Are You an Attractive Christian?
I've noticed something fascinating this week. The rather unremarkable bush outside my bedroom window has undergone a complete transformation. For months, it has been nothing but a green backdrop. Sure, it was pleasant enough, but certainly nothing to write home about. Yet, seemingly overnight, it has erupted into a constellation of delicate white blooms.
What's even more intriguing is the response these blooms have generated. The bush that previously served only as a waiting room for the birds at the feeder has become the hottest gathering spot in the garden. Now, dozens of bees buzz excitedly around each blossom, their enthusiastic hum providing the soundtrack to my mornings. Large fuzzy bumblebees, sleek honey bees, and tiny wild bees that I can hardly identify all crowd the branches in a bustling community of activity.
The Final Word
I've always been fascinated by book endings. Some conclude with a dramatic flourish, while others drift quietly to their final page. There's something powerful about those last few words that linger after the cover closes. While some readers savor the journey page by page, I find myself eagerly anticipating how the author will tie everything together. After all, conclusions matter. They leave a lasting impression long after the story ends.
Recently, while preparing for a Bible study, I stumbled upon something remarkable about God's conclusions. Amid judgment pronouncements and difficult prophetic warnings, God rarely leaves His people without hope. Even in the darkest passages, a glimmer of promise often appears at the end.
Take the book of Joel, for instance.
When Prayer Disappoints
"No, I don't believe in God, and if there is one, I don't want anything to do with Him."
The words were spoken with such anger that I paused before responding, but I couldn't ignore the urging from the Holy Spirit.
"May I ask why?" I inquired.
"Because I prayed just like I was taught, but God didn't answer. He didn't give me what I asked for. So either there isn't a God, or He's just not reliable."
My heart sank. This was not the first time I'd heard this reasoning for doubting God and His goodness. Since arriving in Wales, I've encountered this view repeatedly. How does the concept of prayer become so misconstrued? Where do people get the idea that God is merely a genie in a bottle, waiting to grant their every request? Sadly, it often starts in our pulpits.
When God Overhears
Have you ever been caught talking about someone behind their back? I have, and it's not a pleasant experience. There's that moment when you realize the person you've been discussing has been standing just around the corner, hearing every word. Your face flushes, your stomach drops, and you desperately wish for a convenient sinkhole to appear beneath your feet.
In Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron experienced something far worse than being caught by another person. They were caught by God Himself.
"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it." (Numbers 12:1-2)
Did you catch that last part? "And the Lord heard it." Those four simple words should send shivers down our spines.
Don’t Stop Digging
The road to success is rarely a straight line. More often, it resembles the winding paths Jason and I hike through the Welsh countryside. They are full of unexpected turns, occasional dead ends, and moments where you question if we're heading in the right direction at all. I've discovered that the difference between reaching our destination or turning back often comes down to one simple choice: will we keep going when obstacles appear? This lesson was beautifully illustrated in the life of Isaac.
In Genesis 26, Isaac found himself in the midst of a severe famine. Despite God's instruction to stay put in Gerar rather than flee to Egypt, Isaac soon faced a new challenge, and water became the center of conflict.