Word

Weave Threads of Rejoicing into Your Life

July 22, 2021 by Ellen Leave a Comment

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Tired. Cranky. Summer sinus cold. John Ortburg, in his book Soul Keeping, suggests thinking of something you are thankful for before you get out of bed each day. He calls this “practicing gratitude”. This particular day, I wasn’t practicing gratitude very well. I was struggling to find something to be grateful for.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My foggy brain remembered that I had been memorizing these verses in 1 Thessalonians. Verse sixteen has got to be THE ONE scripture that is impossible to do! How can I always rejoice, pray without ever stopping and give thanks for everything – even the bad stuff? Can it be done?

Silently I climbed out of bed to dig deeper into God’s word. Settling into my favorite chair, cup of coffee in hand and favorite crocheted afghan around my legs, I began to study the scriptures.

Rejoice. To delight (charm, enchant, captivate) in God’s grace. To be captivated with God’s grace.

Always. At ALL times. Rejoice all the time. Pray all the time and don’t stop talking to God.

Give thanks. Eucharisteo, literally thankful for God’s good grace. In everything. All circumstances, good or bad.

Rejoicing, praying and giving thanks all the time is God’s will for us. His preferred will.

Pondering this information, I plucked at a loose thread on the afghan. Coming out of my reverie of rejoicing always, I noticed the beautiful stitches. They were intricately entwined. I knew if I pulled the loose piece of yard, it wouldn’t come out, because the threads were so tightly woven together.

Then I realized God’s word is like the yarn in my afghan. Interwoven. I can’t rejoice always, without praying and giving thanks. I can’t pray without ceasing unless I rejoice and am thankful in all circumstances. These three verses were knit together as tightly as my afghan.

I studied the crocheted afghan closely. It looked like it was made with one single thread of yard. Each stitch built on the single thread until a full afghan was created. One thread also holds these three verses together: In Christ Jesus. Without Christ in me, I can’t rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything.

Just as each stitch in the afghan builds on one thread, each of these scriptures builds on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ.

With the afghan wrapped around me, I felt safe and content in its warmth. We can wrap God’s word around us, feeling safe and joyful as we go about our day, rejoicing, praying and giving thanks in all our circumstances!

Grace be with you,

This post originally published on June 29, 2014

Where’s Your Focus?

April 15, 2021 by Ellen 2 Comments

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 NASB

Confession time: I love my stuff! While I didn’t grow up dirt poor, we did without a lot of things. The things we did have, had to stretch and last. We had a garden to grow food. Clothes would be worn until we outgrew them or they wore out. Often, shoes were re-soled to last a few more years.

Because of this, I enjoy the fact that I am able to have stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t idolize it! I’m thankful that all I have is from God (James 1:17). I am thankful that He has blessed me and I’m able to buy all sorts of stuff.

Sometimes, having so much can make us a little too comfortable. Take my home, for instance. It’s my happy place; my safe spot, full of peace. I am content when I am home. All my stuff is here. I have all I need.

But, am I so satisfied being in my little world, that I forget heaven is my true home?

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. Colossians 3:2 NLT

Photography (yep, I have camera stuff too!) has taught me a bit about seeking the things above. I love to take macro photos – very close up shots. I love the detail of the flowers, or the or the way a tree’s bark seems to tell a story. Even the fascinating dot patterns on a lady bug capture my attention.

Zeroing in so closely on each and every detail, causes me to miss the big picture. That beautiful yellow flower? There is a whole field of them that I didn’t see, because I didn’t look up.

Life is like that too. Focusing on the doodlebugs of our circumstances, instead of the One who controls all circumstances, keeps our eyes on the problems, not the Problem Solver.

How can we keep a heavenly perspective? Change our perspective! See things through the lens of Christ’s perspective. Choose to be thankful, even when life is heartbreaking. See the blessing, instead of the burden.

Look up.

Why? Because that’s where Jesus is, seated at the right hand of the Father (turn your eyes upon Jesus).

Focus on Jesus, not your circumstances (look full in His wonderful face).

Practice having a heavenly perspective (and the things of earth will grow strangely dim).

In all things, be thankful (in the light of His glory and grace).

Turn your eyes on Jesus:

In the good: thank Him!

In the bad: praise Him!

In the ugly: cling to Him!

Grace be with you,