Think on These Things by Margaret Kemp

The world has changed more than I could have imagined when I chose the title of my blog. I chose it because it applies to every aspect of my life. Margaret Kemp, a woman I met on our tour of Israel,  published this blog on Facebook Thanksgiving Day. Her message applies the theme of my blog to our present season. I love that she uses the picture of driving on a steep mountain road to depict the uncertainty which we all live in 2020. Beautiful writing.

She wrote:

I did it again.

I'd promised myself I wouldn't, but there I was, compulsively scrolling through the news feed on my phone. As I read each article, I alternated between anxiety and outrage.

This year, we've had no shortage of outrageous, anxiety-producing events. A pandemic. Violence. Hurricanes, wildfires, and other national disasters.

I haven't personally suffered tragedy this year; no one in my immediate family has died, nor have I lost my job or my home. But I've often felt like I was driving at high speed down a winding mountain road, with rocks sliding down the mountain on one side and steep drop-offs on the other side. Who knows what's coming around the next curve?

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

With thanksgiving.

When I concentrate on the potential calamities in my path, I'm hard-pressed to find a reason to be thankful. Bad news can bind us to the beauty around us.

Yet there's a scenic overlook along the way, and Philippians 8 invites us to park awhile and take in the view.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phil. 4:8 ESV)

The Greek word translated "think about" is logizomai, "to reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons, to deliberate, to consider, take into account, weigh, meditate on."

The New American Standard version translates the last phrase this way: "Let your mind dwell on these things."

So instead of taking in all the bad news, I decided to make a list of good news items that fit the criteria of Philippians 4:8.

Whatever is true....In a world littered with fake news and false information, I can fill my mind with the beautiful truth of the Bible. I'm thankful for God's Word.

Whatever is honorable...In a world that stinks of corruption, honorable men and women still daily, selflessly risk their lives to protect the weak and heal the fragile. Thank God for those heroes. 

Whatever is just....A passing glance at the world around us reveals so much injustice. The Bible says, "There is none righteous. Not one." (Rom. 3:10). The good news is that God is a "righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation." (Ps. 7:11), "Thank God; one day he'll bring justice." (Psalm 94:15)

If the picture of God ruling and reigning seems too far off in the distance, I can meditate on the beauty close up.

Whatever is pure...I thought about my granddaughter's gleeful, ringing laughter. I thought of friends who'd welcomed new life into their families; sweet babies with velvety soft skin snuggling peacefully in their mother' arms; wide-eyed trusting fur babies affectionately wagging their little tails. Thank God for those pure blessings.

Whatever is lovely....In the morning as I'm driving to work at sunrise, I'm treated to a spectacular display of light and color in the morning sky. As the weather gets cooler, pink camellias pop out on the bush beside my front door. The loveliness of God's creation gives me reason to be thankful.

Whatever is commendable....Rather than sulking because someone offends me, I can rejoice because so many people demonstrate kindness every day: the neighbor who leaves gifts on my doorstep; friends who text to check on me; sister, who's only a phone call away when I need to talk; considerate, friendly strangers in the grocery store. Their simple gestures won't earn the world's applause, but their actions are commendable.

If there is any excellence.....When I take the time to look, I discover examples of virtue and moral excellence. I find people who are faithful to their callings, even when the going gets tough. I'm thankful for my husband, who stands by me through difficult times. I'm thankful for my pastor, who humbly, diligently teaches God's Word verse by verse. I'm thankful for worship leaders who blend excellent music with a passion for Christ. Those are excellent things.

I'm sure you have your own list of lovely, commendable, excellent things.

Maybe your scenic overlook is cloudy right now. Maybe your eyes are full of tears and your heart is raw from fresh grief. Maybe you feel like you're about to tumble down the mountainside. Then let your thoughts dwell on God, who is worthy of praise. (Rev. 4:11). He's not far off in the distance. He's right beside you, a very present help in time of trouble. (Ps. 46:1)

Take a moment and enjoy his presence. Just for a while, stop wondering about potential dangers around the next bend in the rods.

Park and meditate on the good. The beautiful. The praiseworthy.

And give thanks.

The Power of One Word

 "UN-SURVIVABLE"

One word. Sometime in the early evening before Hurricane Laura, I first heard the word "un-survivable", predicting a 20' storm surge in the Lake Charles area. Un-survivable? Growing up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I've lived through many hurricanes, but I never remember hearing a prediction of "un-survivable." The word was spoken too late to influence more evacuation but not too late to cause a surge of fear began to seep through social media as one after another shared the prediction - "UN-SURVIVABLE!" One journalist got his wish - his word spread and made the headlines in newspapers across the country.

 

I began thinking about the power of a single word. Whether the use of a word is accurate, wise or exaggerated - one word has power.  Whether spoken by a wise man or a fool - one word has power. A few years ago, I read a book about seeking God prayerfully for one word to focus on for a year, meditating on it and praying that God work it into your life. For a few years, I prayed and chose a word. Some words I chose were joy, light, love.  I studied scripture about the word, meditated on it and journaled what the Lord spoke to me. Most years I had forgotten about my word by summer, but many times it would come to mind throughout the year, reminding me how God worked in my life in fulfillment of the "one word."

 

Thankfully, Hurricane Laura hit in a way and place that a 20 foot storm surge did not occur, but the media was not done with their declarations. Because their "un-survivable" prophecy was wrong, one person began the viral declaration that Lake Charles had "dodged a bullet” This one carried power too because many forgot about the area. I still see articles written by people of Lake Charles, pleading that people forget the headline "dodged a bullet" and see they still need help! One word has power!

 

When the Israelites finally reached the Jordan River across from the land God promised Abraham, 12 spies were sent across. Ten of them returned with a bad report. As they began to describe what they saw, one word stood out and then echoed through the camp - GIANTS!  Once they heard that word, all else said was muffled. They hardly heard Joshua and Caleb insist "it is a good land!" The shouts of "GIANTS!" in their minds drowned them out. One word has power!

 

As in the prediction of an "un-survivable" storm surge, the word "giants" wasn't the whole story, certainly not the accurate story. Yes, the grapes in the land were huge, proving all God had said about a fertile, lush land of abundance, flowing with milk and honey! But someone concluded that huge grapes meant giants to eat them.  As in the whispering game called "gossip" we played as kids, the message was whispered and spread through the camp. It gained power. One word kept the Israelites from entering the Promised Land! One word has power!

 

How many times do we hear a bad report and make it our constant meditation? We study it, pass it on, make a prediction or a declaration. I know that during this strange season, I've succumbed to focusing on the words. You know "the words" -- pandemic, Covid, death, riots, hurricanes and so many more….. They echoed through my mind trying to control my thoughts and create stress and fear. It was necessary to use them to inform my choices, but did I allow them to magnified and twisted?

 

What about the words I repeat? What is their source? It's been a tricky year - hard to know what's true and what's a lie. As we seek discernment, let's allow God to filter not only our meditations, but the words we speak.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue. And those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21

 

I've seen a lot of memes using words and pictures with the caption "if 2020 was a ____, picturing some unpleasant, pessimistic illustration. Some said "If 2020 was a word _____” I can't really remember the words that followed. I admit some were funny, but most were downright scary. I scrolled quickly through! I could not bear to think of a whole year defined that way! If 2020 is a word, who gets to choose? The media, social media, friends, enemies, political agendas? Satan has certainly tried!

 

It's not January 1, but let's allow God to choose a new word for the remainder of 2020. Let it not be "pandemic" or "catastrophic".  Nothing to do with political chaos or division. What if the word chosen was "peace"? Or "faith"?  "blessed"?  Personally, "kingdom" has been my meditation, as in "thy kingdom come."

 

Let God alone define 2020! Let God define how I view 2020! It's His year! He brings the seasons and the harvest of each year! Psalms 65:11 says, "You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths drip fatness." Another translation says, "even the hard pathways overflow with abundance."

 

2020 has certainly brought hard pathways. Some of us have had to be dragged along kicking and screaming, but there is beauty and bounty along the path. He is walking with us. He whispers His words in our ear, and not one of them is "UN-SURVIVABLE".

 

 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14