Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leadiing.
From Hebrews 11:8: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.”
This short story was written in December, 2019, and it encourages each reader to draw upon his or her thoughts. The ending paragraph speaks from the heart of a writer who looks for a future filled with hope.
There was once a leader in a far-off land in the “Make Believe” world of a toy box. This leader was made of wood, and featured the well-crafted workmanship of his Creator.
Despite appearances, there were flaws in the leader’s character. He was dishonest and bullied everyone around him. His actions as leader led to friction and decisiveness in the toy box. The leader continued to govern with a misguided mind and agenda. His heart seemed hardened to the point that other toys really wondered if he even possessed a heart.
One day, the boy who played with the toy box every day asked the leader, “Why is your character so bad?”
The leader ignored the question, and the boy played with his other toys. Perhaps being made out of wood had made him inflexible with a hardness of attitude. Everything the other toys did or said seemed to go against his grain.
Meanwhile, more and more heat came from some of the fiery citizens in the toy box. Their patience was wearing thinner with each passing day. A few toys even threatened the leader with more than just words. The leader was paranoid about being literally “put on fire” from some of the other toys’ actions. After all, he was made out of solid wood.
After observing the crippling turmoil in his toy box, the boy told the other toys, “I will ask the Creator to help us with this mess.”
The boy prayed a special prayer to the Creator:
Dear Creator, the toys and I ask for your help. Our leader needs to change his bad ways so that all of the toys will enjoy a better life here in this toy box. We look to you for aid and support. Amen.
The Creator heard the boy’s prayer-filled words. Overnight, he came into the toy box and removed the leader, who was sleeping soundly. He remolded the leader into a better person with a benevolent and caring heart, which had been missing all along.
The leader was returned to the toy box with a heart no longer as hard as wood. He was transformed into a Gospel-led leader.
From 1 Timothy 4:4-5: “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.”
Looking down from Heaven
Viewing God’s creation
His divine masterpiece
Touching eternity
Scaling lofty mountains
Traversing snowcapped peaks
Holy divine witness
Sustaining life’s purpose
Feeling wind’s gentle touch
Fording mighty rivers
God’s lasting masterpiece
Sailing to calmest seas
Walking fertile valleys
Nurturing blessed life
Steady divine presence
Harvesting earth’s treasures
Sharing nature’s seasons
Supporting life’s stages
His living masterpiece
Breathing with God’s Spirit
Sowing life from His seed
Preserving life’s harvest
Father’s divine wishes
Blessing each sacred life
Waking up each morning
Tasting each mystery
His divine masterpiece
Praising God’s gentle hands
From Genesis 8:22: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Watch God’s cyclones. The only way God sows His saints is by His whirlwind. Are you going to prove an empty pod?
From Acts 26:19-20: “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance.”
Blessed sun rises, starting a new day
A precious day, under Lord’s watchful eyes
Celebrate this day, riding in love’s sleigh
Nothing ever holding back, watching doves fly
Singing of praises, blessing this fresh start
Jesus walking with us, our daily bread
Sharing this day, between loving sweethearts
Together, God’s Word keeps us full and fed
Our love sparks an endless celebration
God’s love filling hearts, fulfilling our fate
Singing songs, with love and adoration
Celebrate this day, love’s delightful taste
Jesus shares His joy, smiling from above
Making our joy complete, filling with love
God knows we sometimes need to reach the end of our own resources before we will turn to Him.
From Psalm 107:28-29: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out from their distress; He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.”
Creator’s
Voice abounds
Truly humbling ourselves
Taking time to listen
Holiness
Worship
Gospel’s constellation
Connecting with God
Scripture, prayer, and song
Praiseworthy
Gospel
Shared daily
One on one
Proclaiming Lord’s Good News
Discipleship
This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.
From Amos 5:4: “For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live.”
Searching for Father
Walking stark valleys
Running through darkness
Checking back alleys
Seeking divine Lord
Wandering each day
Sinking, lost again
Retreating to pray
Finding Calvary
Kneeling at sin’s cross
Seeing scarlet stains
Witnessing God’s loss
Feeling Christ’s Spirit
Scanning empty tomb
Understanding now
Reaching Father’s room
From Amos 5:14: “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said.”
From Psalm 8:4-6: “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet.”
People judging people each day
Empty, hurtful words hunting prey
Frozen in polarizing world
Harshest, cruelest comments unfurled
Selfish thoughts swarm to harm and crush
Discolor with darkest paintbrush
Critique our words and appearance
One voice moves their disappearance
Self-esteem sinks in stormy seas
Rising up with God’s gentle breeze
God’s perspective always matters
His truly counts, others scatter
Listen to Father in Heaven
Divine thoughts arrive to leaven
Life’s identity rests with God
Truest actions, never be flawed
Hear marvelous news from above
God values us, unselfish love
Always, always remember this
God’s perception, never amiss
From Psalm 8:1-2: “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.”
We do not belong to ourselves, nor should we operate independently of the Spirit of God. We are the Lord’s, and as our Master, He has every right to use us in whatever way He chooses.
From Proverbs 16:9: “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.”
Big Sky Buckeye 