Thought for Friday, Feb 27: Isaiah 60:19 says: "The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory."
     God's promise to the Israelites was that after their judgment would come healing. God's heart is tender toward those He loves, even when they're rebelling against Him. The words of this verse tell me that God's brilliance is the light by which my eternity will be spent. What a comfort. Something to look forward to with joy and eagerness.

Thought for Thursday, Feb 26: Isaiah 57:2 says: "Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."
     These words bring me comfort in those times when I ponder that we will all go the way of our ancestors--we will all die. I don't need to worry when loved ones die in Christ. I can mourn for my own loss, but they've lost nothing. They've gained Heaven.

Thought for Wednesday, Feb 25: Isaiah 57:1 says: "The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil."
     In the days of King Josiah, Judah was reformed from an idolatrous country to a Godly one, at least in view of the king. Despite all the efforts of Josiah to destroy every idol from Judah, the hearts of his people were not changed. They gave only an outward show of support for the sake of their king, and they brought God's judgment upon themselves. But before the judgment, Josiah was killed in battle. In an act of mercy, God saw to it that Josiah wasn't forced to see the destruction of the kingdom he had fought so hard to repair.
     This makes me want to check my own faith, make sure I'm walking daily with God in spirit, not only in actions. I want no idols--no other things or people before God.

Thought for Tuesday, Feb 24: Colossians 3:17 says, "...whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."
     I've found myself quoting this verse often as I go about my daily tasks. It helps me to give God the glory and thanks for the bounty He has given me. It helps me appreciate Him better.

Thought for Monday, Feb 23: I hope your weekend was better than ours has been. A beloved uncle, who has eight kids and a gazillion grandkids and great grandkids, had a stroke on Saturday. Since Mel is an ER doc, he was the first one our aunt called. He could tell from her description that Uncle was having a stroke; he told her to call 9-1-1 and raced to their home. When he arrived, Uncle was intubated and had already had a seizure. Mel told me later that he was afraid my uncle was going to die. The ambulance crew had to fly him to a larger hospital. The center of the stroke would ordinarily have caused a great deal of damage. Sunday afternoon, however, we got to see our uncle sitting up on the side of the bed. He was able to stand up, drink, eat, and use all his limbs, and he talked to us. The neurosurgeon was amazed. Our aunt told him, "Glory be to God." The neurosurgeon said, "Yes, glory be to God."
    Minutes after we'd received that initial call, as the ambulance was on its way, I started to call family. And family called other family, and they started to pray. From Alaska to China to Minnesota, and practically every state across America, prayer was raised for our uncle. The result is, we expect him to be released in the next few days.
    Glory be to God.

Thought for Friday, Feb 20: Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
    Justice must be a foundation for our daily walk with God. Treat everyone as equals, and show mercy to all, with honesty and confidence. Don't seek to make friends with someone whom you feel to be powerful or wealthy in some way in order to gain favor. On the other hand, don't be resentful toward them out of jealousy or envy. Treat everyone with respect.

Thought for Thursday, Feb 19: Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.
    Apparently, there were bullies in the days of Leviticus as well as there are today. Immature people pick on those they don't know or understand. You may have been a victim of this kind of treatment, or you may have been a bully in the past. If you've hurt someone, apologize. If someone has hurt you, forgive them. It's the only way to live.

Thought for Wednesday, Feb 18: Leviticus 13 says: "Do no defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight."
     In the days this was written, workers weren't as wealthy as we are here in America today. They depended on their daily wage in order to have food for the evening. The spirit of this verse makes me think...do I give to those in need when they're in need, and when God calls me to give? Can you think of other ways this verse can be taken? Defrauding? Have you ever borrowed from a friend or neighbor, and not returned? Is that defrauding?

Thought for Tuesday, Feb 17: Leviticus 12 says: "Do not swear falsely by my name, and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD."
      Wow. I call myself a Christian. Am I swearing falsely by God's name when I misrepresent myself to those who know me as a Christian? Something to think about...

Thought for Monday, Feb 16: Leviticus 11 says: "Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another."
     This part of Leviticus bundles several "Love one another" commandments that help us understand how to love one another. Deceiving one another, lying and stealing are lumped together in one verse. I wonder why...could it be they are all connected? We steal the truth from one another when we lie or deceive. Pay attention to telling the truth in love, giving honest evaluations to friends and strangers alike, no matter the cost. That's quite a challenge to me!

Thought for Friday, Feb 13: Do you like to watch reality television? You know, those shows where it seems the ugliest and most obnoxious people in the world are brought to a television studio--or sent to location--to let us see how depraved the human race can be?
     I'll admit, I don't watch those shows, because I see enough ugliness in the world. The thought of those candid shows, however, can make us sit up and take notice about our own behavior. We are always being watched when we're in public, particularly if we're Christians. All it takes is one slip, one ugly word or deed, to prove to a watching public that we aren't what we say we are.
    That's a sobering thought.

Thought for Thursday, Feb 12: Was there ever anything you were afraid to do until you did it? Like swimming, or shopping for a car, or joining the church choir? It seems that after you learn it's not so hard, after all, that activity isn't
as frightening next time.
     Wouldn't it be nice if we could trust God that way? You know, trust Him to guide our lives during one trying situation, and from there on out, every trying situation's a piece of cake because God is in control. Yeah. Right. It doesn't work that way, does it? Why not?
     I wish I knew.
Next time you feel stressed or frightened about something in your life, try to remember the times God got you through before. Use your hindsight to improve your foresight. He's always been there, and He will always be there.
We have no reason to fear.

Thought for Wednesday, Feb 11: Daily Thoughts: Isaiah 42:3 says: "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfullness he will bring forth justice."
     Do you sometimes feel like that bruised reed or smoldering wick? Wounded by the words of others, saddened by grief, feeling unable to carry on? Remember this verse when trouble comes your way. He will bring forth justice. He sees your pain and hears your cries. Turn to him, and he will not turn you away.

Thought for Tuesday, Feb 10: Proverbs 23: 1-3 says: "When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive."
    I need to tape that in large letters on my refrigerator. I have mentioned in a previous post that we are all so very wealthy compared to most of the people in the world, who often don't know when they will have their next meal. We usually keep those very delicacies of the rulers in our kitchens. But those delicacies are deceptive (except for dark chocolate, of course.) Sweets and starches, fried foods and sugary drinks deceive your body for a time into thinking it has been fed. But those foods play havoc with our bodies as we get older. How much wiser we are to stick with vegetables and fruits, whole grains and lean meat, fish and dairy products, nuts...and, of course, a little chocolate every day. If you were given one car to drive for your whole life, wouldn't you take excellent care of that car? How much more, then, should we care for our bodies?

Thought for Monday, Feb 9: Proverbs 12:16 says: "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult."
For good or ill, when I was a child, my motto became, "Never let 'em see you sweat." I don't like to cry in public, and I don't like to show my anger. I discovered that if I revealed a vulnerability, then whoever saw it might use it against me later. I never knew, until I read this verse, that I was probably on the right track. Overlook insults. Don't repay ugliness with ugliness, but with dignity and kindness. Many apparent insults are little more than a sentence that needs editing, spoken by someone who never meant to harm with their words. When someone deliberately insults you, that person is fishing for a reaction. Don't give them one.

Thought for Friday, Feb 6: Proverbs 12:10 says: "A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel."
    As an animal lover, this verse resonates with me. In the past few years, our house has become a cat magnet, and word has apparently spread throughout the neighborhood that there's usually a free meal and soft bed here. What isn't so well known by the cat population is that we do all we can to make sure we don't have a population explosion. This means that before we take a cat in, or soon thereafter, that cat gets a trip to the vet, shots, and spaying/neutering. Because our vet knows we're doing this with feral or abandoned young cats, we receive a discount for the procedures.
    Never allow someone to criticize you for caring for your animals. I realize that this verse probably refers more to beasts of burden than to house pets, but kindness to an animal is kindness. Period.

Thought for Thursday, Feb 5: Proverbs 12:1 says: "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."
    As a writer, I'm very appreciative of my editors. I may not always agree with everything they suggest, but I've been amazed, over the years, at how much better my work can be after a good editor has been able to point out where excessive words can be deleted, action scenes made tighter, dramatic interaction made more tense. Having learned this with my writing, I've discovered for myself how very powerful today's verse can be...if I allow the correction.

Thought for Wednesday, Feb 4: Isaiah 40: 29-31 says: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
   This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible, as it is for many. Renew your strength every morning with a talk with God, the creator of all.
As you can see, I like to linger on many passages in the Bible. It's like existing in a bed of comfort, especially when the world seems on the verge of flying apart all around me. It's good to remind myself that my bed of comfort will never fail.

Thought for Tuesday, Feb 3: Isaiah 40:26 says: "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."
Some night, when the sky is clear, take time to stare into the sky and enjoy the handiwork of God. Those who live far north of us here in the Ozarks have occasion to see the northern lights. I've only caught a glimpse of them once from a jet, and was entranced. Have you ever watched the cloud formations in the sky as they change every second? All that work of the Master Artist's hand! It's so amazing. I never tire of the living art that exists in God's creation.

Thought for Monday, Feb 2: Isaiah 40:23-24 says: "He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff."
How graphically this tells us that our time here on earth is nothing compared to eternity. He guides the activities of this world, and there is no power above God.