Graze: To feed on growing grasses.



The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.


-Ps. 23:1-6

Growing up on a farm, I used to watch the cows, sheep & horses graze in the pasture. Each morning we would open the gate to the barnyard and they knew there was freedom from that small pen they were in. They also knew there was nice green grass beyond the barnyard. Once the gate was open, look out because those animals wanted to get where the tall, green grass grew – the pasture! They would take off sometimes even running up the old fenced lane that went up over the hill through the cornfield to the lush green pasture on the other side of the farm. There they would graze for a while then lay down and rest for a while then graze some more. They did this all day long. Come evening we would go over to the pasture’s edge and call the cows – 'come boss, 'come boss. They would gather at the pasture gate. Sometimes we would have to go round up a few stragglers and when all were accounted for, we’d open the lane gate and back over the hill they would go to the barnyard for the night. The next morning was the same routine, day after day.
What a life, huh?!

Oh that we could just graze and rest in shady green pastures all day long! But we can rest and graze in God’s green pastures and restore our souls . . . The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. (Ps. 23:1) I believe God wants us to slow down and “rest” and “graze” and “feed” on His Word. Life throws so many things our way and we are so busy – busy doing good things. But are we running on empty a good share of the time? Are we feeling stretched to extreme? Are we content with who we are in God’s divine providence? Slow down and take some time to just leisurely graze, rest a while, then graze and feed on the good things God has provided for you. Graze, rest, and enjoy the “shady green pastures” of God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Go Light Your World

A story is told about a lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century. She was quite "wealthy" but also quite "frugal". The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home.

Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said.  “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?”

“Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets,
I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles;
then I turn them off”.                       (Unknown Source)

She had the power available but only used it to light her candles!  The power was there for her using, but she didn’t use it to the fullest.  How many of us are just like this little lady?  We are “wealthy” but too “frugal” to use the abundance and wealth that God has given us!  God wants us to “reflect” His work and glory in us and yet we only turn the light on long enough see a glimpse of Him and His glory.  He wants to do so much more in our lives but we turn the power switch on for a few minutes then we shut it off again to conserve the energy! How much time do you spend in the Word of God?  Enough to illuminate and empower your life or just enough to say “I’m good – I’ll make it through today”? Are we mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord?

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, He gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more.”         
   2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT)

A mirror is a highly reflective surface - a glass or polished metal, that reflects light without diffusing it so that it will give back a clear image of anything placed in front of it; something accurately representing something else - something that accurately reproduces or describes something else.  In other words, we are to reflect, emulate, imitate, represent, diffuse God’s love, His grace, His mercy, His compassion, and His forgiveness accurately and clearly as we represent the glory of the Lord in our lives. 
Are you just turning on the lights  just long enough to light your candle or are you spending enough time with God and His Word to become more and more like Him so that you can reflect His glory more and more each and every day?  Are you living in the fullness of His blessings, in His favor, in His will?  Don’t be afraid to “turn the lights” on and “leave them on” until you know that you have been with Jesus! God has promises, blessings and opportunities for you to mirror who He is to your family, friends, neighbors, community, and your world.

This song, “Go Light Your World” talks about you and I lighting our world.  I challenge you to turn on the lights, leave them on, light some candles, and carry your light into the world around you.
Go Light Your World

There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
 

 
Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
 

 
Cause We are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let's raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest times

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
 

 
Take your candle, and
Go Light Your World

No comments:

Post a Comment