Bound for the Promised Land?

"Having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:13-16

Even though (as the famous hymn suggests) the Promised Land is a picture of Heaven, when we are no longer floundering in the wilderness, praise God, we are IN the promised land! To me it has always seemed that it is more of a picture of the obedient Christian life, one in which I'm allowing God to lead me day by day. Letting God lead daily is certainly "heaven on earth". Does that mean that I never relapse back into the wilderness? Sadly, no. May I never be "mindful of that country" and desire to return to wandering in the wilderness. Reading Numbers 13, even in the promised land there were "giants", briars and troubles. But there, God's people could live, in dependence on their Father day by day. What a privilege to live in the promised land with the promise of Heaven and eternity in the future, where there will never be another giant in the way!

This morning I was blessed by seeing two lone, Tom turkeys, two flocks of girls with their Tom, a blue heron, geese on a pond and even a kingfisher flew in front of my car...all on the way to work. It is a privilege to have these wild creatures living all around us. I'm thankful that the Lord has made us mindful of even just these physical blessings; more importantly the spiritual ones, moment by moment.

Our resident owl sits, waiting, watching closely for an unwary rodent. Syd and watched as he swooped away from our porch the other night with something in his talons. When he reached this perch (I took this picture immediately following the incident) he quickly gulped down his kill. It was amazing to watch how he devoured it, whole! I'm thankful that God has the umbrella of His hand and the living Word over us and has commanded us to keep our hearts with all diligence, to guard ourselves and wait on Him to keep us safe from Satan who seeks, daily, to devour us.

These photos were just cute. It's hard to get the full effect. Sturm was sitting up straight, leaning into Syd and sure looks pleased to be in such a place of honor, safety and security!

resting in his arms

I hope you know the Lord Jesus and are blessed in the promised land of His safety and obedient following day by day. Knowing Jesus as our Savior, we will all be together one day, forever in eternity!

Simplicity

"For we are laborers together with God; ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." I Cor. 3:9

What a privilege, to be a co worker with God! In my Sunday School class I have been teaching the children from Matthew 11:28-30 where we are called to come, yoke up with, and learn of the Lord Jesus. He wants us to take His yoke upon us. This morning I was reading from the book of Acts, the account of Peter who was put in prison and was to be executed after the Passover. He was there in the prison, yoked up with his Lord Jesus Christ, knowing only that he was serving God. In Acts 12:6 it said that Peter was "sleeping between two soldiers" (what a picture of the peace of God) when the angel shined into the prison and smote him on the side. His chains fell off and he followed the angel out of that place!

I read a quote, "Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him". Peter didn't let "trial" take his eyes off his goal. His goal was God Himself. This quote, though, eludes to the fact that even a good work can take our affections off our Lord Jesus if our eyes are focused only upon ourself, our homemaking, our charities, jobs, volunteering, and even knowledge of the Scriptures, and witnessing (ouch!). This was a good reminder for me not to worship my work. The work does not depend upon me, but only upon He Who is my Co-laborer. I have to be absolutely devoted to coming to Him daily and letting Him be the lead Yoke-fellow. He already has the yoke, we need to "take" His yoke upon us.

As a newly married girl, God showed me a verse, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him." Ps 62:5. How often my eyes and heart have begun to stray from this. When we have asked God for some specific thing, and He has not provided it, or it has not come in our time-frame...how long are we to wait? I heard in a sermon once, ..."until". That is all. Just wait, and let Him be our expectation. Nothing that is withheld from us in this earthly life will be of any consequence when it comes to eternity.

Today I am reminded that this is the picture of a beautiful, simple life. I don't want Satan (that old serpent) to beguile me so that my mind would be "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ". II Cor.11:3

It is April 23 and the snow is coming down hard; gathering in the low places and causing us on the hill to smile at the reminder of a winter that is passed. It is a Spring snow and will soon be gone again. I hope that you have a wonderful day between the raindrops and snowdrops, wherever you are. Thank you for stopping by.

Painted Trillium