Hot Cocoa? Yes, Please!

Picture by Caprice Miller

                     ^“Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” – Psalm 34:8 (NLT)

Quick!  What is your first reaction when looking at this picture?  If you are like me it was “YUM!!!  I want some of that!”    There really isn’t anything much better than a hot cup of cocoa on a cold day.  And the added pleasure of the whip cream is just… well….an added bonus.  This, along with a warm blanket and an old movie, makes for a perfect day.   It’s a pleasure that is really hard to describe to someone who hasn’t experienced this before.  For example, a person from a warm climate like Hawaii or The Caribbean may be able to appreciate the taste of chocolate and perhaps even have tasted hot cocoa.  But to know the cozy, warm, relaxation that comes with it on a cold day with a warm blanket and an old movie…well, it has to be a personal experience tasted individually. 

This is how our walk with Christ could be viewed at times.  There are people we probably know who always seem so joyful and encouraging and yet we know they have some serious life circumstances going on.  You may ask yourself, “How is it possible that this person is the one encouraging me and lifting me up?  I should be doing that for them.”  There are also times in our life when we might determine it’s time for a change.  You’re tired of the same old hum drum and you just feel like something is missing inside but can’t quite pinpoint it.  And in that moment, “that person” comes to mind that you want to be more like, or at least you want some of what they have, but what is it?

This should be what others see with Christ living in us as Christians.  Life will not always be warm, sunny days full of sunshine and pretty birds chirping as we sing “Blue bird on my shoulder”.  But when those cold, rainy days do come along, we can still have a joyful heart because we know we are secure in the warmth and sweetness of Christ.   It’s something that we can’t explain to another sometimes.  We may need to just tell them “Taste for yourself and see that the Lord is good.”    And then they can have their own, personal experience with Him and find out how truly blissful He can be when we take refuge in Him. 

"IT'S THE MESSIAH!!!!"

Picture by Caprice Miller

 

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” – Luke 2:9-10

 This sculptured angel graces the corner of the Bass Performance Hall in Ft. Worth, Texas.  The size and beauty of it really catches your attention.  It’s as though it is heralding everyone to come in and witness something special.  For some reason this picture makes me think of Christmas.  I can’t help but be reminded of the angels that announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds in the field.  They were certainly heralding them to come witness the most important event in history.  I’m so thankful that the birth of Jesus isn’t just for Christmas. 

How amazing that God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to save us all.   His birth was so unremarkable in one sense because of the lowly manger He was reduced to be born in.  And yet at the same time His birth was so extraordinary that it was announced by an angel who would then be joined by a host of angels singing His praises.   Their audience was a group of shepherds.  They were probably tired and smelly from their field work and the sheep.  Not really the audience you would expect to be the first to hear about the birth of THE MESSIAH.  Meanwhile, there was this amazing star that glowed over His birthplace.  It caused such a stir that three kings from far away followed it to him.  They had actually been watching for this phenomenon and couldn’t wait to find Jesus.  Imagine these two completely different groups of people – shepherds and kings – and Jesus came for each and every one of them and everyone in-between.

So often we hear good news and in the moment cheer about it and probably even tell others about it for a while.  But imagine if you were those shepherds that the angel spoke to.  Seriously, could you ever keep that to yourself?  “IT’S A TALKING ANGEL!!!!!  BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT’S THE MESSIAH!!!!!!!!!!!”  Nope, we could never stop talking about that.  So, why don’t we talk about it every day of our lives? 

“IT’S THE MESSIAH!!!!!”

My desire is that the impact that Christ has and will have on my life cannot be contained.  I won’t be able to stop talking about it and, in a way, be like the angel heralding people to experience something life changing.

More Than Meets The Eye

Picture by Caprice Miller

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”      – Psalm 139:23-24

What an interesting picture.  The subject in the middle is such a display of power and yet has such delicateness about it with the scroll work and lacy details of the iron.  The surroundings seem to be in direct contrast to that - a bit desolate and bare.   I also love the transparency of the piece.  It’s as if there is an optical illusion.  You find yourself looking right through it at first but then you realize it’s actually a horse.  And then you begin to examine more closely and notice the details that have gone into this piece.  It could be described as something that is “more than meets the eye”.  

Things that make us look closer and examine what is or isn’t there are intriguing.  And then there are other things that we soon realize should have been examined from a distance.  What would happen if we allowed our lives to be examined up close?  On second thought, perhaps we’ll keep that at a distance.   Up close scrutiny can be very unnerving.  It can expose things that are flawed or “unsightly”.  Sort of like the “white-glove-test”.  (Just don’t look under the bed or open “that closet”).  If we can keep people at a distance, they won’t notice the lack of detail or unsightliness that lurks beneath the surface.

Unfortunately, we can’t exactly do that with God.  He already knows what’s there.  But what if we were like David in the Psalm above and invited God to examine us?  He not only invites him to examine his heart, but asks God to point out anything that offends Him.  That’s bold and a kind of scary when you think about it.   It may be that we’re okay with God being aware that there are areas in our lives that are a little messy.  But as long as we are all aware, why should we go to the trouble of pointing them out?  That would just be painful. 

Unfortunately, that’s the problem most of us have.  It is easier to be aware that there is an issue rather than ask God to identify it and correct it.  However, by humbling ourselves and being transparent before God we open our hearts for Him to search.  It is in this moment before Him that He does something amazing in us.  As He points out those offensive things in our hearts, He replaces them with something beautiful and intricate and transforms our lives so that we can walk closer with Him.  What is left is now worthy of being examined up close because it is now so much “more than meets the eye”. 

Light It Up

Picture by Caprice Miller

“I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” - John 12:46

I can only imagine what dark, secluded place Caprice found her cat, Sherman, in to take this picture.  You can barely make out his cute little cat features.  I suspect he may be like most cats in that you don’t get to choose when he plays with you or gets his attention.  Cats tend to have the attitude of “I’ll play with you when I want to.  Until then, leave me alone and let me do my own thing!”  They have their own ways of doing things and if you get in the way of that, watch out because there most likely will be scratching involved.  This “catittude” can be really aggravating sometimes.  There are times when we really need them to cooperate with us so we can help them or keep them safe.    Suppose they are sick or, heaven forbid, the house is burning down.  Assistance is a necessity in these cases so the phrase “help me help you” would apply.

If we were asked, it probably wouldn’t take long to think of people in our lives that reflect this personality.  We see the darkness they put themselves in, the pain they might be in and the inevitable outcome for them.  If we try to get close or help them consider a new direction in life, they bristle and run.  “Don’t tell me what to do!” or “Don’t judge me!” are common phrases we might here…the more polite ones, that is.  Our intention is to just reach out and help. But instead, we experience anger and rejection.  When we feel the bristle of that person’s anger our natural tendency is defense.  Confronting anger with anger is the logical way to go, right?  (Not really the best option)  But if we take a moment to breath, we can sense God’s whisper reminding us “I love that person just as much as I love you.  Be patient.  Love them where they are.”  It is so difficult in those moments to be still and let God work.  Too many times we mistakenly think that if we just keep pushing it will sink in.  But what if they don’t even know they’re in the dark?  They can’t see what we do because they have become accustomed to the dark.  Like the cat, you may be able to pull that person out of the comfortable, dark corner they have secluded themselves in, but the will still be angry and scratching at you.  And when you let go for a moment, they will run back to the dark corner.

So what do we do?  If we’re honest, we might just want to wash our hands of them and let them stay where they are.  But here comes that whisper again, “I love that person just as much as I love you.  Be patient.  Love them where they are.”  We can’t do that on our own though, but only through Christ working through us.  We allow Him to lower our own defenses so that we can build a relationship…then we wait.   We are there to be a light others can see from those dark corners.  Little by little we are allowed to get closer.  Little by little the light that shines in us casts light in that dark corner of someone’s life.  The opportunity will come when this person will ask about the light they see in us.  Then we can help them understand that we have all been in a dark corner at some time and some corners have seemed darker than others.  We can share with them about how Jesus came to bring us light and rescue us from the dark.  And we can encourage them by letting them know that NO corner is too dark for His light to overcome. 

Be a light for others today who don’t even know they are in the dark.