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
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The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. We had seen many beautiful things on our road trip but that last drive out of Theodore Roosevelt National Park just seemed to take forever, no cities, no houses, just prairie. Then we arrived at Spearfish Canyon filled with golden Aspens along Spearfish Creek. It was so good to see this new landscape. We knew that the wilderness would come again but for now it was just good to see trees and water.
Our life’s journey takes us through times of wilderness and times of abundant, golden joy. Each place is different and in each we find a new purpose. There was a time when I was a teacher, the purpose God had for me. In these days of retirement God has been reworking the purpose he has for me. God will use all the clay he gave me, all the years of teaching, to make me into his vessel. I must stay soft clay for him to rework me. If I resist and harden my way of being, sticking to only the vessel that I was, I will never find that new purpose. Spearfish Canyon was beautiful but the wilderness would come again as we made our way through the Badlands and prairies to home. I was thankful for the golden days there but I knew the journey wasn’t finished. We still had more wilderness to go through before we were home. For now my camera and my writing are my purpose and as much as I love these things I will try to keep the clay soft and my life open to his purpose. How do you stay open to God’s purpose? Prayer Lord God, Master Potter Keep me soft and pliable to your will. Make me into the vessel you want, the purpose you have for me. Amen “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. The trees formed a frame around a vista that that I had never seen before, so different from my tree-covered mountains. Before our trip, I had thought of North Dakota as a boring wilderness. As I stood there that morning it was like looking through a window into a new world filled with beauty.
Here is where we stand this day, looking out on a new year. The wilderness becomes a place of beauty when we see it framed by the stories of those who journey with us. Through Jesus we have the promise of a new life, a living hope. We need each other to form a frame around the new way in the wilderness God is making for us. How can you, walking together with others, make your community a place of newness? Prayer Lord Jesus Give us the courage to look with others at the new places you are leading us as we journey ever closer to you. 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 |
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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