There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. It was a gift to sit quietly under this tree in the early morning. Wherever we can find such a quiet place we need to have these times to sit in the silence with our hearts and hands open before Christ. The season of Lent is a time set aside to do just this. For many Lent is a time to give up something, but it can also become a time of considering change, of letting go. Seasons speak to me of change and change is not always easy or welcomed. However seasons of change provide an opportunity for us to reconsider what it means to follow Christ in the season where we find ourselves. So beginning today, Ash Wednesday, I want to explore the idea of seasons and what we can learn from them during this season of Lent.
I pray my words and my images will provide time and space for you to think about seasons of your life, past and present and the ways that God speaks to us through the seasons of our lives. Prayer Lord God, Giver of Seasons We sit before you this day with our hearts and hands open waiting for your presence and guidance in our lives. Amen
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The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. As I sat on the lakeshore in the early morning, I saw Mt. LeConte rising above the clouds. I have only climbed halfway up the mountain to Alum Cave. I want to climb all the way to the top one day. It will take work and the help and guidance of a friend who has climbed to the top.
“Further up and further in” these are the words of C. S. Lewis from the Last Battle book of the Narnia Chronicles. They are spoken as the children follow the great lion, Aslan, as he leads them into his country. In these beautiful stories Aslan is the character who represents Jesus. As the children follow him further up and further in they find and experience beauty all along the way. I have come to love these words as they have become a description of what I want my life to be - one who follows Christ further up and further in. Unlike my desire to climb Mt. LeConte, which might not happen, I know that the LORD is faithful and he will lead me further up and further in - and along the way I will see and experience his beauty. He hears me and he will bring me near to him. In your own way will you join me as we go further up and further in? Prayer Lord of All Things Lead me further up and further into your love. Amen I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees. Since my first visit to a botanical garden our our road trip to the Great Lakes, I have come to love them and seek them out every chance I get. Even though each one that I have visited is unique they each share some of the same characteristics: they are highly planned, have a variety of plants, are well maintained, and have something of beauty for every season. Botanical gardens are designed for a community and open to the public, some with a fee and some are free. Either way any one who wants to visit is welcomed.
I have come to see the Psalms like a botanical garden. The book of Psalms is highly planned and organized, although it is a little hard to see this if you just read a few. There is a whole gamut of emotions from joy to sadness, from fear to trust, from anger to praise. No matter your age or what emotion or struggle you are facing you can find a psalm. You can find beautiful word pictures even if you are not a poet. To really understand the Psalms you have to meditate on them which takes the kind of daily work that it takes to maintain a garden. So the next time you get a chance to visit a botanical garden or read the psalms, enjoy their beauty and learn the lessons of each. Prayer Great Creator, Thank you for the Psalms. Give us the discipline to study them to see their beauty and through them to see you. Amen But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. There have been several times in my life, when for one reason or another, I couldn’t walk. I think this makes my morning walks even more special. Many days the morning light is golden and soft and the skies are filled with color. On days when I walk alone I find this a good time to just be quiet and listen to God. On days when I walk with a friend I am nourished by the fellowship of someone who listens and I have the opportunity to listen.
Walking with some one means that you go at the same pace. That isn’t always easy. Sometimes you have to speed up and walk faster to keep up. Sometimes you must slow down and walk a slower pace. Walking with Jesus means you keep his pace; you follow his lead. It isn’t always easy but when we do walk closely with him we find peace that we can then share with those who are walking alone. Prayer Lord of Light Help us to walk this day in the golden light of your love; keeping your pace. Give us sweet fellowship with one another. Amen Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. It was just an ordinary morning at the campground. The fishermen were putting in their boats and there was some color in the sky but mostly clouds. It wasn’t the kind of sunrise over water that a photographer hopes to capture. But I had still gotten up early just in case there was a chance for the spectacular. While I didn’t get the prize winning photograph I did see beauty and I had some time to just sit quietly in God’s presence.
I have come to see following Christ like this. Most days are just regular days with routine daily activities. The important thing is to just stand firm in all you do knowing that the standing firm is a way of sharing the gospel to all those who happen to see you even when you don’t see them. I have seen some spectacular sunrises and for those I am grateful; but I am also grateful for the ordinary days when I just walk quietly through my day trusting in Christ’s love for me. Prayer Lord of Ordinary Days Fill us with your Spirit so that we can simply stand firm whatever happens conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Amen But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. I found them again in the same place they were last year. Lady Slippers are a much sought after wildflower in the spring. The way my grandmother used to talk about them they were much easier to find in her time then they are now. I would not have found them the first time if there hadn’t been some other wildflower seekers who pointed me in the right direction. As I walked the trail again I looked for things I remembered about where they were last year. A little off trail I found my reward, the secret place where they were hidden.
We need secret places where we can go to find hidden things. We know that Jesus spent much time in secret places. So when he was teaching his disciples about what prayer is he told them to find a secret place and close the door. This is hard to do in our busy world filled with distractions. Like my hike, you have to work at it. It also helps to have guidance from the scriptures, from a mentor, from a friend. I don’t know how long I sat in front of the Lady Slippers with my camera, nothing else mattered at the time. We need times like this when we go to our secret place and sit with open hearts in God’s presence. Great are the rewards - peace, confidence in a God who loves us, clarity of vision, strength to face the challenges of the day. Where is your secret place? What do you find there? Prayer Lord Jesus Meet us today in our secret place. We open our hearts to you. Amen He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I pray that I will never forget that day. It was still dark when we left our room at Paradise Lodge in Mt. Rainier National Park for Reflection Lake. Whenever you want to see a sunrise you have to leave in the dark and be quiet so as not to awaken others. I knew this was going to be a special time. The skies were clear. There was no wind, only stillness. It was easy to get to the lake, only a short drive with no hiking involved. There were only a few other cars there, mostly photographers. When I saw Mt. Rainier, so massive with just a little cloud above its peak, perfectly reflected in the lake it took my breath away. This was a time to wait in silence for the sun to rise and light up the mountain with beautiful reflected light.
In our busy world finding a time to be still isn’t easy. It is something that requires thoughtfulness and some work. While there are many places to be still, I find it much easier to find stillness in the mountains. And those times when I see the darkness give way to sunrise in the mountains are the most special. For the Hebrew authors of our scripture, mountains are places where Heaven and earth meet, where God and man meet. Remember the stories of Abraham and Isaac on Mt. Moriah, Moses on Mt. Sinai, Isaiah on Mt. Horeb, and Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. During this season of Lent, a time of darkness, stillness, and self-reflection my posts will include scripture and images of mountains, places where we meet God. I pray these images and words will provide time and space for you to “Be still and know that I am God.” Prayer Lord God, Give us the desire to sit in stillness and be quiet. May we meet you on the mountain, even if the mountain is only a little hill close to our home. Amen 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. They go by various names, "frost flowers"" ice flowers", but they really aren’t flowers at all. Instead they are small ice formations that happen under specific conditions: air temperature must be below freezing, ground temperature must be above freezing, ground must have moisture from recent precipitation, and there must be a plant with a hollow stem. As water is drawn up from the ground to the stem, the stem splits and is ice is formed in these unique shapes when the water hits the cold air.
These were the first frost flowers I had ever seen and I would not have seen them without a friend. She was the one who noticed them on the ground next to the trail. She had never heard of them but I knew what they were because I had read of them. We made this unique and beautiful discovery because we were together. I have come to see that understanding scripture is just like this. We need others who will commit to study diligently the scriptures with us. We need the wisdom of scholars who write commentaries to help us understand the meaning of words and customs from other languages and cultures. Paul knew the importance of studying together as he encouraged the Colossians to “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.” In our individualistic culture we tend to read “you” as singular, applying to us individually. But in this passage the word "you" is plural. For the message of Christ to dwell richly we need each other. As a result we will sing to God songs of gratitude. Prayer Lord Jesus Open your message to us as we study and meditate on your word together. Give us wisdom to encourage each other with ideas and inspiration we learn from your word. With great gratitude, Amen. I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. Every time I go to Cades Cove I stop at this oak tree in the field at the Lawson House. I still remember the first time I noticed it. I had just started to go to the mountains for the expressed purpose of taking images. It stood alone in the field, big and strong. I love this tree and when talking to friends I call it “my tree.” I have seen it in every season. Sometimes I just drive by and stop for only a short time. Sometimes I walk through the field and touch it. I come in mid-day, morning, and evening. Each time I come I see something different and learn something new.
Repeat. Like every time I go to the cove and stop at this tree we must do the same thing with God’s word. Repeat. There will be times when we only read or remember a verse and times when we must study hard. Repeat - this is how we make God’s word a part of us. And unlike any other book we study God’s word is “alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword.” When we fix our eyes on God’s word we find a delight and joy in its promises and precepts. How do you spend time in God’s word? Prayer God We thank you for revealing your presence in your marvelous and mysterious word. Help us not to forget to spend time meditating on your word. Amen I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? I live where I can see mountains everyday and can drive to the top of one in a short time. I think I have come to take them for granted - something that is always there. The ancient Israelites didn’t take mountains for granted. They saw mountains as special places where God meets with man. The scriptures are filled with stories of humans meeting God on mountains; remember the stories of Abraham and Isaac, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus and Peter, James, and John.
Recently I had an experience on a mountain that changed the way I view them. On our trip to the Pacific Northwest I made a reservation for us to stay at the the Paradise Inn at the foot of Mt. Rainier. I had never been so close to a mountain so large. It was majestic and beautiful in many different ways. The rock and glaciers above the tree line are strong and foreboding. Large conifers encircle the mountain at the tree line. The meadows below are filled with color in both spring, summer, and fall and covered with snow in the winter. One of the mornings we were there I got up just before sunrise and walked in the cool, damp air to the foot of the mountain. There was a snow cloud at the very top of the mountain and I even felt a few flakes. The cloudy day left a pink Alpenglow on the mountain and made the autumn meadows at the foot explode with color. I stood there amazed at the beauty and power before my eyes. I have no words that can adequately describe my experience that morning. I felt that I was in God’s very presence. All that was left to do was to worship silently at the foot of this great mountain. I worship a great and mighty God who each day is the source of my help if I only look to him. This experience will remain in my heart as a special gift, a reminder of how much the Lord, maker of mountains, loves me and wants to meet with me each day. Where and when do you look for help? Prayer Lord, Maker of Mountains May the mountains remind us of the love you have for each of us. Help us to look up and see you as the source of everything we need. Amen View the post for March 2 for an explanation of my theme for Lent. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. We arrived at Badlands National Park at the end of the tourist season. The summer and fall crowds were gone and most of the services in park would be closed or cut back to a bare minimum the next week. So when we made it to the usually crowded parking lot for the three most used trails and overlooks in the park there was no one there. No one even showed up the whole time we watched the sun rise and experienced the beauty of golden hour. Before I started seeing God’s world through my camera lens I didn’t make it a point to get up before dawn just so that I could see the sun rise. My photography developed that habit in me as it has developed many other habits that lead me to see beauty. Now I see things that I never would have seen before. This day that habit payed off. I took image after image surrounded by the magnificent beauty of the wilderness that I never expected to see.
David wrote Psalm 63 when he was in the wilderness of Judea. Although we don’t know for sure, many commentators think that he wrote this during the time when his son, Absalom, was trying to take the throne. David was running for his life from his own son. He was in the wilderness facing one of the most difficult times in his long life. It was his habit of worship that reminded him of the many times he had worshiped in the sanctuary. It was those memories that would sustain him in the wilderness where he found himself. As the habits developed through my photography have taught me to see beauty in unexpected places, so our habits of worship will sustain us in the wilderness time of our lives. Like David we will remember the times when we have seen God’s power and glory in our worship and know the wonder of his love for us, even in the wilderness. How has the habit of worship sustained you? Prayer Lord God We come, wherever we are, to worship you again. May our lives glorify you this day. Amen (You can see more images from that day in a video I made on the Songs 3 page of my site.) View the post for March 2 for an explanation of my theme for Lent. The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; Sunrises are quiet times. Many times you may be the only one at your location. You rise early in expectation of what you will see in the sky. Sometimes the colors fill the whole landscape while other times the sun remains behind dark clouds. There is nothing that you can do to make the colors appear or the sun rise above the clouds. You must just sit and wait in the quiet for the light to transform, little by little, the view before you. .
We need quiet times like these, times to seek God in silence. The poems of Lamentations are from the heart of one who had seen the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of God. His grief was great there was nothing he could do. So he sat in silence and waited quietly. We all find ourselves in times like this, in the silence of the wilderness. It is hard to sit and wait quietly; but, like the poet ,we can trust our God who comes to us in the wilderness. When we sit quietly with him in the darkness, he will gradually transform our hearts as the sun fills the landscape with beauty. Prayer Lord God We wait on you in the beauty of silence. Fill our hearts today with your love. Amen Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. This image was taken on one of the most special days of my photographic life. We had gotten up very early so we could catch a sunrise on the Notch Overlook in Badlands National Park. Everywhere we looked that morning we saw amazing beauty in the sky. I had been looking to the east when my husband said to look in his direction to see these unusual clouds. If I had not been with him I might not have turned around. Indeed the whole trip would not have been possible if I had not been with my husband. There have been many other times when the images I have taken were only possible because I was with him, times when he carried my tripod or watched over me as I tried to get in just the right position for the shot.
In the gospels we read about several times when Jesus took his disciples away from the crowds to mountains to be with him. While we don’t know everything that happened in those special times with Jesus we do know there were times when Jesus explained the parables. I like to imagine there were also times of just being in nature and enjoying being together. It was these times with Jesus that prepared the disciples for the mission they were given to share Jesus with the world. He knew the times of uncertainty and opposition they would face and these times with him would be what would give them the strength to meet the task. Like the disciples we need time with Jesus to fulfill the purpose he has for us. It is in these special times we spend with Jesus by reading his words and letting them invade our heart that we see clearly what he wants to teach us and find the strength to carry on. How long has it been since you spent time with Jesus? What can you do to spend time with him this day? Prayer Lord Jesus Thank you for calling us to be with you. Show us the mission you have for us today and strengthen us with your presence. Amen I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. It was a chilly morning in early November when I took this image of a tree at Cherokee Dam. It reminded me of another day I that I had taken a picture of a tree at the dam, an even colder Sunday afternoon, January 7, 2012. I had just bought my new camera, my first DSLR, to take pictures at my son’s wedding. I had always had a camera, even a digital camera, but this one was different. Unlike my previous cameras that worked mostly in “automatic” mode this one had all kinds of options. I decided that if I had a camera with this many possibilities I needed to learn to use them. I had no idea that this was the beginning of a journey to places I had never planned or expected to go.
When I look back on that day, now 10 years ago, I don’t think it was a coincidence that it happened in the season of Epiphany. My camera has been a gift that God has used to help me develop a new and deeper perspective of His world and His word. While learning to use my camera, I also found new writers like N. T. Wright, Diana Butler Bass, Scot McKnight, Michael Card, Nancy Guthrie, Makoto Fujimura, and Tim Mackie and Jon Collins of the Bible Project who have opened up a whole new way of reading the Scriptures. I give thanks with all my heart for the epiphany that God has given me through my camera and the resources he has put in my way. I pray that my images and words tell of God’s wonderful deeds. What has God used in your life to bring an epiphany, a new way of seeing who He is? Prayer Lord God I give thanks to you with all my heart for the beauty of your world and your word. Amen Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. The first time I ever saw an eagle in the wild was at Douglas Dam. While camping there I met a group of photographers that had gathered to take picture of birds. One of the photographers showed me where the group had seen eagles. The next morning, in the exact place he pointed out, I saw the eagles. Now I know where to look and because of what I have learned about eagles from that encounter I have seen eagles at other places, like this one at Cherokee Dam. Without that help from the other photographer I never would have taken this image.
Timothy was a young leader in need of help. Paul had sent him to Ephesus to deal with several issues that were dividing the church. One piece of advice he gave to the young Timothy in his letter was to read and teach the scriptures as a part of the church’s gatherings. Paul knew that it would take regular time in the scriptures to help the church work through the disagreements and resulting conflicts. Remember that at this time many of the Christians were gentiles and had no understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures. For them to understand who Jesus was it was important that Hebrews and gentiles read the scriptures together. Paul’s words of advice to Timothy are also important for us today. Sure we can read the Bible on our own, but we need the help of others to truly understand God’s word. I am so grateful for a group of friends from my church that gather regularly to read and study God’s word. We share questions that we have about difficult passages that we are reading and insights and things we have learned from commentaries and trusted teachers. Through our time together each of us has grown in our understanding of scripture. God created us to live and work in community and we need the fellowship we find in our church to see God’s mission for us in his word. How can you strengthen your study of God’s word in your community of believers? Prayer Great Teacher Thank you for my fellowship of friends who read scriptures with me, encourage me to walk closer to you, and teach me how to serve your world. Amen Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked We have just returned from our fourth road trip. Some call them vacations but for us they are adventures. We research, plan, and then we drive. We see things that we never expected, beauty along the road. And, for me of course, there is my photography. Our adventures are filled with long days that begin before sunrise and last until into the night, traveling on unknown roads to places that are new and unfamiliar.
Psalm 1 has become a kind of summary of what I have learned about photography and God’s word on our adventures. Both require focused study, take a long time, and require that you do things over and over again. When I first got interested in photography I would go to specific places to see specific things - a sunrise from an overlook or the big tree in the field. Now after taking many images I see beautiful things in God’s world that I didn’t plan to see. Likewise when I used to read the Bible I would read one passage looking for the main idea or reread my favorite verses. As I have learned more how to see God’s word as one story that leads to Jesus, I see things I never saw before. The world is full of beauty to photograph and there is still much to learn about photography. God’s word is vast, beautiful, and full of insight into who God is and who we are. It is there waiting on us to spend time with it, meditate on it again and again; to learn to delight in it and let it transform us. What adventures await you in God’s world and God’s word? You will find them as you take the time to meditate on both. Prayer Lord God Thank you for sunrises along new roads. Open our eyes to see the light in your word. Lead us on the adventure to learn who you are and who we are in you. Amen Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. One thing that photography has taught me is to notice things that I would have just passed by in the past - like trees. I always see them now, their leaves, the color, their shape, their surroundings. I noticed them in a special way on a recent trip through the prairies of the Dakotas. The funny thing is that this noticing of things that I used to skip over has carried over into other areas of life, especially my Bible study. Noticing new details requires that you study the cultural context and geography of the passage in a good commentary as well as reading the passage over and over again. When you do dig deep you find a richness and complexity in the details that is beautiful and insightful.
I have read the story of blind Bartimaeus many times but this time when I read it I noticed the phrase, “throwing his cloak aside.” After reading several commentaries I learned that if you lived in Jericho you would rarely ever need a cloak to keep warm. For Bartimaeus his cloak was his identity. It was where he earned his living, for as a blind man his only source of income was from the coins thrown onto his cloak. But when he met Jesus he threw it all aside - his way of life, his identity - for a new identity in Christ. He didn’t go back and get his cloak. He followed Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. What will you throw aside to meet Jesus today? Read and study the story again. What else did you notice? Prayer Father God Teach us how to truly study your word, to dig into the scriptures. Thank you for the scholars who share their knowledge and study through their writings. Give us the insight to notice the small details insights you have for us in scripture. Amen Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. I have come to truly enjoy botanical gardens. They are wonderful works of art cared for many times by volunteers as well as paid staff. The more I visit them and spend time in them the more I see the hard work it takes to plant and maintain a garden. The story of the Bible and God’s love for us begins in a garden. Garden images run throughout the rest of the Bible. When I read these words from James I thought about how amazing it is that we can be like a garden. Just think - God’s word can be planted take root and grow in us. Like any garden it will take work to keep God’s word growing - pulling weeds is hard work. But oh the beauty of the life that is well-lived and cared for in the garden of Christ’s love.
Prayer Lord Jesus, Perfect Gardner Show us where the weeds are in our lives. Help us clear them away and prepare our hearts for your word. Help that word to take root and grow so that we can be spots of beauty in an oft-barren world. Amen Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. The tools stand in the corner of the cabin waiting and ready to be used. Every generation creates and uses tools important to survival. Every workman must learn how to use a tool some that require years of practice to learn to use well. In his last letter to Timothy, Paul encourages the young pastor to work hard at understanding and teaching the Word of Truth. We have so many ways to study scripture today, but each one requires work and study. Whatever tools you use, I encourage to do the hard work to learn to use the tools and let them reveal God’s word to you.
Prayer Jesus, Great Teacher, Give us a longing and desire to do the hard work of studying the Word of Truth. Through our study bring us closer to you and transform our lives. Amen View the post for February 17 for an explanation of my Lenten Project As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. While we were camping last week at the lake, I got up early and headed down to the shore. The fog and clouds hid the sun and everything was quiet. The summer crowds are yet to come and there weren’t even any fishermen. It was a time to just sit and be in God’s world and pray and think.
As I sat on the hill overlooking the shore I thought about the stories of Jesus that took place on the Sea of Galilee. I imagine that he spent lots of time walking along the shore alone in the early morning hours. We know that he did this at least once on the day he called his first disciples. They were by the water, too, going about their daily business. Take time today as you go about your daily tasks and imagine a walk along a shore. Listen for Jesus to call to you, “Come, follow me.” Walk with him this day. Prayer Lord Jesus Walk with us today and open our hearts to hear your call. Give us the courage to share your love with all we meet this day. 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