Morning Glories

 “A quiet conscience makes one strong!” ― Anne Frank

Everyone has a favorite parking place, a favorite seat in the meeting. So, after five years of parking in the same spot at work, I was a bit miffed to find someone else arriving earlier and taking mine. I passed it off the first couple of times, even managing one morning to arrive early enough to take my old familiar spot. I rationalized that a newer employee probably forced the perpetrator to find another spot, but why mine? After about a week of this, I began to feel... irritated. 

The parking places are not marked. It was just tradition. It was comfortable. I had a cordial relationship with the parking space bandit until then, but new room assignments at work meant we would be seeing each other more often. So, I made a choice. I decided I wanted to maintain my peace and that meant I needed to make a change, even if I really didn't want to. 

Reminded that all things work together for good to those who love God, and continuing with my morning prayers of thanksgiving, I pulled into a spot in an adjacent section of the lot. I wouldn't be able to see my car from my window any longer, but the first thing I noticed was it was closer to the building. Then I noticed the morning glories.

I had seen them before and often thought, "Some day I'm going to photograph those." Characteristically running in at the last minute, however, some day had not arrived...until now. 

Morning glories, of course, are only seen in the morning. Delighted now, I grabbed my cell phone and took a few photos, vowing to bring my real camera the next morning. As I did, the new tenant of my old parking place called, "Good morning! Thank you for the song!" Just then, I remembered attaching the mp3 of a new song and sending it through the email to a few folks who had asked about it.

"You're welcome!" I called, smiling and hurrying into the building. 

What if I'd gone on grumbling? What would I have missed? Among many other glories, I would have missed the opportunity to display God's love. I would have missed the opportunity to be an authentic representation of God's beauty and grace in the world around me. Being nice later wouldn't have compensated for the missed opportunity. 

The day proceeded on its own busy course. Returning wearily to my car nine hours later, the veil of blue flowers had mysteriously vanished from the shrubs, but their memory refreshed me. I was glad I had chosen the path of the morning glories and amazed that a mere parking place had jeopardized my peace and the joy of knowing I'd done the right thing. 

Song of Solomon 2:15

Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming! New Living Translation

Matthew 5:25

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. World English Bible

Romans 12:9-10

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. The Message

2 Corinthians 10:5

We are taking prisoners of every thought, every emotion, and subduing them into obedience to the Anointed One. The Voice

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other, so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land. The Voice

Excerpt from:    
While it is Called Today - 
a 30-day photo devotional for living well   
 by Dee Marvin Emeigh

(c) 2014 Dee Marvin Emeigh
all rights reserved

www.livwellseedco.com

What to Wear

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these” (Luke 12:27 NIV).

The unexpected beauty of the pink wild flower so completely
captured my attention that I didn't even notice the ladybug
until I looked at the resulting photo.

How is it that the wild flowers are dressed? Jesus reminds us of their beauty, but in typical Jesus form, He really doesn’t give us the answer. We really don’t know how it happens, but He reminds us they don’t sweat and toil to look beautiful. They just are. “Life,” He said, “is more than food and clothes.”  

Yeah, but… 

I remember times when the question of ‘what to wear’ set me in turmoil. With far more time than money, I resorted to making clothes; some of them simple things I could produce in only a few hours. They weren’t the latest fashion, but they held together. They didn’t meet the standards of my fashion-conscious family and friends, but they were the best I could do. I wasn’t able to conform to their standards of approval. 

As time became shorter and I could afford steps toward more stylish dressing, the turmoil didn’t abate. I’m not sure exactly when the balance was reached, but it had something to do with realizing all this was just another way of seeking approval from others, so I could be one of them. The pressure to conform to an external standard of acceptance was robbing me of the peace of God’s presence.  

It’s a subtle, snake-like thing, but nevertheless, quite real. Maybe this is why Jesus spoke about it saying not to seek for what you shall wear, or what you shall eat, but to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. 

Some seekers of holiness have even gone so far as to eschew fashion altogether and stick to plain, gender-specific (of course) garments that mark them as ‘different’ from the world. Yet, woven through the very fabric of it all remains this attention to appearance. Even dressed in the holiest rags, it’s still called ‘pride.’ 

It is not specific to any generation. Jesus saw it and wanted His followers to recognize it. Paul noticed it in the “foolish” Galatians (Chapter 3): “Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way?” (God’s Word translation). 

He asked the Colossians (2:20-23) why they still submitted to external rules. “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (NIV). 

Andrew Murray cautioned his generation in the late 19^th century, “Every seeker after holiness needs to be on his guard lest unconsciously what was begun in the spirit is perfected in the flesh, and pride creep in where it is least expected."

Avoiding the need for clothes would be a great solution, but that ended with the fall. Now we have to deal with it daily, choice by choice, in the knowledge of good and evil. And the dividing line has nothing to do with the clothes line, hemline, bust-line or butt-line, but the bottom line. We must die. Daily. There is nothing more we can add to what Jesus has already done, except to die to our right to ourselves and allow Him to live in us and clothe us. 

Don’t get me wrong. I still love a good bargain and hate paying retail price for anything. But, instead of being a slave to the sales flyer, I've learned to live in the freedom of His leading. I’ve discovered it’s far more rewarding to find the $150 new coat for a tenth of its price, or the pants I have prayed for at half their original price, with an extra discount for being in the right place at the right time. It reassures me of God’s love and attention to the details of my life. 

Wanting God’s way so much that we are ready to risk the disapproval of friends, family, and fellowship allows Him to clothe us. It doesn’t mean we stop shopping for food or looking for clothes. It just means we yield to the Spirit of God in it and through it all. 

It means letting the shepherd lead us and that might be a very different direction than what we thought we understood. Asking Him for the things we need and want, and trusting that He cares and wants us to look like His royal children is an important part of abiding in Him… and considering the beauty of the wild flowers is a good place to start.  

Deuteronomy 29:5
“For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.” NLT 

Proverbs 3:5-7 

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!” The Message 

Luke 12:31

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.” NLT

Luke 12:32

“Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” ESV

Colossians 3:12-13a

“You are the product of God’s love; he restored you to his original thought.  You belong to him exclusively. It is like changing garments. Now that you have gotten rid of the old, clothe yourselves with inner compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, upholding one another in positive expectation…” Mirror Word

Excerpt from:

While it is Called Today - a 30-day photo devotional for living well 

by Dee Marvin Emeigh

(c) 2014 Dee Marvin Emeigh

all rights reserved

www.livwellseedco.com