The Sun - Lynne Phipps

To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3 NIV

It was a cold winter’s day. So cold that I debated going for my daily walk with the dogs, worrying that it would be too frigid for their feet. Nevertheless, they were anxious to get outside, so off we went. 

As we trudged around the snowy path, I pulled my parka hood up over my hatted head to try to cut the searing north wind. What a bitter day, I thought. In spite of the cold, however, the beauty of the brilliant blue sky against the stark white landscape was a sight to behold. Best of all, however, was the heat of the winter sun beating down upon us, making our glacial experience that much more bearable.

That winter sun reminded me of the last part of today’s scripture verse: a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Life, just like the weather, can at times become quite bitter, causing us to become discouraged or even to despair. God understands this and has given us a remedy to make our difficult situations bearable. 

Praise is the key to lifting our spirits and blessing us with the encouragement, hope, and strength to persevere amidst the winters of life.

Praise focuses our attention on the truth of who God is, what He has done in the past, and what He will do now and in the future. Praise opens the door of hope, as well as expectancy. God is ever-present.  He will never leave us. He goes before us and can lead us on the right path. He is the God of peace who will provide every good thing we need in order to do His will. God provides wonderful counsel and wisdom. He hears us when we cry and answers our pleas. He is also able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever hope or dream, more even than our highest prayers.

Yes, when we don the garment of praise amidst our times of discouragement or despair, our spirits are lifted, our burdens become lighter, and hope for today as well as tomorrow begins to shine down upon us, just as that warmth of that winter sun shone down upon me on that cold and bitter winter’s day and gave me strength to keep going.

Father God, thank you for the garment of praise to banish the spirit of heaviness within my life when the storms of life assail me. Remind me to don it quickly and wrap it tightly around me. In your name I pray, amen. 

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More, Christian Devotions, and Love Lines from God. 

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Living like a Fog - Martin Wiles

Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. James 4:14b NLT

No one said living like a fog was easy.

The fog rolled in, but not because outside cold air collided with warm air. Our rented house reeked with age—constructed in the early 1900s. Although not exceptionally spacious, the ceilings boasted of their height, and the owner had decided to put only a tiny amount of insulation in the attic area. Summers proved pleasant. Since the house was not airtight, an atmosphere of freshness pervaded.

But winters told another story. Cold air seeped through every crack and crevice. We could only afford to set the thermostat at sixty-two degrees, which meant we stayed bundled up all the time. Even on that low temp, our electricity bill was almost unbearable.

Taking a shower during the cold months brought the fog from outside into our house. The hot water collided with the cold air in the house, creating a thick fog in the small bathroom and covering the small window above the sink, making it impossible to see. Within minutes of turning off the shower, however, the fog dissipated.

When taking a shower recently during a Canadian cold snap, I thought of that old house and the good times my wife and I had there, despite the frigid interior. I also thought about my life. I remembered the Tennessee summers when I was a middle schooler and how they seemed to last forever. My friends and I played outside until dark—almost nine p.m.—letting our imaginations run wild. Time seemed to last forever.

Now, at almost retirement age, I know I have more years behind me than in front of me. What seemed to once pass slowly now passes quickly. Although I know my eternity ahead is long—and I’m sure where I will spend it—time on earth seems short. Like a fog, it is quickly disappearing.

James reminds us life is like a fog. God may give us many years on earth, but compared to eternity, they are brief.

We only have enough time to love God, love our families, love others, and love ourselves. And in the process, only enough time to do God’s will. When younger, I didn’t think about the impact I’d leave behind after my death—but I do now. With intentionality, I attempt to do only those things God wants me to do—things that will continue to impact others after I’m dead and gone. After all, this fog will lift.

What are you doing that will impact others after you have left this earth? Are you living like a fog?

Prayer: Father, give us the grace and wisdom to live with intentionality, knowing our lives are brief. 

Tweetable: Are you living life like a fog? 

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