Day 1
AS THE HART PANTS
Some of you will recognize this Psalm from the very first three words. " As the hart pants [longs for] the water brooks, so my soul longs for You , O God." My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."
My heart needs you. No part of my being needs YOU like my heart. My hunger can be satisfied by daily bread. My thirst can be quenched with fresh water. My being cold can be warmed by a household fire. My weariness can be relieved by restful sleep. We could go on to name other gifts that satisfy our being but no outward thing can satisfy the heart.
The fairest scene will not beautify my soul. The richest music will not make harmony within. A breeze may clean the air, but no breeze can cleanse my soul. This world has not provided for my heart. Earth was never meant to satisfy the human heart. It has provided for my eye, it has provided for my ear, it has provided for my touch, it has provided for my taste, it has provided for my sense of beauty, but it has not provided for my heart.
So the cry continues. "As the hart pants after the water brooks so my soul thirsts for God".
A unknown poet writes:
Provide for my heart, O Lord,
Give it wings Lord, give it wings.
Earth has failed to give it wings.
The answer comes from the same author. " I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from where my help comes. My help comes from the Lord.
The real answer lies in knowing Jesus Christ in a personal relationship. The invitation is to come to Calvary. Contemplate the agony of our Lord, where He tasted death for every man. In Christ you will find an answer for your heart. He will be a source of strength. He will be a shelter in the time of storm. He will direct your heart with its doubts. He will calm your soul in conflict. He will give you rest. He is the voice in the solitude of life.
Read:
Day 2
ATONEMENT
It has been said that every true preacher of the gospel strings all his pearls on the red cord of the Atonement.
Martin Luther preached the doctrine of the atonement and Europe awoke from slumber. Calvin never ignored or belittled the atonement. Spurgeon the prince of preachers thundered this glorious message into the ears of peer and peasant. John Bunyan made the cross the starting point to the Celestial City. Moody's key message was Calvary.
The great apostle Paul wrote and said,"For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
In Galatians 6:14 Paul continues," May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
The apostle John says," He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
1John 2:2. To sum up we would have to say He Himself is the atonement.
Hymn writers have taken up the themes:
In the Cross of Christ I Glory,
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand.
Have you ever personalized the second verse of that last hymn just mentioned ?
Upon the cross of Jesus,
Mine eyes at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart with tears
Two wonders I confess:
The wonder of His glorious love,
And my unworthiness.
One day Napolean, after conquering almost all of Europe, put his finger on the red spot on the map representing the British Isles, said," Were it not for that red spot I would conquer the world." The Enemy of our soul Satan would say that about the place called Calvary where Jesus shed His blood for you and for me.
Calvary covers it all! He Himself is the Atonement!
Read:
The Day of the Atonement
Day 3
GOD'S WILL
When he was crossing the Irish Channel one dark starless night, F. B. Meyer stood on deck by the captain and asked him," How do you know Holyhead Harbour on so dark a night as this ?" The captain replied," Do you see those three lights on ahead, those three lights must line up behind each other and when you see them lined up like that we know the exact position of the mouth of the harbour."
That introduces the subject of the will of God in my mind. When we want to know God's will there are at least three things which line up. There is the inward impulse, the word of God and the trend of circumstances. There is first of all God in the heart impelling you forward. There is God in the Book corroborating whatever He says in the heart and then God in our circumstances. These three are an indication of His will.
Should we not say to each other," Never start until these three agree ?" We may want to recall the words of our Saviour who said, "I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." He came to do the Father's will. May our desire be no less than to do His will.
When we are not quite certain if we are to turn to the right or to the left isn't it a blessing when a sign looms into sight ? If there were no signs we would wander miles astray in the wrong direction if we didn't know the way. Most of us have experienced this in our travels. I am glad that God has set His signposts on life's strange and winding roads. He leads our footsteps along the path that may even twist and turn. In some form or another He guides us. It may be through a book we read, a song that we sing, a word from a trusted friend. When we're at the crossroads and decisions have to be made though the track is unfamiliar, rest assured, there is bound to be a signpost on the way.
He's helping me now this moment, Though I may not see it or hear, Perhaps by a friend far distant, Perhaps by a stranger near, Perhaps by a spoken message, Perhaps by the printed word, In ways that I know and know not, I have the help of the Lord.
Wait on Him today and believe that He has a messenger along the road with direction and the help we need.
Read: 1 Thess. 5:18
Day 4
SILENCE!
Silence is a great peacemaker! Longfellow said those words.
Another great sentence sermon is; Silence is golden! I am sure you've heard it or even read it.
Solomon, the wise man in the scriptures said," There is a time to be silent and a time to speak".
Have you ever talked to God and said, "Let me no wrong or idle word, unthinking say; set a seal upon my lips just for today".
Some good advice may be: Keep still! When trouble is brewing, keep still. When slander comes you way, keep still. When your feelings are hurt, keep still. Yes keep still until you recover from your excitement at any rate. Things look different through an unagitated eye.
Did you ever write a letter and send it on its way and you wished you would not have mailed it? It may be that there was a time when you wrote a letter and you waited. You kept it in your pocket until you could look it over again without agitation. Then you discovered it was not necessary to send it at all. In fact you learned to keep silent and the letter was destroyed.
Time works wonders! Wait till you can speak calmly and then perhaps you will not need to speak. Silence is the most powerful thing conceivable sometimes. It is strength in its grandeur; it is like a regiment ordered to stand still. To plunge in were twice as easy.
Nothing is lost by learning to keep still. An unknown author writes:
Lord, keep me still,
Though stormy winds may blow,
And waves my little bark may overflow.
Or even if in darkness I must go,
Yet keep me still.
Keep me still.
May I ever hear Your still small voice.
So shall I know and feel You ever near.
There is a prayer in Psalm 141:3 that my English teacher made us aware of- "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips."
Remember: Silence is a great peacemaker!
Read:
Day 5
GOD WAITS
Usually we are called upon to wait, to wait upon the Lord. You know the words of David in Psalm 62. " My soul wait only upon God, silently submit to Him and so on. Then out of Isa.30:18 we read that the Lord waits.
The Lord earnestly waits, looking and longing to be gracious to you. In the context here we discover that as long as Israel tried to help themselves, sending ambassadors to Egypt and seeking an alliance against the invader, God could do nothing for them. He could only wait until they returned to simple reliance upon Himself. They were opposed to the idea of simple trust in God. It seemed impossible to believe that if they simply rested on Him He would do better for them than all their strenuous efforts. And all the while God was waiting till they were reduced to such a condition that He could step in and help.
Isn't this just like we are ? It is long before we learn the lesson of returning and finding rest, quietness and confidence. Like Israel, we'll trust in our own strength and material resources. We will try to do it all by ourselves. We will meet perplexing problems, we'll try to overcome complications of circumstances, we'll run backwards and forward, and we'll flurry and get all excited. Think of all the doors you have tried to open only to find them closed.
All the while God is waiting to be gracious to you, waiting till you come to the end of yourself; waiting till like a spent struggler in the water, you cease from your own efforts and cast yourself upon His strong and loving arms.
God is waiting in the silence for a heart that He can fill.
It is in returning and in trusting that you can find rest for your soul. You can be set free from your own pursuits and efforts. Go with Isa.30:15 into this day." In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved; in quietness and in confidence you will find your strength.
Read:
Day 6
SCULPTOR --
WHEN GOD WANTS TO DRILL A MAN
We are living in a day when people all around us react quickly to things that happen to them. The first reaction you hear is, "Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this? I believe we are in the making. Please be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet. God is at work in our lives!
The Sculptor, our Maker is grinding and chiseling and the chips may fill the air. He has an image in mind that He wants to produce in your character. A poet has written:
When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man;
When God wants to mould a man to play The noblest part;
Watch His methods,
Watch His ways.
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay
Which only God understands.
He uses whom He chooses,
By every act induces him
To try His splendour out--
God knows what He's about.
It was Goethe, a German theologian, who said," Life is a quarry, out of which we are to mould and chisel and complete a character."
In the same vein, I have read about a piece of wood bitterly complaining because it was being cut and filled with rifts and holes. He whose knife was cutting into it did not listen to this complaining. He was making a flute out of the wood he held in his hands. He was saying to this piece of wood," Oh, you foolish piece of wood, without these rifts and holes you would merely be a stick forever, a bit of hard wood with no power to make music or to be of any use. These rifts that I am making, which seem to be destroying you, will change into a flute, and your music will cheer the hearts of men. My cutting is the making of you. You will be valuable and a blessing in the world."
A classic from the Bible is David. He would never have sung his songs had he not been sorely afflicted. His afflictions made his life an instrument on which God could breathe the music of His love to soothe the hearts of men. Haven't we all enjoyed the Psalms?
God is at work in your life! He may be whittling away in your life and making for Himself an instrument that He wants to use. Let the Sculptor touch the keys of your life and make you a vessel unto honour, set apart, so that Christ Himself can use you for His glory and highest purpose.
Read:
Day 7
INSTRUMENTS
As a child in a Vacational Bible School, I was taught a short chorus that still comes to mind when I think of the things God uses.
Shamgar had an oxgoad,
David had a sling,
Dorcas had a needle,
Rahab had some string;
Samson had a jaw-bone,
Aaron had a rod,
Mary had some ointment,
But they all were used of God.
Of course there were others and other things. The Bible says that God chose the weak things of the world to bring to nothing the things that are; that no one anywhere can ever brag in His presence.
Only a trumpet blast, the smash of lighted pitchers and a shout, by these and Gideon, God delivered Israel from the seven-year yoke of the Midianites. I always enjoy the account in Judges 6,7,8. A trumpet, a pitcher and a torch. Only a sling and a stone sent with unerring precision and directed by God, and that day David put to shame the skeptical armies in Israel and the giant Philistine was slain; and God's honour was vindicated. That familiar account is known to us from our youth. The thing is this: Under the control of God ordinary instruments become extraordinary! God moves in to heighten our power. He is the source!
Amos was just a herdsman, but his powers were heightened by God. It happened to Peter. It happened to Paul. We are all in need of more power, more courage, more wisdom than we actually possess.
Whatever God has called you to do -do it! One of my teachers used to say,"Gods commandments are His enablings." It was Charles Finney who said," When God commands you to do a thing, it is the highest possible evidence, that we can do it."
Remember again the choice of God's instruments. He has chosen the weak things. We need to be thrown upon Him to find our resources in Him. Moody is to have said often," Give your life to God, He can do more with it than you can."
God will never take advantage of you. God's will for you means your fullest happiness.
Read:
Day 8
SOMEONE I LOVE WENT HOME TODAY!
I borrow the words of Solomon when he first became king in the place of his father David, " I do not know how to go out or come in." It was part of the prayer he made for an understanding heart to rule his people 1 Kings 3:6-15. " I know not how", Isn't this the question that comes from our hearts at times. How can I face the future without my loved one? You have asked that question many times. " I don't know how." It is better for you not to ask what no one can answer. Today’s burden is enough; do not add to it tomorrows.[Matt.6:34] You will never need God's help and comfort more than now. Tomorrow's burden will come soon enough, but then today's burden will have been lifted before the new one comes.
Let me now borrow the words of 2 Peter 2:9 [part of the verse] " The Lord knows how." Place the " I know not how" along side of " The Lord knows how." I know, you've been thinking that you could bear today's burden if it were not for the dread tomorrow, and you are right. Then bear today's burden faithfully, and if tomorrow's load is to crush you, let it do that tomorrow, not today.
It’s the piling up of future sorrow upon the sorrow of the present that brings us to the breaking point.
God's grace is sufficient 2 Cor.12:9 ! "The Lord knows how!" Having touched upon the thought,
" How can I face the future without my loved one? I would like to share these lines that have touched my own life.
Someone I loved went home today, Went home to God. I cannot say how I can live the years until I see his face again, how fill the empty days. I only know, Yes, know, that someday I shall go to him, and hear his voice again, and touch his hand. Till then, my chart upon this lonely sea, those last faint words he spoke to me, " Dear, keep the home together, and the children in school." Sacred command, my task until the prize is won,-His smile, His words, "Beloved, well done. "
Someone I love went home one day, Went home to God, He did not say how long He would be gone, nor when He would be coming back again. I only know that He has gone to make a place for me. Some dawn or evening light He'll come for me. Till then there is a task that He has set for me. To preach the word, be consecrated to His cause. Spend strength and purse until that wondrous prize is won. His tender words," Beloved, well done."
Read:
Day 9
TIME
What is time? Time is the period during which an action or a process continues. Time is a measured duration. We think of a life-time. We could think of a prison sentence as a measured duration. Time is also the allotted, the appointed, the fixed hour for something to happen.
Time comes to us in seasons; there is summer time, winter time, spring time and so on.
Time also has to do with a rate of speed as well as rhythm. Time has to do with the finite {having definable limits} as contrasted with the infinite, as when time shall be no more.
A word about the stewardship of time...the right use of time. We are a time conscious people, we are creatures of time. The Bible exhortation is " Redeem the time." The right use of time is the important thing.
1. The right use time of is secured by realizing the brevity of life. "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." [Psalm 90:12] True biblical wisdom is indeed the outcome of the biblical injunction, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and to depart from evil is the beginning of understanding." [Job 28:28] We need to honour and acknowledge and seek the ways of God in our lives. We are in this life to prepare for the next, and therefore, the right use of time is to realize that life is brief and our preparation to meet God is important.
2. The right use of time is secured by youthful, loyal devotion. "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when you will say, I have no pleasure in them." [Ecc. 12:1] Loyal devotion now while you are young. Give Him the best years of your life. An elderly man said to me one day, " You got to cut the stick while the knife is sharp." This same man said," If only I had given my life to God while I was young." Remember God now!
3 The right use of time can be secured by subordinating earthly duties to heavenly duties. That is, spiritual interests should be paramount. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God...and all these things will be added." Paul said, "Time is short." [1 Cor. 7:29] Spiritual interests come first. Get married yes, rejoice yes, use this worlds goods yes, but spiritual things come first. We get so tangled up with the tangible we fail to realize that these things lack permanence. Things perish!
4.The right use of time is secured by serious living. "See then that you walk circumspectly { cautiously }, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." This is a call to careful, cautious, prudent living. Webster says a fool is a dupe , a simpleton, he tampers and wastes time. We have all heard the expression," Just fooling around." I hope life holds more for you than just fooling around. Life is serious!
Read:
Day 10
Fellowship with God!
"Where are you?" The Lord God called to the man and the woman who hid themselves in the garden. [Gen.3:8-9] Where are you? God came in the cool of the day to have fellowship. That’s an appropriate time! We need His hand upon our pounding hearts. We need His peace to calm our soul. What the breath of evening is in summer, fellowship with God will be for your soul. See to it that you are not so absorbed in yourself or your business as to miss the appointed time or appointed place.
F.B.Meyer chose this verse for his daily homily and he wrote,"The question tells me that God misses his child." The few moments of fellowship will mean so much to you and it means a lot more to God.
Love, God's love, craves for fellowship! As the musician craves for his instrument, as the deer pants for the water brook, as the mother longs to hear the babbling of her child. God longs for the free outpourings of His child in prayer; misses them when withheld; is jealous when they are fitful and intermittent.
The question "Where are you?" tells me that God seeks his child. He did not wait till Adam found his way back to His side. God hastened in search of him. He comes to seek you. You've withheld yourself from the hour of prayer...I missed you! The heart of God must mourn with sorrow for our loss. We miss out when we miss meeting Him! God's love craves for fellowship. He misses it!
How does that make you feel? I can hear you say, "Is God really interested in me?" Yes ,He is! This first question put to man, "Adam, where are you?" is every indication of what you have just read. God keeps an inventory of His children. Your name, the place you live, the circumstances you are in, your occupation, all is known to Him. God calls to help us. As a free moral agent, I need to respond to His love for me.
Today, God calls us through His word. His word is Divine. Spend some time in His word today. God desires your fellowship.
Read:
Day 11
HURRY DOWN , ZACCHAEUS!
Posters and bumper stickers have read: "Slow down and live."and, "Bring them back alive." Slow down and live is the one I wish to speak too today. Let me introduce the question and suggest a paradox, What is the cure for Hurry? The answer, more hurry, hurry away from the wrong goals to the right goals.
There is the speed of a brook that hurries down to the sea. There is the speed of a bird in flight. Have you ever felt like David in Psalm 55, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest." There is the speed of wind on its travels around the world. Let me present a proposition: The best way to slow down your material life with its pursuits is to speed up your spiritual life.
You all know the story of Zacchaeus, who ran ahead, climbed a tree in order to see Jesus Luke 19:1-10. The Saviour knew he spent much of his life in a hurried pursuit of gain. All of us are aware that this is an inadequate ideal. Christ slowed him down by inviting him to hurry. The word was, "Hurry down, I must stay in your house today."
In his past hurrying Zacchaeus felt the need to slow down. Zacchaeus, wanted to see a Man not in the pursuit of possessions. In his own way he was asking ultimate questions. In the hurry of life men ask,
"What is the meaning of life?"
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Where am I going in such a hurry?
What can I do with this life of mine between the cradle and the grave?
Christ slowed Zacchaeus down by inviting him to hurry down. Hurry down and welcome the Man who is the answer.
Zacchaeus the dwarf became Zacchaeus the desirous. His desire was to see Jesus, and Jesus' desire was to meet him. The stage was set for a thrilling experience. Meeting in that home meant a great discovery. He discovered how little men can suddenly grow tall. All men are apt to increase in stature when they respond to Christ. You can see now that you can cure hurry with hurry if you change the goal. The goal is Christ! Hurry to Christ!. This little man must have summed it all up in the words, "He sees me, He knows me, He loves me, He wants me. So Zacchaeus decided- " He can have me." He turned his heart and his home over to Jesus Christ.
Read:
Day 12
SEE WITH YOUR EYES SHUT
Vision is a wonderful thing! To have eyes to see is to say the least -wonderful! How we appreciate what is being done for the blind today. Vision is a bewildering thing, and one has difficulty in understanding the various ramifications of a man's sight. Some people with excellent eyes succeed in seeing nothing. Others who are blind succeed in seeing a lot. Strange, but true! Many things can hinder our vision: a cataract, a fog, a piece of dirt, or even a dizzy faint can plunge a man into blackness. This is not surprising; but when a blind man can succeed in identifying objects, and recognizing at a distance what others cannot see close at hand, ordinary explanations seem inadequate.
Let me mention Blind Bartimaeus who excelled in these qualities. He could see with his eyes shut. Bartimaeus sat by the wayside begging, but his hearing was good. He heard Jesus was passing by. Suddenly his idea of life changed. To this moment his primary interest was to increase his earnings-he was a beggar. A crowd always brightened his prospects. Suddenly he lost all interest in monetary gains and thought only of the nearness of Jesus. The great Healer was within calling distance and that meant the approach of an opportunity. He saw that his greatest opportunity had come. He began to cry out and say, " Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." His inward vision increased moment by moment, and realizing that he had no time to lose, he appealed loudly to the Saviour. He was very wise, for Christ was on His way out of Jericho. He saw that this opportunity could easily pass by. Had he waited, the Master would have been out of earshot, and he would have missed his great chance. Desperately he lifted his voice, determined not to lose his great chance of gaining eyesight.
What do we learn? It is never safe to postpone to a later date something that demands urgent attention. Bartimaeus knew it was a case of "now or never" and refused to be silenced by the critical crowd. For a blind man, his eyesight was very good indeed!
Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. He arose and came to Jesus. He received his sight and followed Jesus. I am sure his soul-hunger was satisfied in fellowship with the Saviour.
He could see with his eyes shut! Fellowship demands followship!
Read: Mark 10:46-52
Day 13
HEARTS FOUND IN THE BIBLE:
Looking up the references can be part of an evening on Valentines Day! Use a number of translations.
1. A Broken Heart - Psalm 34:18.
2. A Clean Heart - Psalm 51:10.
3. A Glad Heart - Psalm 4:7.
4. A Merry Heart - Prov. 15:13
5. A Perfect Heart - 1 Kings 8:61.
6. A Pure Heart - Psalm 24:4.
7. A Rejoicing Heart - Psalm 105:3.
8. A Righteous Heart - Prov. 15:28.
9. A Tender Heart - Eph. 4:32.
10. A Sound Heart - Prov. 14:30.
11. An Understanding Heart -
12. An Upright Heart - Psalm 7:10.
13. A Wise Heart - Prov. 10:8.
14. A Willing Heart - Exodus 35:5.
15. A Deceitful Heart - Prov.12:20.
16. A Blind Heart - Eph. 4:17-18.
17. A Crooked Heart - Prov.17:20.
18. A Foolish Heart - Prov 15:7.
19. A Perverse Heart - Prov 12:8. [warped]
20. A Proud Heart - Prov 16:5.
21. A Sick Heart - Prov 13:12.
Day 14
YOUR HEART!
Your heart is your life! It is amazing what your heart can do. Everyday it works to lift a man 1000 feet in the air. Everyday it pumps 2400 pints of blood. Everyday it supplies a highway of veins about 60,000 miles long. Your heart is pictured as your life, your mind, your will and your affections in the Bible. The Bible describes our hearts as sinful, wicked and restless.[Isa.57:20-21]
Proverbs says,"My son, give Me your heart." [Proverbs 23:26]
1. The Petition comes from God. God the Father calls you "My son (daughter)" He made you; He gave you life. God the Son invites you to give Him your life. He loves you! He gave Himself for you! God the Holy Spirit desires that you give your life to Jesus. He convicts you of sin. He shows you that you need Jesus. He converts you! He calls you to believe in Jesus. Do you know why these Three make this petition? There is something They want to do for you.
2. The Petition is for our benefit. They want to enlighten your heart. [John 1.9] Our hearts were darkened! They want to pardon your heart.[Isa.55:7] They want to keep, guard and guide your life. [Phil.4:7] Surely you will not give your heart [life] to Satan. He will only destroy, pollute and ruin your life.
3. The Petition may be granted today! You can give your heart to the One who asks for it. Give your heart [life] to Jesus believingly. He loves you and died for your sins. Your sins have been forgiven on the cross.[Romans 5:6] Believe Him! Receive him! [John 1:12] Give Him your heart [life] willingly; with all the love you have in your heart. He knows how much you love Him! David says in Psalm 119:10," I seek You with all my heart." Give your heart [life] to Jesus immediately. Today, if you hear His voice, harden not your heart. Now is the accepted time! Now is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may be too late!
Moody is to have said,"Give your life to God, He can do more with it than you can."
You can make heaven happy today! There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents.[Luke 15:7, Luke 10:24]
Read:
Day 15
TWIN ANGELS!
There are mothers who are always tidying up after their children. The little ones have had a good time, leaving the house in confusion and disorder. Mother comes to pick up the toys, mends the torn garments and makes everything neat and tidy.
F.B.Meyer reminded his readers about twin angels that follow us and pick up the pieces. From Psalm 23 those familiar lines," Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all he days of my life."
We are well escorted, with the Shepherd in front and these twin angels behind. That is a beautiful thought- twin angels following behind- goodness and mercy. How often we leave the house of our lives in confusion and disorder. We make mistakes, say the wrong things, do our work half-hearted and the rooms of our life are pretty untidy. It is good to think and know that two such angels follow close upon our track as we go through life. They come to untangle the knots, they prevent us from ill advice and they seek to put kind thoughts into our actions. They also protect us. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."
As mothers who are always tidying up after their children, as the ambulance corps goes over the battlefield, as love puts the most tender construction on word and act, so the love of God follows us. His goodness imputes to us the noble motive, though the act itself has been a failure. His mercy forgives, obliterates the traces of our sins from His heart, undoes their ill-effects as far as possible toward others, and treats us as if we had never transgressed.
We need not fear the future. God's angels do not tire. The Enemy may seem to have obtained permission to sift you. Satan may give you a rough time. Remember again,
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life." The Shepherd goes before, follow Him! The twin angels follow to pick up the pieces. Every provision and protection is made for us in knowing the Good Shepherd.
Read:
Day 16
AS A HEN...JESUS CALLS!
Artists can paint pictures from domestic scenes that have lasted a life-time.
Jesus painted some word pictures that we still read in the New Testament. A broken bottle-skin, a patched garment, a handful of girls attending a wedding feast, a sower going out to sow and many other subjects never to be forgotten.
Let us look at the picture painted in Matt. 23:37. Jesus is weeping over a city that rejected Him. Hear His words: "How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling."
The way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! Think a moment! Who hasn't heard the cluck of the hen when danger threatens her brood. She is quick to detect the danger and she is ready to protect her chicks.
Often, the rush of life drowns the call of Jesus to come under His wings for rest and protection. I understand from reading that the hen has a variety of calls, some six or eight different sounds. Jesus also calls us for different purposes: sometimes to draw us near for fellowship, sometimes to feast on the truths of His word, sometimes to hide in the shadow of His wings to rest and sometimes to abide in Him until some dreaded evil passes by.
Are we hearing the calls? How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Think of the trouble, the trials and the temptations we often face. Jesus cares! He knows what we face. He called you-did you hear Him? Maybe we didn't want to hear. "How often" who can enumerate the many times when we have been summoned by Jesus to draw near, but we would not. He says, " ...you were unwilling."
Does the rush of life drown out the call?
Let us take time to realize that there is safety in Jesus Christ. There is shelter under His wings! May this never-to-be-forgotten picture remind us that Jesus calls! Jesus cares!
Read:
Day 17
SOMETHING SOLID
I would like to write about something solid today! The question may come to your mind," Is there anything solid in this changing rather unstable world?"
How do we find stability in a troubled world? We are more aware of it than ever before that those in government cannot guarantee stability. We seem to be threatened and tortured by ill-health, highway tragedy, unemployment, broken homes and moral corruption. Our newspapers are full of violence and death.
War continues even though peace treaties are signed. Nations can't get together. Nothing it seems is solid or stable.
For today, some lessons from a ROCK. Four times Moses wrote about a Rock in the song he wrote before he died Deut.32. Paul picks up on that theme in 1 Cor.10:4 and he says,..." and that Rock was Christ."
In Christ there is stability! My faith is in Jesus Christ! The foundations are unshakeable. "Other foundation can no man lay..."1 Cor.3:11. Once I was part of a troubled, unstable world. Today I stand in Christ! He is stable! Once I was building on the sand, now on the Rock...Matt.7:24-27. Can you sing with conviction, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand."
In Christ there is strength! In the Lord is everlasting strength. Isaiah has a real gem in Isaiah 28:16. "There is a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone and a sure foundation." We boast of our strength and forget how frail we really are. In Christ there is strength to live the Christian life. Christians around the world testify, " The Lord is my strength and my song."
In Christ there is singing! " Let the inhabitants of the Rock sing, let them shout from the tops of the mountains" Isa.44:11. Those who know Christ as their Rock can well sing.
In Christ there is satisfaction. " He satisfies the longing soul, He fills the hungry soul with goodness" Psalm 107:9
In Christ there is standing. This is described in Psalm 40:2. "He set my feet upon a Rock and gave me a firm place to stand."
In Christ there is shelter. There is good hiding in Him! " The Lords' our Rock in Him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm." Many a troubled storm-beaten soul has found peace and quiet and true rest in Christ the Rock.
In Christ there is safety! Spiritual safety! The assurance of faith. Safe am I in the hollow of his hand.
By faith you will find a resting place; something solid for your life.
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Day 18
A SENSE OF VALUES!
Do you have a good sense of values? Do you know what is really worth while? Are there standards that you cherish? We all like to think that we know what’s worthwhile and of real value.
God too, has a sense of value which is different from ours. God relegates the great things of earth to a place of insignificance. He lifts the unattractive to a place of importance. God does things differently!
The world in which we live is a treasure house of beauty. Our Creator gave His best when He fashioned it. This planet is one of many. On this earth we find immeasurable riches. There is mineral wealth, gold, silver, diamonds, etc.. There are harvests with its provision for food to eat. There is the splendor of the forests and their value in building material. There is the freshness of flowers and the scent they give. Oh, the beauty of the earth!
None of this is compared to the value of one soul. Jesus said,"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36. Christ had a unique sense of values! From God's viewpoint man is His crown creation. Man was made in the image of God. Psalm 8 always comes along to bless my heart. What is man that you are mindful of him,the son of man that You care for him? He lifts the unattractive to a place of importance!
Christ became man that He might redeem man. In the sight of God, the reconciling death of Christ equaled the need of those who believe. We have to exclaim," How great was the value of His sacrifice!" Paul talks about the unfathomable riches of Christ in Eph.3:8. Believers are His prize possession Eph.1:18! We are of great value to God! Aren't you amazed at the love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ?
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Day 19
CAPACITY FOR GOD
The words of Augustine, "Thou hast made us for Thyself, and the heart is restless until it rests in Thee", are as contemporary or up to date as ever. Man has the capacity for God! Man is greater than the changes around him; he has eternity in his heart Ecc.3:11.
We have the capacity for the Eternal and Infinite. As the sea shell sighs for the ocean, so our hearts cry out, though sometimes inarticulately, for God, for the living God. God made man in His own image; and nothing more surely attests the greatness of our origin than those faculties of the soul which are capable of yearning for, conceiving, and enjoying God.
There came a day in the life of Solomon where he drifted from God. He plunged his life into pleasure and laughter; into building and planting; into pursuits of science and learning. The Bible says, "Whatsoever my eyes desired I kept not from them." Later he also said, " Behold, all is vanity and striving after wind."
Nothing can satisfy us but God! We were made for Him! The heart, as Augustine has said, must be forever restless till it finds rest in God. The sea shell sighs for the ocean from where it came.
We have no need to envy those who prosper in this world, and leave God out and are without hope. All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest Ecc.2:23.
If we are to avoid inward anguish, we must learn to take God into our lives.
We need to come to Him who has the words of eternal life. We need to come to Him ,who is the Bread of Life. He that comes to Him will never hunger; he that believes will never thirst. We have the capacity for God. He put that into our heart. He longs to satisfy that yearning in your life. Your soul sighs for God like the sea-shell for the shore! The word is Come! Matt.11:28-30.
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Day 20
YOUR CALLING, YOUR WORK!
We lightly speak of a man's occupation as his calling, and we fail to realize the significance of the phrase. Our faculty, desire and our circumstance constitute a call. There may be a distinct vocation in the merchant's office, the tradesman's shop or in the work of a domestic servant, as in the church itself.
One man is called into the ministry, another to be a lawyer; others to work in all manner of workmanship. God does the placing! Believe each day as you go to work that God has called you to the task before you. He will give you the strength, wisdom and grace to do your work right.
If you must leave your work, wait for God to open another door. He sees and knows all, even the motives that prompt our work.
In building the Tabernacle, Israel's portable place of worship, God called men to work all manner of craftsmanship. There was great variety in the contributions made, from precious jewels, cloth, wood and goat's hair. The completed structure was a monument to the united gifts, handcrafts and gems of all the people. In all there was the unity of the spirit, plan and devotion. So in the church and in the world there is work for each of us to do. It may be a very humble part in a factory, like minding the lift, or stoking the furnace, or fetching materials for the more skilled operators; but there is a place for each of us. God prepares the work for the workers, and the worker for the work!
Whenever God gives us a task to fulfill, it's because He sees in us the ability for its happy accomplishment in cooperation with Himself. It's a mistake to turn back daunted by difficulty or even opposition. You can bring your resources and powers to Him. Willing hearts were summoned to bring their offerings to the Lord.
The maker of a musical instrument knows best how to develop its waiting music, and He who created us can make the most of us. Lets yield our selves to Him. We may differ from all others in the special character of our work; but it matters not, so long as God effects through us His purpose in creating us.
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Day 21
WEATHERVANES
The word weathervane or weathercock is not found in the Bible, but there is a text that suggests it. " We are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming" Eph.4:14.
In Scotland, a weathercock is recognized for what it is. In England, it is known as a "vane". A vane is a flat surface attached to an axis and moves with the wind. Some of us have seen the form of an arrow, a rooster (I understand the rooster was the original form),we have windmills, banners, flags and all kinds of things to show us the direction of the wind.
Today I'm speaking to you as a weathervane. We all meet people who can't make up their minds. They face one way one minute and whirl around the next. They are never settled- always unsettled. May I suggest a few don'ts about weathervanes?
1. Don't be a weathervane in small things. Let me illustrate: Children are classic in this; they have some spending money, they go to a store to buy candy, they stand there looking at the candy counter and they can't make up their mind. The girl at the counter is almost frustrated as she waits. Make up your mind! Decide! In trifles it is better to decide wrongly, than never to decide at all. That may sound strange, but it cures the problem of indecision. Learn to make a decision!
2.Don't be a weathervane in the big things. For instance, don't be undecided what you are going to be when you grow up. Remember the days when you wanted to be a nurse, a doctor, a bus driver, mechanic, storekeeper, taxi-driver, teacher and a farmer or you name it. There comes a day when you decide. As a believer you can think and pray about these decisions. Just take a good look at your interests, your talents and your abilities- decide! God will guide a sincere seeker.
3.Don't be a weathervane in the biggest thing of all. What do I mean? Don't be undecided about following Jesus Christ! Do not be half persuaded, thinking, it would be fine to be a Christian and then hold back. Do not tell yourself, Christ is your Master to serve and then whisper in your heart," what if service means giving up all my fun." You only begin truly to enjoy yourself when you decide to follow Jesus. Being a believer means real joy, peace and contentment. You do not have to give up anything except the love of sin and evil. You are responsible for your life, your social, moral, mental and spiritual life.
Read the book inspired by God, which can be food for your soul, show you to the Saviour and give direction to your life. Decide!
Decide to be a responsible person today!
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Day 22
ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS!
How many things are there that you really enjoy? If you can't do things you would enjoy, try enjoying the things you can. There is fun in little things. Henry Jacobson, who wrote the Adult material for Scripture Press years ago put me up to this when he listed a number of things from which I have gleaned and made my own.
I want to share some of my favourite things. Look for joy in the commonplace things within reach. Let us make a list at random; make your own list.
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Reading a well-written book
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Spring cleaning the garage
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A cheery hi! from a grandson
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Using a pencil that’s just been sharpened
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Turning off the sound on a TV commercial
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Sleeping in on a rainy Saturday morning
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A wool blanket in a cold bedroom on a winter night
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Sitting in the shade in the summer time
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Driving a car, especially through the colourful fall country side
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Opening a letter from a friend
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Taking off a necktie, and changing into casual clothes
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Typing with a new ribbon
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A long-distance phone call from a friend
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Eating left-overs that are well prepared
Yes, there is big fun in little things.
Did you list some of your own?
The minor prophet wrote, " Who has despised the day of little things" Zech. 4:10.
We should never take life for granted, even the every day routine. All of life is routine! We need to look for little things that we can enjoy and enjoy them. Relish them! You will find that living becomes a lot more interesting.
God gives us richly " all things" to enjoy 1 Timothy 6:17. He wants us to delight in all that is wholesome and good. Life is happily full of small enchanting pleasures. Like finishing another article for this book.
Enjoy going to church on Sunday! Take someone with you, you'll be the richer for it!
Read: Zechariah 4:1-14
Day 23
TOUCHING SHOULDERS WITH YOU!
Man is a social being ! We need each other!
You might be surprised if all at one time certain people were left out of your life. We need each other! " Others" are important.
The song writer says: Others , Lord , Yes others, Let this my motto be, Help me to live for others, That I might live like Thee.
There is a poem I cherish sent to me by a radio listener.
Touching Shoulders with You.
There's a comforting thought at the close of the day
When I'm weary and lonely and sad.
That sort of grips hold of this crusty old heart
And bids it be merry and glad
It gets in my soul and it drives out the blues,
And finally thrills through and through.
Its' just a sweet memory that chants the refrain;
I'm glad I touched shoulders with you!
Did you know you were brave, did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was me leaning hard,
Did you know that I listened and waited and prayed
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know that I longed for a smile on your face
For the sound of your voice ringing true,
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
I had merely touched shoulders with you?
I am glad that I live; that I battle and strive
For the place that I know I must fill;
I'm thankful for sorrows,
I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may send good or ill;
I may not have wealth,
I may not be great
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life, that courage you gave,
When once I touched shoulders with you!
Is your life touching other lives? Happiness comes upon you unawares while you are helping others. Happiness is like perfume, you can't spray it on others without getting some on yourself. It all may begin with a smile. Smile! Its worth a million dollars and doesn't cost a cent.
Read: Romans 15:1-7
Day 24
HOW TO MAKE LIFE WORSE THAN IT IS
Like is problems! The other day I read something about making life worse than it is. Some of us go through life thinking that we are victims of our circumstances.
Attitudes play a noble part in all of this. You can make life worse by the attitude which expects any change to be for the worst. The very expectation helps to bring it about.
Let me list a few things that make life worse than it is:
1.Pessimism is one way to make life worse than it is. Do you surrender to pessimism? Pessimism helps produce the conditions it fears. Pessimism creates the atmosphere of defeat. This is where you think defeat is certain, there's nothing you can do.
2. Worry is another way to make life worse than it is. Worry is the interest you pay on trouble that never happens. Worry undermines, strangles and cripples your trust and confidence in God. He who trusts does not worry; and he who worries does not trust.
3.Anxiety also makes life worse than it is. This fear is a mixture of desire and dread. Anxiety is like sand in a machine, grinding and destroying. Anxiety piles tomorrows load on top of today’s, and few are able to carry the load.
4.Defeatism is another way to make life worse than it is. Losing the will to win. Giving up the struggle.
Why don't we ask, "Why make life worse than it is? Why not make it better than it is? No, not by yourself, but by the grace of God. Be sure of your personal commitment to Jesus Christ; be sure your sins are forgiven, and be sure your faith is on the unfailing promises of God's Word. Then in the power of His grace go out to make life better for yourself, your family, your church and your community.
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DAY 25
FEAR
Fear - a life-long enemy!
It seems the fight against fear is almost as important as the battle for faith. Fear is our life-long enemy and it may well demand our life-long enmity. " Say this for me," a man once wrote, "He fought his fears."
The word fear appears more than 400 times in the Bible. The words "fear not" about 118 times. It is often found in our daily conversation. " I'm afraid," said a statesman, " what the future holds." A college girl phoned her bank and said, "I'm afraid I've overdrawn my account." "I am afraid of what this pain may mean." the words of a patient to his doctor. Some have said, " I'm afraid of fear; the emotion itself is destructive."
Now you should read the passage in Matt.14:22-32.
Fear in Jesus' disciples brought out some of His most memorable words. Ten words were flung into a storm by night. " Be of good cheer, It is I, be not afraid." { Acually very early in the morning.} Jesus emphasized cheerfulness as a cure for fear. "Be of good cheer." " Be of good courage" says another translation. He also underlined companionship with Himself as a cure for fear. In the storm He said, " It is I." Circle that in your bible! We have His promised presence. We need to practice His presence on a daily basis.
Christ Himself is the door to fearlessness. Martyrs, missionaries and believers all over the world have testified to the contagion of His courage. Then, Christ provides confidence as a cure for fear. "Be not afraid." Confidence is the conviction of adequacy. We need to say that Jesus Christ is adequate.
Whatever the storm, He is adequate! It may be true that in the storm of this world we are fearful about our health, our children, our finances and even the evil in all its forms. Lets take those ten words into today. "Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid.
Cheerfulness, companionship and confidence in Him -this is the cure.
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Day 26
GET UP AND GET GOING !
I like the story of the little boy walking along with his mother, all dressed up for a special party. Little boys are full of life and energy. This little fellow was romping around hopscotching here and there. His mother warned him, "Be careful, settle down! you are going to fall and get all messed up." Sure enough, the boy did fall down into a muddy place. His mother stopped, looked at him, squared herself and said, "Now, what are you going to do?" With amazing composure in such a situation he replied, "I'm going to get up!"
Who hasn't found him or herself in a similar situation? Life can be rough! There are a few "downers". We tumble, fall and fail! Life does hold some daring adventures. Think of the inventors, reformers, builders of industry or some other pioneering persons. Would they have made a contribution if they had been afraid to fail, fall and even to risk?
The secret of their success may well be characterized by the little boy. " I'm going to get up." That could be the first step to recovery. Nothing is accomplished, if after the first tumble we stay down. Many a scientist has risen to triumph from the ashes of mistakes. Thomas Edison had hundreds of experimental failures, but he did not stay in defeat. He got up and moved on. A good football player falls forward determined to gain every foot possible. In addition to that, he gets up and goes on. Life is filled with examples of those who get up and get going.
Get up and get going is the good word today. The battle scared Apostle Paul says, " I press on...straining toward what’s ahead" Phil.3:12-14.
Peter made a great come-back. For all of us there is opportunity to get up and get going.
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Day 27
THE ABILITY TO THINK
The realm of our thoughts is a most fascinating one. It is the gift of our great Creator. The operation of millions of tiny cells in the human brain lifts man into a sphere where he stands alone among creatures in his ability to THINK.
Our thoughts can transport us to places where we have never been. They are a magic carpet that can bring back the experiences of the past or the great scenes of history. By them we visit the Garden of Eden, the Holy Land, cities like Rome, London, Paris, Zurich in the Alps and other places in the world.
Our thoughts, this fascinating power also brings us in touch with the Eternal, for here we share in His likeness. How it enriches our lives! What marvels it unfolds! What beauty it holds!
The mind can also be an area of life that is filled with terrors. It often calls up fears, both real and imaginary. It musters up moments of great anxiety and days of troublesome worries.
You can begin to see the powers of Thought! Thoughts are the material with which we work. Before any deed is done, it is conceived in thought. Before a large building is constructed it has been seen in the mind of an architect. Thoughts can also be an influence for evil. Before we commit a sin, we have first had sinful thoughts. Thoughts are important, for , "as a man thinks within himself, so he is" Prov.23:7.
The more I think of this, the more I need to apply the redemptive work of Christ to my life. I believe you think that with me.
There are avenues of faith which we all should travel which will help us to have a better balanced view of life. A beautiful example of all this is found in the words of Paul in the letter to the Philippians. " Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report {that which is excellent or praiseworthy}
THINK on these things.
Think! This is positive thinking at its best.
I'm indebted to a book, "The Art Of Christian Living" by Ralph Heymen, from which I will be gleaning for the next few days.
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Day 28
HEALTH IS WHOLENESS
Do you have a healthy attitude toward life? Is it fair to say that people have a hard time getting better physically when they harbour "unhealthy attitudes?" We are all aware that mind and feelings have a tremendous influence upon our lives.
The term "heart" is used often in the scriptures. The heart is considered to be the very center of life. Proverbs 4:23 says,"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Out of it flow the springs of life. These are figures of speech, but they indicate some of the common conceptions of the day. The figures of modern speech indicate that we feel that the mind influences the body. You may smile at this! We speak of a person that annoys us as "getting under our skin."
The people whom we resent a great deal give us a "pain in the neck." You have heard the expression,"he makes me sick." When we hear something that thrills us, like a beautiful piece of music, it "sends chills up and down our spine." The scratching of a finger-nail on a blackboard, "gives us a chill." Something that we find disgusting is said to,"turn our stomach." We are so very much aware that emotional tensions express themselves in many ways.
All strong emotions are accompanied with bodily reactions: When we have sorrow- we weep. When we are joyful-we laugh. When we are ashamed-we blush. When we have fear-the heart beats faster and so on. I am sure you have heard the statment-"Health is Wholeness."
Jesus used the term,..."that they may be made whole." God wants us to be a whole person-a healthy person. To be really healthy we need healthy thoughts, healthy emotions and healthy values in life. Peace of mind and contentment are important. Both are priceless! When love dominates the mind there will be a warm glow of tenderness and happiness in the human heart. The attitude of reverence and worship will also have a wholesome effect upon your life. Its Halverson who says, " Man in Christ, is man at his best." I need ANOTHER to help me live this life.That "ANOTHER" IS JESUS"
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Day 29
THE COLOUR OF YOUR THOUGHTS
The psychology of colour is a wide and complex field. Some colours are warm, others are cold. Some are cheerful and others are sombre. There are shades of blue which we would never use in our hospital rooms. We would never think of dressing a nurse in a bright red uniform. Such colours would have a disturbing effect.
Common usage also expresses the fact that colour influences our human spirit. A person is said to be blue when he or she is depressed. We describe others as being green with envy. The coward is said to be yellow. The anarchist is red. White is associated with purity. An ancient philosopher once said, " The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts."
Is there a colour to our thinking? There are people whose thoughts are grey. They always bring out the gloomy side of life. Their thoughts seem to flow in a gloomy mood; usually, they have lost their sense of humour. Others are perennially tinged with green. They are envious and jealous of others, living in suspicion. They rarely have a good word for others. Then, the conversation of still others make you feel their minds are black. Black with sordid stories, profane remarks and suggestive statements. You feel sorry for people who have to listen to them. What about the thoughts with varying shades of blue. These are full of worries, anxieties and fears. They are almost certain that things will go wrong.
By now you may be asking, " Can you determine the colour of your thoughts?" That depends entirely on what you put into your mind. If you fill your mind with drab and lowly things, the furnishings of the chamber of your mind will be drab. If you fill your mind with rich and noble thoughts, the chamber of your mind will be richly furnished. Good books, good music, the beauty of nature, the wonders of science can turn your thoughts Godward.
Your personal faith in Jesus Christ will help you to put the proper colour into your life. Paul say, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ..." Again today Phil.4:8 could be so very applicable.