After worship this morning, Robert and I went to Hardee's for lunch. It wasn't busy there at all. In fact there was just one man by himself and one other family in the restaurant.
The family consisted of a little boy who was about 3 or 4 and his grandparents - "Me-maw" and "P-paw." The little boy was cheerful and quite talkative as some children can be. Most of us have known a child like that.
I couldn't see any of what was going on with that young man because we sat on opposite sides of the partial wall that separated the dining area. But I was thankful I could hear at least part of what was going on.
He had a lively conversation with one of the employees. He must have been hungry too because he asked her "just how hard are they working on my hamburger back there?" I smiled as I listened. He really wasn't complaining. He just seemed to be curious about how much longer it was going to be before he got his food.
He got his lunch and so did we. At some point though, the little boy went to the restroom with his grandmother. He ran back to the table and announced, "I'm back P-paw, did you miss me?"
Granddad did not answer immediately, because he asked again. "P-paw. P-paw I'm back, did you miss me?" For a split second, I was afraid the child would not be answered. Then heard a man's voice - "Yes sir! I sure did miss you."
I breathed a huge sigh of relief!
Don't you see how important that question was? It was a question of love. In the mind of that sweet little child, if his grandfather didn't miss him -- he didn't love him. There is a great need within all of us, young or old, to be valued and loved.
One thing we will never have to doubt is God's love for us. He cares for us deeply. He values us so much He sent His own Son to save us from our sins.
We can always know God misses us when we aren't with Him. So many verses confirm this truth! Perhaps one of the most touching affirmations of this is the story Jesus told in Luke 15:11 -32. It is the story or parable of the prodigal and a lot of us have heard it many times.
So much can be gleaned from this lesson. It is one of my favorite parables. It is one I love to read over and over again! What gets to me the most about this lesson is God misses us! When we are not walking with Him, He really truly misses us.
All we have to do is read the passage and see the Father's reaction when the son comes home. "And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20 ESV). What a beautiful affirmation of the father's love!
Have you ever thought about why the father saw him from so far away? Could it be he was watching? I know the scripture doesn't specifically say that - yet I can't help but think he watched and waited for the son he loved to come back home. He missed his son! The father longed for the son to want to be with him.
I am so thankful Jesus gave us this story! It gives us a beautiful illustration of the Father's love. The prodigal didn't have to ask his dad if he was missed. The father showed him that the second he started running toward him. How marvelous is that!?
Please never doubt the Father's love. He wants us to be with Him - to live with Him in our lives. He misses us when we don't. He misses us and waits eagerly to see if we will come back home. If we do - if we change our worldly ways and turn back to Him, then He celebrates with us!!
Do we miss Him, though? Do we understand, as the straying son came to understand, we need Him in our lives?
Do we pray? Do we talk to Him and tell Him all about our needs? Do we cast our cares on Him as Peter tells us in
1 Peter 5:7?
It is a lot to think about I know. Putting God first is not easy. Speaking up for what is right takes courage. Taking your child to Bible class instead of ball practice might raise eyebrows. Being kind to your neighbor -- smiling at the cashier when she is tired and grouchy -- may take a little extra effort.
These are things God would have us do. These are the things Christ taught us to do. Living like Jesus takes diligence. It takes love and hard work. But if we do this, the peace which passes understanding will be ours.
When we make an effort to bring God back into our lives, the Father will show Himself to us. Our blessings will overflow. It will be like God is saying, "I'm back, my child. Did you miss me?"
Christ above all things,
Robin
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Saturday, January 12, 2019
A Dance at Cracker Barrel
She was only 5 or 6 years old. Her long slightly curly hair fell down her back almost to her waist. It was the prettiest color -- a very light brown with just a hint of red that shone under the dim lights of the Cracker Barrel store. I was so glad she caught my eye!
Music was playing as a number of people waited for their names to be called to go into the restaurant. I wish I could remember the song. My memory has failed me there. I've tried to pull it back up into my brain, but it continues to elude me.
She was already holding one of her Dad's hands when the song began. She turned to him, reached for his other hand and began to sway back and forth in time to the music. She was dancing with her Dad! They must have danced together before because she seemed to know exactly what to do.
I was entranced just watching her. She smiled and gazed up at him with love and adoration. She was so caught up in the joy of her moment, I couldn't help but notice.
Then I looked at Daddy. He was hand in hand with his daughter and danced with her. Oh, he looked down at her and smiled every few seconds, but he wasn't focused entirely on her.
I wondered what he might be thinking about. The little girl was having so much fun, she didn't even seem to notice her Dad was a little distracted. He was dancing with her when some dads might not even do that. But he was the one missing out.
I so badly wanted to go tell him that. I wanted to let him know how blessed he was. He needed to understand what a gift this moment was. "Please pay attention, Daddy! You have no idea how quickly time flies or how many other times you may be granted opportunities like this. A time may come when your little girl will not even want to dance with you anymore!"
So many thoughts raced through my mind! We often forget to be thankful for the special moments God gives us. We forget to treasure them in our hearts. We miss so much living (and joy) by allowing ourselves to be distracted.
God gives us these moments to be enjoyed. He gave us our families. He wants us to live happy and full lives. Try to build memories while you can. Make sure your loved ones have good times to look back on.
Sometimes we don't realize how special the moment is while we are in it - how much it may mean to us later. I am so thankful God gave us good minds, so we can store away precious memories. What a comfort to our hearts years later!! Memories can hold such happiness.
Not only does God want us to enjoy the good times in our lives.... the fun times we have with our families and friends ... He also wants us to love Him as the little girl in Cracker Barrel clearly loves her father. Our Heavenly Father longs to be with us. He wants us to reach out for Him as she reached for her daddy.
Reaching out for God and holding on to Him definitely has its rewards. God gives us hope and comfort throughout our lives. If we strive to be with Him, if we reach out to Him, He will be there for us.
Consider Psalm 73:23-24: "Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory." I want to be received into glory, don't you?
Another beautiful verse is found in Isaiah 42:13:
"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you." We know when God holds our hand we have his full attention. We never have to doubt that. If we reach out for Him and follow His commandments, He will be there for us.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 lists all kinds of times we go through in our lives. Some are happy - times we wish would last forever. Others are not. Verse 4 specifically says there is a time to dance.
I loved watching the dance in Cracker Barrel. I hope she has many more dances in her lifetime. I hope you do too. Just remember it is God who gives the dance. Be thankful!
Christ above all things,
Robin Whitley
Music was playing as a number of people waited for their names to be called to go into the restaurant. I wish I could remember the song. My memory has failed me there. I've tried to pull it back up into my brain, but it continues to elude me.
She was already holding one of her Dad's hands when the song began. She turned to him, reached for his other hand and began to sway back and forth in time to the music. She was dancing with her Dad! They must have danced together before because she seemed to know exactly what to do.
I was entranced just watching her. She smiled and gazed up at him with love and adoration. She was so caught up in the joy of her moment, I couldn't help but notice.
Then I looked at Daddy. He was hand in hand with his daughter and danced with her. Oh, he looked down at her and smiled every few seconds, but he wasn't focused entirely on her.
I wondered what he might be thinking about. The little girl was having so much fun, she didn't even seem to notice her Dad was a little distracted. He was dancing with her when some dads might not even do that. But he was the one missing out.
I so badly wanted to go tell him that. I wanted to let him know how blessed he was. He needed to understand what a gift this moment was. "Please pay attention, Daddy! You have no idea how quickly time flies or how many other times you may be granted opportunities like this. A time may come when your little girl will not even want to dance with you anymore!"
So many thoughts raced through my mind! We often forget to be thankful for the special moments God gives us. We forget to treasure them in our hearts. We miss so much living (and joy) by allowing ourselves to be distracted.
God gives us these moments to be enjoyed. He gave us our families. He wants us to live happy and full lives. Try to build memories while you can. Make sure your loved ones have good times to look back on.
Sometimes we don't realize how special the moment is while we are in it - how much it may mean to us later. I am so thankful God gave us good minds, so we can store away precious memories. What a comfort to our hearts years later!! Memories can hold such happiness.
Not only does God want us to enjoy the good times in our lives.... the fun times we have with our families and friends ... He also wants us to love Him as the little girl in Cracker Barrel clearly loves her father. Our Heavenly Father longs to be with us. He wants us to reach out for Him as she reached for her daddy.
Reaching out for God and holding on to Him definitely has its rewards. God gives us hope and comfort throughout our lives. If we strive to be with Him, if we reach out to Him, He will be there for us.
Consider Psalm 73:23-24: "Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory." I want to be received into glory, don't you?
Another beautiful verse is found in Isaiah 42:13:
"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you." We know when God holds our hand we have his full attention. We never have to doubt that. If we reach out for Him and follow His commandments, He will be there for us.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 lists all kinds of times we go through in our lives. Some are happy - times we wish would last forever. Others are not. Verse 4 specifically says there is a time to dance.
I loved watching the dance in Cracker Barrel. I hope she has many more dances in her lifetime. I hope you do too. Just remember it is God who gives the dance. Be thankful!
Christ above all things,
Robin Whitley
Saturday, January 5, 2019
A Strong Onion and a Weak Orange
I reached for an onion to slice. It was a rare occasion -- I was actually cooking supper. I hardly ever cook anymore, especially since the boys are grown and have homes of their own. This night was different. This night we were having roast beef.
As I sliced the onion, the familiar aroma was released and my eyes began to water. Blinking rapidly I said, "Whew that's a strong onion!"
Speaking from the living room, Robert agreed - "Yes, I can smell it in here too."
That onion was definitely making its presence known! With such a strong scent I knew it would give the roast a good flavor. I was glad I put it to good use and looked forward to our evening meal.
Onions have a variety of uses. Many of us enjoying consuming them in one way or another. Their odor and flavor is unique. We use onions raw in salads or on hamburgers. To some, a burger would be pretty bland without them.
We use onions in soups and casseroles. The onion complements the other ingredients to make a savory dish. The stronger the onion, the more influence it has on the taste of the cuisine.
Later on in the evening, I wanted a snack so I grabbed an orange from the basket we keep on our dining room table. Unfortunately, the first orange I chose was starting to go bad.
It wasn't strong and firm like the onion. It was soft and mushy. The orange was caved in a little on the top. On one side, it had taken on the shape of the basket wall.
Needless to say, I didn't eat that orange. It was useless - inedible. Since it no longer met its purpose, I cast it aside. I threw the rotten orange away and chose one that hadn't gone bad.
We all know that any fruit or vegetable can go bad. Some serve their purpose for us (food) - others don't. What about us as Christians? Do we serve God's purpose for us? We all have one, you know. Are we like the strong onion or the rotten orange?
Like the onion, we should be strong enough to let our presence be known, right? Perhaps a better way to say this is that people around us should know we are Christians by the way we act and the things we say.
Christians should enhance the lives of others, just like a good onion enhances the flavor of a tasty dish. We have the potential to be a positive influence on others. We should make things better for those around us by being full of goodness and encouragement.
We should be willing to be put to good use for the Savior. There are so many things we can do to glorify our Father. We can lift others up when so many in this world are tearing people down.
We can show kindness when so many others fail to. We can call on those we know who are sick or hurting. We can let our lights shine. Do good works in the name of the Father. Treat others as Christ would treat them. Stand up for what is right. This is the Christian's purpose.
We must be diligent. We do not want to become weak and mushy, like the first orange I grabbed. When we stop growing, when we become stagnant, we become weak and mushy. If we aren't careful, we might cave in to temptation.
We must stay rooted and grounded in our love for the Lord. We can build our faith to keep from falling into the snares of the devil. We can't allow ourselves to conform to the world, like that mushy orange conformed to the shape of the basket.
Honestly if we become weak, we are no longer suited to God's purpose for us. We do not want to be useless to Christ. We don't want to be cast out; but it is what the devil wants for us.
Sometimes it can happen before we even realize it. This is why Peter tells us to be watchful because the devil "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8).
Good fruit was a valuable food source in Biblical times - still is really. The scriptures often compare the righteous as a flourishing plant or bearing good fruit. Actually there are more references than I ever realized.
The virtues of the good fruit of the Spirit are found in Galatians 5:19. A beautiful passage saying the the righteous "flourish in the courts of our God," and are fruitful even in old age is found in Psalm 92: 12-14. These analogies help us realize the importance of being alive for Christ --- and the rewards that come with it.
So let's think about this--
are we a strong onion or a weak orange?
It really is our choice.
Christ above all things,
Robin
As I sliced the onion, the familiar aroma was released and my eyes began to water. Blinking rapidly I said, "Whew that's a strong onion!"
Speaking from the living room, Robert agreed - "Yes, I can smell it in here too."
That onion was definitely making its presence known! With such a strong scent I knew it would give the roast a good flavor. I was glad I put it to good use and looked forward to our evening meal.
Onions have a variety of uses. Many of us enjoying consuming them in one way or another. Their odor and flavor is unique. We use onions raw in salads or on hamburgers. To some, a burger would be pretty bland without them.
We use onions in soups and casseroles. The onion complements the other ingredients to make a savory dish. The stronger the onion, the more influence it has on the taste of the cuisine.
Later on in the evening, I wanted a snack so I grabbed an orange from the basket we keep on our dining room table. Unfortunately, the first orange I chose was starting to go bad.
It wasn't strong and firm like the onion. It was soft and mushy. The orange was caved in a little on the top. On one side, it had taken on the shape of the basket wall.
Needless to say, I didn't eat that orange. It was useless - inedible. Since it no longer met its purpose, I cast it aside. I threw the rotten orange away and chose one that hadn't gone bad.
We all know that any fruit or vegetable can go bad. Some serve their purpose for us (food) - others don't. What about us as Christians? Do we serve God's purpose for us? We all have one, you know. Are we like the strong onion or the rotten orange?
Like the onion, we should be strong enough to let our presence be known, right? Perhaps a better way to say this is that people around us should know we are Christians by the way we act and the things we say.
Christians should enhance the lives of others, just like a good onion enhances the flavor of a tasty dish. We have the potential to be a positive influence on others. We should make things better for those around us by being full of goodness and encouragement.
We should be willing to be put to good use for the Savior. There are so many things we can do to glorify our Father. We can lift others up when so many in this world are tearing people down.
We can show kindness when so many others fail to. We can call on those we know who are sick or hurting. We can let our lights shine. Do good works in the name of the Father. Treat others as Christ would treat them. Stand up for what is right. This is the Christian's purpose.
We must be diligent. We do not want to become weak and mushy, like the first orange I grabbed. When we stop growing, when we become stagnant, we become weak and mushy. If we aren't careful, we might cave in to temptation.
We must stay rooted and grounded in our love for the Lord. We can build our faith to keep from falling into the snares of the devil. We can't allow ourselves to conform to the world, like that mushy orange conformed to the shape of the basket.
Honestly if we become weak, we are no longer suited to God's purpose for us. We do not want to be useless to Christ. We don't want to be cast out; but it is what the devil wants for us.
Sometimes it can happen before we even realize it. This is why Peter tells us to be watchful because the devil "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8).
Good fruit was a valuable food source in Biblical times - still is really. The scriptures often compare the righteous as a flourishing plant or bearing good fruit. Actually there are more references than I ever realized.
The virtues of the good fruit of the Spirit are found in Galatians 5:19. A beautiful passage saying the the righteous "flourish in the courts of our God," and are fruitful even in old age is found in Psalm 92: 12-14. These analogies help us realize the importance of being alive for Christ --- and the rewards that come with it.
So let's think about this--
are we a strong onion or a weak orange?
It really is our choice.
Christ above all things,
Robin
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