Wisdom Tree (23 page)

REFLECT: What are you doing while you wait for the return of our Lord and Savior? Do you spend time worrying about what will happen tomorrow? Don’t worry. The Lord has promised us great things, and He will return. All things in this world pass away, but His love is forever. Fill your time with deeds that bring Him glory.

PRAY: Lord, when worry overwhelms help me to remember that You are in control. Pain and suffering will fade, replaced by the peace that only You can provide. Let me be joyful and diligent as I wait with hope for Your return.

DAY Nineteen

Pulling the Wagon

God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.

(Isaiah 40:29-31)

I am the second-eldest in a family of seven, and as a child I was often put in charge of my younger siblings. Sometimes, this responsibility included a trip to the store for milk or bread with my brother and sisters in tow, nestled together in a little red wagon. Of course, I was in charge of pulling the wagon—a load that seemed to weigh tons after walking a block or so in the blazing Chicago-summer sun. Sometimes I wanted to turn back home, to give up and admit to my parents that I was too weak to carry out the task. The walk, though only a few blocks, seemed like miles. But I knew they would be disappointed, so I continued on, putting one foot in front of the other along the concrete sidewalk while my younger siblings chattered merrily from behind.

Sometimes our walk with God seems insurmountable. The tasks we are asked to carry out are beyond our abilities, and the weight of responsibility weighs on us like tons of scrap metal. We want to give up. It’s then that we must call on Him for help and guidance, and for the strength required to carry out what He wants us to do. With God’s help, anything is possible.

REFLECT: Call on God today, and He will lighten your load. He will walk beside you, pulling the wagon.

PRAY: Lord, when the burdens of life make me weary, help me to remember to call on You. Guide my feet so I do not stumble, and lift me up when I am weak. Make me strong as I run the race for You.

DAY Twenty

The Chain of Life

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Peter 1:6-8)

Children love to make paper chains. It’s a simple art project…requiring only scissors, paper, and a bit of glue. They work together, helping each other. One link nestles around another, and soon the chain grows long and strong. Faith is like this. A single link, such as goodness, leads to another…perhaps knowledge or self-control. We want to know more—to grow more—until the chain surrounds our life and spills into the lives of others. It’s simple and requires only desire and the word of God as a guide for our lives. Together, we help each other form the chain and to carry out God’s plan for our lives.

REFLECT: Today, take time to gather the tools to begin your own chain reaction. Stoke your desire to grow closer to God and to those around you. Take up your Bible and read. Ask Him to guide you as you begin your walk with Him. Soon, you’ll begin to understand the way you should go—God’s plan for you. Thus, the chain begins.

PRAY: Lord, today it is my desire to build a chain for You. Give me the tools of faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, and love. Help me to build the chain long and strong, so that I may be an example to others, and help draw them closer to You.

DAY Twenty-one

God’s Jewelry

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…she is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

(Proverbs 31:10, 25-26)

My mom had a jewelry box on her dresser—a precious gift from my dad on their wedding day. I’m sure he planned to fill it with fine jewels—but God had other plans. Five children later, the box wasn’t much more than a play toy for the kids. Mom never got the gold and diamonds she’d dreamed of, but she didn’t care. I doubt she ever missed the man-made baubles. Instead, she wore God’s jewelry—boundless laughter, the ability to give heartfelt advice, the strength and patience to dry our countless tears over the years.

What kind of jewelry do you wear? Is it the glitter of man-made cubic zirconia, the cascade of diamond teardrops, perhaps the splash of blood-red rubies? Or do you clothe yourself in God’s jewelry—the glow of patience, the shimmer of kindness, and the vibrancy of wisdom?

REFLECT: Consider what you strive to adorn yourself with. Talk to God today. Ask Him to dress you in His jewels—strength, dignity, laughter, and wisdom.

PRAY: Lord, though the media would have me believe otherwise, I know that true beauty comes only from the garments You provide: strength, dignity, wisdom, laughter, and faith that grows through Your instruction. Fill me with the desire to grow closer to You. Help me not to want the passing glitter of this world, and adorn me with Your priceless jewelry.

DAY Twenty-two

What’s in Your Toolbox?

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

(1 Peter 4:10-11)

My dad was a builder. He had the gift to take a few two-by-fours and a handful of nails and create beautiful and sturdy structures. In his toolbox, he carried all he needed—hammer, tape-measure, screwdrivers in various sizes. I loved to delve inside the box, to examine and handle each item. Their power—the fact that these tools could work together to create amazing things—captivated me. My dad was strong; he could do anything and everything with his tools.

Each of us is like my dad. We all have our own set of tools, compliments of God. Perhaps you are blessed with hospitality, or a deep sense of compassion, or the ability to speak in front of large crowds. Maybe you sing like an angel, or have the ability to organize charity events. Or maybe, like my dad, you have the gift to take a piece of lumber and fashion it into a room—or a building. It’s our responsibility—and our calling—to seek God’s wisdom concerning what’s in our own personal toolbox.

REFLECT: Ask God today to help you examine the gifts in
your
toolbox so you can take each out, dust each off, and begin to serve Him.

PRAY: Lord, please unveil my tools and give me a willing and eager heart to use them for Your good. Thank you for making me unique in the gifts I bring to Your kingdom. Let me never take them for granted, and, should I ever grow weary of the work, help me to remember just how precious each job is.

DAY Twenty-three

God Stands Guard

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.

(Philippians 4:6-7)

To most of us, our homes are precious possessions… places where we gather with family and friends in fellowship. From time to time, news of a home invasion sparks fear at our very core. We worry that our house, too, will be assaulted if we are not vigilant in protecting the premise. So, perhaps, we install a security system. Well, with God there’s no need to have fear for anything. He is the security system for our lives. With God, no real harm can touch us. His gift to us is peace, even in the midst of trial, hardship—and home invasion—if we ask for and accept it. God is the Almighty Protector.

When you feel afraid, cry out to Him and be reassured. Soon, fear and worry will be replaced by trust. God is the Master of the Universe…your own personal security system. He cares for you, and wants you to seek His protection in all things. So, turn to Him today, and find peace.

REFLECT: Immerse yourself in God’s word. Read His passages of promise and protection and be assured His words are His own personal gift for
you
.

PRAY: Lord, when I feel vulnerable, let me remember that you are the Almighty Protector. Each day, I will clothe myself in Your armor and ask for Your gift of peace.

DAY Twenty-four

Black Friday

I will lead the blind by the ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

(Isaiah 42:16)

The Friday after Thanksgiving is the frenzied shopping day traditionally known as Black Friday. Hordes of people across the country rise well before daybreak to claim their places in the most sought-after shopping lines. And they wait…and wait to purchase bargains. As I consider this, I wonder…what is so black about the beginning of the holiday season—the season of our Savior’s birth? Shouldn’t the day be called “Bright Friday” or “The Friday of Light”? When God sent His Son to earth the darkness became light and hope replaced fear. What an amazing event! And, better yet, the light of Jesus shines way beyond the hours of a single day—it shines for all eternity.

Do you approach God with the same enthusiasm that shoppers approach their bargain trip? As many seek the best deal, do you seek His light as the greatest bargain?

REFLECT: Consider how many times you rush toward something important. Today, rush from the darkness, from the incompleteness in the world, and toward the light. Follow the path God has set before you. Ask Him to guide your every step. He is waiting for you with His promise to make your paths smooth and to fill you with hope for the future.

PRAY: Dear Lord, today and every day, I seek Your light in a world that is often filled with darkness. Place before me a path and guide my every step so I may always walk full of hope and in Your light.

DAY Twenty-five

The Anchor

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

(Proverbs 12:25)

The water cooler at work is a popular place where we can catch up on the latest news—and the latest gossip. Sometimes we worry…is a coworker more popular? Did someone else get that promotion we were vying for? Or, perhaps, we witnessed co-workers in some activity outside work that appeared to be less-than-honorable, and we’re just checking our facts with others. Harsh words and gossip are like an anchor to the soul. When we focus on the negative, we are weighed down as if an anchor is attached to our hearts…dragging others into the depths along with us.

Do you lift up others, or do your words drag them to the depths of despair? Is the water cooler a place to share God’s love or a place to fill with darkness? From this day forward, make an active effort to spread kindness and good cheer. Turn your anchor into a life raft…one word at a time.

REFLECT: Take a personal inventory. Be cognizant of the words that flow from your mouth. How many are negative? How many positive?

PRAY: Let the words from my mouth be only positive. It’s my desire, Lord, to toss my anchor aside and instead build a life raft to rescue others from the depths of darkness and despair. Use me, Lord, to share with others the love, peace, and grace that only You can provide.

DAY Twenty-six

Cruise Control

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

(Isaiah 43:2)

My dad was a good man—eager to serve those in need and always ready to offer advice or encouragement. He did not draw attention to himself, and often helped others anonymously. But he had one quirk that drove me crazy as a teenager with a driver’s license. Whenever we traveled, he demanded to be seated behind the wheel. Dad had to be in control, driving himself to all destinations. He could not bring himself to trust others to get him there safely.

As he aged, he was no longer able to drive and had to relent…to give up control. Amazingly enough, he enjoyed the freedom to take in the scenery and to share in conversation without focusing on potholes and detours along the road.

Aren’t we like my dad when it comes to trusting God to get us where we need to go? We want to keep our hands on the wheel…just in case. After all, we know the way better than He does, right? Relinquishing control is one of the hardest things—and one of the greatest roadblocks—for us.