Believing the Promise
It seems there’s enough going down in the world and among Christians that good words are in order. It’s all I can do to keep my sea legs steady and try to love those around me constantly and selflessly (oxymoron). Anything that passes beyond that in terms of perfecting my spirituality is out of reach for me now.
This verse struck me the other day:
Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
Elizabeth, while pregnant with John the Baptist, spoke these words to Mary, pregnant with baby Jesus. Elizabeth was Mary’s older relative. Both of these women had believed the promise of the Lord, and we see them here rejoicing and fellowshipping with each other.
Zechariah had received the same promise as his wife Elizabeth but had not believed. At this moment, he was struggling with being mute, a condition inflicted on him by the angel Gabriel, God’s messenger to Zechariah, for having questioned the promise by demanding proof, or a sign, as though the vision of the mighty Gabriel were not sign enough! He missed the joy of belief.
Another example of one whose disbelief led to misery was Thomas, who refused to believe that Christ had indeed risen from the dead, just as he had promised he would. (See John 20:19-31)
Zechariah the doubter RECEIVED what was promised, and Thomas the doubter RECEIVED what was promised. What they lost was the peace, comfort, and joy of anticipating the promise’s fulfillment, because they didn’t believe.
When God promises, the promise’s fulfillment is not based upon our belief–it’s based upon the nature and character of God.
God had promised a Savior to Abraham. As a whole, the nation did not believe, neither prior to the coming of Christ, nor when he came. God kept his word. The disbelief of the majority did not stop God from keeping his word. What did happen is that the nation as a whole rejected the fulfillment of the promise. Those who believed received. Had not even one single person believed, God would still have kept his word. His promise is a promise. It’s our joy that gets shortchanged when we doubt.
So the point? Hang on to your blessing! Don’t let it slip through your fingers by doubting. The promise will be fulfilled. There’s great joy and hope in that. God will accomplish in our lives what he has said he would. In these rough times, hang on to your promise. God is bigger and stronger than all our fear, than all that surrounds us in these days.
Blessings!
Beauty Day 91
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 91 My Daughter
Happy Birthday dear daughter
who cooked her own
birthday brunch
to share
with all of us
for yours is the talent
servant’s heart
so easily pleased
by pleasing others
you smoothe the way
for all of us
to enjoy
and find delight
I appreciate you
I love you very much
♦
Beauty Day 90
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 90 Family Outing
Family outing for Big N
today is her birthday
Big N big in heart
never insisting
on her own way
pack up Little One
Active One rides
daddy’s shoulders
pairing off
for the others
switching
from time to time
two buses
and a ferry
take us to the island
where we eat
in celebration
then over to
the art museum and
the kid museum
ferry back and two buses
Part 2 comes tomorrow
when we meet for breakfast
sing Happy Birthday
and blow out candles
on her cake
this is what family does
for someone they love
Unless a grain of wheat…
Jesus is the only place where you can find yourself and lose yourself, all at the same time.
Beauty Day 89
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 89 Family Movie Night
at the local community center
food truck parked outside
for those arriving
hurried from work
delicious street tacos
popcorn–bring your own
Little people stare at the screen
taking cues from others
they learn to laugh
and afterward go crazy
running around the stage
it’s family night
no school tomorrow
and that means
a bit of wild
is okay
Beauty Day 88
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 88 How Can a Grocery Store Be Beautiful?
Bounty plenty good food bright colors
a culture recognizable
across all distance
city or semi-rural
still the same
a good place to go
when shock still reigns
from moving suddenly
from one place to another
(I don’t need this
you see
but) my friend here…
it was just like greeting
a long-time pal
in a new locale
better than psychiatry
J/ eats apples every day, and here he is buying two sacks
Beauty Day 87
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 87 AirBnB
Home for a month
AirBnB
friendly clean spacious
room for us all
it’ll be fun
makes visiting family
tremendous
Beauty Day 86
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 86 Home in an Old Hotel
Columbia Hotel
warm comfortable snug secure
born in 1910
small reminder of
“the way things used to be”
room and building keys
rattling in my purse
no matter
it fits it works
it’s home to me
Beauty Day 85
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 85 Pastel Day
Almond petals
like snow blossoms
perched upon the boughs
break the monotony
of straight highways
and seemingly
endless miles
Beauty Day 84
Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
♦
Beauty Day 84 Square Dancing
kaleidoscope of colored chips
forming falling forming again
magic when it all works out
rabbit pulled
from the caller’s hat
8 strangers a team with a goal
catching the wave
riding it through
a laugh and a smile
all 8 got home
greater resolve
when the square breaks down
“lost in translation?”
definitely she said
you need to try it to know
One Small Voice 