Only those people who are led by God’s Spirit are his children. 15  God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father. 16 God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are his children.” Romans 8:14-16 CEV

The great thing is that the Spirit, living in us, will remind us of that deep and abiding love of God. Failure is not a reason to be condemned, it propels us forward straight into the arms of our loving Father.

“Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16 With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:15-16 ERV

God’s love for us is steadfast, immovable. Heads up and Move forward!

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Again?

Yesterday was moving day, again. The concrete had sufficient time to cure and we were anxious to get back to the site we call home.

What I didn’t realize was move was part of an unplanned pattern. Looking back, I found that nine years ago was also a moving day, much bigger, as we placed all our belongings in a big U-Haul truck, loaded our Ford Excursion and left Montana for our new home in Arizona.

Yesterday was much easier. Button everything up, move stuff off the counter tops, roll up the hoses, unplug the electric and hitch the RV to the truck and drive about 1/4 mile, back into the site and get set up. What had taken days nine years ago took only hours yesterday. Somehow, I see the wisdom in that.

Sleep was sweet!

The word “Again” was often used in our vocabulary yesterday. Back-in again, hook-up again, level the RV again, put things up again.

Waking up this morning I realized that I was still thinking – again.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Every morning – again, my heavenly Father shows me mercy. Again, He covers me with kindness. I can depend on Him, again.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd.  I will never be in need. 2 You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3 and you refresh my life…Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23 CEV

Again, I read “I will never be in need, the Lord is all I need”. Each day of my life, again, I have the Father’s love and kindness, He will always be with me.

Some things are worth doing again.

A good Shepherd must lead His sheep to new pastures so they have ample feed. So Lord, if You lead us to move again – we will follow!

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Dependence

Sitting here this morning I find myself staring at my empty coffee cup. It’s an uncommon occurrence. Beside my cup is an empty coffee maker, another rarity. You see, in a few hours I will be having some routine lab work and I need to go fasting – and yes, that means my coffee also.

I like wrapping my hands around that cup, feeling the warmth, smelling the aroma and then savoring the flavor of that first sip. I admit, I am dependent.

Dependency is often construed as a weakness. From a very early age we strive for independence. Have you ever been around the toddler who tries to dress themself only to put their shirt on backwards and their shoes on the wrong feet, all the time proclaiming “I do it myself”?

Then there’s the teenager who thinks they can do it all – without any help from you, thank you very much. Wanting no guidance, instruction or help. We outgrow our teens but we take that independence with us into the job market. Independence causes us to bow our backs when being given instruction or assigned a task that has us working as a team.

We like being independent but that same quality, left unchecked, can leave us feeling alone and left out. We put off an attitude that we don’t need anyone, we are self-sufficient and so we hold others at arms length.

Sometimes we do that with God. We go about life on our own until we are faced with a life-challenging, heart-breaking circumstance and then we cry out “God where are You?”

Dependence.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
    his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
    therefore, I will hope in him!”

25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
    to those who search for him.
26 So it is good to wait quietly
    for salvation from the Lord.
27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age
    to the yoke of his discipline:” Lamentations 3:22-27 NLT

I have always found the Lord to be faithful. He is my loving and gracious heavenly Father. He wants me to depend on Him. He provides His strength in my weakness; His forgiveness for my failures; His character replaces my selfishness.

“The Lord always keeps his promises;
    he is gracious in all he does.
14 The Lord helps the fallen
    and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
15 The eyes of all look to you in hope;
    you give them their food as they need it.
16 When you open your hand,
    you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
    he is filled with kindness.
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him,
    yes, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:13-18 NLT

Dependence.

Back to that empty coffee cup. It’s part of my morning worship. It’s me sitting alone with no distractions, offering my praise and gratitude, making my petitions, laying down my cares at His feet. Sharing a cup of coffee with my Lord and I make myself completely dependent on Him!

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Good Morning

The sun hasn’t come up yet but when it does this is probably what I’ll see. The desert is beautiful, the cacti are in bloom and the morning air is crisp.

It was a short night. I’ve been sitting here for the last several hours thanking the Lord for filling my life with so many wonderful blessings.

Last night we celebrated Dave’s birthday with new friends. These are folks we have known less than a year and already they seem like family. It amazes me how the Lord can knit our hearts to so many wonderful people.

Wonderful people like all of you.

“May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank God for you whenever I think of you. 4 I always have joy as I pray for all of you.” Philippians 1:2-4 NLV

I am so grateful that you join me each day and I never take your readership for granted. You are a blessing.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and sing praises to Your name, O Most High. 2 It is good to tell of Your loving-kindness in the morning, and of how faithful You are at night, 3 with harps, and with music of praise. 4 For You have made me glad by what You have done, O Lord. I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:1-4 NLV

To be honest, I haven’t always greeted the day with gratitude. No, there was a time when I grumbled at the start of the day. I didn’t want to get out of bed; I didn’t want to go to work; I focused on the things I didn’t want to do.

However, the quiet time – just me and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is now the richest time of the day. No grumbling or complaining here. I welcome the opportunity to spend time in His presence.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

“But as for me, I will sing of Your strength. Yes, I will sing with joy of Your loving-kindness in the morning. For You have been a strong and safe place for me in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16 NLV

“ Fill us in the morning with Your loving-kindness. Let us sing for joy and be glad all our days” Psalm 90:14 NLV

There was a song we used to sing at church and it often invades my morning quiet times. I goes something like this:

“In the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
give me Jesus.

Refrain:
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You may have all this world, give me Jesus.”

My prayer is that as you start your day, your heart is filled with gratitude and praise!

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Every Morning

The picture folders on my computer are filled with images of beautiful sunrises and sunsets. There’s just something about the handiwork of the Lord that puts me in awe!

In my almost seventy years of life there has never been a morning that the sun hasn’t risen or an evening when it hasn’t set. “Of course, it does”, you say. I think that all too often we take the routine for granted or ignore it completely.

This morning I was making my day’s list and I wrote call and postpone the appointment. That’s when my thoughts turned to the Father’s mercy and peace. He has never once postponed or canceled His daily goodness.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him. 26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save them.” Lamentations 3:22-26 ERV

We should be looking for signs of God’s love every morning. He has something new to show us.

In just the same way that we search out the Lord’s loving kindness we should be canceling tomorrow’s worries.

“ Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.” Matthew 6:31-34 ERV

Did you go to bed worrying last night?

We have instruction from Jesus not to focus in on the problems of tomorrow. He reminds us here that the Father knows everything we need, everything that concerns us. He has provided for all that would be worrisome. We are to let those worries go.

As surely as the sun set last night and will rise again this morning, we have the Father’s promise of faithfulness.

“Let the name of the Lord be praised now and forever. 3 From dawn until sunset the name of the Lord deserves to be praised. 4 The Lord is far above all of the nations; he is more glorious than the heavens.” Psalm 113:2-4 CEV

Embrace the sunrise and welcome a new day of God’s faithfulness. Celebrate the setting of the sun by praising Him for handling tomorrow’s problems.

Never postpone an opportunity to praise the Lord for His goodness!

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A Long Night

I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to share with you each day. Most of you I don’t know by sight but only by name. However, you fill my prayers, prayers for peace and health, prayers for a growing relationship with the Father.

I know life is filled with many challenges and for that reason I pray.

You may have gone to bed heavy-hearted last night. Maybe there were things rolling over and over in your mind while you tried to sleep. Some thoughts may have condemned while others just agitated but this is a new day and a time for a fresh start.

“Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable. 20 That’s all I ever think about, and I am depressed. 21 Then I remember something that fills me with hope. 22 The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!’ 25 The Lord is kind to everyone who trusts and obeys him. 26 It is good to wait patiently for the Lord to save us.” Lamentations 3:19-26 CEV

It may have been a long night but this morning the Father remains faithful. The Lord’s kindness NEVER fails. The Lord can ALWAYS be trusted. The Lord is ALL I need. I can DEPEND on Him. The Lord’s mercies are new every morning – great is His faithfulness!

The long night is over.

Start fresh today and know that God has not and will not abandon you and He will deliver you in every situation. Let Him FILL you with hope!

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Too Much

Yesterday evening some campers were returning from a walk to the lake and they stopped to tell us what they had seen. When they were standing at the lake’s edge, they had five or six osprey fly directly overhead.

They had told us, just the night before, they had hoped to see some and then tonight there they were. Their comment was “it was almost too much to take in”.

Too much!

Our Father is the God of too much.

“From far away, the Lord will appear to his people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 ERV

“So remember that the Lord your God is the only God, and you can trust him! He keeps his agreement. He shows his love and kindness to all people who love him and obey his commands. He continues to show his love and kindness through a thousand generations,” Deuteronomy 7:9 ERV

“This faith and knowledge make us sure that we have eternal life. God promised that life to us before time began—and God does not lie.” Titus 1:2 ERV

Too much! Too much love – it continues forever. Too much – His kindness extends to a thousand generations. Too much – He gives eternal life and He is always truthful, He cannot lie.

“Lord my God, you have done many amazing things! You have made great plans for us—too many to list. I could talk on and on about them, because there are too many to count.” Psalm 40:6 ERV

“There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I think the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.” John 21:25 ERV

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Too many great plans, too many miracles and good things; unending kindness, always trustworthy, daily mercy. He is ALL we need.

Too much – like the mountain skyline. Each day I stare, sometimes breathless, it seems impossible to take it all in.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need…You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. 6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23 CEV

We will never exhaust the mercy, the kindness, the provision or the love of our heavenly Father or of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

They have no end. They are simply too much!

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