Beneath the Frozen Falls

Last Sabbath, I had the pleasure of hiking with friends up to Hungarian Falls. It's exciting to see the end of a long, harsh winter!  Thank God my friends were there to pull me out whenever I sank into a soft spot on the trail! I also am thankful for harsh winters because they make me appreciate Spring all the more!

This image of the frozen falls makes me think of The Bible which happens to be the most printed book worldwide. Many people own one or more copies. Most people, including myself, have not read the entire book.

God's Word is just like these frozen falls. Both are so vibrant that any time spent there makes one feel so full of life. Anyone can see the beauty on the surface but, it takes contemplation to be able to see and hear the vibrancy beneath.

I have called myself a Christian for most of my life. I believe in the one true, Triune God. I believe that Jesus incarnate came down from heaven in order to sacrifice Himself for all people.

But I distinctly remember a life changing moment when I realized that what I thought I knew about God and life was not true. This moment came while reading the bible with a friend while we talked together over the phone. I was astonished to discover the truth I found in the bible was not what I had believed for so many years!

I contemplated, What else do I think I know that is actually contrary to the truth found in the bible? 

So, I started to read and study my bible. And just as promised, God revealed truth to me. The more time I spent contemplating God's Word, the more I could hear the life giving water. The more I could experience the peace of His love.

One of the truths about His peace and love that He revealed to me is the reason why I observe the seventh day Sabbath. After creating the heavens, the earth, and everything on it, God rested on the seventh day and made it holy. Later, when He gave the ten commandments to His people, He said Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.  I don't know about you, but the first thing that caught my attention was the word REMEMBER. Funny how God knew that we would someday forget.
 
So, I am looking forward to next Sabbath. God willing I will return to my favorite place to contemplate God's goodness. I look forward to resting in God's love and peace. 

I pray that you will find peace in God's love as well. If you want to know more about the Sabbath rest, here is a link about God's day of rest.

Stairway to Heaven

This image immediately brought to mind stairway to heaven. Though I am certain that most people have heard this idiom used (Googling yielded over 15 million results), I would guess many do not know where it truly originated.

In the book of Genesis, while on a journey to find a wife, Jacob had a dream about a stairway that reached to heaven. In his dream, the Lord told Jacob that the land on which he slept would belong to him and his descendants. How awesome a dream to have! 

But not everyone has such vivid dreams. And that doesn't matter because God's word is filled with promises that God makes to people.

Read the bible and you will find a wealth of promises like blessings for wisdom or protection.

What's the catch? God wants us to believe in Him and truly seek Him out. He is all powerful. He wants to spend eternity with us. As the apostle John wrote "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life".

God made the ultimate promise with the ultimate sacrifice, His only Son, Jesus. Personally, I can imagine how hard it is to lose a son. BUT God didn't just lose His Son, He gave His Son so that people could live. AND, His Son complied with His wishes because He wants people to be in heaven for eternity as well.

Wow, I don't know about you, but, just like the hike that brought me to this place, this image helps me to stay focused on the hope for salvation that I have through our Lord Jesus. I hope it does the same for you.

Monday Madness or Meditation?

Another Monday of madness! But, instead of letting it stress me out and bring me down, I choose to meditate on the positive things in my life.... like the enjoyable things I did over the weekend.

This peaceful, serene waterfall is a short hike from home .... it's a huge blessing it to be able to "getaway" briefly from the stress of life.
Moments like these remind me that it is my choice to think good thoughts and not let the bad things get to me.

It must be what the disciple Paul meant when he encouraged the church members in Philippi to focus on good and positive things.