Ah, the arrival of October, and with it panoramas of leaves changing color before falling to the ground as their annual life cycle enters winter’s rest…temperatures begin to cool as we say goodbye to long days under sunshine…football and soccer games highlight our weekends…and a favorite of mine–trips to orchards to purchase apples!

The beauty of fall also has birthed a lighthearted debate popular on social medial–are you a “pumpkin spice or apple kind of person?” Billboards for our prime coffee shops lure us with extravagant flavors that reflect our love for “everything pumpkin, apple, etc.” Recently I saw a billboard featuring a new beverage with maple syrup as part of the mixings. Yum. Now there’s a third flavor in the competition!

So, which flavor is your “go-to”? If I had to choose one–pumpkin or apple–I honestly could not. I asked this poll question in a group of children and adults in church and to my delight several folks answered “it depends on what we’re talking about”, meaning is it in a beverage? A bread? A pie? That’s my position, too. If it’s a beverage, I lean towards pumpkin spice. If it’s a pie, I prefer homemade apple. Both satisfy my taste buds as I enjoy the bounty of fall harvests.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34: 8) 

Blessed. It’s a common word used in Judeo Christian conversations. I learned this past week that the Hebrew word for “blessed” expands to mean “divine favor” and “joy fulfilled”. These gifts come from a divine being who is God. For the Jews He is the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. For Christians He is the triune God–God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 

“The one” who is blessed are those “who take refuge in Him”. By refuge the psalmist means “a shelter or place of protection”. Seeking refuge creates images in my mind as a need to run from stormy circumstances to find a safe place until trouble passes.

We all face trouble in our lives, some more harsh than others. What’s beautiful about God is no matter what we are facing, He offers us a safe place in the shelter of His arms…under the shadow of His wings. A common Psalm–number 23–is one often read at funerals for our loved ones. Simply put, this psalm tells us that God cares for us, He meets our needs ahead of time, and we can find quiet rest in His arms. 

Pumpkin spice or apple. Restlessness or rest. Worry or confidence. These and more are worthwhile choices to ponder. Life is full of choices–some that are fun and create light memories–while others more serious decide the path we will follow. I think that Psalm 1 gives us important insight as to which path God desires for us: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

Do you need to know more about God? I’m always available to chat with you about a relationship with Him. You can email me at celebraterecovery@gmail.com. We can chat over anything pumpkin spice or apple….your choice, I’ll buy. 

Blades of grass. Rocks along a shoreline. Trees in all the forests. Particles of sand. Salt granules in a shaker jar. Strands of hair. Dust mites on my table.

What do these have in common? They are easy and beautiful to see (except for dust…smile) yet challenge the ability to count each one individually to arrive at a specific summary answer. My mind is boggled at how much of Creation remains a mystery. Even a quick online search to ask the question “does science know how many stars are in the Milky Way?” revealed that at best guess, there are over 100 billion stars in this galaxy alone. By broadening the question to include “how many galaxies exist?” The answer is an approximate range of 100 and 200 billion. Are you feeling very very small right now?

Why am I thinking about created things that cannot be counted with mere human mathematical ability? Quite honestly, my observations came as I drove north to Torch Lake for my four days alone during my sabbatical. Along Highway 127 I drove through wooded areas, land covered by a variety of trees such as pines and birch. As I glanced left to right I didn’t see houses or other signs of human habitation, only trees for as far as my eyes could observe.

Then, standing on the lakeshore of the home where I stayed, taking in the sizes and beauty of rocks visible under the water’s edge, I realized there’s no way someone could count or determine the exact number of rocks in Michigan’s deepest inland lake. If that’s not enough to comprehend, think of how many lakes Michigan has with MORE rocks, more sand. If your mind isn’t boggled by now, well, perhaps you don’t think like I do and that’s okay.

Why am I talking about things we cannot count? Why do I even care? My response is this … .even though there are things that exist in the beauty of our world, those things like rocks, sand, trees, hair, eluding the capability to be given an exact count, there is one thing that can be calculated within a fairly accurate conclusion. It’s the number of people living on our planet, all created as individuals with separate DNA, making each one of us unique and pretty darn special. There is only one you. Let it soak a little. Maybe lay the paper down on your lap for a moment as you’re reading my words and let me say it again please. There is only one you.

The Word of God gives us some pretty neat clues how God sees you, includes you, and how He values you. Let’s consider:

Psalm 139: 17-18 “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand..”

Luke 12: 7 “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows”.

Psalm 147: 4 “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.”

Are you feeling small yet? Don’t.

With complete confidence, let me exclaim to you that you were created by an incredible, powerful, amazing God, that though we may not appear as a speck in our galaxy, He deeply loves us. In the vastness of humankind, you are not lost to Him. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. You are counted as precious in His sight. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116: 15) which basically means that when a believer dies, he or she is welcomed by God. He cares deeply for those who love Him.

In conclusion, here’s a challenge for you to consider embracing. Find a comfortable spot on a grassy lawn and allow your eyes to  take in the blades of grass that make up its beauty. Stroll along a sandy shore, your hair blowing in a gentle breeze. On a dark clear night, stand outside and gaze on the stars–remember they have names! Look in the mirror and truly realize that you are you, you are unique. If you ask me? That’s pretty darn amazing and a kind of special I cannot describe.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him”. (Psalm 34: 8)

This is one of my favorite statements within all of the 150 psalms that are contained in Old Testament writings.  David is credited for penning this particular psalm; he did so when fleeing his homeland in order to escape Saul’s rage.In order to further protect his life, he actually acted insane under Abimelek, the ruler of the Philistines where David had escaped. In the earlier portion of the psalm David declared he would “extol the Lord at all times”, that “His praise will always be on my lips”. He offers an invitation –”Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together”. David describes the protection God gave him as “the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them”.

In light of California’s devastating fires raging through neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area, I did a quick search to find any stories of the miraculous. I stumbled upon an article describing how a $9 million home survived total destruction while considering each home on both sides were total losses. Looking at the accompanying photo is proof of its resilience against fire and wind created by the wildfire.  Explanations for the mansion’s survival are attributed that the house was built with fire resistant materials, including stucco and stone walls, along with a specially designed fireproof roof. These elements likely shield the property from the intense heat and flames. (source businessstandard.com)

Wisdom. Forethought. These are two themes often taught in scripture. As the words of David in Psalm 34 instruct, likewise Jesus’ own words regarding wisdom are found in a parable He taught in Matthew 7: 24-25: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation built on the rock”. 

You and I, when creating and building our faith, can do well to follow God’s blueprint for a beautiful and successful outcome for our personal journey with Him. Like the mansion, we will be surrounded by people who are constantly negative, who will attack our belief systems, who challenge the very fabric of our biblical truths. By standing firm, by placing our trust in God, those weaker than us face the possibility of destruction, all while living “lost” and “unprotected” because of refusal to surrender pride and arrogance to an almighty God.

Let me make it clear, I’m not saying that God caused the wildfires in California. Although I’m a novice at best when it comes to that locale, I am wise enough to understand how policies prevented ample water supplies along with years of not performing deforestation practices may have greatly contributed to these current fires. Comparing years of enacted laws to that of common sense leadership appears to have been a mute topic until thousands of families are now displaced who are now calling out for answers and accountability from those who’ve been making decisions for Californians. 

Beautiful homes require months to construct. Likewise, faith in Jesus takes time, too. All too quickly–in the blink of an eye–material possessions can be destroyed, leaving us homeless, empty, loss of hope, despair filling our once joyful hearts. Faith can also come under an onslaught of attack in the forms of illness, death, loss of income…but when wavering faith keeps eyes focused on the architect and builder–Jesus Christ–reconstruction comes! Faith is nurtured once again, perhaps even restored as something stronger than when life was smooth sailing.

Finally, to the families in California, to anyone who feels as though life is hard, take refreshment from David’s own words in verse 17-18: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

(source: businessstandard.com)