But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. They’re back, the daffodils in the cove; singing of joy and hope! They have made it through the long winter and came up through frosty ground. They are not native to the mountains but were brought here by early settlers as a way of reminding them of the land they left. You will likely find them close to old homesites. These I found in my favorite place to look, under the large trees close to Hyatt Lane. Every spring I journey to the mountains to find them again, sheltered under this tree. They bring me hope after long winters.
After voicing his lament over God’s seeming absence in Psalm 13, David ends his lament with words of trust. He has seen God’s goodness in the past, and like the daffodils in spring, sings his doxology of God’s unfailing love. Today I join the daffodils in their doxology. Prayer Lord God. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above ye Heavenly Hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
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Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. The first time you look at this image it seems like it must be a sunset - the sun is bright and the sky is dark. Actually this is the picture of a sunrise. It was supposed to be raining that morning so I hadn’t planned to walk down to the lake to catch the sunrise. I woke up early anyway and the sky out the camper window looked strange so I got up an walked to the shore. This is what I saw, this odd image of light and dark.
Sometimes your life is just odd. You are walking along a path with many good things and then trouble and sadness appear. You didn’t expect this curve in the road. It makes you stop. It makes you weep. It makes you wonder why. In these times you need an image like this one. You need a bright light bringing beauty our of darkness and the promise of a new day. For me this light is Jesus’s love and promise that joy will come again. Prayer Lord Jesus I hold on today to your promise of laughter after weeping, of light out of darkness. 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 |
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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