Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! We were on our way back down the hill to the end of the trail when I happened to stop and turn around to see this little scene. I almost missed it. There weren’t any bright blooms, just so many colors of green around the base of the tree in these small plants, each of a different type, yet existing together. They were so small in comparison to the tree but they made me smile. They just seemed to be happy together. These little plants remind us that praise happens best when we each sing our individual song but sing it together gathered around our great and loving God, rich and poor, old and young, strong and weak.
Prayer Majestic God We bow in praise to you. Give us the courage to sing the song you have given us to sing and to invite others to join in the song with their unique and individual voices. Amen
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Even though I walk through the darkest valley, Our last stop that winter day at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park was the pinnacle overlook. From this easily accessible lookout you can see for many miles and on this day we could see the storm clouds rolling into the mountains and valleys.
Just as we did that day, sometimes we can see the dark valleys ahead. Other times we arrive at them unexpectedly. Whichever way we enter dark valleys, we know that we don’t walk alone. It is true that people may not be there to walk with us, but the great Shepherd will always be there to guide us. He will use his rod and staff to protect and guide us and we can walk without fear. While we may not be able to avoid the storm, I know that it is in the darkest valleys of my life where I have walked closest to my Lord. He gave me the courage to walk on. This day look for friends who may be walking an unexpected dark valley and just gently join them in their walk, no words are usually needed. Jesus is already there. Prayer Great Shepherd, When we walk into and through the darkest valleys lead us with your rod and staff. Give us courage and strength and comfort us until we walk through the dark valley and into the light of your love. Amen Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. Anything that is white is hard to photograph because the range of light that a camera sees is much less than the dynamic range of the human eye. The light reflected from something pure white is beyond the dynamic range of the camera and as photographers say, too hot. There is even a warning on most cameras called the “blinkies.” Areas in the photo where there is so much light that the camera’s sensor cannot record anything will blink on the LCD on the back of the camera. In other words anything that is blinking in the image on the LCD won’t have any detail and can’t be edited. It will just be pure white.
This dogwood was so beautiful against the green of the grass and the blue of the skies, but I just couldn’t capture it without blinkies. I tried many different angles and positions, but the only one that could capture the beauty and purity of the dogwood was looking up through the petals to the light. John, in the book of Revelation, gives us a glimpse of a pure, white in the robes of those who worship God on his throne. Right now our ability to capture what it is like to wear a white robe is limited for we can only read of their purity. We do know that the robes are white because they have been made pure by the sacrifice of Jesus. We take these words of Revelation as a promise of what it will be like to one day after our time one earth to put on these white robes and serve God sheltered in his temple. Prayer Lord God Right now I can only catch a glimpse of the heaven you have promised in your word. I can’t image or even fully understand what it will be like one day to stand before you in pure, white robes. I can only accept your gift of love that has always been and will last forever. I bow before you and worship you now. Amen The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The lush greens of spring in the mountains are back. The gray of winter is replaced with the breath-taking beauty of green leaves against blue skies. Simple pleasures of sitting by a mountain stream or taking an afternoon nap in front of my camper are just around the corner. These are the simple pleasures of summer. To find these and all other simple pleasures God provides, we must drown out the advertisements of our materialistic culture that seek to convince us that we need the best new thing. It is so easy to fall victim to these temptations that say if you have this one thing you will look younger, be more beautiful, be happy, and on and on. The simple truth is that God will provide us everything we need. When we walk with him, we lack nothing.
Prayer Great Shepherd Give us the courage to close our ears to the false calls of the material world that claim to have the things that will satisfy our desires, improve our life, make us happy. Teach us to trust you and say with surety “I shall not want, for everything I need I find in you.” Amen That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. I got up before my husband and slipped out of the camper with my camera. We were camping on the river at Douglas Dam. It was a cool morning and there was just a light fog. I stopped at the last campsite and just sat on the picnic table. There was a peace and quietness there as I felt God calm my soul. I didn’t go out that morning expecting to experience God in a special way. He just showed up without an appointment.
It must have been like that for Peter, John, James, Nathaniel, and the other unnamed disciples that morning by the Sea of Galilee. They had been on an emotional and spiritual roller-coaster for the past month. They just decided to go fishing, we don’t know why. On that early morning it was John, the Beloved Disciple, the one closes to Jesus, that recognized him first. At John's words, Peter jumped out of the boat, swimming this time instead of walking on the water. Nathaniel and the others brought the boat into shore. Jesus just showed up without an appointment. Jesus does that. He knows us so well. He knows just when and how to speak to us like he did with all of his resurrection appearances to the disciples. Sometimes like that day on the Sea of Galilee we need someone to see him first and sometimes we need to be the ones to bring the boat to shore for our friends. Whichever we are Jesus will always meet us at the shore, showing up without an appointment. Prayer Lord Jesus Show up in our lives this day. Help us to be the ones that point the way to you or the ones to bring the boat to shore for anyone who needs to see you. Amen And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” In fall every individual tree adds to the glorious beauty of the mountains. Individually they are nice, but together they are glorious. In the same way, individual worship is important but the most beautiful worship happens when we join with others “from every tribe and language and people and nation.” In the words of Michael Pasquarello, III, “worship is central to our identity and mission as God’s people, since it is worship that shapes the human community in response to the God of Jesus Christ.” We worship a Savior who is worthy and it is through his sacrifice that we find our way to worth.
Prayer Great God We bow in worship to you who covers and sin and shame with the wounds of Jesus, your Son. With our brothers and sisters we sing now and forever, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.” Amen Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” I had no idea that the passion flower is the state wildflower of Tennessee. Actually I had never even seen or heard of a passion flower until I saw one for the first time a couple of years ago at a state park near me. I think it is the oddest flower I have ever seen. I only knew it was a passion flower when I came back again to take its picture and I happened upon a fellow hiker who knew what it was. “Oh, that is a passion flower,” she said as she continued on down the path. When I put the image on my computer and enlarged it is when I became so truly amazed at its beauty, its intricate parts, its colors. It is truly an amazing flower, so different from so many others.
Being amazed at the passion flower’s intricate beauty made the joy of finding the flower even more intense. Being amazed at something I think is the beginning of the search for understanding of the object of your amazement. The resurrection was an amazing thing for the disciples, so amazing that they had trouble believing it. Each searching for understanding and acceptance of a love so great that it would die for them. After amazement then comes true worship. It was Thomas who put his amazement into words, “My Lord and My God.” Take time to look again at the love of Jesus. “Stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,” who will come to you in the way you need to understand and believe. Seek others along the way who know Jesus and can tell you his name. Do not disbelieve but believe. Then, like Thomas, in amazement, in worship, in gratitude speak those words with him, “My Lord and My God.” Prayer Lord Jesus We stand amazed in the presence of your love for us. Deepen our understanding of your love as we follow you and make you the Lord of our lives. Amen Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! On this past Easter morning, there were just the right amount of clouds for just a very short time just as the sun rose that bathed everything in golden light. The grass and trees seemed to be lit in such a way that made them shine like gold. It was so beautiful. As I was thinking about that experience and looking at those pictures I took, the words to an old hymn by William Cowper came to mind: “Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings; It is the Lord who rises with healing in His wings.”
There are 150 Psalms in our Bible, some teach, some remind us of God’s faithfulness, some are songs of lament, and some are songs of comfort; but the last Psalm, Psalm 150, is just a simple song of praise. On mornings like this when God overwhelms us, surprises us with his light then our only response can be praise. Prayer Great King We sing joyous songs of praise to you this day for your beauty and healing. 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