Category: Devotion

Small gems remain hidden among the grass until they rise.  Tiny buds hold in the beauty of what is waiting to be uncovered.  It can’t be rushed.  It shouldn’t be forced.  It is a process that is magical and magnificent, even if it is simple and silent.

A garden of blooming flowers speaks louder than most any poem or song.  They sing of God’s goodness by opening their buds to blow their trumpets.  Their song is one of brightness and color, of life and light.  Their notes embody fragrance and their tones are full of vibrancy.  Yet, they are frail and helpless in the elements.  But they do not worry about it.  They still rise, bloom, shine and stand tall.  They still sing and play and dance.  Their magnificence is seen by those that take a moment to notice.  There will be many that pass them by. They may be trampled underfoot.  They may be cut and shared.  But they continue to shine as if this is what they are made to do.

This is what they are made to do.  They are made to brighten the earth with creative colors made by an extraordinary God that cares for them.  We are told that the same God that created these beautiful creations also created us.  And we are told that he clothes and feeds these wonders.  He cares for them tenderly and attentively.  They shine for his glory.

If that same God cares so much for them, can you just imagine how much he cares for you?  May we shine bright and glorify God.  May we bring light and life to those around.  May we live as we were created.  And may we rest knowing just how much he cares for us.  Shine bright mighty flowers.  Shine bright.

Focus Scripture:

Matthew 6:27-29

²⁷ And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?  ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

Have you ever looked at your reflection in a mirror?  I don’t mean the type of look that you give to make sure your hair is in place or your make up is applied correctly.  I don’t even mean the way you look at yourself and think about all the things you wish you could change.  I am asking if you have ever really looked deeply in the mirror at your reflection.  If you have, what did you see?  We might see our frailties or our insecurities.  Our fears and our nightmares may reflect in a way that no one else would ever notice.  Hopes and dreams may shine as promises in our eyes.  Or the disappointment of lost hopes and dreams may fill our hearts.  We could see the strength it took to simply rise from bed and face the day.  Or we could see the joys that await this day.  But, I wonder – do you ever see God’s child?

I am told that I have a striking resemblance to my Father.  When I look in the mirror, I don’t see that.  When I look at pictures I do.  But that’s not the same view I get in the mirror.  I feel like that is how it is with God.  We are God’s children, made in his image.  I can tell you that.  But do you really see that when you look in the mirror?

When I look at this picture, I see God’s image reflected in the water.  The breathtaking view of the sky is reflected back to the heavens in the water.  The seas that God has created are shining back to God with his amazing creation.  And so are you.   You are reflecting back to God the goodness that he has given.  You are a reflection of his good creation.  You are a sight to behold, you are his child.

So maybe we should take one more long look in the mirror.  Maybe we should see our Creator at work in us.  And maybe we will recognize our Heavenly Father when we look intently.  We are, after all, his.

Focus Scripture:

Genesis 1:26-27

²⁵ God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

²⁷ So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

It definitely is a saying from the south – Come sit a spell.  It may sound silly or even ridiculous to some, but for those of us raised in the south, this is an invitation to come and enjoy time together.  This is an opportunity to sit and “jaw” (chit chat) over nothing or everything.  It speaks of a time to simply listen, to be, to relax.  For those of you that are still unfamiliar, it could be translated – come sit for a while and let’s talk, or not.

Growing up in the south, I found that the world operated a bit slower.  What was important to some wasn’t as important to others.  There was time to sit on the porch and talk.  There was an opportunity to spend an afternoon with those you loved with no agenda and no phones.  It was a time when you could hang out, drink lemonade or sweet iced tea, and enjoy the day.  It wasn’t as if there weren’t things to do.  It was just that the more important thing to do sometimes was to sit and listen.  Being with people and just enjoying God’s good creation held a high priority.  And somehow, that seems to be lost or missing.  Somehow, that importance has slipped away.

I don’t think we can blame it on technology or our overly busy schedules.  I don’t think we can shift the blame to other activities to support the family or more pressing concerns.  I think it is simply a matter of priority.  It isn’t as if there weren’t other things to do before.  There were still plenty of things that needed to be done in the past.  The priority shifted over the years, though.  The value of sitting a spell has been diminished by us.  We are too busy, too rushed, too (and you insert whatever excuses you can come up with).

Maybe it is time to reevaluate our priorities.  Maybe there is great value in simply enjoying the company of others.  Maybe it is an opportunity to invite someone else to simply come and sit a spell.  There is “jawing” to be done.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 133

¹ How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
² It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
³ It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

It seems odd to wish for a cloud.  Most wish for sunshine.  The sunshine is refreshing and full of vitamins to get you moving.  Sunshine helps plants to grow and generally helps to put a smile on our face.  It lifts our spirits and soothes our soul.  Everything seems a little better when the sun shines bright.  So why would anyone wish for a cloud?

I find myself sitting outside today soaking up the sunshine as I work.  It is a beautiful day that I am most grateful to enjoy.  I cannot complain, except that when the sun is shining directly on me, it is hot.  So here I am, wishing for a cloud.  I don’t need a big cloud, just a momentary break from the sun.  I gaze into the sky, eyes half open, trying to find when the next cloud might roll by.  I squint at the brightness but get excited at the prospect.  When it happens, that small cloud floating by, it brings a sweet breeze that fills my lungs and offers a brief but valuable reprieve.  I guess I am grateful for both, then.  I wouldn’t know how powerful and important the sun was with having days full of rays.  I also wouldn’t know the relief of a cloud either.

Today, I am simply grateful.  I am grateful for the day that God has given.  I am grateful for the sun, the clouds, and if he decides, any rain that may fall.  I am grateful for the beauty of the earth, the sun by day and the moon by night.  I am grateful.  May your day be filled with lots of sunshine…and a few small clouds.  May you find joy in the gratitude of this day.  May God smile on you with his rays.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 121

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.

I admit, sometimes I try too hard.  It isn’t intentional.  I am not trying to overthink it.  I want it to be natural and smooth.  But most of the time I make it more of a chore.  I just want to find the pure joy and so I seek it out.  I want to know where joy is found.  I look for it around every corner.  I try to identify it in activities or people or places.  And I miss it.

This morning, I am sitting on my patio watching my dog play.  Anytime I can just sit and watch him is like the best show ever.  It is an absolutely beautiful and peaceful spring morning.  The birds are singing their songs, the sun is rising with slow yet powerful force, and the breeze is ever so slight.  It is a wonderful morning.  I watch Leo digging in the dirt.  Admittedly, I am not a fan of him digging up my back yard.  Most of the time, I try to redirect his attention to catch a ball or chase a lizard.  This morning, though, I watch.  I just stop to watch him dig without interrupting him.  He digs with his all, dirt flying everywhere, nose sniffing out any surprise that might pop up.  His paws are covered and his head goes lower and lower into the ground as he digs with such fury.  He looks so focused but when he pops his head up to look at me, I see the pure joy on his face.  His dirty tongue is hanging out and he exudes excitement.  He didn’t catch anything or find any new treasures.  He found joy in the digging, in the search, in the simple task of being in the dirt.

I realized – that’s my goal.  Not to search for joy so much that it snatches the joy away from me, but to find joy in the search.  How might my life change if I found joy in simply doing the things I loved the most, not searching for any outcome?  How much joy would I discover is already there if I just enjoy the dig?  What if the dirt is enough?  If I could do that, would I pop my head up, tongue hanging out, and a smile on my face from the joyful bliss?  Lord, may it be so.

Focus Scripture:

James 1:2-4

² My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; ⁴ and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

The most important growth in our lives can happen at the most unexpected times.  I find that when I am really trying to get it right, to learn what is next, to strive toward the place where I feel I should go that I don’t get very far.  Instead, it seems that at the times when I stumble the hardest, struggle the deepest, and fall over and over that I grow.  It is in my times of difficulty that I learn the most important lessons.  It is in those times of failure that I find the most success.  It doesn’t seem to make sense.

That’s what I see when I watch flowers bloom so beautifully in the water.  I love flowers.  I enjoy planting and watching them grow and bloom.  My favorite is when they come back out the next year.  It is like an unexpected surprise when they sprout up and smile.  But these flowers in the water really do amaze me.  They grow and bloom and flourish in the middle of a pool of water.  They don’t get too much water, even though they live right in the middle of an environment that would drown other flowers.  They get the nutrients they need even though the soil is almost nonexistent.  They blossom in an otherwise harsh cruel world for flowers.

Now, I do understand they are made this way.  They are made to survive and bloom there.  But how fascinating is it that God made flowers to bloom in an environment that is adverse to other flowers.  How awesome is it that they spring up the most beautiful colors in the middle of the unexpected.

For me, that is a reminder that God can cause us to flourish in those difficult, otherwise harsh environments too.  We just might be made to bloom in the vast expanse where others would seem to waste away.  We just might find ourselves growing when we should be beat down.  May you grow, flourish and bloom wherever you may find yourself today.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 72 (Select Verses)

¹² For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
¹³ He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
¹⁴ From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁶ May there be abundance of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
like the grass of the field.
¹⁷ May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun.
May all nations be blessed in him;^[c]
may they pronounce him happy.

¹⁸ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
¹⁹ Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may his glory fill the whole earth.
Amen and Amen.

String up the happy lights!  Enjoy the sparkle of joy in the otherwise mundane!  Brighten up someone’s day – light them up!  Don’t you feel the excitement?

For you, these may be simple Christmas lights.  Those are the lights you string on a tree or put around railing beginning in the November/December time frame.  But that’s not what I see.  I see happy lights.  These are the lights that signal celebration and joy.  These are the lights that bring color and life to an otherwise dull pallet. These can be key in lifting spirits and having fun.  These are happy lights!

As silly as this may sound, think of the feeling you get when you see these lights appear.  Think of the memories you have of Christmas past when these signaled that something special was happening.  When the lights went up in our home, that meant Christmas was not too far away.  It meant there would be time for breaks and goodies and lots of fun.  These signaled more than just a colorful display.  This sparkled of joy to come!

I think we could use a little more happy lights in our life.  I’m not saying we put up Christmas lights year round, unless you want.  I am not saying that we have to turn them on all the time, unless you need a little joy.  I am saying that we could use a little more joy in our lives more often.  We could use more celebration, more fun, more excitement.  That might mean lighting some happy lights.  It might mean holding a special meal just because.  It might mean singing just because singing lifts the soul.  It might mean buying balloons and flowers just because we need a little extra something in our homes.  Whatever it means for you, maybe we spread a little more joy this day.  Maybe we light some happy lights and just enjoy.

Focus Scripture

Psalm 100

¹ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.

³ Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;^[a]
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Feeling powerless and hopeless in a situation can destroy us.  It can eat away at us slowly and tear us down.  Where do we turn?  What do we do?  How do we find our way out?  How can we fix this?  What self-help technique would be the best?

There is no shortage of advice on how to fix ourselves.  There are programs and books, videos and seminars.  If we want to fix ourselves, there are a million different ways to do it.  We just haven’t tried the right one, right?  Surely we can pick ourselves up at some point, right?  And then, we realize the issue is that we are trying to fix us.  We begin to believe that the key is all about us.  And we beat ourselves up when we can’t get it right.  We feel distraught when we have tried so many different ideas and nothing is working.  We can even think that there is something wrong with us.  It is a horrible cycle we can get caught up trying to figure out.

Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of wonderful ideas and programs that can help.  But sometimes, the answer is that we need help other than our own power.  We need assistance that goes beyond our abilities.  Sometimes, we need to rest and be sheltered by a protective cover.  Sometimes, we need to realize that the power we seek is in the One that created us.

In Psalm 61, we walk with the Psalmist.  There is a crying out to be heard.  There is a desperation to continue.  And there is a plea for care.  The Psalmist reaches out to God, the refuge, strong tower and the provider of shelter.  God is the One the Psalmist seeks.  And maybe we join the Psalmist today.  Maybe we need the strong tower.  Maybe we need the refuge.  Maybe we need to rest under the shelter of God’s mighty wings.  Hear our cry, O God.

Focus Scripture:

Psalm 61:1-4

¹ Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
² From the end of the earth I call to you,
when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I;
³ for you are my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.

⁴ Let me abide in your tent forever,
find refuge under the shelter of your wings.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

What do you think about when you crawl or spring out of bed in the morning?  One of my first thoughts is…coffee.  Coffee seems to be my answer to waking my mind and starting my day.  From there, the day begins.  Whether it is exercise or rushing to work or going through the events that the day holds, it is often full force.  There isn’t much more thought about this day.  My theory usually is…let’s just get this done.

The day could start differently, though.  I could change my thoughts as I begin my day.  Please don’t misunderstand, there will still be coffee.  But coffee is a given.  So what if my thoughts of this day begin with an open mind, an open heart, and open eyes?  What if my day begins with discovery?  What if I am looking for the hidden as I approach each new day?

I believe that God has given us each day as a gift.  In this day are joys and challenges, excitement and struggle.  But what if each day God is offering us a reprieve from it all?  What if he has provided in creation something small yet beautiful for us to discover?  What if God is teaching us to pay attention to where he is at work?  If we go with this mindset, we may find ourselves looking around for the present.  We may find ourselves attentive to the minor joys.  We just might find that there is a whole world waiting to be discovered.

Lord, may you open my eyes, my ears, and my heart to the gifts you have placed before me.  May I discover YOU at work all around me.  May you surprise me with new joys each new day.  May I see YOU.

Focus Scripture

Psalm 104 (Select Verses)

¹ Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
²     wrapped in light as with a garment.
You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
³     you set the beams of your^[a] chambers on the waters,
you make the clouds your^[b] chariot,
you ride on the wings of the wind,
⁴ you make the winds your^[c] messengers,
fire and flame your^[d] ministers.

¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to use,^[f]
to bring forth food from the earth,
¹⁵     and wine to gladden the human heart,
oil to make the face shine,
and bread to strengthen the human heart.
¹⁶ The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
¹⁷ In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has its home in the fir trees.
¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.
¹⁹ You have made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
²⁰ You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
²¹ The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
²² When the sun rises, they withdraw
and lie down in their dens.
²³ People go out to their work
and to their labor until the evening.

²⁴ O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
²⁵ Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery

Can you smell it?  Has its sweet fragrance reached you?  Has it grabbed hold and transported you?  Smells do that.  Sweet aromas reach our senses and we taste an experience.  We are taken back in time or place.  We arrive in a completely different destination with a smell of the past.

Walking through the forest, around the garden, into the wilderness begins to open up possibilities, especially when we travel with our nose.  We pick up on the sweetness of the honeysuckle.  The water flowing down the stream smells of the freshness of life.  The trees penetrate the forest with the gift of sap.  We are alive through the smells of the earth.  I find this even more so when I dig in the dirt.  Some do not like the idea because the dirt can get under our fingernails or stain our hands.  To worry about that is to miss the smell, the fragrance of life.  Digging in dirt has the aroma of opportunity.  Life happens from this very ground.  Plants spring up.  New plants take root.  Transformation takes place deep in the soil before anyone even notices that this is a land of plenty.  So much is missed when we do not take a deep breath of the soil of the earth.

The most amazing concept of the earth is that it has been springing forth life since the beginning.  In the very beginning, the earth produced and yielded.  It is still producing and yielding.  We take it all for granted.  But God saw something special in the dirt, in the soil, in the life of what was before him.  We are told that God took dirt, a part of the earth, and breathed life. That breath is what gives us life.  We are a part of the earth, a part of the soil, made from God’s breath of life.  So maybe what we smell is life and a bit of God’s very breath.  Breathe on me, Breath of God.

Focus Scripture:

Genesis 2:4-9

⁴ These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; ⁶ but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— ⁷ then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,  and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. ⁸ And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. ⁹ Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery.  Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery