July 2021
Summer! Sunshine, tank tops, beaches… I don’t know about you, but I LOVE summer. It probably has to do with preferring warmth as opposed to cold. I love running in the early morning when the world is barely up, appreciating the songbirds and beauty of the awakening day. I love being out in the heat of the day, feeling the warmth of the sun all over me while in a tank top and shorts or swimsuit rather than bundled up in winter garb. I love working in the garden, watching what we planted grow and bear fruit. Then I love sitting on our yard swing as stars wink their greetings when night falls, with a campfire blazing before me, fireflies darting about and owls hooting in the distance. The long days allow more time to be outside, and our wrap-around porch provides the perfect perch during a summer thunderstorm. What are your favorite things about summer? Pause to thank God for these special seasonal blessings! What I love about summer most (the heat), may be what others dislike. That’s the thing about seasons…they are times of change that could be welcomed by some, yet hated by others. My church is going through a season of change as our senior pastor has felt God calling him to another path, and he has stepped down while awaiting God’s direction. This has been a surprise to all of us, but our pastor, along with church leadership, continues to emphasize that doing what God leads us to do may be opposite what seems to make sense. This was further illustrated by our speaker today, who talked about Elijah and what happened in 1 Kings 17. Elijah made a proclamation to Ahab (bad king) and Jezebel (worships Baal and murders prophets of Yahweh) which resulted in a drought. Then Elijah hid in a ravine by a brook, and was fed by ravens until the brook dried up. It sure seems like God would have or could have kept that brook going until the drought was over, but He didn’t. And he sent ravens, a detested bird, to feed the hidden prophet. The ravens brought bread. Bread doesn’t bake itself, so the assumption is that the birds stole the bread from villagers nearby. Now we have a great prophet, hiding in a ravine by a dried-up brook, eating stolen bread. I don’t think this is what Elijah had in mind when he followed the LORD. Then God sent Elijah to Zarephath, a region where the worship of Baal began and where Jezebel was from. What, God? Jezebel who searches for and kills the prophets of Yahweh? Isn’t this going in the wrong direction? We know that God’s ways are different than our ways. Are you following God, but you question the direction because it doesn’t make sense? Join the crowd! Just as my pastor and church are questioning what is going on and how this can possibly be for the best, you may be seeking God and are shown a path that seems opposite of what you thought the plan was. Don’t lose heart and don’t hesitate to do what God is telling you to do! In JP Knights, Garrett’s family let go of their farm and ended up with something ‘exceeding abundantly’ beyond what they could imagine. Liz gave up involvement at her school and she became a warrior in God’s army. Joel was led to a path of leadership although he was content to be a follower of Kyle. Jill shied away from any public or social interactions, but had a special spiritual gift bestowed on her as she stepped away from her typical behaviors. Chris risked losing social standing among his peers, but ended up going a different path than he expected. The Bible, along with the JP Knights, show us that going an unexpected, but God-directed route, is sure to bring us to fantastic places of incredible spiritual potential if we but listen to that small, still voice of God showing us the path. Be patient and believe. Don't fear to do what God is telling you to do!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorDr. Beth Lambert is a Pediatrician and Medical Director in Pennsylvania. JP Knights is the first film from her books. Archives
March 2022
CategoriesKevin & Lynn McAfee along with Jim and Rachel Gromer met to begin the script writing process for JP KNIGHTS the movie. Thanks for praying for the entire team!
Dr. McAfee and the team of GRP with Stephanie Musser met with city fathers in Pennsylvania at the Holiday Inn to discuss strategies for shooting in Johnstown.
|