Shade Tree Wisdom 2/1/11

A cold front is sweeping down from the north and it brings us here along the Gulf Coast some wintry weather, and this morning early, blowing rain, so I got the paper in and stayed in. Especially so since this is the height of the flu season.

Here we are on the first day of February and winter is still with us. I can remember mother insisting we wear a scarf when we left for school on such mornings. She said we could always take it off, but “you never know what the day will bring and it’s nice to have a warm scarf to wrap around your nose when it gets cold in winter.”

I think we could get through just about anything if we only knew ahead of time what the outcome would be. We know the word of God that “All things work together for good to them that love God”, but God never shows us the outcome. He is with us during the dark times though, and He asks us to trust him.

Something like driving a car at night. Our lights show us maybe 160 feet or so, but we trust that the pavement does not end there. But we do need the light to keep driving forward.

That is exactly what the Word of God is and does, it gives light and direction that is sure. The Psalm says, “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path”. Ps. 119,105. This Word promises that He will never leave nor forsake us (Heb.13,5), and it assures us His plans for us are for good and not for evil. (Jer. 29,11) And He tells us that our trials are to make us better, not defeat us. (James 1, 2-4).

“I am a stranger in the earth, Oh how I need a map”. Psalm 129. And thank God the map is there. The Bible, God’s Word, leads, directs, guides. It allows us to live with hope in this dreary, terror-filled, disaster riddled world. A world that seems bent on following its own mind, do what it pleases, and ignores the will of God given us in that Word. This Word that tells us the one thing we need to know forever, that “Jesus Christ died for our sins”.

Mother did know best, for when school left out on these wintry days often the wind was blowing, a cold wind, and it really was a comfort to wrap that scarf around our noses. So wrap your mind around God’s Scarf, His Holy Word, and survive the wintry blasts of the evil one.

GPD 2/1/11