Satan's Shout -- God's Whisper

      I know most of us have heard about the "still, small voice" of God, but how often do we think of Satan's big, loud voice? It's all around us, you know: on television, the radio, Facebook, Twitter, and wherever we get our "news." But then, he (Satan) is the "ruler of this world" (John 8: 44-47, 12:31-33, 14:30; Ephesians 6: 12-13; 1 Peter 5:8-10), so why are we surprised when his voice rings loud all around us?

      Why doesn't God make it easier for us to see Him, hear Him, know Him? No one can say for sure, of course. But think about a time when you've seen the most beautiful sight ever, whether it be a wild creature you've taken by surprise in a quiet wood, our spectacular sun rising over a grand mountain or melting into a liquid sea, an intricate cathedral arching to the heavens, the look of love in a dear one's eyes. Is your first impulse to shout a thousand words, or are you rendered speechless with the wonder of it?

      I know that it's in the quiet moments gazing at my beloved lake or the serene meadow in front of our house that I seem to hear God speaking, not in words, but directly to my heart. It's then that I open His written Word and sense He is speaking to me, and I am able to face another day....

      ".... At that moment the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
      Suddenly a voice came to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" (1 Kings 19:11-13)

   

Cracked Pots-- True Treasure

     

Kentsugi Pot in the hands of artist Dave Jones.

     I spent an hour or more yesterday looking at the stock photos on an old photographer-friend's website. I saw picture after picture of myself on beautiful beaches all over the Caribbean, and I was (Dare I say it?) beautiful myself. And I cried over what I thought must be illusion, or at least a thing long lost. I reviewed my life for some time: happy times, fruitful times, but a great number of broken times. My body is old and broken now, too, and I wondered, "Can I still be of some use?"
      
      "As if" God had planned it, this morning's devotion took me to Hebrews 12:1-3, and told me a historical tidbit I'd never heard: that in Biblical times the real treasure of a wealthy family, the silver and gold, was hidden away in the cracked clay jars that were no longer of use in storing water, oil, or wine. Over time the clay would disintegrate, but the treasure would remain.

      Then I remembered hearing about the Japanese art of repairing broken things, called kintsugi. Wikipedia has an interesting description:  "As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise." In the master artist's hands the broken object becomes a thing of exquisite beauty.

      I can't help wondering if this cracked and decaying pot might possibly become a thing of unique beauty holding true treasure? In Your hands, dear Master, I believe it can! 

"Yet Lord, You are our Father,

we are the clay, and You are our Potter;

we all are the work of Your hands."  (Isaiah 64:8 CSB)

      "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4: 7-9 NIV)

"He must increase, and I must decrease."  (John 3:30)

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