Hunger and Thirst

      Thinking and acting with positivity is always good, and life flows more smoothly when we steer away from the negative.  When we hunger and thirst  or have a longing, most would say those are negative, but in the case of a man's heart toward God, they are positive factors.  It is good to hunger and thirst for God's Word.  It is good to have a longing to seek God, giving Him our undivided attention.   

The Walk

      I’ve been told that I have a funny walk.  In fact, my sister stated to a friend, “That must be Mary up ahead in that crowd.  It looks like her walk.”  That was so funny, but in all seriousness our walk is important.

      We need to walk in God’s statues.  “If ye walk in my statues, and keep my commandments and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season…” Leviticus 26:3-4a

     We are to walk in all God’s ways.   “Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.”  Deuteronomy 5:33

      We should walk in righteousness.  “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who sall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” Psalm 15:1-2

     We should walk in the law of the Lord.  “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.”  Psalm 119:1

      We should walk uprightly.  “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely:”  Proverbs 10:9a

      We should walk with integrity.  “The just man walketh in his integrity:  his children are blessed after him.” Proverbs 20:7

So, what’s in your walk?
Is there a jiggle in your wiggle,
Swaying to and fro amid desires of man
Just cause you can?
Or a straight and narrow trot
Toward Christ’s allotted spot
Never letting God be forgot?    

 

Career Opportunities

 In past blogs I have come up with the many names for Jesus from A to Z.  They range from Almighty to King of Kings, to Redeemer, to Yahweh, and we praise Him for being the Living God.  Yet, as I was reading my devotional about spiritual construction and about the life we create, it dawned on me that we are also given a blueprint for the A to Z career roles of Jesus:  

Artist…Architect...Author 

Builder

Carpenter

Designer

Engineer

Financial Counselor

Gardener

Help Line Specialist

International Consultant

Judge

Knitter (of the human body)

Lifeguard

Medical Doctor (healer)

Nature Expert...News Anchor (source of the true, and good news )

Operational Analyst

Physician

Qualified Engineer

Rehabitation Counselor

Servant – Safety Manager

Telecommunication Technician

Umpire (watches and enforces the rules)

World leader...Writer 

Xray Technician (see the inner person)

Young Adult Librarian (provides scriptural access to information)

Zoo Keeper ( all his crazy, sin filled people)

Okay, I may have stretched a few of these, but Jesus does lay the groundwork for godly service and gives us a blueprint for career opportunities which leads to successful living if we will only read His Word and follow His guidance.   

 

What's In Your Bucket

      We often ask, "What's in it for me?"  That is actually a good motivator for action when we know there is something to gain.  Yet, God says to put others first. So, we need to also ask, "What's in our bucket for others?"  Is it love, right thinking, right actions, forgiveness, and a desire for others to acquire blessings?  Actually when we carry around the right bucket full of the right attitude and love toward others we will find out "what's in it for us" - A bucket of rewards from God! 

"But love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return and your reward will be great, and you will be the Sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people."  Luke 6:35 

      When Noah left the Ark, God made a promise.  He said, "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me  and the earth.  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.  I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."

     When I see the rainbow, I am not only reminded of God's promise but I am in awe over the spectacular sight spanning across the sky.  I would like to think that the many beautiful colors can also have other special meanings.  I am not really sure of the actual colors but like to use, Roy G Biv,  the acronym, used to designate the colors.  So following are some of my thoughts to remind me of what Jesus did for me. 

Red = Radiance of God 

Orange = Once for all,  Jesus died for my sins

Yellow = Yoked with Christ, I am  

Green - Giver of my Salvation Is Jesus 

Blue = Blood of the Cross shed for me  

Indigo = In Him I trust and inner peace through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Violet = Victory given to me through Jesus's death  

Continuation on Jealousy

 continued dialogue from 3/3/2021 

We often do not hear what God has to say the 1st time and then often even the 2nd time.  He has to get our attention.  Below is a continued dialogue from yesterday with God. 

Me:  Lord, my own fruit

Is my pursuit.
It does not compare
and hard to watch and bear.

Envy blends into desire;

My heart burns on fire.

Discontent seems my lot,

Having not what I think I ought.

Greed goes before my need.

Pride has cried.

In hopelessness, frozen;

With wealth, others you have chosen. 

I struggle to climb.

O Lord, when is my time? 

God: Listen to My words and what I say.

Let your heart renew-become light and gay.

Be wise not in other's eyes,

Then discontent dies.  

Envy, self-seeking leaves you reeking-

A heart discouraged and breaking.

Look around!

Open your eyes to what abounds.

It's me you resent 

For provisions, to others, I have sent.

Think! You have your own-

Do not groan.

Turn, repent!

Change your mindset,

There are blessings you get.

Again I say, Enjoy your own fruit;

Let me be your pursuit.

Look inward; I am your reward.

Stay in accord.  

I repeat, Focus on me.

Remove your blinding chains and see.  

Jealous and Losing Focus

 We are all flawed, but we place ourselves in chains when we allow jealousy to enter our lives.  God wants us to focus on Him, not on others.  Below is my dialogue with God. 

Dialogue Between Me and God

 Focus

 Me:  From day to day,
Up the hill, down the lane,
I am discontent.
From young to old, I resent.
Truth sounds bitter;
Life holds no glitter.
Suspicion, remission, anger:
No rest in which to linger.
Hostility lives!
What gives?
Everywhere- a sense of futility,
Anger, hate, rage- all negativity.
O Lord, where is my focus?

God:  Centered in jealousy!
Day to day
Up the hill, down the lane, and across the plain,
Let your thoughts not be in vain.
Be grateful and faithful – not hateful.
In all, be content.
Enjoy the pleasures I have sent.
What others possess, do not begroan;
Yours are yours alone.
Your jealousies, uproot;
Enjoy your own fruit.
Let Me be your pursuit.
In Me, delight,
Resist jealousy’s appetite.
On Me, let your focus be.

 Mary Crisp Jameson   3/4/2021

 “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”  Psalm 37:4 KJV