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Beauty All-Around

 

As an introduction for Sunday’s service, I mentioned that during these warm summer mornings, I have made it a practice to go out to my deck each morning. Today was an exception, 13C  was too cold unless I took a heater out with me!  I go out not just for the warmth of the summer sun, but to take in all the goodness and beauty around me.  The above photo is of one of my backyard spaces to enjoy the goodness.

I have been pondering Ecclesiastes 3 and appreciated the preacher's poetry that there is a time for everything we will experience on earth.  Then the preacher follows in 3:9-11 with a great question and his conclusion: "What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet, God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end."

Yes, daily life can be full of burdens, even if we are retired from work or are at home raising children (which I found was the most satisfying but hardest work in my life.)  Life can be full of struggles and deadlines, but it is also full of goodness and beauty.  I read this week, we all have burdens, but it is how you look at your load that makes the difference.  

I ask myself this question each day: "If this were your last day to have the gift of life, what would you remember? What would you be grateful for?" 

Life is a gift.  Even in our daily struggles, God has provided goodness and grace to shine forth when it is hard.  We need to be open to see and taste that the life God has given us an excellent and precious gift.  Perspective is important and vital to how we will view life.

I believe the preacher wants us to get that God in His time will accomplish His purposes in our life, we may not get it or understand His plan at the moment, but we can trust Jesus will finish what He has begun with us.  God has placed eternity in our hearts, and when we trust Jesus to lead us and guide us, we can make choices now to enjoy the life we have been gifted.

Daily I have been trying to remember God has given me life, and it is up to me no matter what circumstances I find myself in to be grateful and thankful until the day I take my last breath.  I am truly trying to live without complaining (which is an extremely hard practice to achieve at times,) to pay attention to the beauty and gifts of wonder that are given daily, to try my best to keep my home and workplace in peace, and always remember to count my daily blessings.  Every good and perfect gift is from our Father, as James 1:17 reminds us.

Yes, at times, life is extremely tough, and I do worry, but I am trying to let worry and fear, lead me back to having a deeper faith that God can be trusted.  Not to simply act happy, but to have faith and trust that God is leading and hears my prayers. Then, I can have joy knowing God will work out His purpose in all I will endure on earth. The following photo is a beautiful gift from my garden, a bouquet of Calla Lilly's, how perfect of a gift is that!

The Emmanuel musicians sang a song title Enchanted, click here to listen. 

Enchanted
 
This world is enchanted
     lean closer to see it
This world is enchanted
     dare to breath it in
   dare to breath it in
 
Give us new eyes to see
     give us new hearts to feel
Give us new lungs to breath
     the wonder underneath
Dare to breathe it in
     dare to breath it in
Born and born again
                                    

What are you thankful for today?  What beauty and goodness have you noticed that has filled you with joy?

Prayer:  Father thank you for life.  Thank you for this precious gift, the gift to be able to breathe, to see, to touch, to taste, to hear, and to wonder at all you have given.  Help us today to make choices that help us to live well until the day we take our last breath and are with you for eternity.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Stay safe and enjoy the beauty all around you, and be enchanted!

Blessings, Robin


 

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