Life's Little Frustrations

I'm just not too crazy about a snake, a bug, a mouse,

But I like them much better outside than I do inside my house!

Restoration

Psalm 23:3b,  "He restores my soul..."

Why would our souls need restoring?  Before I answer that question, let's look at an analogy that may give us some insight.  When I think of restoration, I think of restoring a building, and, even more specifically, a house.  Why do houses need restoring?  There may be several reasons.  These are some possibilities:

          1.  The yard may be overgrown with weeds.

          2.  The roof may be leaking, or the walls may be sagging.

          3.  The wiring might be old and faulty.

          4.  The pipes might be stopped up.

          5.  There might be rotten wood that needs to be replaced.

          6.  The paint might be peeling.

In the case of people who need restoration, here are some possible reasons for that necessity:

          

1.  There may be roots of bitterness that have been allowed to grow up in our hearts, and they need pulling out just like weeds in a yard.

2.  We may have been so buffeted by other people and sad or difficult circumstances that we need shoring up, like a leaky roof or sagging walls.  One man prayed this wonderful prayer,  "Lord, prop up every leaning side."  Maybe we have some leaning sides that need to be propped up by God's mighty power.

3.  Our contact with our Heavenly Father may be sketchy and inadequate, like faulty wiring.  In the past two years since I have been writing these devotionals, I have been driven over and over back to one overriding theme: how very essential to our spiritual well being to spend time with God everyday, reading His words to us and conversing with Him in prayer.

4.  There were a lot of trees around the house where I grew up. and occasionally a root from one of those trees would grow into a water pipe and stop it up.  And surely we have all experienced clogged drains.  Just as debris needs to be removed from water pipes, so sin needs to be removed by confession and repentance in order for God's living water to flow freely through our lives.

5.  We may have formed bad habits that need to be replaced with new, good habits just as rotten wood is replaced with strong, fresh wood.

6.  Just as a fresh coat of paint can complete the restoration of a house and give it a new look once its interior problems are corrected, so the joy of the Lord gives us a glow of contentment when we allow God to do His work on our interior problems. 

I praise You, God.  You restore my soul!

Life's Little Frustrations

All the way from appetizer through to dessert

You can see what I ate by looking at my shirt!

With every single bite and every single sip

I must have let a bit of each one drip.

One night my Uncle Fred did this same thing too

And ever thereafter we called him Uncle Menu!

Still Waters

Psalm 23:2b,  "He leads me beside still waters."

      There's just something so special about water.  Nothing is more refreshing on a sweltering hot day than a cold drink of ice water.  And when I think about pools, ponds, lakes, and rivers, the words peaceful, calm, tranquil, serene, and restful come to mind.

      When we are thirsty we become restless until that thirst is satisfied.  My two dogs will drink from mud puddles if they don't see any fresh water.  Sheep will drink from filthy water if clean water is not available, and likewise men and women will drink from the polluted streams of worldly kinds of pleasures if they do not find the living water which God provides.  In Jeremiah 2:13 God says,  "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

      Jesus gave this wonderful invitation for us all in John 7:37b, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."  It is those people who come everyday to drink from the water provided by the Good Shepherd who find peace, serenity, tranquility, and the strength to navigate through the problems and complexities of life.  It is in God's Presence and in God's Word that we find the water that truly satisfies our thirst.

Dear Shepherd, Thank You that You lead us beside the still waters where we can be refreshed and strengthened for the day and find peace and tranquility amid the problems and burdens of life.  May we come to You each day for the living water that we so desperately need.  Amen.

Life's Little Frustrations

There was a sliver of soap left over after my bath today.

It's not enough to use again, but I hate to throw it away.

I'd put it with some other slivers, but I do not have a stash.

Should I start saving slivers or just throw it in the trash?