Potato or egg?

I was pleasantly surprised by this potato plant.

I haven’t been in the garden for over a week, but my hubby and son have been faithful in watering.

So, when I went out this morning I was greeted by this plant.

Coupled with an amazing sermon yesterday, I’ve been thinking about something I heard years ago.

When our kids were all “littles” I listened to a lot of Christian radio.

It encouraged my heart while keeping me from being tied down to one area of the house.

Our house was small and I could hear the radio from most rooms.

I don’t know who said it and I can’t remember her exact words.

It was something like:

“Life is like a pot of boiling water. You have a choice, you can be an egg and let life harden you or you can be a potato and let it soften you.”

Yesterday’s sermon and today’s plant have reminded me it’s a choice.

No matter what life brings.

I can praise God through it, see His work in it, and be softened by it.

Or…

I can choose to blame God, focus on my disappointments, and feel cheated, rejected, bitter.

Because even when things are good and life’s blessings are overflowing around us, we can choose to be hardened, to view everything as a disappointment or failure.

When life is good or difficult, one can choose to focus on the bad.

With these truths, I’m thankful God spoke to me so many years ago.

Through another’s word picture I took away a lesson which has been a reminder to choose wisely.

Today, I’m asking the Lord to help me be a potato.

Because someday, I’ll answer to God for how I chose to live.

2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV — For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Lord, thank You for the potato plant and it’s reminder. Lord, please help me to allow all circumstances, good and difficult to help me soften towards You and Your Word. Lord, please continue to teach me how to be used by You in the every day, surrendering my desires and expectations before You. Great is Your faithfulness and greatly are You to be praised! For there never was, nor ever will be, anyone like You! Your love, Your faithfulness, Your mercy, Your grace, Your truth are beyond human understanding and our best efforts will never even reach You, but You reached out to us! Thank You! I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Life lessons

God’s Word is rich.

Lessons and instruction can be gleaned from all types of writing from the history of Genesis to the poetry of Psalms and Proverbs to the letters of the New Testament.

It requires a teachable attitude, a heart surrendered to the Holy Spirit, and obedience.

With these truths in mind let us look to scripture for our daily measure of instruction on what a heart which holds fast, a life which clings to God looks like.

2 Kings 18:6 NKJV — For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

This is written about King Hezekiah and when one reads of the effort he took to purge the country of idolatry, this verse is understandable.

He was very active in seeking the Lord, but not just himself, he encouraged the whole nation to do so as well.

Psalm 119:31 NKJV — I cling to Your testimonies; O LORD, do not put me to shame!

Our daily choice of following the Lord can be pitted and nicked by moments of sin, and thus we, like the Psalmist should return to God and His Word when we realize we’ve erred.

Romans 12:9 NKJV — Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Only through diligent instruction from the Holy Spirit and scripture can we discern the difference between good and evil, but if we are teachable we can learn to abhor evil and cling to good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV — Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Jesus told His disciples to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, because we need wisdom to avoid evil, the tricks and snares of the enemy.

Therefore we must prove all things by scripture and hold tightly to that which is of the Lord.

John 14;15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

This is a deeply personal verse that requires each individual to reflect upon their own state: “Do I love Jesus? If so, am I keeping His commandments?”

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for giving us so much in Your Word. Lord thank You for the direction and guidance that we find in Scripture and through the Holy Spirit. Please, help me to hear and obey You every day, to cling to Your Word and to walk in Your truths. Lord, open my mind to learning from Your Word and impart Your truths to my heart. Let me follow You in spirit and in truth, not in a forced manner, but with love and devotion. Lord, please help me to find joy, peace, patience, and endurance in Your Word, for great is Your faithfulness. I know all I need You will supply. Thank You for the riches of wisdom You pour out of the Scriptures. Please help me to love Your laws and to understand the gift of following You. Jesus, I do love You, please help me to keep Your commandments. Thank You. Amen.