new, New, NEW!

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

“The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.

‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!’

‘What does a man gain from all his labor

 at which he toils under the sun?

Generations come and generations go, 

but the earth remains forever.

The sun rises and the sun sets, 

and hurries back to where it rises.

The wind blows to the south 

and turns to the north;

Round and round it goes, 

ever returning to its course.

All streams flow into the sea, 

yet the sea is never full.

To the place the streams come from, 

there they return again.

All things are wearisome, 

more than one can say.

The eye never has enough of seeing, 

nor the ear its fill of hearing.

What has been will be again, 

what has been done will be done again;

There is nothing new under the sun.

Is there anything of which one can say, 

‘Look! This is something new’?

It was here already, long ago; 

it was here before our time.

There is no remembrance of men of old,

And even those who are yet to come 

will not be remembered by those who follow.’"

Wow! What a depressing passage of Scripture! Have you ever felt this way, though? Like everything in this world is without meaning. 

The book of Ecclesiastes was written from the perspective of a man later in his life, looking back. When we’re older, what are we going to look back and see that we were chasing? What are we chasing now that is meaningless? Our efforts and pursuits outside of God working IN us and THROUGH us is completely without meaning to Him. I’m asking the Lord today to show me what it is I am chasing or pursuing or striving toward that is outside of His working in my life…will you do the same thing?

One cool thing occurred to me as I was reading this verse, though: The Lord gave me an answer to one of the questions above. Solomon asked, “Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new’?”

The Bible uses the word “new” many times, but this one is a favorite of mine:

“Yet I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, 

for His compassions never fail. 

They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:21-23

His mercies are new every morning……He shows us new things in a New way at a NEW time!

Let’s enjoy the brand new mercies He has for us today, making every opportunity count for Him and not for ourselves. In doing so, our hope will be re-new, New, NEWed!

Help us to do that today, Lord. Be our Source, be our Guide. 

Be what we long for, crave and chase after this day……

In Your Name of Hope we pray, Amen.

***This is a revised reprint of a devo I sent out to my website edevo recipients in 2006. If you would like to sign up for these, click here: Lovinthearts.com Edevo Subscribe Form

My Heart Will Rely On Him

I read this in my Edges of His Ways Devotional this morning, and I had to search my heart:

***from Edges of His Ways:Daily Devotional Notes by Amy Carmichael, p.16, January 10th excerpt:

1 Samuel 23:16: "And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened His hand in God."

God make us all his Jonathans. There is a great hunter abroad in the world. Like Saul who sought David every day, he seeks souls every day; never a day's respite, always the hunt is on. Although the words stand forever, "but God delivered him not into his hand," yet sometimes souls tire of being hunted, and like David they are in a wilderness in a wood. Then is Jonathan's chance. But notice what he does; he does not so comfort David that he becomes necessary to him. "He strengthened his hand in God." He leaves his friends strong in God, resting in God, safe in God. He detaches his dear David from himself and he attaches him to his "Very Present Help." Then Jonathan went to his house, and David abode in the wood--with God.

As one with the gift of mercy, I had to search my heart. Do I comfort or advise people so that I become necessary to them, or do I do so encouraging that God become necessary to them?

And even deeper, who do I reach out to when I'm in trouble? Do I grab the phone, or do I hit the floor? Do I rely on the counsel of others, or do I turn to the Word?  And when I reach out to others, what kind of people do I call on? Those who will pray for me and tell me the Truth, or those who will tell me what my flesh wants to hear. First and foremost, the Lord wants to become my "ever present help in times of trouble." Then He will lead us to the people who will give us the Truth He wants us to follow. 

Wowzer, Amy Carmichael always gets my heart and mind thinking and seeking. I could be tempted to take this powerful devotional of hers today too far in either direction at any given time, though. God gives us people in our lives both to help and to lean on...but may we never allow someone to lean on us so so hard and so long that they forget to lean on their Rock, their Redeemer, the ONLY firm foundation. (And visa versa).

Lord, give me an undivided heart during times of trouble. May I come to You first and then follow Your leading and Your timing on help from others. Strengthen me, O Lord. Help me not to be a spiritual weakling, but strong in You, Father--God-strong instead. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

In the Key of HE,

Director, Please

Today I went to my kids' end of school year awards ceremony. Each class came to the front of the auditorium to be recognized for their achievements and their completion of a rigorous school year. Most of the classes had some sort of speech, Bible verse, pledge or something to recite. And we're talking LONG, difficult stuff. My second grade daughter's class recited the Nicene Creed as the teacher stood in front of them doing small hand motions to help them remember each word. All eyes were glued on her as she directed them. It was beautiful, worshipful. The words resonated clearly.

Another class came forward to do the Lord's Prayer in Latin. Another, a long Bible verse. Another, the Bill of Rights. In each of the last three cases, the teacher was either standing behind them at the podium or off to the side letting them recite on their own. Most of the kids knew their material, but what happened is that one side of the group was faster than the other, and the words were garbled all together.

It was interesting to watch, but the director/producer in me wanted so much to stand up and get them all on the same meter. The class who had the willing director AND who paid attention to her was the only one whose message was clearly heard.

I couldn't help but think about us as believers in the Body of Christ. We have a willing Director. One who never makes mistakes. And when we as the church pay attention to His leading, the message is clearly heard.  When we're all going our own speed and making sure our own voice is heard, however...then all who are listening hear a bunch of nothing. "Wah-wah-wah-wah-wah-wah." (Quote stolen from Charlie Brown)

I want to be a part of the bigger picture for Christ--part of His massive choir making a beautiful song for Him. That takes intentional thinking on my part and deliberate obedience when I want to do things my own way.

Nope, I can't go it alone. I need my Director square in front of me and the rest of His flock to the left and the right of me. And together, all eyes focused on His hand motions, we will speak His voice for all the world to hear.

Mama On My Mind

It would have been my mama's birthday today. May 7th, same as my hubby's birthday too. I find myself wishing that God had called me out to write Mom's story while she was still alive, because she has quite a phenomenal story indeed. Can't seem to get my mama off my mind.

The bottom line is that she was handicapped by a tragic car accident in her adulthood. The damage from it caused her years and years of horrific pain that I'm sure no more than a handful have experienced in their lifetime. Though it's taken me my whole life to learn, I am forever endebted to the example she set for me in the faith.

When I get disgruntled, her memory is there. When I get discontent, her memory is there. When I get insecure, her memory is always there. As Mother's Day approaches, it will be my second without her to call on the phone. I miss her. So happy she is whole in mind and body, but I miss her none the same.

God-in-her is the reason that I am who I am today. And what I am is someone who desperately depends on the Lord to get me through each day. She taught me the secret that so many Christians cannot even fathom. It is found in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV):

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."

The photo above is the last picture my sister and I had with my mom before she couldn't sit up for pictures anymore (only six months later).

Yup, I just got my mama on my mind today...so I may just have to sing a "Happy Birthday" song to her, even if it's just for me.


Two publications have posted my mom's tribute this month, and I am ever so thankful. One is a Christian newspaper in Amarillo, Texas. The other is an online ezine that is viewed all over the world. You can click here if you are interested in reading my mother's incredible story of courage and God-strength: 

http://journezine.com/May08/LessonsShaw/tabid/1648/Default.aspx