The Hiding Place - Martin Wiles

For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Psalm 32:7 NLT

One sheet and four kitchen chairs made a perfect hiding place.

Lovey was my maternal grandmother’s half-sister. My memories of her are fading, but I recall her playing with my cousin and me. One of our favorite activities was making a tent. We did this by taking a sheet and spreading it over four kitchen chairs. Seems like an easy enough exercise, but if the chairs weren’t positioned correctly, the entire thing would collapse. 

After we constructed our tent, my cousin and I went in and sat down. Being young boys, we probably giggled and talked. We were in our hiding place … safe from the world. Though anyone could have easily discovered us by looking beneath the cover, we didn’t see ourselves as exposed. 

God was the psalmist’s hiding place. Someone he could run to for protection when his enemies were fast upon his heels. Someone who comforted him when it appeared others had turned against him. 

I’ve experienced other-than-honorable conditions in which I tried to hide from God. Mainly when I intentionally sinned or engaged in other shameful behavior. Rather than confessing, I tried to hide as Adam and Eve did. Hiding didn’t work for them, and it didn’t for me either. God’s convicting Spirit worried me until I made things right with God. 

God would rather we hide in him for more honorable reasons. When life—or others—has frustrated, disappointed, betrayed, or angered us, we can hide in him for comfort. 

We can hide in God’s love. It’s unconditional. Nothing we do or say can make him love us more or less. He loves us consistently—though this doesn’t relieve us of the need to live according to his standards. 

We can hide in God’s power. Nothing life throws at us is more powerful than God. Lions, bears, and an angry king were not more powerful than the psalmist’s God, and life’s present enemies aren’t more powerful than God’s power to deliver us. 

We can also hide in God’s salvation—not from life’s trials and tribulations, but from sin’s power. Through the forgiveness offered by Christ, we can enjoy the assurance of God’s forgiveness and acceptance. No more do we dwell under condemnation. 

Let God teach you to hide in him—not from him or in anything else. 

Father, thank you for the comfort of hiding in you for salvation and from life’s trials. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Zeroing In - Anita van der Elst

So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?” Luke 15:3-4 NLT

Ever feel lost in the crowd? Though surrounded by people, are we even seen? 

A dear friend shared with me that she’d been accepted as an extra for the filming of season five of The Chosen, a popular Christian TV series set in New Testament times. How excited I was for her. 

Many years ago, she and I were involved in church theatrical productions, sometimes with speaking roles, but often just part of the background crowd, adding a sense of realism. Now, whenever I watch a movie or show, I tend to search out the scenes behind the major players.

One requirement that my friend had to fulfill was to provide her own costuming. A perusal of the tote bin of costumes I’d saved from years before revealed a couple of items that could serve as part of her wardrobe. She was happy to accept the loan of the pieces to augment her own. I told her that I would search for her in the crowd scenes when the show aired, knowing what she’d be wearing. 

The heart of Jesus longs to pick each one of us out of the crowd. Jesus looked for me, searched for me as the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to rescue the one lamb that strayed. 

Jesus zeroes in on the individual. He’s looking for you. He treasures you. Don’t hide from him. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Mind the Chickens - Martin Wiles

Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.” John 13:10 NLT

Sometimes, chickens leave behind more than eggs and meat. 

My maternal grandmother had a dozen or so chickens wandering around her yard. At night, she enclosed them in a small pen with a coop, and there they slept. 

Being country boys, my cousin and I romped outside most of the time, foraging in the woods, playing in the hog pens, and mulling around in the yard—the same yard the chickens scratched in. Since we didn’t always wear shoes during the summer months—and even if we did—our grandmother would warn us before we came onto her porch or into her house: “Check your feet (or shoes).” 

Chickens, it appeared, left more than eggs, and my grandmother didn’t want it in her house or on her porch. When we discovered this unwanted material on our shoes, we paused to scrape it off on the dirt or a grassy patch. Doing so became such a habit that eventually our grandmother didn’t have to remind us as much. 

In Jesus’s day, getting one’s feet dirty was a fact of life. If people wore shoes, they wore open sandals, and open sandals don’t keep out dirt. And since the main form of travel entailed using one’s feet, people’s feet stayed dirty. When guests arrived, the owner—or more commonly a slave—washed the guests’ feet. He didn’t, however, wash the entire person. If the person needed a full bath, they could take care of it themselves. 

Jesus’s meaning is deeper. The bath happens when we trust Christ as our Savior. God the Father takes the righteousness of his Son and applies it to our sins, making us pure and holy in position—although not in practice. 

But daily living is like walking in my grandmother’s yard. We’re subject to getting our feet messy with unwanted things. The world is full of sinful influences and tempting temptations. 

The news isn’t all bad, though. Jesus says we just need to wash our feet. Through the spiritual disciplines of praying, meditating on the Bible, and confessing, we scrape our feet across the dirt or a grassy patch, removing what shouldn’t be there. Confession brings restoration, and knowing God’s Word keeps our lifestyle aligned with God’s principles. 

Learn to mind what the chickens of this world leave behind. 

Father, give me the insight and courage to avoid those things that dirty my feet and taint my soul. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

A Collision of Raindrops and Sunshine - Anita van der Elst

When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. Genesis 9:16 ESV

As my husband and I drove out of a nearby hillside neighborhood, we saw it in the distance. The unmistakable arcs and colors of a double rainbow. But not a surprise to see since a sudden rain shower had come while the sun shone brightly at the same time. A collision of raindrops and sunshine. 

I wanted to capture a picture of it on my phone, but the foliage was too thick, so down the hill we went, chasing those rainbows. The result was a lovely image of two rainbows, one slightly fainter in vibrance, shining against a dark blue sky.

Reading this promise from God, it occurs to me that when I see the rainbow, he and I are seeing it at the same time, an activity we do together. We are in relationship. The rainbow draws my attention to him. 

God promised never to send another flood to punish wrongdoing. However, our sins remain a barrier between God and us. In paying for our sins by dying on the cross, Jesus made it possible for us to be in relationship with God. We are forgiven and washed clean. In rising again, Jesus defeated death forever. A collision of justice and grace.

Now, instead of seeing my sins, God sees me through Jesus. The light of Jesus shines from my heart, and because of Jesus, God promises eternal life in heaven with him forever. 

Make sure you have entered into that relationship with God through trusting in Jesus. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

What's Involved in a Sit-In - Martin Wiles

But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Hebrews 10:12 NLT

He pulled up a chair, sat beside me, and raised his left arm in the air.

Our church was hosting its first craft fair. A good number of vendors signed up, set up, and enjoyed interacting with customers—along with selling them products. I sat at a table near the entrance, hosting my first book signing. As my wife talked with the various vendors, a gentleman from our church took her seat beside me, raised his left arm, and smiled.

“What are you doing?” I—along with others who stopped by—asked.

“Sitting in for your wife,” he responded.

My wife had undergone carpal tunnel surgery the day before and was supposed to be sitting with her arm elevated. But she wasn’t being a good patient, as usual, so our friend decided he’d show her how a sit-in was supposed to be done.

Although no more than a young boy in the 1960’s, I remember another type of sit-in. The kind where minority groups, whose rights were being violated by governmental laws and society’s traditions, sat in various stores and other locations. Had I chosen to sit with them—or sit in their place—I would have faced the same retaliation as they did.

The biblical writer, however, introduces another type of sit-in—one that also had consequences but wonderful results. This sit-in occurred after Jesus died on the cross, was resurrected from the grave, and then ascended back to heaven.

Jesus sat in my place as my friend did for my wife, but with a big difference. His sitting in her for her had no effect on the swelling in her arm. She was still walking around with it dangling in the wrong direction. Jesus’s sitting in our place has the potential to alter our current life situation and eternal state. His sit-in was substitutionary, which means he took our place.

If we choose, we can avoid having to pay for our sins and be eternally separated from God. We can be released from condemnation and live with confidence, peace, and joy. But we must accept the effects of Jesus’s sit-in by confessing our sins, putting our trust in Him, and claiming him as our Savior.

Don’t try to sit in for yourself. Accept the sit-in Christ made for you.

Father, thank you for allowing your Son to sit in on my behalf. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Misjudgment - Lynne Phipps

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. Romans 14:10 NIV

As I filled my gas tank at the service station, a lady driving a pickup and pulling a long boat trailer pulled into the pumps closest to the convenience store door. Unfortunately, she misjudged the length of her vehicle and the angle she needed to pull alongside the pumps. The misjudgment caused her to end up with the front passenger side of her truck up on the walkway leading into the store, while the boat trailer on the driver’s side was wedged solidly against the side of the gas pump.  

I wondered how she would get out of this mess. Several men had already gathered around and were assessing the situation, trying to decide the best way to rectify the problem. The poor driver stood to the side, obviously embarrassed by the predicament she had created. My heart went out to her.

Misjudging situations and ascertaining the correct angle for tackling problems can be difficult. It can also be embarrassing, especially when others judge us harshly or unfairly. Something I admit I have been guilty of from time to time. 

As God’s children, however, judging others is not our job. Only God knows the heart, and it is up to him to make judgments. Through our prayers, the Holy Spirit can guide us daily, helping us discern the right angle for tackling any and all problems. He can also remind and nudge us when we are tempted to judge others’ misjudgments.  

The great preacher, John Wesley, wrote, “Do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as ever we can.” 

Think of ways you can do good rather than judge. 

Father God, thank you for the grace, love, kindness, and mercy you always show when judging me. Please remind me that judging others is never my job. Instead, I am to express the love and goodness of Christ in all I do at all times and in all places. Empower me to do so, as I rely upon the power of your Holy Spirit within me. In Christ’s name, 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. 

If you seek hope and healing because of hurts you have faced, then Hurt, Hope, and Healing is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Time to Change - Anita van der Elst

Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! Psalm 66:5 NIV

Fall back. Spring ahead. Just when we get used to one, it’s time to change. 

For most of us in the United States, the switch between daylight saving time and standard time occurs twice a year. Originally put in place during World War I to conserve fuel and power, and then abolished at war’s end, the Uniform Time Act was passed in 1966. But it has never made sense to me.

After all, God created systems that help us know day from night. He put everything into place—sun, moon, stars, planets, all we see and don’t see. For thousands of years, people knew nothing about molecules, atoms, viruses, or anything microscopic, and had no means to do so. But God also gave people minds and brains to wonder and think, the desire to explore, and the ability to discover and invent. And still there is much we have yet to see and discover.

How thankful we are that the Holy Spirit gives us understanding as we discover what God tells us in his word. No matter how we manipulate the way we measure the passing of time, all of our times are in God’s hands. 

The important thing is how we spend the minutes and hours in those times. Do we give attention to learning more about God and sharing his most awesome deed for us? In his love, he sent his Son, Jesus, the Messiah, to live on earth. And by his grace, he offers us eternal life in heaven when we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Are you ready for what lies beyond your time on earth? If not, it’s time to change. Make sure that your destination is heaven by acknowledging your need for Jesus and believing in Him.

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

 

The Pancakes - Lynne Phipps

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 NIV

My granddaughters love pancakes and request them for breakfast whenever they stay overnight, which is frequently. Since I make the batter from scratch, the girls are always anxious to help by fetching ingredients and stirring the mixture for the pancakes. 

One day, seven-year-old Ade asked if she could try making the batter. Ade is a bit like a hummingbird: never still and always moving quickly rather than cautiously. I was tempted to say no, sure a mess would ensue if I granted her request, and I do so hate a mess. Still, I mused, she did need to learn sometime and maybe today was the right time. Thus, I reluctantly agreed.

First, I had her read the recipe through, and we discussed the meaning of the measurement symbols. Then she retrieved the ingredients from the pantry. Next, we measured the wet ingredients, along with cracking the egg. Dry ingredients followed, and then we added the wet to the dry, then mixed everything. She had accomplished her task. 

Yes, flour was on the counter and the floor. Milk had slopped over, and I had to pick eggshells from the batter. Ingredient containers littered the countertop. Yet, Ade’s beaming face and confidence in her success far outshone the cluttered, messy countertop. Today, she not only makes the batter with little mess but also is adept at pouring the batter onto the griddle. She also knows when the pancakes are ready to turn and flips them with ease. She also cleans up.

In the book of Acts, Paul had a sharp disagreement with Barnabas over taking along a young disciple, John Mark. For some reason, Paul had dismissed him earlier. Barnabas disagreed and felt the young man should be given another chance. He was not willing to give up on him. 

Later, in the book of Timothy, Paul realized that John Mark was a good and helpful worker. Thankfully, Barnabas had persevered with patience and gentleness, aiding this young follower of Christ to grow into a mature and valued Christian man.

Likewise, each of us has many opportunities in our daily lives to be patient and gentle with those who are still growing and learning. After all, who among us can ever say that we have nothing more to learn? 

Let us therefore pray for open eyes and hearts to see those whom God places in our pathway. Additionally, we can teach them in whatever ways God may reveal to us. In this way, we can encourage their confidence and maturity. After all, isn’t this what God does for us?

Father God, help me today to be willing to help others grow and mature as the need and opportunity arise. In Christ’s name, 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.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

What It Means to Be Cleansed from Sin - Martin Wiles

But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT

I had reached the magic number; I knew what the doctor would say.

Fifty is the age when physical tests of various sorts begin to occur, one of which I dreaded. Sure enough, the doctor said, “We need to set you up for a colonoscopy.” Since my wife had a family history of colon cancer, she had her first procedure when she was in her thirties. I had seen the contorted expression on her face as she drank the prep fluid. Now it was my turn.

Since we didn’t have health insurance at the time, I put the procedure off for a couple of years. But the date finally came. My doctor believed in thorough cleansing. He wrote the prescription, and I picked up my gallon of lemon-flavored drink. Half the day before the procedure and half the morning of. The procedure was a breeze, but the prep … well … not so much. By the time the doctor did his part, the medicine had done its part. The medicine had cleansed me entirely.

Corinth was a wicked city. The believers who lived there faced numerous temptations, immorality being the greatest. But Paul reminded them of what it means to be cleansed from sin. Christ had made them holy when they received him as their Savior. They didn’t have to succumb to the temptations surrounding them. They had the power to overcome.

This cleansing happens when we accept what Christ did for us on Calvary’s cross. Sanctification also begins. We are set apart from our former way of living. But sanctification is a process. I had finished drinking the fluid within an hour’s time, but it took hours—even an entire day—for my system to be thoroughly cleansed. The same is true for sanctification. We will spend our lifetimes growing into the person we are already in position.

Christians are termed saints, but we aren’t always saintly in our behavior or thoughts. As we involve ourselves in the spiritual disciplines—such as Bible study, prayer, corporate worship, meditation, and small groups—we become who God wants us to be.

Let God cleanse you through salvation. Then, be patient as he works out the effects of your cleansing through your daily life experiences.

Father, thank you for cleansing me through Jesus Christ. Give me the courage to trust you as you work out my sanctification throughout my lifetime. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Clean Fingerprints - Martin Wiles

WISHING ALL OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. 

Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.” John 13:10 NLT

“Fingerprints all over the place.” Of course, how to clean the fingerprints involved another story.

My oldest grandson called the dirty storm door to my attention as he and his younger brother stood looking over the back yard. What he failed to mention was that both were the reason for the smudges. At the time, we kept them five days a week, so keeping the door clean was an exercise in futility—as it is now, since their number has grown to four.

“Handprints are more like it,” I snickered.

“You need to clean it, Pop,” he said.

A Type A personality like myself, he couldn’t stand dirt—or smudges. I walked by and left the door alone. Since we planned to move in a couple of weeks, I had even more reason to ignore the grimy handprints. But when I decided to clean the door—just before we moved—I didn’t replace the entire door. I just took out the window cleaner and cleaned the glass portion.

Jesus proposed a similar scenario to his disciples. They didn’t need to wash all over—just their feet. They were fully cleansed when they believed in him and decided to be his followers. Now they merely needed a daily sponge bath.

At nine years of age, I decided to do what these early disciples did—trust Jesus as my Savior. Dad explained the gospel message of how Jesus died for my sins. I believed and invited Christ into my life. In that moment, he cleansed me all over. Past, present, and future sins were washed away. The price Jesus paid on Calvary for humanity’s sins was applied to me.

But what about the daily fingerprints that come from putting our hands where they don’t belong—like my grandchildren? They won’t send us to hell because Jesus’ blood has covered them. They will, however, interfere with our spiritual vision as the fingerprints on the door clouded the view of the backyard. Confession will clear away the smudges. Our acknowledgement of our failures and sins is what Jesus referred to when he mentioned daily foot-washing.

Make confession a daily practice. Doing so is good for the soul and will keep your feet clean—and remove the smudges from the doors so interaction between the Savior and you can be open and transparent.

Father, keep me free from sin smudges so I can hear you clearly when you speak.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

What Is the Unforgivable Sin? - Martin Wiles

So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Matthew 12:31 NLT

For Hester Prynne in Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, it was an A; for many others, it is a D. But what is the unforgivable sin?

In a Puritanical time period, Hester Prynne made the mistake of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage and getting pregnant. Town members condemned, ostracized, and forced her to wear a scarlet letter, A, on her breast.

When I was growing up, most of the culture didn’t look favorably upon adultery either, particularly in the Bible Belt. But there was another sin that most looked equally upon with disfavor: divorce. Even most who were not religiously inclined believed that two married people should stay together through thick and thin. Those who didn’t, for whatever reason, were treated almost like Hester Prynne.

In church life, which I knew a lot about, the divorced were looked upon differently. They may have been allowed to join the church—after all, they surely needed Jesus since they were divorced--but they were allowed to do little else. Teaching, preaching, serving as a deacon, and working with children. These were all out of the question. The church was glad to have their money, but wanted little else from them. They had committed what many believed was the unpardonable sin.

Interestingly, divorce is not what Jesus classified as the unpardonable sin. He had strong words for those who attributed his work to Satan—and told them he would not forgive blasphemy (unbelief)--but he never said the same about divorce. In the Old Testament, God said he hated divorce, but he never said it was unforgivable.

Divorce is detrimental. While some choose it, others have it thrust upon them regardless of what they want. Its sad effects meander through families, churches, and nations. But it isn’t the unforgivable sin. The Bible is filled with examples of God using people with all types of issues in their backgrounds—murder included. If God can use murderers like David and Paul, surely He can use someone who has endured divorce.

Telling or implying that someone is unusable because they are divorced is as sinful as the sin they claim the divorced person has committed. God is in the business of restoration.

Don’t allow anything in your past to keep you from being used by God.

Father, help me allow you to use my past instead of letting it imprison me. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Garden Conversations with the Creator - Martin Wiles

When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 

~Genesis 3:8 NLT

Walking in the garden was a Sunday-afternoon tradition, but it was nothing like garden conversations with the Creator.

Edisto Gardens is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the only town the 250-mile-long Edisto River passes through. The river is one of only a few Blackwater rivers—so named because decaying vegetation falls into the river, giving it a black appearance. A smaller pond filled with fish and turtles idles near a rose garden where prize roses show off their sparkling blooms. Several paths meander on either side of the paved road, snaking through the middle of the gardens. Moss-covered oaks keep most of the garden shaded. Several small covered sheds provide a place to rest for those who want to sit and admire the beauty.

When I was a small boy, my paternal grandfather took me there every Sunday afternoon. It was our alone time. We stopped in the sheds so I could read the names of those who had disobeyed park rules and carved their names in the wood. We ambled along the river’s edge to the waterwheel. It served no purpose but continued turning as if it did. And my granddaddy held my hand as I walked along the rock wall, trying to maintain my balance. Spending time in the garden with my grandfather was always enjoyable.

Walking in the cool of the Garden of Eden with God must have been even more enjoyable for Adam and Eve. Wondering how two people could walk with God—or questioning whether he was physically present —misses the point. They had garden conversations with the Creator. How long this continued before the tempter showed up, we can’t be sure. I suppose growing older interrupted my walks with my grandfather. Disobedience did for the first couple.

God wants nothing more than to enjoy these garden walks with us. It begins when we accept what Jesus did on Calvary’s cross, and it continues through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. Sin, misplaced priorities, busyness, and any number of other things can disrupt our garden walks, but they don’t have to.

Although God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden, he still walked with them when they confessed and sought reconciliation. He’ll do the same for us when we copy their behavior.

Don’t let anything interfere with your garden conversations with the Creator.

Father, thank you for your willingness to walk with me daily. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.