Had a rather disconcerting thing happen to one of our humming birds yesterday.  It was about 22 degrees, cold but warmer than it had been for a few days.  I had just changed the feeder when out of the corner of my eye I saw something fall alongside the house (next to the feeder) followed by a thump.

I looked down and there was a hummingbird.  I put aside the feeder I had just taken down and watched him for a moment.  It was obvious he was flustered, disoriented and confused; he was dazed by the fall.  He flapped his wings a couple times but didn’t fly away.

I hadn’t heard him flying around me before he fell, can’t figure out where he came from at that time.  There was nothing for him to roost on, he was just suddenly there.

I reached down and he squirmed a bit but didn’t fight me when I picked him up.  I held him in my hands for a few minutes, hoping to warm him up; he laid there looking around and getting his bearings.  He didn’t struggle.  I opened my hands up and he looked at me and then flew, rather raggedly, away to one of our bushes.

I figured he would be dead shortly, but a little while later he was at the feeder and he was there again this morning, just as lively as before.  Not sure what happened, how or why, but at least he went down while I was there and not one of the cats. 

Feeding the little chickadees and were visited by a real blue jay, with the top hatch.  We don’t see them around here very often, although their screechy and obnoxious cousins – scrub jays – make their presence known.  The real Jays are a beautiful bird – but I am told they too can be a nuisance.  Not overly worried about these guys the neighbor above us has several feeders out – but it is fun to watch them fly around.

The day after the snow storm, Carla followed deer tracks down the driveway – coming from our garden.  Haven’t seen them since so not sure what the deer are doing.

Blaze likes to run around on top of the snow, it has a hard enough crust that it supports his weight.  He has to check out his territory and occasionally let others know he is around.  He is pretty quiet most of the time.  

Psalm 1:1-2  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

² But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Made an impromptu trip to the surgeon yesterday, nothing exciting but I was having some unusual symptoms so called it in and they had me come in.  No infection or anything very serious, pretty much figure it is a by-product of one of my other problems and we can move on.

When I was talking to the doc he was pretty sure his diagnosis was correct without going into more exhaustive – and unnecessary procedures.  I told him to just get out one of his books, open it up and point a finger at something and whatever he hit that would be the answer.  He just laughed and shook his head.

I told him that is what some people do with the Bible, they are in need so they close their eyes, open the Bible, point with their finger and whatever verse their finger lands on ‘must’ be the message God wants them to hear.

I am sure there are times that might actually work – after all, the Bible has hundreds of verses dealing with problems and there is a possibility of finding one that way.  But that is not how wanting to hear from God works. 

We wouldn’t want our doctor to diagnosis our afflictions that way and God doesn’t want us to analyze His Word that way.

A Pastor one time told me that he dealt with a young man that had that method of reading God’s Word.  Until:  His finger landed on Mathew 27:5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Now, the young man wasn’t a complete fool and figured that wasn’t what God wanted him to do, so he closed his eyes, opened the Bible and pointing his finger landed on Judges 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise:

Is that a true story?  I don’t really know, but it is a good illustration of how that is NOT the way to study God’s Word.

Obviously I have more time than many of you, right now.  I spend some of that time – okay a few hours – reading the Bible and a few devotionals along with some study guides and then meditate on them.  In so doing I also started writing these daily thoughts on my meditation as to what He is sharing with me.

One thing that has come about for me in these studies are themes, sometimes I study devotionals dedicated to that day and they all have the same basic themes – while occasionally the same verses, it is usually different verses that can be applied to that theme.

Or, one day one devotional will talk about a theme – the next day another devotional, or my readings will cover that same theme, and the next a different source, or a different reading will again cover that theme – and it can go on for a few days.

Frankly, that isn’t too surprising, I subscribe to those devotions and commentaries by authors that have the same values and Christian beliefs I have.  So it isn’t surprising that they will, at times, dovetail with each other. 

I also recognize that these same devotional, etc. are sent to thousands if not millions of Christians.  So it is not necessarily directed by God at me.  However, the verses from those sources and my daily readings will often be used by God to give me insights into myself and thoughts to share with others – and of course, the similarity between what Israel has faced for thousands of years when they turned their back on God and what is happening in America today. 

These are not meant to be prophetic nor am I claiming these words are directed by God, they are simply things that God is dealing with me at that particular time – and from hearing from some of you it also helps you.  That is a good thing.  So, I write and I share.

The devotionals and commentaries, while helpful and include some scripture documentation, do not take the place of the actual reading of God’s Word.

It is by reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God that we gain insights into how He works and how He wants us to serve Him.  His Word becomes alive and relevant to our lives.

It gives us encouragement by helping us see how the great men and women of God were able to do what they did for God.  How they were people whose heart was right with Him and how He used them in His service.  It also encourages us as we read of the struggles they had in serving God.  Not only with other people who would not listen to their message, but with themselves as they faltered and failed – or on the surface would never appear to have measured up to what they did.  It is the examples of not just their failures, but how God lifted them up and gave them the ability to continue to work for Him.

It can be scary when we realize that God’s Judgment can be a destructive force and in the case with Israel; but it is also encouraging when we read how He tried to tell them of His displeasure, how He sent the Prophets and others to tell them of their sins and how they can turn back to Him.  And we see how that is being done by many of His servants today.

It is even more encouraging when we understand that the Old Testament fore told the coming of the Messiah and that Jesus – was the Christ – that His life was the fulfillment of those prophecies and that He died for us.  Reading the two testaments and seeing how the complement each other is a thing of beauty.

It can be encouraging when we face derision and ridicule for our belief in God, His Word and His Promises.  It gives us understanding of how His People go through horrendous persecution and can still stand tall for Him – and the understanding that as they did before, and in, Jesus and the Apostles’ times, so do they today.  And so can we.

God’s Word is a light for us to follow, to stay on the right path, to show us the briars and brambles that will try to entrap us, to give us comfort in reading that He knows and cares, to give us encouragement that others have trod similar paths and came out victorious, to strengthen our faith, to bind us closer to Him, to allow us to grow and become perfection through Jesus Christ His Son.

The Bible, as a collection of Books, as a collection of thoughts of the writers as they were moved by God’s spirit to write is meant to be studied, not just superficially referenced, but to be read and applied – as it has been applied by millions of men and women throughout time – to our own life, to better know God.

The more we study, the more we meditate the closer we are with God.  We really do come to the conclusion that God is God and He cares for us, as individuals, as a people, as a nation, as a world.  The Truth of His Word trumps the wisdom of man, and the reality of that Truth sustains us.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again