Take time for encouragement!

Posted byThe Fullers FourPosted inThe Obliging FieldTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I needed an uplift today; how about you? Sometimes the words just won’t come, or the ideas seem so dark, and life just seems so oppressive.

I know that the reason I feel like that is because I have taken my eyes off of Jesus. In this case, I caught up on some of the news (ugh!) It’s not so much the rampant, grisly crimes, or the political corruption, or even the bald propaganda that bothers me so much; rather, it’s the spiritual darkness.

To make matters worse (like you really wanted me to make it worse, right?), I was listening to some worship music, and I realized that the words I was singing were outright lies. And it was in a song I have sung many times in church! I guess I wasn’t really listening carefully or something, but today, I was seeking for some truth in the music, and I found more deception.

I said I was sorry to God for singing the lie. He knows I didn’t realize it was a lie, of course, and so I was really repenting of carelessness. It just seems like we all have to be so vigilant now. Maybe this is what it’s like to wake up. No fun.

He’s ba-aack! Such a regal-looking bird, isn’t he, with his red shoulder pads and his stern demeanor? “Tell the truth!” he says. “Or I’ll decorate your windshield!”

But you know what always tells the truth? Nature. A blade of grass can’t lie. The song of the red-winged blackbird is always true. And what I witness in the natural world tells me that good things are happening under the surface. Yes, right here under my nose!

This is the first time this little dwarf iris has ever bloomed in our yard! It took two long years, and what a beauty it is. This was a gift from our friend, Gwen. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for things, but they come, just the same!
The old lilac is teeming with new life! In Victorian times, the lilac was the remembrance of old love, and widows often wore them. Love never dies. It lives on as long as someone is alive to remember.
The garden is covered with these tiny, white flowers! I asked the resident herbalist what they were, and Tony said they are pennycress. These tiny plants pack a big nutritional punch. The leaves may be used in salads or smoothies, they cleanse the blood and liver, and he said they have a taste like mustard. Plus, they are delicate and pretty. (I added that last part.)
A pennycress flower head up close. It’s really a cluster of tiny flowers with four petals each; I bet they are a welcome sight for the little spring creatures that need nectar!
A pair of house sparrows are building a nest at the neighbor’s house: Talk about determination! That’s a tough approach to make several times an hour while the little ones are being fed.
Another “old fashioned” flower popped up in the yard. The common violet represented modesty and loyalty in Victorian times.
“Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”
–attributed to Mark Twain, and a zillion others.
Yep, still taking sky pictures, but this one is a sunset. I couldn’t resist!

See? Isn’t it refreshing to be in a world that makes sense? Take a moment, if you’d like, to just breathe a few deep breaths and look around. Can you find encouragement in the natural world, the world that still obeys the laws of God without question?

We look for miracles and supernatural happenings to prove that God is real, but the real proof is the overwhelming steadiness in the world. Why do things happen with regularity when the world tends toward chaos? (Second Law of Thermodynamics) What drives the overwhelming order within nature? Why should it be even the tiniest bit orderly if nothing planned it? The sun rises every day, just as He told it to; the moon gives her light in the dark of night. The birds rise before dawn to sing His praises each day, and the earth is fruitful and multiplies when we just get out of the way and allow life to flourish.

What do you see when you look outside? Is it predictable? Praise God! Enjoy!

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