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As believers in the Lord Jesus, our faith must stand firm on the Word of
God which will hold us even in the midst of the trials and tribulations
that come our way. We must remind ourselves that God is our faithful
Father who will be with us to lead and guide us on to the best path as He
sees fit. The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our
hearts and minds and keep us centered and filled with the confidence that
we shall not be moved no matter what the enemy may bring against us.
Remember the Lord's promises when trials come your way and know that God is
your Comforter and a very present help in time of trouble. (Psalm 46:1-11)
I hope you are encouraged by today's message to stand strong in times of
tribulation and know that you will come forth stronger and better equipped
at the end of that trial.
LESSONS FROM A DANDELION
The world is coming alive again. Isn't spring grand?
I was walking my dog the other day and I noticed a yard full of dandelions.
What a wonderful sight. Even the name is fun. Dandy lions. I always picture
a big, friendly lion with a silly grin on his face. I love dandelions. I
know some people consider them weeds, but I don't. I think dandelions are
wonderful flowers with a lesson for all of us to learn.
Do you remember feeling a special attraction to dandelions when you were a
child?
I remember bringing fistfuls of dandelions to my mother. It didn't matter
that the stems were sticky. It didn't matter that both my parents cursed
the existence of these flowers when they crept into the lawn. I thought
they were beautiful.
Beautiful and plentiful! At least once a week my father would chop off all
the heads with the lawn mower, and those he missed my brothers, sister and
I would pick. We'd pop the blossoms off the stem with a snap of our
fingers. Even so, it seemed like the supply of dandelions never ran low.
For the flowers that escaped the honor of being delivered to my mother, the
trauma of experiencing my father's lawn mower, or the horror of suffering
through a childhood game, there was a whole other level of existence.
I don't recall ever seeing a dandelion in transition. Perhaps I never paid
enough attention to the process. Perhaps I knew it would steal the magic
of the transformation if I watched it scientifically. It just seemed like
one day there would be a bright, yellow blossom and the next, there would
be a soft, round puff of nose tickling seeds. I wondered if, like a
snowflake, no too dandelion puffs were alike.
These puffs were a marvel. Sometimes we'd use furious movement to quickly
disperse the seeds into the wind. Other times we'd blow softly to see how
strongly they grasped their core. And when they could hold on no longer,
they gently drifted off to spread their joy elsewhere. One way would leave
me squealing in delight, the other would leave me watching in wonder.
And now, as yellow dots appear in the greenness of my lawn, I think of all
the lessons we can learn from this so-called weed.
Imagine having the staying power of a dandelion. Imagine stretching your
roots so deep and straight that no amount of tugging on your stem would
tear you completely from the source that gives you life. Imagine if you
came back to face the world with a bright, sunshiny face even after someone
had run you over with a lawnmower, or snapped your head off while singing a
silly song. Imagine if your foliage, the things you've accomplished in this
world, were a nutritious source of vitamins that helped others grow strong.
Imagine if you could spread love, encouragement and compassion as freely
and fully as this flower spreads seeds of itself.
The lawns at my parents' home are now beautiful green blankets. The only
patches of color come from well-placed, well-controlled flower beds.
Chemicals have finally managed to destroy what human persistence couldn't.
But I hope that we can be different. I hope that we can stretch our roots
deep enough so that the strongest poisons of anger, fear, hate, envy and
criticism can't reach our souls. I hope that the next time you see a
dandelion, you'll stop and think about the lessons it can teach you. I hope
you'll see a flower in a world that sees weeds.
By Donna Doyon
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall
direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart
from evil.”
Psalm 27:11-14 “Teach me Thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path,
because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine
enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe
out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of
the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,
and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Psalm 20:6-7 “Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear
him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some
trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the
LORD our God.”
Ephesians 6:10-14 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the
power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore...”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: YOU ARE IMPORTANT
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem134.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: GOD IS FAITHFUL
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony118.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
