Paula McBride - In The Garden With God: refreshing glimpses into the heart of the Father

A Softer Blue

How would you describe to someone the difference Christ makes in your life? Hymnwriter George Wade Robinson (18381877) considered the way we view creation. Heaven above is softer blue, he writes. And earth around is sweeter green. Birds with gladder songs o'er flow. Flowers with deeper beauties shine. Then Robinson adds the lines that reflect the title of the hymn: Since I know, as now I know, I am His and He is mine.

As spring unwraps the chilly cloak of winter, I hope you are feeling the presence of Christ in the blossoming trees, the green hills, and the warmer breezes. A relationship with the Creator enriches our appreciation of what His hands have made. Does a spectacular sunrise or sunset stir your heart to worship? Are you in awe of a newborn's tiny fingers grasping just one of your own? Have you ever swum with dolphins or snorkeled with sea lions and turtles? Christ makes a difference in my life since I have an outlet for the emotion stirred as I am immersed in God's wonderful world. And with Robinson, I can say, I am His and He is mine.

What if we're not immersed in the wonders of spring right now? The sky may be blue, and there may be birdsong in the air, but it seems an insult to those whose hearts are despairing. This may be the first spring without the presence of a loved one. Others are walking right now through the valley of the shadow. I am glad Robinson has another verse in his hymn that expresses the difference Christ makes during troubled times: Pillowed on the loving breast; Oh, to lie forever herewhile He whispers in my earI am His and He is mine. What a precious place to be for those who know the Savior!

Some of us are walking neither in the ecstasy of spring nor in the middle of a storm. Our days are filled with the ordinary. What difference does Christ make for us? Christ can shine a light on our tasks that lifts them from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Oswald Chambers says that in some cases the way a person does a task makes that work sanctified and holy forever. I remember pulling weeds during a mission trip. What a joy to pull weeds for Jesus under a sky that was a softer blue.

We live in days that are ever-changing. What difference does Christ make for us? Let's get back to Robinson's hymn. He writes, His, forever only His. Who the Lord and me shall part? There is the promise of forever. Even now, Christ is making ready His eternal home, and one day, He is going to call us there.

In the meantime, we will live in all the seasons. Sometimes we'll be awed by the beauty of the things God's hand has made. Sometimes we'll feel as lifeless as leafless trees. Sometimes we'll be doing well to put one foot in front of the other. However, this truth never changes: we are His. He is ours. Let's let Him make our skies a softer blue.

All Things Pumpkin

Pumpkin spice is not a flavor, it's a lifestyle. Its mantra is the crackle of fallen leaves and bonfires. Sweater weather' is its trademark. The pumpkin spice life, like its coffee, is sweet, and you are always thankful for your blessings. It was never really about that particular blend of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger and allspice, but how it makes us feel: warm, nostalgic, loved.

Maura Judkis

Where are you on the crazy scale of lovers of all things pumpkin? Fanatic or couldn't care less? Whatever your belief on the matter, merchandisers caught on to consumers' affection for the creamy coffee drink and began flavoring everything you can imagine with the pumpkin spice flavor of fall: cereal, yogurt, pasta sauce, cheese (tastes like cheesecake, they say), and even dog food. Hitching a ride on the popularity of the spice, sales of pumpkin-themed home dcor increased. I confess I bought a lovely glass pumpkin with a candle inside for my newest fall pretty.

I also confess that my last time in Starbucks, I forgot the pumpkin spice lattes were available, but I yielded to the temptation to buy a pumpkin spice scone. Why not? Pumpkin is healthyminus too much sugar, that is. Pumpkin fiber satisfies cravings by helping you feel full. Beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, and E support eye health. Antioxidants boost your immune system.

God reveals Himself in the things He has made, and this holds true for this largest of fruits so popular each autumn. Father God is our soul satisfier, as David revealed when he wrote, Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). He opens our eyes to understand His character and His Word, and He cleanses us from sin to boost our spiritual immune system.

There's another way God reveals Himself in the pumpkin. Have you considered that a pumpkin is three distinct parts yet one fruit? The tough rind protects the outside from birds and insect pests, the nutty flesh is tasty and healthy for eating, and the seeds (which can be eaten as well) are for reproducing more fruit next season.

The concept of a triune God is hard for some to grasp, but nature is full of three-in-ones. So let's check out the pumpkin. The tough outer rind reminds us that God the Father is our protector. Psalm 32:7 says, You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble. God the Son is the Bread of Life and the Living Water. He is the One Who nourishes us. God the Holy Spirit is the One Who tends the seeds of the Word in our heart that become the fruit we share with others.

Perhaps you are a pumpkin fanatic, and the only reason you are reading is that the title caught your eye. But you know, it's not really about the pumpkin. It's about our ever-present God, Who wants to be known by his children. Knowing Him and being known make us feel protected, nourished, and loved. All that, and a glorious fall season too!

Amazing Love

Dear John,

I hate you.

Love, Mary

You can hardly call it a love letter, but think a minute about the words. With love, Mary states her true emotion of the moment. Her heart is laid bare and vulnerable. Obviously, something within her is broken, yet she continues to love. We don't know the full story, but let's suppose that between John and Mary, there is such trust and intimate knowledge of the other that these harsh words can be spoken and the issue resolved. The result: a love deeper than before and the confidence that nothing either one of them does can change it.

Which of our Bible heroes could have written a letter like Mary's to God? How about Job? Dear God, I hate You. Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, that you would conceal me until Your wrath is past' (Job 14:13). David had reason to rail at God: Dear God, I hate You. I am weary with my groaning. All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with tears' (Psalm 6:6). Jeremiah had it so bad that he is called the weeping prophet, and poor Ezekiel had to see his wife die as God's object lesson. We don't have to suppose the love relationship between these men of faith and their King of glory. They were so confident in the goodness and unconditional love of the Almighty that they could spill out their anguish in truth before Him.

Do we love God as much as He loves us? Are we unpleasantly honest with Him at times? Do we work through issues or stomp our foot, turn away, and slam the bedroom door? Let's take a look at the amazing love God has for us and see if we can't bring ourselves to love Him back more deeply and intimately because of His unconditional love for us.

I see God's love as an available love. The apostle Paul writes that the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5). Secondly, God's love is an impartial love. That is a whosoever kind of love. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). God's love is sacrificial. The apostle Paul writes that the Son of Godloved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). God's love is exemplary. If God loved us, we should love one another, according to 1 John 4:11.