Tag Archives: Max Lucado

Vision for a Tough Valentine’s Day

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Ever feel left out on Valentine’s Day as waves of affection pour from radio, TV, even the grocery store? The expressions are meant to convey appreciation and love. But it can be a brutal day. When one is alone, the sentiments floating about the universe fly right past—aimed like Cupid’s arrow at someone else.

Years ago I was a struggling single mom living in a city away from family, and I cringed as the day full of hearts approached. One year our church planned a banquet—but unlike most year’s, billed it not as a Valentine’s Banquet but a Love Banquet. Everyone was invited—whole families, not just couples.

At last ~ a Valentine’s Day where I was not locked out from the celebration.

I asked a neighbor, another singleton, if she’d like to attend. So that evening we enjoyed great food. Pleasant chatting. A program singing and reading and preaching about love. But then the pastor asked all married couples to stand, face each other, hold hands, and then repeat a vow similar to marriage vows. My friend Linda & I endured a five-minute emotional beating as it appeared we were the only people sitting who were over the age of ten!

Loneliness is excruciating, even more so when a spotlight shines on you as the one loser in a crowd. I avoided all Valentine’s day banquets after that—no matter how family-friendly they were billed.

For those enduring loneliness through the Valentine’s Day hoopla—whether truly alone or lonely in a relationship—there’s GOOD NEWS!

Max Lucado’s devotional today reminds us that in God’s economy—no one “will be left out. God will see to that …. God will praise his children.” He reminds us that “the praise is personal! … Awards aren’t giving a nation at a time, a church at a time … The crowns are given one at a time. God will look you in the eye and bless you…” *

So if this day is difficult for you, turn to the Lover of your soul who cares about you—yes, you—personally and individually. He will whisper “I love you” and keep you in His tender care. And if you haven’t yet experienced that personal embrace from God, know this: There is nothing lacking in it. You will know you are precious to Him.

* From Max Lucado’s devotional, Grace for the Moment, Feb. 14. Published by J. Countryman.

[adapted from previous post]

Redwood Tree ~ God’s Ambassador

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Max Lucado calls nature “God’s first missionary.”* And it’s true, isn’t it? So many things in nature cause me to think about God whenever I see them.

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One sight  that never fails is glorious redwood trees. The first time my husband and I saw them, we stepped from our car at John Muir Woods, north of San Francisco ~ and began whispering. Later we both described that moment as feeling as if we were in a cathedral. Those gentle giants inspire awe in me.

And studying them this week, I learned an astounding thing~

 

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Redwood trees, though hundreds of feet tall, have very shallow roots—perhaps 5 or 6 feet deep. 

Did you know that?

So how do they stay upright over the centuries?

Though shallow, the roots stretch wide, sometimes 100 feet from the trunk. The trees thrive in groves where the root systems intertwine, sometimes even fuse, and actually hold each other up.

Think of that. Inanimate trees, designed to hold each other up. A picture of inter-dependence. A picture of humans woven together in families and communities. Of humans’ need for God to hold us up. Nature can’t help but speak about God ~

 

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Standing on a beach and feeling the powerful waves reverberate

The view from high on a mountain with the quilt of land below

The glory of a sunrise or meadow of flowers

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The majesty of a sunset or a whale playing

The tiny intricate jewel-like view of grains of sand

A shawl of stars flung across the sky

I’m grateful God gives us peeks at Him through his creation. Vision to learn about him. They are such tiny slivers, certainly. But still, they speak to us. For me, they comfort. Strengthen. Encourage.

What particular aspects of the natural world speak to you about God?

TAHOE - above emerald Bay

photos copyrighted 2016

*Grace for the Moment, April 25

Vision for a tough Valentine’s Day

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Ever feel left out on Valentine’s Day as waves of affection pour from radio, TV, even the grocery store? The expressions are meant to convey appreciation and love. But it can be a brutal day. When one is alone, the sentiments floating about the universe fly right past—aimed like Cupid’s arrow at someone else.

Years ago I was a struggling single mom living in a city away from family, and I cringed as the day full of hearts approached. One year our church planned a banquet—but unlike most year’s, billed it not as a Valentine’s Banquet but a Love Banquet. Everyone was invited—whole families, not just couples. Continue reading →

Paths cross. Roads converge. Events collide.

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That’s what happens Under the Lamppost at the intersection of Our Plans & God’s Purposes. And it happens today, April 3, 2015. A Friday, but a very special one.

How it crept up on me without my noticing, I cannot say. But when I wakened to something, it struck me dumb.

This evening at dusk begins Passover, the Jewish holy day commemorating the story of the Hebrew exodus from Egypt.

You may remember the ten plagues God sent to urge Pharaoh to release the Hebrews, the tenth one leading to the name of this holiday. The Angel of Death visited Egypt, taking the firstborn of every family and also of the animals. BUT …

God commanded Moses to have the Hebrews kill an unblemished sheep and daub some of its blood on the doorposts of their homes as a sign of their faith. When done, the Angel of Death PASSED OVER each of those homes and the firstborn was not taken.

The shed blood of the lamb protected them.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples, just hours before he was betrayed, faced false accusers, mocked, beaten, and hung on a cross. But the nails didn’t hold Him there. He chose to stay because the shed blood of Jesus, The Lamb of God, is protection for all people from paying the price for sin.

On Good Friday we remember Jesus’ death on the cross. Pierced by a spear, His blood dripped on the cross and ground.

I cannot take my eyes and mind off the intersection of these two historical incidents. Over a millennium apart, they are inextricably linked. Parts of a whole. And how often are they brought together in the modern day to display their incredible connection? Friday afternoon we will remember the Passover Lamb nailed to the cross to save us and Friday evening will be the commemoration of the Passover lamb’s spilled blood protecting every family who in faith claimed its protection and displayed it on their doorposts.

 

PS How often do these to holidays converge? About twice every ten years.

Photo credits: Passover clip art, Blood on doorpost, Jesus & disciples, Eve of cross Lucado quote – Mary Kay Moody, 2014

 

CHOOSING …

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My name is Mary … but I’m a Martha.

Not especially happy about that. But it just may be my nature. I’ve been a fretter since toddler days. Seems I’ve always worried about things and worked quite hard to try to understand — everything.

I think that was often an effort to push away fear. To delude myself into thinking if I understood something I could control it. That works okay when applied to plugging in a hairdryer, managing a clutch in a manual transmission car, or training your dog. But the practice doesn’t work well with the world in general. As Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes, trying to learn everything is like “grasping the wind.” [Eccl. 1:12, 17, 2:17, 26 NKJV]

He also mentions that “He who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” [Eccl 1:18 NKJV]

Yikes. How’s that for encouragement?

Well, here’s the encouragement: God has given us the gift of CHOICE.

As I prayed about what word He might want me to focus on this year, I considered LEAN, as in “lean into,” since I failed so often this year to WALK WITH Him moment by moment. I’d start the day staying close. But often when the day’s agenda became clear, I became like an arrow–shot in some direction and flying as I’d been launched. Evening would bring awareness that I missed some detours and side roads I’d been meant to travel. And God reminded me that I had the choice to continue that practice or change.

A dear friend, Carol King, used to talk about “double witness.” That when God chose to give you two or more versions of the same message at the same time, He wanted you to PAY ATTENTION.

Well, He gave me the point about CHOICE way more than twice in one day! One is a photo (which I can’t reproduce due to copyright, but you can see it on my FB page on Jan 1) saying “Your Call.” My devotional by Max Lucado has a section about “Today I choose …” and on Jan 1 he made the point if I choose to talk to God, God will always listen.  And — surprise! — today’s devo. is called “Chosen People.”

Duh. I think I get it. This year I’m aiming to remember that moment by moment, I have choices–about focusing on gratitude or grief, trusting or trying, resting in God’s care or running my own show. Any choices you are facing?

GOOD NEWS FOR A BRUTAL VALENTINE’S DAY

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Ever feel left out on Valentine’s Day as waves of affection pour from radio, TV, even the grocery store? The expressions are meant to convey appreciation and love. But it can be a brutal day. When one is alone, the sentiments floating about the universe fly right past—aimed like Cupid’s arrow at someone else.

Continue reading →