Posted on 1 Comment on A Trip to the Moon

A Trip to the Moon

“And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:16-19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Posted on 4 Comments on Full

Full

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:103‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Someone once asked me how they would know if they’ve done enough during their personal time of prayer and Bible study. It depends on what you need.

I inherited a bad habit from my father in that I drive on the last bit of gas “E” or empty or as some people call it—“fumes and a prayer”. I will pass every available gas station either to get home, find a cheaper price, or a station I prefer. This habit has extended to many aspects—the lawn mower, my cell phone, or food items. Rather than fill up when I have the chance, I gamble, if you would, with a partial or near empty supply.

My favorite author describes Bible study as a “banquet” “spread before us” where “we are invited to eat the Word of God”.[1] Given that she penned this metaphor in 1900, I imagine the banquet she describes is not the banquet of modern days, where one gets fancied up and then served enough to feed a small five-year-old! I prefer to imagine that what she intended is today’s all-you-can-eat buffet—where you pay one price and eat an endless supply of delicacies until satisfied and full!

This is my answer to the question—how much personal Bible study and prayer is enough? It depends on what one needs. I am not an expert in piety or devotion, and my spiritual journey, which I am sharing with you, has evolved over the years. Whereas it can satisfy one with a quick prayer and a Bible “verse of the day”, perhaps it is because they are functioning near capacity of their spiritual fuel tank. I, for one, need a fresh fill up each morning, thus, I start with prayer following the ACTS model (Adoration or praise for Who God is, Confession of sins, Thanksgiving for what God does, and Supplication for my needs and the needs of others). I then have a soft song to further usher me into God’s presence as I continue to pray and meditate on His Word. Friends and relatives send me various devotional readings, scriptures, or encouragement, which I add to the session. Then I conclude with a rousing song of praise and a slide show of encouraging texts and quotes. It may look like a lot or for some, not enough, but it is what I need to fill me up as I know that by the time I experience a day of tasks, trials, and temptations I am depleted and on “fumes and a prayer”.

Some may use the verse “Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)” as an excuse to “sample” the Word, as if in a grocery store. However, Christ invites us to eat of His flesh and drink His blood (John 6:55), the point being to get to know Him.

I invite you, if you are hungry, to plant yourself in a chair at the buffet of His Word and dig in, indulge, enjoy, and leave His presence—full.

[1] Ellen G. White, Letter 132, 1900.

Posted on 4 Comments on Bees in the Cookie Jar

Bees in the Cookie Jar

“They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!”

Psalms 118:12, ESV

One early summer morning, I saw one of our dogs acting in a rather strange fashion. He was leaping all around his pen and every so often would pause, observe, strategize, and then lunge at full speed. The other dog was quietly observing this odd behavior as I was doing. I wondered to myself if he had gotten into a bad patch of grass or maybe was poisoned overnight. Instead, rather than jump to conclusions, I continued to observe quietly and realized that he was trying to catch a bee! Dogs are known to be smart, but every so often, as humans do, they have a lapse in judgment. “Not everything is intended for one to have”, I mused out loud as I proceeded with our morning routine. He kept at it, day after day, in pursuit of a bee. One day he caught it, or rather it caught him and he fell to the ground writhing and whining in pain. “Not everything is intended for one to have”, I softly chided him.

Such was the case with King David. You may remember the story. I’m sure it was not the first time he saw her, that is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah who incidentally was one of his most loyal soldiers. I’m sure there were several instances where he paused, observed, and strategized. One day, as circumstances would have it, Uriah was out on a mission for the king and David lunged at full speed and took Bathsheba. The rest of the sordid and sultry saga unfolds for your reference in 2 Samuel 11.

Not everything is intended for one to have. Our situations may not be as complicated as David’s nighttime drama, but as simple as yielding to the forbidden cookie jar in our kitchen. At its core is a lack of self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. It, along with the other components of the spiritual fruit basket, is an outgrowth of a life yielded to and guarded by the Holy Spirit. It is not an immediate endowment, but a daily struggle and a result of submitting one’s life in a willing fashion.

For those of us who tend fruit trees, we know that not all fruit ripen at once. If eaten too early, a fruit can sour the taste buds and the belly. If left to a point beyond ripeness, it can cause indigestion or even harm. There is something special about fruit that is ripened to perfection. It is not only pleasant to the taste, but beneficial to its partaker. An orchard of ripened fruit is appealing to the eyes and the sense of smell. It is a joy to behold!

So next time you take a bite of succulent fruit, pause, observe, and even strategize, but keep your hand out of the cookie jar and most of all, leave those bees alone!