Scripture:
The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” Psalm 50:1-2, 23 About This Image: This image is not one of a spectacular view from a mountain top but the level valley in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the cove, the mountains surround you as you walk or drive through on mostly level ground. The beginning of Psalm 50 speaks of the might and beauty of God and in later verses the judgement of God. We have those mountain top religious experiences where we stand in awe of God and never want to leave the place of worship. But the mountain top is never the end of the journey. We must come down the mountain; for every time God calls us to the mountain it is because he has something to say to us. We walk in the valleys like this image of the level ground and we see the surrounding mountains. It is in the valleys that we learn to be accountable to God, to order our way rightly, and to offer the true worship that God requires: "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8)
0 Comments
Scripture:
Elisha saw this and cried out, 'My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!' And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. 'Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?' he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. 2 Kings 2: 12-14 About This Image: It was almost fall when I took this picture on the Little River Tail in Elkmont. You can see some fall color in the leaves but there is still green there. Fall is a season of transition; the hot days of summer give way to the beginning days of winter. You can feel the change in the crisp air and beautiful blue skies. The scripture today is a story of transition in the lives of two prophets, Elijah the mentor and Elisha his successor, the ending of one ministry and the beginning of another. It is a beautiful story full of imagery that will make you think. I encourage you to read it slowly several times thinking about what each of people in the story must have been feeling. In the story Elisha followed his mentor across the river Jordan to an unnamed place. He knew that it would be the last time that he would see his mentor. We know that Elisha felt deep grief because he tore his clothes in two places. And after he grieved he picked up the cloak of his master and walked into his new beginning as the prophet of God. We all have endings and beginnings in our lives; some are joyful and some are sorrowful. Like Elisha sometimes we will grieve. Call out to God in your grief and then walk slowly forward to your new beginning in the power of God. Scripture:
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16 About This Image: At one time many families made their home in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, like the Tipton family. The Tipton Cabin is one of the few cabins that the park kept when this land became part of the park. When I see these cabins I try imagine what they looked like when people lived in them full of furniture and household goods instead of the empty the way they stand now. I think that the bible can be empty like this room in the Tipton cabin to us if we just occasionally read the words. Paul admonished the Colossians to do more than just listen to the words but to let the message of Christ dwell among them richly. When something dwells with us we spend lots of time with it; we get to know it. Dwelling is more than visiting a place, more than just reading words from a book. For when we do let the message of Christ dwell richly within us then we can help one another and develop real gratitude in our hearts. Scripture:
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 About This Image: While we were camping at the tailwaters of Douglas Dam I talked with a photographer who was there to photograph the birds and he told me where the eagles sometimes like to perch. I never thought that I would see a real eagle in the wild. The next morning the eagles were there in the tree and I hurried to get out my camera. (Don't have a long lens so this isn't the best picture.) Until you actually see an eagle soar in the sky and swoop down to catch a fish from the river that you understand how strong one is. This oft-quoted verse was written as encouragement to a people in captivity beaten down and broken. For us it is a reminder that the Lord gives strength beyond our human strength to soar like the powerful eagle and walk steadily in our journey towards him. Scripture:
Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. Mark 1:30-31 About This Image: There is something special and healing about the power of touch. This image is precious to me because it is my grandson Sam's hand in the hand of his grandfather - one hand big and strong and one had small and helpless. In the scripture today Jesus takes the hand of a lady who has been sick - we don't know how long she had been sick, we just know that the first thing Jesus did was to take her hand and that began the healing process. Jesus still reaches out his strong hand to our small hands and lifts us up. And after Jesus takes our hand then we can reach out our hand and lift up the hurting. Scripture:
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Psalm 61:2-4 About This Image: Yellowstone National Park is an interesting place with geysers and hot springs that can make you feel like you are at the ends of the earth; rock pinnacles and amazing waterfalls formed thousands of years ago yet still being sculpted today. From the north rim of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone you look down 1200 feet to this canyon formed by both geothermal activity and the Yellowstone river. There are two things that I tried to capture in this image and you will have to zoom in to see them both. The most obvious are the trees growing on the side of the canyon, strong and tall, but look a little ways above the trees to the top of the rock pinnacle and you will see an osprey nest. The trees grow strong on the canyon walls and are a refuge for the creatures of the canyon. The osprey built her nest in a mostly inaccessible place, a place of strength, a strong tower. Like King David, author of this psalm, we all seek refuge and safety when our hearts grow faint. And like David knew, the only place to find refuge is in the shelter of God's wings. Call to God and he will lead you to the rock that is higher than you. Scripture:
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. Psalm 19:8 About This Image: This Bible was left in the Baptist church in Cades Cove. I don't know who left it there or how long it had been there. When I saw it I thought about all the many different Bibles that had been opened by people worshiping in the pews of this church throughout the years. So I opened it to the Psalms and took its picture on one of the pews. God's word has come in many forms throughout the ages - oral tradition, hand-written scrolls, illuminated manuscripts, printed books, and digital files. No matter what form I use to read God's radiant commands, it gives light to my eyes. And it is this light from God's word that helps me see God in his world. Scripture:
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1 About This Image: I can't read this verse without hearing Hayden's chorus "The Heavens are Telling," from his oratorio, The Creation. God's world has always inspired great music and art. When we look at the world, really look and study it, we can only stand in awe of its beauty. In the words of Timothy Keller in his book "The Songs of Jesus," we marvel at creation as great art because it is great art. On the day that I took this image from the Cold Mountain pull out on the Blue Ridge Parkway the conditions for a beautiful sunset were perfect- easy access to a vantage point so no walking back in the dark, a good foreground, and just the right amount of clouds in the right place. But as beautiful as the heavens were that day, seeing beauty in the world is only the beginning place to knowing the Great Creator. Read his word and learn of Jesus through which all things are made (John 1) and you will find a love that is more beautiful than any created thing. |
Get In Touch
If you have something to share with everyone reading the blog, click on Comments to add your thoughts. Remember that your comments will be seen by anyone reading the post. If you want to just share your comments with me then click on the Contact link in the menu above. If you are looking for a particular scripture or post title then enter the word in the search box below. You can also find posts about specific topics in the Topics section.
Topics
All
Archives
March 2024
|
All the photographs in this site were taken by me. If you use or share anything from my website, please link back to this page. You are free to view and share this website by linking but I ask you not to download or redistribute anything from the site. Thanks.
Soli Deo Gloria,
1 Corinthians 10:31
© 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Karen Milligan
1 Corinthians 10:31
© 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Karen Milligan