Double Blessing

The air smells so sweet in Parachute, Colorado. I’ve never smelled anything quite like it in May. I think the only other fragrance so wonderful is the pine trees and sage on a rainy day on Gore Pass. I’m so thankful for the mornings in Colorado. And I am thankful today for my Bible where God is revealing Himself more to me every time I read.
This week, I was reading Philippians. I’ve read it probably 100 times because it’s a favorite. This time, God revealed something new to me. We’ve always put so much importance on Paul’s saying that, no matter what, in abundance or in lack, he has learned to be happy in the love of Jesus. And that is so true and it’s such a wonderful teaching. But in the context of what he is talking about, he is addressing people who are giving to him and his ministry. Yes, he can live either way. Yes, he is thankful for the gifts. But the reason he is so thankful, is because God is doing something good in those people that are giving. He knows that when they give to his ministry, God is surely going to bless them. He knows that in the learning to give that there is something good that is going to happen to them. That it’s for their good, more than it’s for his good.
Five hours after I read the passage, the mail came and there was a check for our ministry. Immediately, my thoughts went to “oh they didn’t have to do that.” But quickly, I had assurance that this was for their good. God is going to bless them abundantly for blessing us. He can trust them with the resources of Heaven, to pour out upon them, knowing they are obedient to His voice.
We give, we are blessed. We receive, we are blessed.
Taste and see...experience His fragrance...He is so good!

One Small Book

Rick and I were talking yesterday. He had my Bible in his hand and commented on how small it was.

“It’s funny,” he said. “You could have a whole set of encyclopedias and still they would not contain the wisdom that is in this one small book. It has everything we need for every situation we’ll ever face.”