The Beauty of God's Creation

From From the Heart by Helen Steiner Rice

A THANKFUL RESPONSE

The beauty of twilight, the freshness of dawn,
the coolness of dew on a green velvet lawn-
Great is our loss when we no longer find
a thankful response to things of this kind.

He will make your righteousness
shine like the dawn, the justice of
your cause like the noonday sun.
Psalm 37:6

Today respond with deep appreciation
to scenes painted by our Master Artist.

I Love the Smell of Hedgebushes in the Morning

Praise the LORD, O my soul...who satisfies your desires with good things.  Psalm 103:1,5

When I step out my back door on a balmy, Southern spring day the scent of sweet hedges accost my senses and I am almost overcome by the heady smell.  I have no clue what these bushes are really called but in my neck of the woods we call them hedgebushes.  They are prolific in the South and most people consider them a nuisance.  But not I.  I love the delicate blooms and sweet flowers on these otherwise mundane shrubs. 

You can smell them from daylight to dark and the scent is truly heaven "sent." If you let them grow they actually become quite large trees or they can be sculpted the way you trim crepe myrtles. I imagine walking with the Lord in the cool of the evening, talking to Him as together we enjoy the beauty of another of His wondrous creations---hedgebushes.  Hedgebushes are surely a good thing!

To God be the Glory!  Amen.

The Fruit of Unfailing Love

Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the LORD,
until he comes
and showers righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 NIV

The Old Testament book of Hosea is a beautiful word picture of God's everlasting love for His people.  His greatest gift of love to us is his Son, Jesus Christ, who also used word pictures in the parables to describe God's love for His people.  In the parable of the Sower (Matthew 13) Jesus teaches us about sowing our seed in good soil which will produce a good crop. 

God tells us in Hosea to sow righteousness and to break up our unplowed ground.  We must till the garden of our heart breaking up the hard ground through forgiveness and patient endurance.  We must seek the LORD in the cool of our heart garden (Genesis 3:8) and He will shower us with blessings.  Then we will produce a good crop of blessings: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  This is the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians---the fruit of unfailing love---a very good crop indeed.

To God be the Glory!  Amen.

Smiles

From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
                                                                                                      Proverbs 12:14 

In From the Heart, Helen Steiner Rice shares this poetic verse regarding the sweetness of a smile:

Nothing on earth

can make life more worthwhile

than the sunshine and warmth

of a beautiful smile.

At this very moment I am looking at my six month old grandson who is giving me his sweetest baby smile.  His smile makes me very happy and I smile back at him.  Nothing is quite so warming as his beautiful smile.  My day brightens by more than 1000 watts when my grandson smiles at me. 

Today smile at someone.  It will make them happy and it will surely make you happy, too.  God's gift to someone today may even be your beautiful smile.  Try it.  You might like it!

To God be the Glory!  Amen.

God's Beautiful Creation

From the Holy Bible New Living Translation

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
I will praise my God to my last breath!
May all my thoughts be pleasing to Him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
Psalm 104:33-34

Psalm 104 describes the awe and splendor of God's wondrous creation saying in verse 31, "The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made!"  Today is a beautiful day in the south following the terrible storms of last week.  And even though we mourn the loss of life and property let us turn our thoughts to Him praising our God even to our last breath for the pleasure He takes in pleasing us.

To God be the Glory!  Amen