I have always had a fascination with birds ever since I was a little. One summer my brother and I raised two baby birds from naked little things until they were able to fly. Just recently, a tiny, brown bird built her nest in my front door wreath. No sooner were these beautiful blue eggs hatched, raised and gone, than another bird raised her family in my planter right next to my front porch. It has been my smile every morning to peek into these nests on my way out for a walk. On the morning that the second nest was empty, I happened to glance over to an oak tree. There on a large branch sat one of the babies gearing up for its first flying lesson. I listened as the mother bird coaxed her baby from a short distance away.

I’ve been thinking about the intensity of my interest as I watched the lives of these birds. My deepest desire is to be a more avid God watcher than a bird watcher. God is active all around me but as I hurry through my daily life, I often overlook His precious work. My husband and I both have to refocus from time to time. We see God provide for even the smallest needs. We come to realize that our familiarity with our culture and surroundings had caused us to feel very self-sufficient. We saw our actions and the things that came our way as a result of our own work and our own will. That realization was quickly followed by our great repentance and our renewed determination to watch for God.

Jesus made it known through parables and many other means. He told his followers to watch. We are to watch for His work, watch out for sin and watch in expectation for the signs of His second coming.

Luke 12:24 says, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” I will encourage you today to begin watching for God this week. He cares for you. Has He sent a cool breeze to blow over you as you work in your garden? Has He helped you to respond kindly to a friend or spouse who has just stepped on your last nerve? Has He provided a friend to wipe away the tears that spill over from the sorrow in your heart? Has He allowed the internet to include a devotion that reminds you of your great worth to Him? Turn your spiritual eyes toward your world this week and watch for Him.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help me to have keen spiritual eyes. Make me aware of the times when my vision has glazed over and sharpen my heart toward God-watching again. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Not Perfect In Any Way.......

When I came to Christ I begin reading the Bible and praying and having fellowship with other Christians and we start to grow together. But there were many times my growth would be so slow and so worthless it seemed that after a while I became disgusted with myself. For the first two or three years after I came to Christ I had some terrible moments of discouragement. When I started Bible school, I had a little getaway in the park that nobody knew about. I would go there alone and spend time and I would have it out with the Lord on topic after topic and problem after problem. Sometimes my growth was rapid, sometimes it was slow but always it was in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Listen: if you are not all that you want to become immediately, don't give up. Two or three or five years later you can look back to that moment and say, 'Well, I'm actually growing.' It's a gradual process, like physical growth."

We as human beings have a serious problem in that Adam and Eve introduced sin into the human race. Because of the fall, we are not perfectible(is that a word, oh well, it flows wonderfully off the tongue) in this world. In the back of my Bible I have written, 'You wouldn't be so shocked at your sin if you didn't have such a high opinion of yourself.' I know that took your breath away......I am not good, but I am not home in heaven either. It is a long way between where I am now and Home. It helps me a lot to remember that when I do arrive, I will be like Jesus. Someone once said that you should never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light. All that you knew to be true when you first became a Christian is still true. Nothing has changed in God's revelation. The Christian faith doesn't always make me feel good; sometimes I wish I could run away. But having seen the truth, I can not 'unsee' it. How about that? When I think I will never mature, I know better because He encourages me to press on. When I don't feel forgiven or hopeful, it helps to remember that He is the Forgiver and He is Hope". No one else.


Prayer
Lord, thank You for helping me when I am weak and discouraged. Help me to remember that my struggles are a part of a life-long process of growth. May I never lose sight of Jesus Christ and the Home that He has prepared for me. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

I really wanted this Lord!

Mia could feel the tears filling her eyes when she ran her finger down the list one more time. Her name wasn’t there, she didn’t make cheerleading. She stomped back to her car and drove home. She walked in the house and told Momma the terrible news. Momma put her hand on Mia’s shoulder and said, “It’s okay, Mia, that just means that God has something bigger planned for you.” Mia shrugged off Momma’s hand off her shoulder and rolled her eyes. She ran upstairs to her room, and landed on her bed. “God, why didn’t I make cheerleading? I tried so hard and it’s my senior year,” Mia prayed. “I really wanted this.”

The next Monday at school, Mia watched the girls who made the cheerleading squad laugh and talk about what a great cheerleading year this it going to be. She turned her chair away from the giggling group and then she noticed this flyer. The school had a program for girls who had problems at home. They were looking for someone to lead their Bible study. Mia felt something inside her telling her to check it out after school. She tried to shake the feeling and get back to being angry about cheerleading but she could not get the thought out of her head.

After school, Mia went to the room number on the flyer that she had seen at lunchtime and peeked in the room. “I’m sorry girls, but if we can’t find a leader, we can’t do the Bible study,” said her principal. Mia felt a tug at her heart as she watched the girls sink sadly into their seats. “Okay Lord - I got it,” and Mia pushed open the door and went inside reluctantly.

Mia lead the girls Bible study three days a week. She cares about these girls and the problems they are having at home. She was able to help heal their broken hearts and bring them closer to God. If Mia had made the cheerleading squad, she would have missed out on the life-changing experience that God had planned for her all along.

Do you ever find yourself saying, “I really want this?” I say it all the time but I don’t always get what I want. Sometimes God has something bigger planned for us - something to work for His glory. We should put our wants aside and listen to what He has in store for us. You never know whose life it could change.

Dear Lord, thank You for the gifts you have given me. I pray that you would help me find the right way to use them. Please give me ears to hear exactly what you have planned for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.