Daily devotion – stop and smell the roses
Proverbs 30: 18 There are three things that amaze me—no, four things that I don’t understand: 19 how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.
We live in a world where there is so much that I do not understand. In the later years that I have lived, there are many moments where my mind and my emotions are simply overwhelmed by things that I for years previously, I have never bothered about or even noticed.
I see little birds around our house, and I am drawn to them in wonder at what they think, where they have been and where they are going. Or one of the many rose bushes in our garden that Helen has planted when they bloom the exquisiteness of the leaves and the depth and sheer beauty of their colour.
It seems before I found Christ that I simply wasted years and years of not seeing God’s creation, His handiwork, His majesty and skill in so many things. Yet it is the simple things such as plants and birds that draw me so. People can show me great paintings, works of art from the masters but they just don’t match the life and beauty of God’s everyday creation.
How much I have taken God for granted in my years on this earth. I am reminded of Jesus words to Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, who we always see sitting at Jesus feet.
You know the story, Martha is cranky because Mary is not helping her in the kitchen instead she would rather sit at Jesus feet.
Luke 10: 38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
We have so many electronic gadgets now, but they stall, they freeze or simply won’t work. What is the magic fix to them 99.9% of the time to get them working again? Turn them off and start them again – or reboot!
This week, I encourage you to reboot your ‘hardware’, shut down the overload and busyness of your life and restart the way you are living. When you see a bird, stop what you are doing and watch it. See God’s glory in its little life. Don’t just walk past the flowers in your garden. Stop and examine the absolute craftsmanship, the detail of its foliage, the depth of colour and fragile nature of its bloom.
God is wanting to capture your heart with His. Don’t waste the years….!
Psalm 19: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.