Keep Looking UP!

 

In October Pete and I took our annual get-away to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It’s been 47 years now, this married life, and God has proved Himself faithful time and time again.

 

My soul was refreshed looking up each morning at stunning sunrises, and I marveled anew at the hand of our Creator God! He causes the sun to shine on us with constant regularity, and just at the right distance so we don’t burn up in its heat or freeze from its absence. And even when clouds hide it from view, it is still there – whether we see it or not, whether we believe it or not.

Just like Him! We don’t always see or feel His presence. Yet He remains constant, unchanging, faithfully working to bring about His plan and His purpose. And evidence of Him can be clearly seen.

Let’s look up with gratitude and praise to Him no matter the circumstances. He is glorious and He is good!

The words of the hymnwriter, Thomas O Chisolm, were true when he penned them in 1923, and they are still true today.

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
 
Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

This Thanksgiving let’s celebrate Him with thankful hearts. He is faithful! 

Happy Thanksgiving!  Keep looking UP!

Ruth

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 

‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’”

 Lamentations 3:22-24

We will FLY

 

I was sitting on my lawn chair on the beach watching the waves when I saw a one-legged bird. Yes, you read that right, a one-legged bird. Other little birds were skittering along picking who knows what out of the sand and that little bird was hopping on one leg along with them. I stayed awhile to watch. As the breeze blew in from the Gulf, that little bird stood steady and unwavering on the sand. Nothing moved him. Then the whole flock of birds took flight and I noticed something else about that stoic little bird. When the birds took to the air it flew just like the two-legged birds. In fact, once airborne you couldn’t see its handicap at all… Maybe because the little bird was created to fly!

I thought about how often we may feel disadvantaged, out of place, unequipped, or overwhelmed by troubling circumstances. We may find ourselves outnumbered by those with opinions different from our own. We may even feel inadequate compared to others around us. But in such situations, we can stand firm and not be blown about by the winds of opposition or the waves of inadequacy or failure. As the Scripture says,

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23. 

Hold fast

Without wavering

He promised and…

He is faithful!

Whatever our inadequacy – HE is more than adequate!

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on your guard.

Stand firm – Even if you feel like you’re standing on one leg!

Be courageous.

Be strong!

One day… soon… we’ll hear a shout and the sound of the trumpet…

And We Will FLY! 

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”                      1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Until then – stand firm!

"You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near." James 5:8

It will be worth it.

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 

 In 1929 Hymnwriter, Albert E. Brumley said it like this:

“Some glad morning when this life is o’er, I’ll fly away.  To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away.  I’ll fly away, oh glory, I’ll fly away.  When I die, hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away.  When the shadows of this life have gone, I’ll fly away.  Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I’ll fly away.  Just a few more weary days and then, I’ll fly away.  To a land where joy shall never end, I’ll fly away.”

After the death of a good friend, Singer/Songwriter David Phelps wrote a song. The last chorus says,“We will fly once again, We will soar with our wings unfolded. Hear the angels applaud as we ride on the wind to the arms of God, and we will fly, we will fly again.”

You can listen to the song on YouTube using the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1uzHv9OvF0

So dear friends, whatever the circumstance stand firm and get ready to fly! 

Blessings,

Ruth