What's That You're Holding in Your Hand?

There’s something quite special and magical about the first child in a family. They have everyone to themselves and you have all the time to devote to noticing all the precious things about them. If you are a family of three or more, check out the baby books. Seriously, first baby has every little detail listed, written about and adored. Second baby has most everything written in the book. Even though they are adored as much as the first baby, there’s just less time to devote to the baby books. By the time baby number 3 arrives, well, let’s just say – good intentions but very little time to write all the details – although again each one in succession is loved and valued for their individual wonderfulness.


Our oldest daughter was a typical first born. She was independent, strong willed and intelligent to a fault! She could spell and count and do all kinds of cute things. She could ride her tricycle and even tried to ride it to my aunt’s house down the highway about 3 miles! (yes that’s when gray hair first appeared on my head)

As with oldest children, we bought things a little early. She got frustrated when at less than 2 years old we bought her a tricycle. Of course she insisted she could do it herself! We got her a swing set when she was just two with a ladder that was just a little high for a tyke her size. But she did love her swing set. She would sit on the bottom of the slide or push on the swing on her tummy.

One day she was out sitting on the swing set and suddenly she came running in the house, crying her eyes out! She told me she had caught a butterfly. Only it was a bumble bee! Of course as little hands do, she had squeezed it tightly and it stung her. It had lightly landed on her hand while she was swinging but she had not wanted it to fly away. So she grabbed it.

There are things that I want to hold onto. I would bet there are things you are trying to hold onto as well. There are many things that can cause us problems if we hold on too tightly: hurts, anger, worry, fear, people, loved ones, money, possessions, friendships, habits, safety, etc. No matter what it is we try to hold onto, if we hold too tightly we’re going to get stung. We must hold loosely in our hands everything that comes to us for it is all in God’s Sovereign plan that they pass through our lives.

Oh beloved, run to the Lord this morning and let Him see what’s in your hands. He may let you keep it close to your heart. He may ask you to turn it loose and let it go. Whichever He does you can be sure He can be trusted for He always has your best in mind. He will never ask you to relinquish anything unless He has something better in mind. Relax and rest in His decisions for He loves you whole-heartedly and He’s for you absolutely and that’s all that really matters.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you. Amplified

Philippians 3:8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

Romans 12:9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

2 Timothy 1:13 Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.

You Don't Have to Fly by the Seat of Your Pants

Old war movies often portray the hero in an airplane headed for disaster. He may be out of fuel, been shot by the enemy or lost his engines. He’s in real trouble and may have to resort to instinct to try and get the plane landed safely. We know by these movies that it works sometimes, but other times the hero is lost and people mourn. Many people fly by the seat of their pants. One definition says it means to proceed or work by feel or instinct without formal guidelines or experience.  Another says act according to one's own desires or beliefs without regard for standards for social behavior, logical sensibility, or approval. It’s usually used in negative terms.

Being a picture person I see a cartoon character with his pants on fire! He’s doing things his way, he’s not asking for help and he’s letting whatever happens happen.  It’s an ugly way to fly indeed. For those who embrace this way of living, things will eventually get ugly – you’re going to get burned.

God never tells us to fly by the seat of our pants. He doesn’t tell us to live by our instincts, our feelings or our own desires. Instead He has given us standards and instruments to measure our progress, help us on our way through His Word. And as we learn to live by His Word it gives us Godly experience to lean on to grow our faith. When we insist on doing it our way no matter the consequences, He may ground us! He will certainly let us have our way and then when we’re pulling ourselves from the rubble and call out to Him, He responds in love! Amazing isn’t it? He never says He’s done with us, even when we’re traveling by the seat of our pants. He just waits in loving care to see when we’ve had enough of us!

Oh beloved, God knows your situation. He has been watching over you to keep you safe, help you to handle things His way and to bless you when you follow His guidance! Maybe you feel that you’ve gotten burned. It’s time to turn to God and let Him lead! He’s not our co-pilot, He is The One True Pilot! He says to you this morning, let Me govern your life. Let Me lead you. Let Me call the shots and follow Me! I AM your quickest route to rescue, I AM your quickest path to blessings and I AM your staunchest ally in the worst of disasters. His promises are true – He loves you and He will never let you down. Open up His Instruction Manual this morning before you take off for departure this morning and He will direct you and keep you throughout the day.

Proverbs 29:18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

2 Chronicles 26:5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.

Psalm 48:14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and He will guide us until we die.

Give That Misidentified Problem to Him!

Because I work in an agriculture office, you just never know what people will bring in for us to identify. It could be a twig, a leaf, or a bug. Sometimes what they bring is alive, other times it’s dead. They’ll walk in with a bottle or a bat and say, “What do you think it is?” After careful consideration and the occasional perusal of an insect or plant book, one of the agents will identify it. Sometimes it has to be sent to the plant labor the entomology specialist in our state office. Final diagnosis can be made once a person in authority has seen it.

As humans, we see a lot of “stuff” come into our lives. Often it’s just a small speck on the screen and we are able to quash it quickly and move on. Other times something huge makes its way into our lives or minds and we have problems identifying it. Lots of times we misdiagnose it. We fail to run it through the Book of Identification and we let the concern about it run rampant in our minds as we worry, fume, fear and become depressed over it. If we’re not careful we’ll let that little speck multiply until we’re overrun with it. Finally we have to call in an expert who can truly classify it and give us control measures or tell us that it’s not really a problem.

Oh beloved! What are you holding in your hand this morning? What have you been turning over and over, looking and trying to figure it all out? Are you concerned that it’s poisonous or going to make you sick or create some disaster in your life? Are you worried about the outcome or how to get rid of it? Maybe you’ve misdiagnosed it and you think it’s all disaster.

Run to the Book of Identification and let God figure it all out for you. He will correctly identify it as you ask Him, “What do You think it is?” As you let God look into the things you have tried to “handle” on your own, He will not only give you a right verdict, He will make all things work together for your good! No matter what you’re going through, He is the Expert and He is aware of all things, so only He can make correct analysis. You may be convinced you have seen disappointment but He sees His appointment, you may be seeing disaster and He’s seeing His answer. Trust Him today to look through eyes of pure love, evaluate your life through the microscope of His Truth and to properly dispose of the hurts, issues and misdiagnosis of your whole life. This Great Physician you can rely on, no matter what and you can leave those bugs and problems in His hands for He will surely work them all out for your good and His glory!

2 Chronicles 33:12-13 But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the LORD his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the LORD listened to him and was moved by his request. So the LORD brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the LORD alone is God!

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 77:13-14 Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.

2 Samuel 22:4 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while He is near.

Psalm 119:50 Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.

1 Chronicles 16:11 Search for the LORD and for His strength; continually seek Him

James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.