Perfect Peace

I took the photo on the left on a late Fall afternoon just before sunset when the sun makes everything look bright and vivid.  Fall is my favorite time of year, but I also enjoy the snow in the Wintertime.  I purposely lined up my camera to take the photo on the right at the same angle at the same time of day.  What a difference a few weeks can make in the lay of the landscape.

Isn’t that like our lives?  Things might look bright and colorful one day but covered with problems at another time.  When the latter happens, I like to think and look back at the good times that were so cheerful and pleasant.  Sometimes that can be helpful, but at other times, I need to remember that life is just like seasons.  It changes.  It looks different, feels different, and has a different background.  But it is still the same life; I’m still the same person.

Friendships come and go with the seasons, too, though I wish they could stay.  As I’ve moved, I’ve lost closeness with friends who lived nearby.  As I’ve begun worshipping at a different church, I’ve lost the connection I had with most of the people at previous churches.  It’s all part of change which is a big factor in the seasons of the year.  The changes of temperature, hours of daylight, the distance and angle of the sun, and weather all contribute to the way the seasons take on new appearances and atmosphere.

I remember one time trying to come up with an exercise that children could do to illustrate a Scripture to share at a nursing home.  We took Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and acted it out.  The residents loved it, and I’ve never forgotten it myself.  Take note how each phrase has opposites, i.e., born and die.  That’s just the way seasons are—a time to bring things to life (Spring) and a time to let them die back (Fall).  A baby is born and an older person dies. 

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, KJV

If there was never time for the opposite, what would life be like?  Would that be good or do opposites have a purpose?  Make a study out of these verses and think what the opposites could mean…for you and for the world.  No matter what happens during the different seasons of life, we will always come back to the last one—a time of peace.  When war is over, when mourning is past, when the harvest is over, it will be time to experience rest and His perfect peace in the final season of life.  So enjoy each of the seasons and what they have to offer.  If you’re like me, you may have to try very hard to think of something good about a certain season (for me, it’s Summer because I don’t like the heat and humidity), but remember God gave us four seasons for a reason and it’s our job to find out what those reasons are and enjoy and thank Him for what He’s given us.  Perfect peace is the ultimate gift and nature shows us how to live in peaceful harmony.

When you read a book, are you one of those who reads the last page or chapter to see how it’s going to end before you start at the beginning?  Unfortunately, we can’t do that with life.  Only God knows how, when, and under what circumstances our life or season of life will end.  I look forward to the final ending of my story, but God hasn’t written the last chapter(s) yet.  So I wait to see how it will end.  The final moments of my life may not be peaceful, but I know that once I die, I will rest in His presence in perfect peace forever.

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Seasons of life include different directions that our paths take.  Sometimes those paths seem like a maize.  I’ve been retired for 10 years and enjoying it, and yet at times get restless for something different.  I like to write which is why I started this blog 16 months ago.  At first it was fun and gave me something to do, but I also looked at it as a way of encouraging and blessing those who read it.  I’ve become increasingly disappointed that I’ve had next to no feedback or comments from readers so I have no idea if anyone is reading my posts, if they’re pertinent, if they’re a blessing, or if there’s no interest.  Therefore, this blog will remain but as of May 1, 2024, I will not be adding new posts.

Some people complain about computers, and there are people who use computers who still print everything.  One good thing about computers, though, is that they can save trees if you choose to save data on the computer instead of printing everything out.  (Personally I’m somewhere in between.  I save most of my info on digital media, but some things I like to print and file just in case I can’t access my online accounts.)  Another day as I looked at the scene in front of me after the tree cracked and crashed to the ground, I noticed that someone had been cutting up the tree into small logs, most likely for firewood.  I love the smell of fresh cut wood. 

After an event takes place, isn’t our next question now what?  God has a plan for everything, and He has given us wisdom and expertise to make good use of the now what in life.  This tree was of no use to anyone lying on its side, split in half, and roots disturbed.  But the wood from the tree is useful to keep someone warm by burning it in their fireplace or campfire. 

I could easily look at the above picture and lament the tree that is no longer there to give shade, but there’s another angle to that picture.  What good can come out of this tree falling to the ground? 

• The person cutting it up doesn’t have to climb the tree to remove it.
• It gave someone possibly a paying job to cut it up.
• The tree can still be useful as it its purpose is redirected.
• If the wood is sold, it will provide income.
• The wood will keep someone warm when it is burned.
• The wood could be useful for crafts.
• With the tree gone, the sun can shine through with its warmth and light.
• Can you think of other good it brings???

When I complete one task on my list, I often ask myself now what? Or what next?  I like to keep busy and I like to see my to-do list items checked off.  When bad things happen, I used to say what next? out of frustration because my plans were interrupted or something cost me time or money, and I was afraid of what next bad thing might happen to add to my dilemma.  However, I soon discovered that asking that question had me looking for the next bad thing, and somehow it always seemed to happen.  A better question I’ve started asking is what do You want me to learn from this? 

The key is to look at other angles and see what can be part of God’s plans.  I’ll never forget a guest missionary speaker who made a profound statement that has stuck with me many, many years later:  Don’t ask WHY, but WHAT.  When she first said it, I was puzzled.  But then she went on to explain how when things happen, our first reaction is why did it happen.  Often there are no explanations or reasons why some things happen—at least not for us now, but some day it will all be made plain to us when we get to Heaven.  So, she said, instead of asking why, ask what.  Specifically, what can I learn from this?  That takes our focus off of what happened and trying to figure it out, and puts it onto God and what HE wants us to learn from this or how HE is going to use this for our good. WHAT is definitely a hard question to ask and sometimes even harder to answer, but by doing so we grow closer to God and attune ourselves to Him.  If I had to sit down immediately after an event and think about the what, I would most likely not have an answer and even get frustrated.  So I need to let the situation settle and ruminate on it in the back of my mind.  As I do so, I start seeing some of the possible reasons an event took place, how it could have turned out different, and eventually what God wants me to learn from it.  It’s a hard exercise to discipline yourself to do, but so worth the effort.

“But he said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
II Corinthians 12:9 ESV

The tree must have been weak, but in becoming weak and submitting to the wind, it fell to the ground so that God’s power could use it for even greater purposes.  So it is with our lives.  His all-sufficient grace and power resting on us is what brings about God’s perfect peace.

For many years I always wore a watch so I’d know what time it was.  I’ve always been a little time conscious, but it’s especially important if you’re shopping and need to be somewhere at a certain time.  I never gave it much thought, but normally you don’t see a clock on the wall in stores—probably because they don’t want you to be in a hurry to leave so that you’ll buy more.  After I started carrying my cell phone in my pocket, I gradually got away from wearing a watch because I had audible reminders of appointments.  Besides, even if I had a watch on my arm, I found myself looking up at the clock in the room.  So why wear a watch?!

What are some things TIME tells us?

• When it’s time to go to bed or get up
• To put the book down and make a meal
• Get ready to leave for work or an appointment
• How long we’ve been concentrating on something
• A block of time left to get a task accomplished
• If it’s a good day, how fast time seems to go when we are having fun
• If it’s a bad day, how slow time drags on
• Add your own:                                                                                

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years,
and a thousand years are like a day.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,
as some understand slowness.
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,
but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:8-9, NIV

Time is time and is consistent all the time.  When we are waiting for something to take place or someone to arrive, time seems to slow down and drag, but we know it doesn’t really.  However, with God, this verse tells us, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day.  That doesn’t make sense to us humans, but to God it makes perfect sense.  Think about it…  If it was up to us, wouldn’t we fast forward through the bad times or the waiting times, and put the brakes on when times are good and we’re enjoying what’s happening around us so we could enjoy it a little longer?  I know I would.  But God is not slow.  He just has a different time table than we do.  That is because of His loving kindness and patience.  He wants to give everyone the time they need to come to Him in repentance. 

Are we there yet?  Isn’t that the question every child asks in anticipation when on a long trip to somewhere exciting?  What are you looking forward to?

Do I have to go?  That’s the opposite of anticipation.  It’s when you know you have to go somewhere you don’t want to go and probably participate in some activity you have no interest in.  Are you willing to go if God is directing you?

When is time sensitive and is definitive.  When are we leaving?  When is our company coming?  Which question is your reaction when thinking about Heaven?  I admit for years mine was the latter.  But now every day I find myself asking when, Lord?  When do I get to leave this world?  When are You coming back?  There is a definite specific response to these when questions unlike the maybe answers we often give each other when there are things we don’t really want to do.  Jesus doesn’t say maybe I’ll come back or maybe I’ll give people more opportunity to find Me.  He says I will come back and it will be in My time when more people have come to Me.

Planning is important to me because I’m a plan-ahead type of person.  My calendar is full of time slots, some filled in and some blank.  I like to make sure I have something to do on any given day but not be so booked that I don’t have time to enjoy the unplanned things of life that can bring so much fun and joy.  Planning ahead for eternity is one of those things that I can’t plug into a certain day or time slot, but it is definitely something I can plan for in my life by making sure I’m ready when the time comes.

“There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every matter under Heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1, NASB

Just like the old adage attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “A place for everything and everything in its place”, there is a time for everything.  The question is, how are you using your time?  And are you making time for the important things?  Are you ready for the day and time when God will call you home?  You need to get ready now because we don’t know when that will be.  If you are ready, then peace will be yours both now and then.

I was out walking one day after a storm had passed through the area a few days before and noticed this tree that had split open, cracked, and fell.  Only one time in my life have I actually seen a tree fall on its own (not one that was being cut down), and it really did not make as much noise as one would think, but it was a crash nevertheless.

When there is a split between two people or a crack in their character or armor, sometimes it’s a clean break while other times it’s gradual and not always detected until all of a sudden there’s a crash.  That’s the way life goes.  One day a person is standing tall and stately like a beautiful tree, and the next day the tree has crashed to the ground.  What was the cause?

Roots may have been disturbed. 

• The roots of a tree are what keeps them anchored to the ground. 
• Roots absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil and send nourishment up into the tree. 
• Roots keep the tree balanced. 

How are your roots?  I don’t mean family tree roots, although they are part of your life. 

• Do you cultivate the things that keep you grounded in life? 
• What are you feeding on?  Not just physically, but mentally and spiritually?
• Is all of your focus on one thing or one path in life?  Or do you take time to look around and allow God to show you other paths?

Preventative maintenance is necessary in all aspects of life.

• Running over roots sticking out of the ground with a lawn mower may not disturb a tree the first time, but repeated strikes of the mower blades on the roots over a period of time will eventually destroy the tree.
• What a tree absorbs good or bad affects its growth.  There was an overbearing what I thought was a plant in my flower garden, so I left it go for a while until I discovered what it really was.  When I found out what it was, I knew I didn’t want it because it was invasive.  It was extremely difficult to kill this particular plant which would have grown much larger than I cared for in my flowers next to my house.  So I actually had to try all kinds of poisonous chemicals to keep it from growing.  Its roots went so deep into the ground that I couldn’t dig them out and every time I thought I had killed it on the surface, a new shoot sprung up from the roots in the ground.  It was even growing under my mobile home where it’s dark.
• A balanced diet keeps us healthy and strong.  If we eat too much of one food and not enough of another, our body won’t respond as it should.  It needs a balance of food to maintain a healthy weight, complexion, and strength.

“Having been firmly rooted
and now being built up in Him
and established in your faith,
just as you were instructed,
and overflowing with gratitude.”
Colossians 2:7, NASB

If your life would right now crash to a sudden halt, what would those left behind see?  Would it be a clean break where you were living right and God decided it was time for you to go to be with Him?  Would it be a life that was riddled with sin that had decayed from the inside out, causing unseen destruction that you never knew was coming?  Was your body malnourished because it wasn’t fed properly?

I’m not a doctor and not big on diets nor medicines so I’m not even going to address the physical body.  But our spiritual bodies are just as, if not more, important than our physical bodies.  So here are some spiritual maintenance ideas to help your spiritual life remain strong and and keep it from crashing down:

• Prayer is the first line of defense for me.  When something happens, I make it a point of taking it to the Lord in prayer, though not always as soon as I should.
• Reading the Bible is next.  I find that if I read the Bible, even if I don’t understand everything I read, it is getting into my head and my heart, and I often recall later what I read and put it together with new knowledge and understanding.
• Bible study is not the same thing as reading the Bible.  If I really want to internalize what I’m reading and apply it, I need to study the Bible.  Recently I went through a Bible study book on loving God with your whole mind and it captured so much of my spiritual attention, helping me to focus on the right things and attitudes.
• Worshiping the Lord God is what keeps us focused on Him and His attributes.  Corporate worship together with other believers is so necessary because it not only helps us to focus, but uplifts us as we see and hear others worshiping Him along with us, energizing us even more.
• Praise Him for all He does for you.  Don’t let a day go by without thinking about what the Lord has done for you, and then thank and praise Him for it.  Listening to your favorite Christian music is an excellent way of keeping your mind on Him and give Him glory and praise back.
• Journaling your prayers and what you’re learning about God can be very helpful.  It gives you something to go back to when you need a boost, reminds you of the lessons you’ve learned from past experiences, and keeps you focused on what is true and right.  I may have mentioned it in a previous post, but at the end of each day’s journal entry, I start a sentence (or sometimes a paragraph) with “Today God…” which forces me to think about what God has done for me that day.

If you don’t want to crash to the ground from spiritual deficiencies or neglect, try these spiritual maintenance ideas.  It will help you maintain that perfect peace we all need and want.

What is the first math we learn as kids?  That’s right!  Addition!  Probably because it’s the easiest—at least when you’re counting on fingers and toes.  LOL  But it doesn’t take long before you’re learning to subtract like when someone eats one of your cookies.  Then there’s the calculation of bigger numbers that take a lot more mental processing.  I don’t know about you, but my brain doesn’t compute so easily anymore and I’ve become dependent on a calculator.

Sometimes the addition of different things makes life better.  Take, for instance, adding color to an otherwise drab room or painting.  However, if you go overboard, it can get a cluttered feel to it and actually take away from the original setting instead of becoming a welcome addition.

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;
and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound,
they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
II Peter 1:5-8, KJV

The Bible gives us a very important lesson in addition in the above verses.  It’s like building a tower of blocks.  Be diligent and start with faith, adding virtue, then knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and finally charity.  If you leave out one of those, your tower of spiritual maturity will fall apart.

Adding to anything makes it bigger.  Take a bank account…adding another deposit to it makes the total balance bigger.  Stocking your freezer with the addition of meat, vegetables, ice cream, and other goodies fills it.  The addition of a pet or new family member expands the love in your home.  Putting an addition onto your home adds square feet and more living space to it.  These are all good things.

The addition of some things can be a burden or add stress.  Take a person who takes on too many extra hours at work.  That may not be the best addition to their life.  Or a person who loves baked goods…adding extra calories and weight can be a problem for their body. 

I’ve always carried a lot in my purse.  Every time I take something out and try to downsize to something smaller, that item is just the thing I don’t have with me and need.  But the additional weight on my shoulder causing neck and shoulder pain caused me to do things differently.  Instead of a shoulder bag, I started carrying a bag at my opposite side.

What have you added into your life that may not be the best thing for you at this time?  Maybe it’s time to switch to subtraction and remove it.

What do you need to add into your life?  It could be exercise, diet, free time, spending time with friends and family, or most importantly having fellowship with the Lord…reading His Word, meditating, and praying.

Addition can be a good thing or a not-so-good thing.  Be careful what and how much you are adding.  If you want to have that perfect peace in life, there are definitely things that can get in the way of that peace as well as things that will calm and soothe.  If it’s God’s perfect peace that you truly want, there is only one source—God Himself.  As far as the quantity, He gives beyond measure, as much as we want and ask for.  If we don’t want it, He won’t give it.  If we don’t ask, we won’t receive.

If you don’t add things to your life, you will by default be subtracting.  If you don’t add food and water to your body, it will be subtracting from the store you have and deplete its resources.  The same is true of our spiritual resources.  We need to keep adding knowledge and inspiration from the Word of God so we can keep growing. 

How’s your math calculations going???

Over the years, I have loved and appreciated these photos and others by Frances Hook.  You can read about her here.  Large photos of the two on the left hung in the Sunday School room of the church where I grew up and later taught Sunday School in that same room, and they left a lasting impression on me throughout my life.  So when I found them, I was ecstatic.  Each one has a small story.

Whenever I felt sad or lonely, I’d think of the two photos on the left in my mind and picture myself as the one Jesus held and who touched my face as I looked at Him.  The picture and the emotions it portrays bring comfort and show Jesus’s care for children as well as adults.  I love that the children in these pictures were not in robes or dress of Bible times but are wearing clothing of today.  This portrays the fact that Jesus’ love spans across years and years of time.  I found the top left picture in a bookstore I visited on a trip to an out-of-town wedding.  I glued it to a piece of wood and decoupaged it with glitter (which has since worn off).  It hangs in my bedroom.  I found the decorative plate in the lower left of the picture at a farmers market and it hangs in my den—in both places providing a constant reminder for me that God’s love is constant and never changes through the years.

Later I found the picture on the top right at a yard sale and purchased it because it reminds me that even Jesus had to take time to pray.  This picture is only a tiny one that had been affixed to a piece of wood so it sits on the backboard of my bathroom sink.  You might wonder why there.  It’s the first thing I see when I go to the sink to wash my hands or brush my teeth.  This reminder to pray first thing in the morning helps me to start my day on the right foot, and to pray when I’m getting ready for bed as I ask the Lord for a good night’s sleep and protection while I sleep.

The last picture of Jesus with cats came about after I had to put down my 16-year-old cat.  I kept telling myself that I knew where she was, that she wasn’t in pain any more, and that Jesus was taking care of me, but I’m a visual person and needed that visual reminder.  So I started searching the internet for pictures of Jesus with cats and found this one.  It’s hanging near where I hang my keys so that when I come into my empty home (or pick up my keys to leave) I’m reminded that not only is Jesus with me but He is also with Joy and all the other animals He created.

Reminders are good.  A post-it note in a lunchbox that says I love you is a good reminder to a child or spouse.  An appointment card is a good reminder that you have somewhere to be at a certain time.   Photos sitting around the home remind us of our friends and family and good times with them.  Etcetera…

“May you have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is. And may you know his love, even though it can’t be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.”
Ephesians 3:18-19, NiRV

Reminders can be annoying.  An overflowing trash can remind someone they need to take the trash out.  Seeing dirty footprints on the floor reminds you it’s time to clean but you’re busy.  Bills piled up on your desk reminds you that there isn’t enough money to pay them all.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8, NIV

Loving care for others.  God loves us and cares for us, and He wants us to care for others.  When looking outwards and seeing the needs of the world at large, be careful your vision doesn’t get too long-distance focused.  We need to care for those under our own roof first, whether that’s spouse, children, parents, or others living with us.  God’s Word is very strong about lovingly caring for our families in the following verse:

“But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.”
1 Timothy 5:8, NLT

In some situations that loving care might look like spending time listening.  Other situations might require a little elbow grease of help.  Transportation, visiting, cooking meals, doing laundry…  Everyone has different needs and there are many ways we can meet those needs.  Keep your ears and eyes open and ask God how you can lovingly care for those around you whether it’s in your home or farther away.

In the Spring when the weather turns warm and flowers pop through the ground and trees begin to blossom, all of creation seems to become renewed after a long cold Winter.  The trees in this picture were no exception. 

This year (2024) Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on Valentine’s Day.  Do you like sharing a birthday with a holiday or someone else’s special day?  I know some people whose birthdays are on or within a couple days of Christmas and wish it was on another date.  Or maybe there’s been a sad association with a date, like I had many years ago, coming home from celebrating a wedding of a relative only to find out that another relative had departed to Heaven on the same day. 

As I think about Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, they at first seem to be opposites. 

• Ashes are black and Valentines are red.  How ironic, though, because the (red) blood of Jesus washes away the (black) sin in our hearts. 
• Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent which begins bringing our thoughts to the cross and Easter.  Valentine’s Day sends our thoughts to the love of a special person in our lives.   Who is more special, loving, and kind than Jesus?!
• Some people think of Lent as a time to give something up but on Valentine’s Day we find ourselves giving to others.  Jesus’ love for us made Him willing to give up His life for us.
• Ash Wednesday has a dark connotation to it as we think about the beginning of Lent and its end result in the death of Jesus.  Valentine’s Day has a bright and cheery aspect to it as love is shared which is like the bookend for the other end of Lent when Jesus’ blood brings victorious resurrection over eternal death on Easter.

Rather than opposites, they are a perfect fit for each other.  Without Jesus’ blood, our hearts would remain stained black with sin.  Take time to reflect on these opposites and let me know in the comments if you think of any other opposites between Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day.  After all, the saying goes that opposites attract, so why wouldn’t we find good things about both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day sharing the same day of the year?! If you missed my series on Lent in 2023, start with this one and follow through until Easter.  I will not be posting any new daily Lent thoughts this year.  Lent can be the perfect time for renewal, so review old posts, your journals, notes from sermons, devotionals from previous years, or start a new series.  God can use any or all of these to renew your spirit.

“Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
Ephesians 4:22-24, NLT

Lord, renew me in body, mind, and spirit.  Where the cold of Winter, the black of sin, and the dreariness of long days have worn on so many people, may You replace it with the fresh renewing spirit of Spring, of Your Holy Spirit, Your love, and the hope of Heaven for those who believe in and accept You into their lives.  In Your precious Name, Amen.

When you hear the word love, what is the first thing your mind pictures?  I just got my Valentine’s Day decorations out, so the red roses (artificial for myself) and red hearts come to my mind when I first think of love.  But there’s a lot more to love than flowers, candy, and cards.  I’d rather feel the love of someone special through a hug or a touch than receive those material things any day!

I don’t always turn the radio on in the morning while I’m getting breakfast but one morning I turned on my radio app (set only to Rejoice Radio—can be found on the internet or on Google Play Store—from Pensacola Christian College) for some music.  One of the first songs I heard?  A hymn that, though I don’t dislike it, is just not on my favorites list, “The Love of God”.  I’m a picture/visual person, and as I looked out the window at the morning sky, I started visualizing what the words of the song depicted and as the song went on, [good] tears started rolling down my cheeks.  It reminded me that even though I don’t always (many times) feel loved by others, His love is greater, stronger, and constant.

Take a moment to listen to the hymn here before you read further. 

In the link above, one of the comments says this: 

“The 3rd verse was discovered on a bedroom wall of an insane asylum after the man in it passed away. It is believed that in a moment of clarity this Jewish man composed these beautiful words on the wall.”

Ref:  https://hymnary.org/text/the_love_of_god_is_greater_far Scroll down to the “Notes” section for more information.

I want us to think about this third verse and picture it in your mind.  If you’re an artist, draw or paint a picture of what this might look like to you and message me with it if you don’t mind sharing.  I’d love to see your visual thoughts.  Too many times we sing words to a song from memory or staring at a hymnal or screen but don’t think about the words.  So today exercise your mind’s eye on these words from the third verse of this hymn.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill,
and ev’ry man a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.

Here are my picturesque thoughts:

• Picture the ocean full of ink. 
• The sky is the parchment (or in today’s terms the paper). 
• A stalk or maybe a bird’s feather is the quill or pen.  Does anyone remember the old fountain pens that almost looked like a quill that our forefathers used to sign important papers?  I do…I used to use them in my younger years.  
• Now who or what is a scribe?  It’s someone who writes down what another tells them…kind of like a secretary who writes down what her boss dictates. 
• Next comes the message…what the scribe writes…in this case the subject is the love of God.
• Here’s where the awesomeness comes in!  There wouldn’t be enough ocean (ink) nor sky (scroll/paper) to contain the entire message of God’s love.
  • The ocean would be drained.
  • The sky wouldn’t be big enough.
  • But the love of God is super abundant!

This is what God’s Word says about His love:

“…and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:19, NIV

Just think.  The ocean and sky isn’t big enough to contain the love of God, but He fills us with His love every day, and our hearts are nowhere near as big as the ocean or sky.  That’s a lot of love poured into us.

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Ephesians 3:19, NLT

I don’t understand how God does it, but I don’t need to.  I just revel in His goodness to me and in the power He supplies to keep me going until He calls me home.  The refrain of this hymn sums it all up:

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
the saints’ and angels’ song.