STRAY to HIM.

How often do we wander around on our own searching for shelter from storms and “food” to be fed by and day to day survival only to end up back in an “alley” all alone at the end of the day? We may even be approached more than once being offered help and rescue from our troubles and our running in circles, but instead of stepping forth in faith and allowing that help to be given we turn around and run again. Is it fear of the unknown of what help may entail? Is it just patterned routine behavior that has grown on us to where we are accustomed to not needing assistance when in essence it’s what we long for the most, but are still frightened to take the proper steps to have it occur?
As I’ve been patrolling the town the past few days and been noticing all the stray cats and dogs helplessly running from one place to another with no real idea of where they are going or how their next meal will be provided or their shelter will be taken care of I find myself getting out of the vehicle and slowly approaching them with treats and food in hand and a soft gentle voice to guide them over towards me trying to portray to them that they do not have to be fearful or scared, that I am there to help them not harm them. Tonight I had 6 cats run as fast as they could in the opposite direction when I approached, two kinda just stand and look at me starting to creep forward then immediately dart back towards an old hole in an abandoned house. Only ONE in all of them willingly slowly walked over and began eating out of my hand and attempted to have me pet her by rubbing her head under my hand. I reached out to this one and took her n my arms and rubbed her ears and held her closely and told her that she was going to be safe now and well taken care of. Jesus longs to have us come to HIM and nestle ourselves against HIM and rest safely in HIS arms and allow HIM to provide for us in adequate manners that we can not take care of on our own. He is always there waiting for us to help us in our “stray sense of direction” but until we take the steps forward instead of fearfully running away out of fear of how things might change or be different then we will not fully experience what it is to be owned, cherished and made to feel secured. In Matthew 11;28 it says “Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” And in Jonah 1:3-4 it says: “But Jonah got up to run away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa. There he found a ship that was going to sail to Tarshish. Jonah paid for his journey and went down into the ship. He wanted to get far away from the Lord.” But the Lord threw a strong wind on to the sea. There was a fierce storm and the ship nearly broke up.” Just after he ran away in the opposite direction the storm in his life began and it wasn’t u ntil he acknowledged this in Jonah1:15 that it became calm and problems were laid to rest. “ Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea. The storm stopped. The sea became calm again.” Next time you are wandering around in an alley or running away on a “ship” or hiding out in an abandoned house remember that GOD is everywhere and is yearning for us to just rest in HIM and obey HIM by drawing near to HIM so that he may draw nearer to us. I can just hear him up there saying, “here people, people, people…come to me and I will give you rest” I am refusing to be an "alley person" rather am jumping into the arms of my rescuer! I do not want to be a stray, but rather want to STRAY NEARER TO HIM. Won't you join me?

Is your ark built?

The other afternoon I was playing toys with the pastor's son and there was a dump truck and off to the side the only person figurine lying around that fit in it was NOAH holding a dove. So, I put Noah in the truck, honked the horn and began trying to teach him the "who built the ark? Noah, Noah..." song. I went on to share how much simpler it possibly would of been for Noah if he had indeed had a truck to haul the wood back and forth from the forest to the ark/building site. But, he didn't, yet he still continued to build and do as God instructed. He could of quit and said, "this is too much work and doesn't make any sense.." Yet he went on believing in what God had said would happen and stepped out daily in faith, amidst the crowd mocking him and the hard work he was faced with. How often do we, in our lives hear God telling us to "build an ark" for our protection from the storm, yet we do not listen to Him and then when the floods come we are left drowning, crying out for Him to save us. We need not use wood and nails to build this shelter, rather, daily scripture reading and prayer and giving each thought, trial and thing over to Him, believing that He will be our ride and cover/warmth when the rains come down! Can you imagine if Noah had not listened to the Lord and he and his family too had been destroyed in the worldwide flood? The very next time you hear God speaking to you, no matter what He is telling or asking you to do/say, believe Him and trust and obey. Pray also for those who do not believe they need to be on the boat with you, and be sure to give a final boarding call before closing the door. In Job 36:11 it says, "If they hear and serve Him, They shall end their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures." Use your dumptruck today and start hauling in the supplies needed to build what God is leading you to in your life!And, be sure to honk the horn as you pass by the onlookers!!