What a beautiful early Spring with warm March Winds that brought gorgeous pink and white blossoms on fruit trees much earlier. Hyacinths, daffodils, jonquils and tulips are already blooming. What a gorgeous Creator God is as we look at the variety and colorful array He gives us on which to feast our eyes. He blessed us with a mild winter and lower than normal heat bills. He is truly Faithful.
I was reading a Nook book recently called "Daughter of Joy", and a quote in it made me stop to think - "For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains." Let's think about that - Many times when joys pass, sorrows seem to take their place. Or - Regardless of what sorrows may come, the remembrance of the joys we had remain.
I'm reminded of an expression we've all heard - "It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." As a long-time widow, I relate with that. Memories of the years with my beloved mate have remained with me these years, and though I still miss the loving times we shared, memories are a precious gift. I've had friends who divorced, and they often remember the bad times most. We had our share of struggles, and I still remember them, but do not need to focus on them. I am so grateful for the good times we shared that the struggles only make me appreciate more what we did have.
I am continuing in my study of Psalm 23. This morning I realized anew how the Rod of God's Word has protected me and my sons through many deep valleys. God has given His word as our rod, which is a symbol of our strength, power and authority in Christ. It is our defense and shield as we are in the middle of attacks from the enemy. David used his rod to kill the lion and bear to protect his flock and Jesus used the Rod of God's word against the enemy three times when He was tempted in the desert.
During the wilderness journeys (in Num. 17), the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron and a plague began. God spoke to Moses to have each tribe take a rod. Aaron's name was to be written on the rod of Levi, and all rods were to be placed before the tabernacle. God said, "It shall come to pass that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blosssom: and I will make to cease from Me the murmurings of the children of Israel." The next morning Aaron's rod budded and brought forth buds, bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds. This rod that budded was later placed into the Ark of the Covenant along with the golden pot with manna and the tablets of the covenant (Heb. 9).
An interesting fact about God's choice of the Almond to bud in Aaron's Rod~~I learned in a trip to the Holy Land that the Almond is the first of flowering fruit trees in Israel to bud, denoting the coming of Spring and Resurrection (when winter still seems upon the land and all hope of new life seems dead.)
What about the Staff? As the rod is the emblem of God's Word, so the staff represents the Holy Spirit. The staff was a long walking stick with a crook or hook on one end. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. I know all you ladies have also known the loving care of the Comforting Holy Spirit during the loss of your mates. The staff is used on many occasions to reach out for sheep who got themselves caught in thorns or in bad places where only the Shepherd's staff can pull them out.
The Comforter draws people together into warm personal relationships with one another. He is also the One who draws us to Christ. The tip of the long slender stick is laid gently against the animal's side and the pressure applied guides the sheep in the way the Shepherd wants it to go. In this way, the sheep is assured of its proper path. Christ told us it would be His Spirit who would be sent to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). It is He who gently and tenderly, but persistently, says to us, "This is the way - walk in it - when to turn to the right or to the left (Isa. 30:21).
As we have been studying how God's Rod of His Word and the Staff of the Holy Spirit comfort us, have you had any more thoughts on the quote I started with? "For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains"? Please share your thoughts with me.
I pray all of you will be able to see "The Choice" this coming week at Calvary. Let's all choose to grow closer to the Risen Christ as we celebrate His Resurrection.
In His Love and mine,
Dee
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