Our God-Space 

Recently, I discovered something interesting  that  I did not know before. 

Did you know that you have a body part called  Reinke's Space?

My mother's maiden name is Reinke, which is not a common surname.  My grandfather once had a letter sent from Europe that was delivered to his door with no address on the envelope other than his name and British Columbia. 

 The Reinke's Space is close to the vocal cords.  There is a condition called Reinke's Edema, which mostly affects smokers.  When Reinke's Space is inflamed it presses on the vocal cords and causes a hoarseness in the voice.  

It was discovered by a man in Germany named Fredrich Reinke in 1895 and hence the body part was named after him.  My great great grandfather moved from Germany to the Ukraine so ... I'm thinking we could well be related !!  . My claim to fame!  

 

I find it strange that we have a body part that most people are unaware of. There is another 'space' in our bodies that people are not 'naturally' aware of, and that is the God-space that God placed in every human being. 

Just like he gave us 'hunger' so we would know that we need to eat, so also He gave us an urge to find Him. Even though people may not be aware of their God-space they are aware of an emptiness that needs to be filled. 

Just as only food will satisfy our 'stomachs', so also only God will satisfy the longing of our God's space. 

Wealth, love, success, status, possessions, fame,  - whatever people choose as their pursuit in life to fill their 'God-Space'   will not satisfy, and the longing drives them to strive even more after the things that promise to give them what they desire.  Or, they create a God-space  -  as in the photo above -  outside of themselves - a futile effort to create a 'space' that will please or satisfy God. 

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It is interesting that the Reinke Space is close to the vocal cords and when it becomes inflamed it affects the vocal cords, changing the voice. 

When you listen to people talk, you soon find out what they have filled their God-space with. The 'voice' of people who have filled their God-space with the fruit of the Spirit, will speak words that are loving and encouraging.  If they have filled it with 'things' other than God , their words will be angry, accusing, complaining, or prideful and selfish. What we fill the God-space with will be revealed in our 'voice'. 

Even as Christians , if we don't guard what we put into our God-space,  we will be guilty of an angry word we wish we could take back, or that unloving response to someone who annoyed us, or that unforgiving thought. 

This last week I had a troubling conversation with a friend, who calls herself a Christian but her words were so accusing against  God, because He had not done what she wanted Him to do, and because He 'failed' her, she angerly declared that He did not exist.  That is a bit extreme , I know, but it made me think about how when I focus on something - even something small like being annoyed at something (like being stuck in traffic, or waiting for someone who is late) it does not take long for it to be revealed in my 'voice'.   

Pastor Matt encouraged us last Sunday,  to give out 'invitations' to people who do not yet know God and I think there are many ways we  do that, perhaps even BEFORE we invite them to church.  

Our 'voice' speaks our heart, and if our God-space is filled with the thoughts and words  of God,  then our 'voice' will 'invite' people to be willing to listen when we share our faith with them.

Colossians 1 is a wonderful chapter - read it today -   I will quote one verse .

Verse 10 - "that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

God desires that we show good fruit in our life - and we can only do that if we fill our God-space with thoughts of Him. 

A Mother's Love

 I am wishing each of you a

VERY BLESSED HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  

Many of us no longer have a mother, and for some I know, children live far away. And sadly for some, they have experienced the loss of a child or children and I express my sympathy for your pain.  

But there is still reason to celebrate you because there is someone to whom you have shown a 'mother's love' and changed, if not their life,  their day!  

Here is my prayer for you today, and days to come! 

THE MOTHER'S HEART - A REFLECTION OF GOD'S HEART

I watched the coronation ceremonies on Saturday.  An amazing display of pomp and glory.  It reminded me to consider that if this is what man can do, then what is God's throne room like in majesty and wondrous glorious display?

One of the traditions that were part of the  crowning / anointing ceremony of the King was very significant and meaningful to me. 

King Charles had the crown on his head, the orb and sceptres in his hand, and then the Archbishop brought the beautiful Bible to present before him, with these words... “We present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God.”

The crown, orb and scepters  King Charles held in his  hands are worth 1.3 BILLION dollars ...  and yet - for all the world to hear - it was truthfully declared  that God's Word exceeds the value of any earthly thing!  It is the Word of God - it is LIFE.

 

What would we do without the written word of God -- it is in His Word that God presents HIMSELF so that we can get to know Him.  He reveals who He is, what He thinks, and how He relates to us and how we are to relate to Him.

Sunday is Mother's Day, a day that is set aside to honor mothers. Why? because there is no love on this earth that outshines the love of a mother.  

Every woman has in her DNA a desire, yes, a NEED to mother... it is an instinctive drive given by God.  Why ?  Because everything we feel, everything that motivates us to do good comes from the heart of God - a reflection of who HE is.  He has put within us all we need to become in a very mini way His voice and hands and feet and heart in this dark world. 

We don't often think about God as 'mother', nor does He ever speak of Himself other than Father and we respect and honor Him as that. 

BUT .. He does show us that His love for us reflects that of a 'mother' as well as a Father. 

There is a heart wrenching passage in Ezekiel 16:4-14 where God speaks of us as an abandoned baby, uncared for, unloved', left to die....and He was filled with compassion for us, and  He gathered us into His loving care, doing for us what our 'mother' should have done ... he dressed and adorned us and fed us with royal food. He declared us beautiful and our status - royalty!  He covered us with His splendor so all who looked upon us were amazed!  

In Isaiah 49:15 God speaks of the love of a mother, and then declares His love is even higher!  He says.. "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the child of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget !!"  

Then we have Jesus reveal His heart in Luke 13:34 where He cries out .."Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ......  How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings... but you were not willing."   

If you have had a hen with chicks , you know how devoted she is to them and her insistent clucking sees the chicks dive for safety under her winds. There are reports  where, after a fire ,  a dead mother hen was found, with her little chicks alive and well under her wings.  

We may no longer physically have the love of our mother, but we have an even better love in God's love, that surpasses any love we could imagine!  And so we can celebrate Mother's Day -- remembering that the love God put in a mother's heart was taken from His very own heart. 

 To day my thoughts focus on GENTLE 

                                                            (source - Pinterest Karen Gritton)

On Sunday my husband and I went out for lunch.  A young couple and their baby were given a table very close to ours.  They put their baby in a high chair and it wasn't long before I was engaging with them in conversation. 

Their little girl was almost 10 months old, named Isla (eye-la). A very sweet little girl who sat calmly in the chair, her eyes brightly observing her surroundings. Her parents were so gentle in their interaction with her, their love for her so obvious.  

They spoke of her walking soon and the need for them to cushion off the fireplace so she would not stumble into it and hurt herself.  They also wanted the house to be safe so that she would not trip or get into things that could cause her harm.  

What a delight it was to me to watch this little loving family -- the child so clearly reflecting her confidence in  being secure and loved.  

Later in the day, I was reading in the Psalms and the following passage halted my attention. I saw in the words of this passage the 'picture' of the little family I met in the restaurant. 

Psalm 18:25,26  records David's words about how the Lord has loved him... It reads... 

"You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, your right hand has held me up, your gentleness has made me great and you enlarged my path under me so that my feet did not slip." 

The Hebrew word translated gentleness is the feminine form of the word translated 'humble' in Num. 12:3 where it says that Moses was the most 'humble' person who ever lived.  

Why is the feminine form used in our Psalm 18?  I think because it adds the depth only understood  when observing  the gentleness seen in a mother caring for her beloved child. 

In this we see the tender heart of God - His 'motherly' gentle care over His children.  

The salvation we have in Jesus is the shield He has given us --  a shield - a barrier between us and incoming danger.. He hovers like a watchful parent over a toddler just learning to walk, shielding them from danger and harm. . 

His right hand holds us up.  How quickly a child reaches out to grasp the hand of their parent.  In church, on Sunday, a young mom arrived late with 2 sweet little girls.  They slipped into the pew in front of us and immediately both girls wanted to hold their mother's hand.  She took both girls' hands as they exchanged gentle smiles!   There is strength and security in holding the hand of a parent - the comfort of knowing we are not alone. 

So God reaches out to hold our hand,  ensuring that we will feel neither vulnerable nor afraid. 

His gentleness has made us great!  What a delightful, encouraging environment 'gentleness' provides.  It gives room to grow, to ponder , to learn to understand.  There is no judgment or harsh criticism in gentleness -  only a  patient coming-alongside  that provides a safe  environment.   

"You enlarged my steps so my feet did not slip".   God doesn't make us walk our earthly journey on a tightrope.  Not even an adequate path.  No, He makes sure it is wide enough so that there is no way that we can slip off the edge..  He provides a 'paved highway' without uneven ridges or cracks and obstacles that could cause us to slip and fall. 

We too are encouraged to be 'gentle' in our relationships. 

Philippians 4:5 reminds us to be 'GENTLE' to all men .. because the Lord is watching!  

Colossians 3:12 encourages us to 'put on' tender mercies -- gentleness mixed with compassion toward each other .. and never forgetting that 'love' is the perfect bond! (vs.,14) 

Galatians 5:22,23 lists 'gentleness' as being part of the fruit of the Spirit.  God Himself, indwelling His children moves us to respond to others with His gentleness.  

I hope your heart is warmed by this reminder of how much and how tenderly God loves us - Too often we stumble because we fear we have caused Him to frown upon us when all the while His hand is outstretched to invite us to become 'great' in His tenderness and when we need it, His ready forgiveness! . And as we live 'in Him' we too learn to be gentle one to another living in the bond of love. 

 Dear friends ... I hope you all had a wonderful and meaningful Easter... the yearly celebrations may be over but the wonders of what Jesus accomplished for us remains for us to celebrate every day!  It is a lovely sunny day as I write this, reminding us that the Son always shines in His eternal Kingdom! 

Enjoying the beauty of God's Kingdom, let us love one another !  

Little  but Exceedingly Wise!  

God's Lists are important to study!   

There is only one kind of wisdom -- God's -  and whether we see that wisdom in His word or in His creation or in His creatures, it is all God's wisdom.  When He directs us to look at "little things that are exceedingly wise"  He is saying .. "Look, I have put my wisdom in these little weak things so that you can see how it looks -- and how very wise my wisdom is and how my wisdom when followed NEVER FAILS !"  

One of the 'little' things in God's list of exceedingly wise little things found in Proverbs 30:24 is a little creature called the rock badger or coney .  it is found only in the Middle East and in parts of Africa. 

 

So what does God want us to learn from the little rock badger?  Let me count the ways..

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1. The rock badger knows where it is safe!  In the open the rock badger is very vulnerable to predators and easy prey.  But it wisely makes it home in the rocks, Hiding under the rocks and in the crevices,  it is safely protected from the reach of any predator. 

So also God calls us to hide in Him where we are safe and secure ... Proverbs 18:10 says "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe."  Look how safe the badge is and consider how much safer we are if we hide in our Rock!  

2.  Finding food !  -- The badger does not leave the safety of the rocks except for about 1 hour a day and then only to find food. 

An interesting parallel to us is found in I Cor. 5:10, where Paul speaks about the company we are to keep and who to avoid  but he adds that he is not saying we need to completely come out of the world.  
"Yet I certainly did not mean with the [people]  of this world ... since then you would need to go out of the world."  Do we not need to go 'into the world'  for our food as well?  Of course, our physical needs are supplied 'in the world' and we go out to gather what we need recognizing that it is God who supplies both the righteous and the unrighteous from the abundance of supply.  

3.  They spend much of their time 'resting' in the sun, enjoying its warmth.  

How many times are we encouraged to 'rest' in the Lord .. Psalm 37:7 , "Rest in the Lord ...  " and Matt. 11:29 "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 

3. The badger is a social creature -- lives in community with others.  He benefits from living in a  colony in several ways ... 

    a> Rock badgers do not have a very good internal thermostat and are easily cold ...  so they gather together and sleep one on top of another., being careful to face their heads away from each other so they do not suffocate .   

We as well are social creatures , and need the fellowship and comfort we offer one another..

 II Cor. 1:4  "... that we may be able to to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.. "

    b>  They stay in communication with each other in low- toned voices so not to attract predators.  And they sing to one another ..  

So also,  we fellowship with one another - protected from the enemy  -  and we sing ..."..speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs......"  Ephesians 5:19. 

    c> they watch out for one another. If the sentry on duty sees danger he emits a sharp alarm and instantly the rocks are cleared , every badger slipping into a crevice or rock shelter.  

We too are admonished to watch out for one another -  to warn of danger. In Col. 1:28 we read ..".... warning every man....."  Are we as quick as the badgers are, to take note of warnings, whether in God's word or from another believer?  

We too have 'predators' , enemies seeking to devour us and are told to be watchful. I Peter 5:8,  "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 

4.  They are 'specially equipped' .. They have keen eyesight .  They can detect movement 1/2 mile away.  Even if an eagle is right against the sun they can see him because their eyes are equipped with a special membrane that filters the sun's rays.   
They also have special feet that sweat.  Because they sweat they create little suction cups that make it easy for them to run up smooth rocks.  

We also are equipped in every way needed.  We read in II Tim. 3:17 .. "that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly EQUIPPED for every good work."

5. They are very clean.  You will never find a flea or tick on a badger.  They have on a hind foot a handy little claw that is very effective for keeping them clean, combing through their hair keeping it clean and shiny.  

The badger also have a 'designated' toilet area that the whole colony uses to keep all other areas  clean. 

 

We too are admonished to 'stay clean'  "I John 1:9 "If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  and also in Ephesians 5:27 , "that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish." 

6. The badger is little and weak in himself, but God's wisdom makes him strong !!   So we too, are aware of our frailty - we are but dust -- yet in God our very weakness makes us strong.  God declares in II Cor. 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness ..."  and our response should be .. "for when I am weak, then I am strong!!"(vs. 10)

If God's wisdom is so evident and admirable in the little badger, allowing him to live a fulfilled life, generation after generation, how much more will God's wisdom guide us, who are His children, created in His image. How much more can we be assured His promises will always be true in our lives. 

Let us learn from the badger and humbly accept God's wisdom for us,  for in so doing we too shall be as wise as the little badger!