Stars...

Philippians 2:14-16a

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, cchildren of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life....."

How do stars shine? Unyieldingly, brightly, steadfastly, beautifully... without being influenced by anything going on around them- it doesn't matter if there's a lunar eclipse occuring... the stars just keep shining, fixed in their part of space.

We are called to shine like stars. But how often do we begin shining as stars, only to bend under the pressure of society around us, and begin to "blend in"? Stars cannot blend into the darkness. They are fundamentally opposite of cold dark nothingness- they are bright, warm, (well, hot, actually) and something. Neither can we, as Christians, really blend into the lost world around us, because like the stars, we are different from the world around us. God created us to be different, and saved us into being different, and it is our task now to show the world just how different we are in Christ... and how good that difference is, and to show them the way to become different as well.

1 Corinthians 13

Today, as I was reading my Bible for my devotions, I decided to turn to 1 Corinthians 13. Yes... the "love" chapter. I memorized this chapter as a child, and as such, most of the time that I read it, much like other passages that I have committed to memory, the majority of the meaning just slides over me, because I "know" it. But today, it didn't.
As I read through 1 Corinthians 13, several verses, but one in particular, popped out at me:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..."
This verse... "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres"... Wow. Think about that. Think about what kind of love this is, just with that bit of definition...

It's a little bit surprising, and overwhelming, and awesome. Do you exhibit this kind of love to others? Have you ever experienced it?

Welcome...

I am starting this blog to provide a place for me to try my hand at inspirational/devotional stuff... So... enjoy?
~Danette

Apples

There is an apple tree in my yard... It is very old, weathered,with gnarled branches, but full of fruit. It has had a very long, somewhat eventful life... Branches have died, a storm ripped off a whole half of the tree, part of the trunk rotted, birds have attacked its apples... and every year, we go and pull the apples it has worked so hard to grow off the tree for harvest. Its roots are deep, its fruit beautiful, and the tree is quite hardy.

In our lives, we come across so many things that are difficult, or hurtful, or unpleasant... but through these, God can take us, and grow us, and teach us things. When the apple tree was small, it had weak roots, could not bear much fruit, and could not survive very much in the way of harsh elements. As it grew, it became stronger, the roots dug deeper and were anchored more sturdily, and its fruit became more abundant. One day, the tree was lush and beautiful, bearing much fruit... and then the storm came. Half the tree was destroyed. Some of its branches died. Birds pecked holes in its beautiful apples... and yet, the tree continued to grow. It stood resolutely in the yard. The master gardener many times, considered uprooting it and throwing it into the bonfire... but each time, the tree would produce more fruit than the master gardener expected, and the tree would be spared. After all of the damage that the tree sustained, it only produced more fruit. It became stronger through the trials and tests, and more productive. You see, it was pruned. We had not pruned it in our entire lives, but God pruned the apple tree, when he sent that storm through... It was a rather drastic job of pruning, but it was necessary, and improved the tree.
When we have hard things happen to us, when we have our "branches", our hopes and dreams and plans crumble, what does it do for us? When a major disaster comes through our lives, and we cannot understand why, how do we react to it? The apple tree reacted to the storm with growth and strength... Are you willing to let God grow and strengthen you, amidst disaster?

Fire...

I was sitting in front of the campfire tonight, watching the embers ripple and glow in the flames. The fire danced in the firepit, and Brita and Hanne giggled as they rolled in the grass tickling each other. The crickets chirped in the night, but the bugs generally stayed away from the heat of the fire. The radiant heat felt good on my face, and I almost wished that there was another fire behind me, so that all of me could be bathed in the toasty warmth that emanated from the pit. It was so beautiful. So deadly and dangerous fire is... and yet it is delicate looking, and gorgeous.
It makes me think about how similarities may be drawn from that, to relationships. A fire is good for warmth, but if it gets out of hand, it can burn down forests. What was so trusted inside a campfire ring is deadly, dangerous, and destructive if it gets out of control. Our passions have been likened to a flame, and I see that is a very accurate depiction. If we do not take measures to contain our passions properly, they can be as destructive as the flame that spread into a wildfire and destroyed forests. Without restraint, we can be easily tempted to go too far in our physical and emotional relationships, and without guards set beforehand, these passions can take control and things can happen that we really come to regret.