Beyond the Wall

On my drive to work this morning, I saw a pair of colorful birds fly across in front of me as I pulled up to a stoplight. My eyes followed them to a flowering tree where they lit. Orioles! A pair of them. It stirred my excitement as I watched them playfully flit from branch to branch and take off in flight again.

They landed on  tree inside the maximum-security correctional institution, which is surrounded by high stone walls. Yet, despite their surroundings, they were free to fly about as they pleased, even beyond the wall.

It made me thankful for my own freedom in Christ. Because I focus daily on abiding in him, I need not be dragged down and paralyzed by the weighty things in life. My attitude is positive; my perspective is hopeful. In a sense, I can live above my circumstances because Jesus is with me wherever I go. His counsel, His strength and His provisions are as near as I choose.

Lord, your constant love gives us confidence to be the best we can be. May we live in a way that brings hope to those who stumble in darkness. Thank you, Jesus, for the great freedom we have in you.

Arise, Come With Me!

Smoky Sunrise by Barb Meacham

When Ted was in the hospital, my friend Barb phoned and encouraged us with reflections from her study time. I asked if she would write it down so it could be shared as a devotional... (thanks, Barb!)

Song of Songs 2:13

…Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.

In Song of Songs 2:8 the lover is leaping across mountains, bounding over the hills to come to his beloved maiden. He is described as a gazelle or a young stag. He moves freely with agility and grace. Here we see a picture of our risen Lord. Nothing hinders Him. Nothing can stop Him because He has overcome all obstacles. Nothing can hold Him back from His beloved because all things are under His feet. 

As the chapter continues, the lover swiftly descends to his loved one and calls her to come with him to the mountains. For each one of us there comes a time when Jesus calls us to the mountaintop. He summons us to rise above circumstances that turn our eyes downward and inward. He entreats us to rise up in confidence of who He is. Instead of being consumed by anxiety, fear or unbelief we are challenged to lift up our eyes and see our help eagerly coming to us. He bids us to leap and bound with Him on the heights.

The call may come when you face illness or financial problems or broken relationships or any of a myriad of faith-shaking circumstances or events. We can be consumed by them or we can take the hand of Jesus and head for those lofty peaks. 

Jesus yearns to bring us to the fullness that His blood has wrought. And our difficulties are raw materials the Lord uses for His good work. He crafts good from them, they are not wasted. Through our challenges Jesus calls us away from our self focus to greater faith and love.

But we will not go any higher than what we believe to be true of God. Is He trustworthy? Is His leadership good? We wonder, does He really love me or will He leave me dangling off some cliff? What we believe will be seen in the movement of our heart. Will you go with Him? His grip is sure. He is the one who loves you with His whole heart. Believe in His great goodness. He will enable you to stand on the heights. 

- Barb Meacham