This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: A botanical garden for a macro photographer is truly an overwhelming experience. There are amazing images everywhere you look and it is hard to stop taking pictures. Sometimes there are things in the images you take that you don’t even see until you get the image on your computer. I took this image of the dew on some type of orange flower but it was not until I looked at it on my computer that I saw something amazing in what looked like a little black spot on the edge of the petal. As I zoomed in and cropped the image I saw that the little black spot was really a reflection of the orange petals and leaves of another flower in a single drop of dew. It was something I would never have seen without my camera.
Isaiah wrote to the people of something he saw that they couldn’t see. He wrote about seeing the mountain of God. When he wrote of what he saw the people were far from a mountain or a beautiful garden. They were living in a time of great injustice and fear of war. He was sharing the vision that God had given him with a people who had lost their vision. Isaiah looked to God and saw not the situation but, with eyes of hope, he saw the mountain of God. He saw a time when all people would walk in God’s light and be transformed into a people of peace. It is hard to look at our world today full of injustice and war. We need Isaiah’s vision of the mountain of the Lord’s temple. It is when we walk in the light of God that we can see with eyes of hope that God will bring all peoples to him to walk in peace. Prayer Lord God Give us eyes of hope to see your vision. Help us to walk in your light this day. Amen
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And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. It was too difficult and scary for me to climb down on the rocks below the Bass Harbor lighthouse to get the iconic shot of the lighthouse at sunset. I tried for a while but then we decided to move to the other side of the lighthouse and just watch the sunset over the ocean. As we did it started to rain. I don’t think I have ever experienced a brilliant sunset and a rain storm at the same time. Suddenly the rain stopped and the sun broke through the clouds. The sun reigned over the storm and made the clouds and everything in its light turn golden.
We have a king that breaks through our lives like the sun broke through those clouds that day. Jesus invites us into his kingdom of light. He dispels the darkness of our sin. His kingdom is like no other for in his kingdom he rules with perfect love. We have only to bow the knee and let him reign in our lives. Prayer O Great King We bow before you and thank you for rescuing us from the dominion of darkness of sin. We ask you to bring your glorious light in our lives and help us to reflect your light of love to others. Amen Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! My eyes were drawn to the red building at the dock but I just couldn’t get to a place to capture it without some large object in the way. To create the image you see I had to use photoshop to take out a large pole. Photoshop makes removing unwanted objects as easy as dragging your mouse over the object.
Like those objects I wanted to remove from my image, I have distractions in my life that keep me from spending time with God in his word. While I don’t have a magic Photoshop tool, I do have a God who I can trust to draw me to him. I need only pray for him to pull me to him. It is something that I must do every day and when I do I see and learn wonderful things. Prayer Lord Remove distractions from my time with you and give me a clear vision of you this day. Amen The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; I stood on the trail and watched in amazement at the power of the waves as they crashed against the shore. It was a little scary to even watch them from the safety of the trail. As each wave hit the shore it drowned out all other sound. There was such beauty and power in the waves that day that I just wanted to stand and watch them. I stand in awe of the creator of the sea; this mighty God that knows and loves me. The Lord reigns over the waves and I want him to reign over my heart this day.
Prayer Mighty God We worship you and stand in awe of your power and might. Reign in our hearts this day. Amen May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. We have now taken three road trips to places that we had never been before. While not every trip was what we had planned or expected, there were something to be learned on every trip. We have seen many beautiful places and traveled many new roads, literally and figuratively. Two years ago this week I began a journey down a new road when I began this blog. When I started I really didn’t know what the blog would be or what purpose it would serve. Sometimes the pictures and words have come so easy and I am surprised that I wrote them. Other times I have struggled with finding any words or any pictures that would share God's beautiful world. I don’t know where the road will take the blog next I just want to walk closer to God, feel his presence, share some of his beautiful world, and trust in the steadfastness of Christ. I am grateful for you, my friends, for taking the time to read my blog over these two years. I pray that these words and pictures will continue to encourage you to see God in his world and in his word.
Prayer - Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians Loving God May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Amen They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. The tree on this hill has stood for many sunsets. Its very presence is a testament to its ability to withstand the forces of wind and water. These words of Isaiah written to a people in difficult times brought a promise from God that one day their days would be like the days of a tree maybe like this one that stands so beautiful and strong on this hill. God promised that their needs would be met and their work would have purpose and something that they would enjoy.
These promises also bring us hope in difficult times for we are God’s chosen people. We will stand like this tree tall and strong because Jesus stood on a tree for us. When we follow him our work becomes full of purpose, his purpose, and brings joy to our lives. Prayer Strong and Loving God Make our lives like a strong tree. Show us the purpose for our work today and through it bring joy to our world. Amen Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; I loved this short hike to a waterfall in the White Mountains not because of the waterfall but because of the trail itself. It was a wide trail that cut through the forest, a forest of trees that towered overhead. As I walked through that forest I was overwhelmed by the size of those trees. Like those trees God’s greatness is overwhelming. We can’t begin to fathom how great he is. Yet in our smallness his great love surrounds us as I was surrounded by those trees on the trail.
Prayer Great God We praise you for your greatness and your love for us that no one can fathom. Amen In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. The United Church of Dorset, Vermont was established in 1768 and this current stone building was built in 1832. There have been people serving Christ here for more than 250 years - and this is just one small church at one moment in time. It is part of a much larger picture that has continued since the first churches were established by the apostles. Paul wrote to the Ephesian church to help them see that they were part of this larger picture. They were part of God’s plan to spread the hope that is found in Christ. We, like the Ephesian church, are given an inheritance of redemption. When you go to church today look around at the those with whom you worship and be grateful for their faithfulness. Remember those who have served here in the past, each in their own way, contributing to your life and the life of your church. Renew your commitment to being part of God’s plan to bring the hope of Christ to your everyday world through the church of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Lord God We remember with thanksgiving those who have faithfully followed you. Give us a greater desire to work with our brothers and sisters to fulfill you purpose through the church where we live. Amen |
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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