I tucked my feet beneath me on the couch and spread the warm fleece of a blanket over my legs. Sipping coffee, seeking peace, I stared out over the browning landscape as winter cold approached. Only random patches of autumn’s glory remained. Hold-outs. Stubborn like me, and not ready to let go, but knowing God’s grace all the same.
The Lord Knows What Delights My Heart
I was struck by how the trees with branches bare stretched, almost yearning toward the October sky, reaching toward the heavenly places.
A rush of movement outside the window caught my attention as I fought to keep my thoughts light-hearted and focused on those things worthy of praise.
The word grace drifted across my mind. I was seeking peace, and God was seeking me.
A cardinal, bright with crimson praise, swooped across the skeletal branches of the old apple tree. Then another. And another. Three cardinals skipped through the barren branches. Moments later an indigo bunting joined the cardinals and began feasting on the nuts and berries in the birdfeeder.
And then … then a red-headed woodpecker landed at the base of the tree and started hopping up the trunk in search of a meal.
What joy! What a precious gift from my Heavenly Father who knows the delights of my heart.
He Cares for My Every Need
He knew I was in need of joy that day — joy and peace, a gentle reminder of His abiding presence that cares for my every need. He offered me a glimpse of His abundant grace that pours out like rain and meets every need with great sufficiency.
Isn’t it amazing that the Lord my God, Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, took the time to send me a simple joy right when I needed it? Isn’t He good? And most likely, only the Lord could have known how absolutely delighted I would be over a gathering of cardinals, a bunting, and a lone woodpecker.
John explained it better than me, “For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ.” ~ John 1:16-17, AMP
Grace upon grace …
Our God is no respecter of persons. The kind, personal things He does for me, He will do for each of us if we will just believe. And expect. And make Him our first love.
When We Are Seeking Peace, We Find Jesus
There is no love like the love of our Father. It’s because of Jesus that we can know His extraordinary love. When we are seeking peace, we find Jesus … and grace.
When we are seeking peace we will find it, even in autumn’s beautiful glory fading into winter’s gray.
Selah
****************************************************
Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
