SAVED

Well folks, it's very unusual for me to sit down and write without having had a thought for a time that I have pondered.  It's supper cooking time here at my place.  I have lasagna in the oven, salad draining on the counter, and a frozen package of Cole's garlic bread waiting for the oven. 

On this particular day I have not accomplished a whole lot for sure.  Seems like a lot of days lately I find no accomplishments.  There are clothes to alter, fabrics to sew, ironing to do, scrapbooking that calls me from afar and a house that could stand to be cleaned.  And I want to do all these things...well maybe with the exception of the cleaning of the house and the ironing.  I do dislike ironing.  Maybe I'm just growing slower as I age....or so that's what I'll like to think.

For some odd reason, our cable company has decided to take away The Andy Griffith Show during my supper cooking time so I've had to adapt this week to other forms of kitchen entertainment.  I've pulled out my old CD player as my undercounter one is temperamental these days.  Yesterday my kitchen cd choice was Guy Penrod.  He used to sing with the Gaither Vocal Band and in my opinion, he has one of the prettiest men voices I've ever heard.  Really.  Today I have on the Gaither Vocal Band...duh....Both CD's have a song that is swiftly becoming one of my favorites...so much that today it has touched my heart and caused me to tear up in the eyes.  Now songs that make that happen in the heart have to be considered good. 

This song talks about being a "sinner saved by grace".  The song talks about being loved and forgiven and how He gently leads us back.  Gently.  Can my salvation get any simpler than that?  I think not.  It has made me be thankful all over again and again and again for the precious gift of salvation that I have in my heart and for my heavenly Father who loves me more than anybody loves me.  Granted in the song it talks about in the past being very much sinner-ish and granted honestly, I was a pretty good girl most days but still I was lost without the Lord until I heard the Lord call me.  My heart knew his voice and still does and for that I am so grateful.  I pray I never get so far away that I don't recognize His voice.  What a tragedy that would be!  I can't imagine such.   I don't tell Him enough how grateful I am to be called a child of His.  And without a doubt, I can't humanly go a day without sinning but He doesn't go a day without forgiving either.  What a blessing!

So, of course, I know you all want to know the words of this good song so here are the lyrics:

If you could see what I once wasIf you could go with meBack to where I started fromThen I know you would see
A miracle of love that took meIn it's sweet embraceAnd made me what I am todayJust an old sinner saved by grace
I'm just a sinner saved by graceWhen I stood condemned to deathHe took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedomWith each breath of life I takeLoved and forgiven, backed with a livingI'm just a sinner saved by grace
How could I boast on anythingI've ever seen or done?How could I dare to claim as mineThe victories God has won?
Where would I beHad God not brought meGently to this place?I'm here to say I'm nothingBut a sinner saved by grace
I'm just a sinner saved by graceWhen I stood condemned to deathHe took my place
Now I grow and breathe in freedomWith each breath of life I takeI'm loved and forgiven backed with a livingI'm just a sinner saved by grace
Now I grow and breathe in freedomWith each breath of life I takeI'm loved and forgiven backed with a livingI'm just a sinner saved by grace
Saved by grace
And of course, I say loudly, "AMEN!"

TREES

In the years since I developed a love of photography, I have had a fascination with trees.  I love the different shapes, the unique branches, and all the other qualities of these towering creations.  My family is very patient when I find a tree to photograph.

I am awed by the beauty of trees in the fall season.  For example, the beauty of the Washington State trees.......

...the Montana aspens......

...and our own trees in our neighborhood.

 This is the red maple my parents gave us for one of our first anniversaries....over 30 years ago.

There are trees with snow as they are bathed in sunshine....

....trees that have no leaves but have "character".....

...trees that stand alone...

and trees with large trunks as well as trees with a purpose.

 There are even trees that "reflect".

A year or so ago, The Girl had a turn of doing her office Friday devotion.  She shared it with me.  It was about trees.  She has given me permission to share with you.   

"My mother really, really likes to take pictures.  Recently she's been really into taking pictures of trees. Trees with leaves, trees without leaves, dead trees...you name it, she finds something artistic in it.  Last summer, my family and I went fishing in Louisiana.  There was one particular tree that caught her attention as we sat on the boat.  It was a big tree, not very attractive to the untrained eye, but it was on a small piece of land that sat in the marshy waters of southern Louisiana.

It made you wonder how in the world it could stand up straight in the middle of all the muck and grass and water.  It brought to mind the old song "I Shall Not Be Moved."  I've thought of that tree often lately as the children's choir at our church sings the old hymn often...and wondered what exactly makes a tree planted by the water so special--why not planted in the forest, or on a mountain?

The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:7-8 that 'Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.  He shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.'  

I did a little research on trees, and it turns out that one of the most important parts of the tree is the roots.  No matter what a tree looks like--how big or how small it is--what kind it is--it is anchored by the part of it that we don't see.  It is important that new roots be able to grow and spread out--with good soil, good nutrients, and as few obstacles as possible.  Roots serve three main functions:  absorbing water, absorbing nutrients and minerals, and providing structural stability.

Roots feed a tree, keep it nourished so that it can grow and bear fruit, and keep it tall and strong when the winds blow and the storms come.  So how are we like a tree?  And how can we grow roots that keep us standing tall and bearing fruit to share with the world?  We need to feed our roots with God's Word and stay in constant fellowship with Him so that we can constantly be refreshed with His living water.  Maybe that's why the tree is planted by the water--as a reminder that we should walk closely with God!  With God as our source of strength, we will be able to withstand the winds and storms of life as they come.  Not only that, we are promised that when the drought comes and when we are put through the fire, we will still bear fruit.

That's a source of comfort to me in these times--a promise that, if we stay rooted in God and His Word that we will endure the drought that we are in right now, whether it be from the economy, health issues, or just being in a 'desert' period of your life.  He won't let us just wither up!"

And to The Girl's words, I say, "AMEN!"

UP

And what about some of the rest of the story?

A time after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples.  They were afraid, thinking they had seen a spirit.

"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled?  and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."  Luke 24:38, 39

They then believed.  He asked them if they had any meat and they gave him a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb to eat.  

His disciple, Thomas, was not in the number there.  The other disciples told Thomas of the meeting with Jesus.  He said that unless he saw the nail prints in Jesus' hands, put his finger in the nail prints, and thrust his hand into his side, he would not believe.  Thus, the phrase "Doubting Thomas".

Eight days later, Jesus appeared to them again with Thomas in the group.  Jesus told Thomas to see the prints, "and be not faithless, but believing".  Thomas answered, "My Lord and my God."

Jesus then said to Thomas "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."  

I figure those that have not seen, yet believed would include me in that number.  By faith I do believe in Jesus and the work he did here for me and for my salvation.

Jesus then said from Luke 24:44-48:

"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

And said unto them, Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

And ye are witnesses of these things."

Jesus also told them "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghose is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."  Acts 1:7,8

What happened next, you might ask?  And where is Jesus today?

The first chapter of the book of Acts also documents the ascension of Jesus.  It was while the disciples watched that he was taken up and a cloud took him out of their sight.  They were looking up toward heaven and "two men stood by in white apparel"  and said, " Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."  Acts 1:11

That tells me to look up.  Keep looking UP.   Jesus will come again in the clouds to receive us "unto himself that where he is, there we shall be also."  This is one of the very greatest promises made to us.  

When he returns in power and glory, we shall see Jesus....just as he is!

AMEN!