Greetings, Dear Friends!
And to those visiting, I say welcome!
I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way.
Every month I give away a $10.00 gift card. Due to popular demand, this month the card is from Starbucks! Leave a post and you may be the one to a couple of cups of java on me!
Now on to my topic...
Yesterday morning I was reading Mary's Magnificat, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior." (Luke 1:46-47)
Let's take this declaration in two parts.
First, what does it mean to 'magnify' the Lord?
As I tossed and turned last night, I battled with fearful thoughts. The enemy of my soul was working over time and I needed to find my place of rest once again.
In the middle of the night it occurred to me that our brains have somewhat of a zoom lens. Whenever we think about something for an extended period of time, we zoom in on that thing and get a closer look. We notice the bumps and the crevices. We see what passersby miss.
So when we fixate on our problems, we zoom in on them. When we focus on our fears, we get a close-up look at them. When we dwell on the past, we eventually get a distorted view of it because our necks weren't made to constantly accommodate a backwards view.
Moreover, the Bible tells us that 'as a man thinks in his heart, so he is." If we dwell on our memories of rejection, our current financial crisis, or our fears of the future, we become walking, breathing organisms of defeat.
We were made to magnify the Lord!
Think with me for a minute about the universe. Picture one of those posters of the Solar system. Remember again just what a small planet we live on in the whole scheme of things.
Now zoom in.
Zoom in closer.
Consider the snowflake. Each one is different. Unique. Beautiful. Just like you and me.
Consider the caterpillar. The chrysalis. The butterfly. The process of transformation is absolutely staggering.
Our process is miraculous.
Consider the seed. A tiny little grain is buried under a pile of dirt and in a matter weeks and sometimes days, a fresh burst of life sprouts forth.
The idea of seeds and harvest is profound.
The fruit and harvest growing in you and around you is...exciting.
Consider the Son. He came to die that you and I might live. He took on the forces of hell that we could inherit Heaven. He confronted our bullies that we might be rescued. He set us free so we could work with Him in securing the freedom of others.
Think about the Lord. Zoom in on all of the good things He has done. Let His promises, not your problems, occupy your thoughts.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.
Magnify the Lord with me! Let us exalt His name together!
The second part of Mary's declaration calls us to rejoice. To be thankful.
What are you thankful for?
Count your blessings today and every day.
Let your own ears hear your mouth say that God has been good. And He'll be good again.
The enemy presses in hard, it's true. But God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever!
Stand strong, my friend.
Look up. Zoom in. Be thankful.
Until next week~