The Miracle of Unexpected Rest

During the past three month there were many local happening in the art and literary world, plus opportunities to learn, help and grow. All of these were exciting to be part of, but exhaustion reared its head. There was one more call to make before I could take the evening off. 

When the person on the other end of the phone asked about the mid-week class on “Signs, Miracles and Wonders,” joy bubbled up from within. I began to relay what I had learned, and found myself speaking in the most calm, relaxing voice about the hidden treasures revealed in Scripture -- things the instructor pointed out to us that were simply amazing! 

As I talked, peace descended upon me. I could feel my body slipping into a restful state. Every word that came out of my mouth carried complete calmness. It was like the Holy Spirit took over. I was so grateful because I was too tired to carry on a conversation without divine help. And while the Holy Spirit empowered my words with peace, I found myself resting in Christ at the same time. 

When the conversation ended, the peace continued. I went to bed and woke up the next morning feeling more rested than I’d felt in weeks. It was a welcomed miracle. Only once before, had I felt the Holy Spirit take over my conversation when I was too tired to proceed. And now HE did it again!
 
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Sparkling in His Light

The pine tree outside my window sparkles in the early morning sun. Dew clinging to its branches makes the tree sparkle in the rays of light. Water droplets hanging at the bottom of the young, green pine cones shine like diamonds. The Lord is lighting up the tree in magnificent splendor.

Shine, people, shine in the light of God the Father. Dance in the grace of His Holy Spirit. Sing with the joy of Jesus. For God is shining His Light upon His people and enabling us to sparkle like diamonds in His mighty Love as we fix our eyes on Christ, the Author and Perfector of our faith.

 

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Ode to Moore, Oklahoma

The rain has left, the wind is gone,
The thunder ceased its roar,
The lightening fled, the dark clouds passed,
Tornadoes are no more.

We are aghast at just how fast,
Destruction hit the town,
Every home, and every school,
Is lying on the ground.

Hearts are crying, people are sighing,
Where did the children go?
When the tornado struck, some got stuck,
Will parents ever know?

There is a sound, some have been found,
Rescuers set them free…
A sign of hope, bring out more rope,
Pull rubble away to see…

That man must rise above the lies,
And know there is a plan.
That God does care, He’s everywhere,
And He’ll restore the land.

For earth does groan, and sets a tone,
With destruction in its veins,
Waiting for man to inherit the land,
To walk in authority to reign.

“Peace to the earth,” we need to shout.
“Peace to our thoughts and our words,
Peace to our neighbors, ourselves, our friends,
Harmony in one accord.”

Rise above the perilous earth,
Be seated with Christ the King,
Receive His love and bring it back,
So all the earth can sing.

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Huge Rainbow Poem

A huge rainbow graced the sky,
Why is it there? I don’t know why!
We had no rain, no thunder, no storm,
But outside it’s humid, and the air is warm.
So where did it come from? Why did it form?
What caused it to appear? Where was it born?
It must be a gift for all of us to see,
That Christ sends His blessings! Let us shout with glee!

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From Chaos to His Voice

Your Voice, O Lord God, is like the songbirds singing outside my window – soft, soothing, melodious, and beautiful. I want to tune into your Voice, but the far-away traffic zooming down the highway keeps drowning out the sweet music. I strain my ears to hear better. A helicopter flies overhead. It’s droning noise overpowers the melody of the birds.

Stop, O man-made noises. Stop taking precedence over the music of God’s creation. I want to hear nature sing HIS praises. I want to join in. I want to hear the songs of Heaven and Christ’s Voice singing into my heart.

Lord Jesus, let the sounds of Your Kingdom overpower what my ears hear. May the songs that You sing be heard in my heart. May the sounds that flows out of my mouth, be a blessing to Your Ears.

The helicopter flies away. One bird moves closer to my window. Nature’s music breaks through the chaos of the rushing world of commuters heading off to work. I listen to the bird’s loud, cheerful music. Joy fills my heart. When the bird finishes its song, I close the window and listen for Gods’ Voice.

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The Softness of God's Love

On a cold, winter morning, snow silently covered the trees, the ground and the roof of my house. Inside, the grace of God gently wrapped me in a warm, protective blanket of compassion. I did not deserve this. But Christ’s eagerness to comfort, counsel, and commune with His creation enveloped me in a tender warmth, an unexplainable contentment, and an all-encompassing peace.

As I continued to sit quietly before the Lord, yesterday’s problems and today’s challenges faded into the background. A reminder of Jesus’ promise to be with us always, deepened. Time stood still. That which was created became keenly aware of the Creator. I wanted to linger in this satisfying taste of eternity. Too quickly, my mind returned to sounds around me, and the awareness of the Almighty diminished. But the peace remained. And as I went into the challenges of the day, peace came with me.

May the wonder working miracles of God's power establish you in HIS amazing love that streches far beyond the universe.

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Awaiting the Storm

Rain pounded hard against the roof of the house. The children wished it was snow. The adults were grateful it was rain. But uneasiness stirred in the household because everyone knew that later that day, the wind would shift, the temperature would drop and the rain would turn to ice, and then to snow.

Winter wonderlands are stunning to look at once the snow has settled into place and everyone is safe. But the dangerous conditions that precede this beauty can cause worry, fear, tension and anxiety. Nobody wants to be caught in the storm. No one wants to be cut off from help. Nobody wants to be injured.

So what do we do when we know the storm is approaching? Shelter and safety usually top the list. Food and clean water to drink comes next. But if we think beyond our immediate physical needs and remember the promises of the Lord, we will find peace in knowing that Christ is our Shelter, our Refuge, our Provider, and our Strength. He not only weathers the storms with us, but also protects us and provides for us. And as we turn our focus to Him, we become open to signs, wonders, miracles and other things that are beyond our imagination. For the Lord of the Universe has the power and the authority to lift us higher than the storm, to quiet our anxious thoughts, and to shelter us in His peace that surpasses all understanding. 

May the wonder working miracles of God's awesome love remove fear and doubts and surround you with courage and peace.

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Canyon of Dreams

In the canyon of our dreams,
Nothing is the way it seems,
And worries turn into steep mountains,
Tall cliffs rise up too high,
And makes us wonder why,
We choose to rely on our wisdom.

We find ourselves in the pit,
Where in gloomy darkness we sit,
And wonder how long we will be there.
Then hope enters our thoughts,
About Christ, who saves the lost,
And His promise to come and rescue us.

We see the error of our ways,
And repent of wasted days,
Of refusing to allow the Lord to help us.
We cry out from our heart,
And the journey home does start,
As Jesus lights the way through the darkness.

May the miracle of Christ's wonder-working power bring a breakthrough in your life.

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The Rabbit

What a pleasant surprise to open the front door and see a rabbit in my yard. As I watched, the bunny nibbled on a blade of grass and some weeds before hopping onto the sidewalk. Then it stopped and looked at me. Who was more curious? The rabbit or me? For a precious moment, we connected. Our eyes locked. It posed for a picture, then ran off.

This reminded me of the precious moments when I become aware of God. Am I more curious about Him or He about me? Scripture says that the Lord delights in His creation. He rejoices over His people with singing. When I look at Christ, I can picture our eyes locking, too. But I don't see the look of fear that the rabbit exhibited. I see goodness, joy and glory. I see acceptance, mercy and love.
 
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Step Out of the Shadows

Sometimes what we reach for is just beyond our grasp. We may envision it but can't quite make it happen. Or we may see it but not know how to take hold of it. Or we stand in the shadows and watch, while others enjoy the brilliance of what should have been ours.

When discouragement weights heavy upon us, or success evades us, or disappointment leaves us in the dust, there is always someone who stands by our side. In our moments of doubt, anxiousness, or failure, Christ promises to never leave us. He invites us to step out of the shadows of despair and step into His light. He asks us to hand our burdens to Him and find rest in His Everlasting Arms. He encourages us to not look at what we lost, but to look at Him. And when we do, we find ourselves in a shelter of acceptance, where tenderness and grace abound. And in the light of His love, God strengthens and nourishes us. Jesus gives us hope. And when we are ready, He leads us onward.

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Path to Breakthrough

Sometimes life can be confusing. Roads, paths or ideas that we follow can come to a dead end, circle us back to where we started, or take us to a place where we are totally lost. Our efforts may lead us to nowhere or to too many places, where we become overwhelmed with too ideas or too many things to do. Chaos or stress sets in and we find ourselves weary and burdened.

But when we step back and yield to the Lord, we find His Loving Arms stretching out to us, welcoming us to come and rest in Christ, and be refreshed. And in those Everlasting Arms, Jesus begins to remove the confusion. He silences the storm and brings strength to our bodies. He quiets our thoughts and brings peace to our minds. And we begin to understand that its not what we do that makes a huge impact, but it's what He does when we yield to Him. He is able to straighten out our path. He is able to bring clarity to our minds. He is able to take the little that we have — our loaves and fishes — and multiply them to feed thousands, or strengthen the weary, or heal the sick. He is able to straighten out our path because He is the Path.

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Suddenly

Overnight, the foliage on the huge tree across the street turned yellow-orange. This morning, its leaves glisten like gold in the awakening sun. What a beautiful sight to see! Yesterday, all the trees on the street were green. But today, the largest one stands tall in the splendor of its new color.

Change happens. And it can happen suddenly. Many times we grow weary in waiting for problems and issues to be resolved. Sometimes they seem to go on and on, like the long, hot summer, with no end in sight. But as we continue to trust in Jesus Christ, we discover there is a season for everything. We come to understand that God is a God of suddenlies. And when the time is right, the Lord God will suddenly change the our situation, like He did to the tree across the street, and bring us into a time of splendor and glory, as we shine in the light of His mighty love.

May you breakthrough the obstacles that are keeping you from basking in the light of Christ's love. For more encouragement and inspiration by Lynn Zuk-Lloyd, go to www.promisegarden.com