Do you need to be watered?
Terri Lines

I have a plant, a vine at on my breakfast bar. It’s beautiful, thick and full of life. Most of the time. I must admit that I do not take care of it that much. I can go weeks without watering it. According to my mom it also needs to be moved to a bigger pot.

This is the cycle of my watering the plant. One day I notice that it looks a little lifeless. So I think to myself, “I should water it.” But I don’t.

A few days later I notice that the leaves are a bit withered. “Boy, I should water you soon.” I say to the plant as I’m filling up my coffee pot. But I don’t.

Now it has been at least a week since I first realized that plant needs water. What do I do? I notice how brown the leaves are turning. Make the assessment that I should go ahead and water the plant. But I don’t.

Here we are at week two or maybe even three. As I’m feeding the cats I realize that the brown leaves have fallen off the vine. I find them swimming in the cats’ water. Pitiful. The leaves could only find nourishment at their death.

So finally today I decided that after I filled my coffee pot, which I do every day, all day some days, that I would water the plant.

As I picked up the pot and more brown leaves fell off I thought about how this plant would look later this afternoon. The leaves would be a bit perkier. It wouldn’t hang so heavy over the side of the bar. The final brown leaves would fall. Within the next few days flourishing life would return.

It’s amazing what a little water will do.

Much like our walk with Christ. In Jeremiah 2:13 and Jeremiah 17:13 God refers to Himself as Living Water. Jesus, when speaking to the Woman at the Well (John 4:10-14) refers to the gift of Salvation as Living Water.

It is so important to be in God’s Word daily. He is our Living Water. Have you noticed that when you are reading the Bible for a few days or a few weeks, you feel better. You feel hopeful and full of courage. You are close to your Heavenly Father. Drinking in of Him. Spending time with Him. Loving Him. Learning His ways. Finding His truths.

Then something happens. The kids get sick or you have to work more hours. Maybe company comes into town. You can fill in the blank of whatever it is in your life that causes you to not have your quiet time with God. Have you noticed how you feel? Things become harder to deal with. Simple every day things like doing laundry become difficult to manage. You find that you have no tolerance for “life stuff”.

You and I are like my potted vine on my breakfast bar. We need water. Every day. If we don’t have it we will wilt. Soon we will be producing dead things. After that our spiritual life will fall down to the ground. Only recognized as what it once was.

If you find yourself thirsty today there is great news! It just takes a fresh dose of His Word to revitalize your dry soul. I encourage you today to pick up that Bible. Spend some time with Jesus.

Be refreshed and renewed. Drink of the Living Water.

@ July 30, 2009

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Invisible Doors
By Terri Lines

A few months back we bought a new litter box for our three cats. We purchased one of those boxes that have a lid and a plastic door. I didn’t think the door would give any of our cats trouble. Our previous house had their box in a laundry room with a cat door.

So after a few teaching moments with each kitty I felt confident that things would work out. It did until a few weeks later.

I woke up to the sound of frantic scratching coming from the boys’ bathroom. “What on earth?!” I wondered to myself. So I dragged myself out of bed only to find one of our cats, which for the sake of her privacy will remain nameless, clawing at the door from the inside.

Overwhelmed with compassion, I quickly pushed open the door. She bolted out. I went back to bed hoping that this was just a fluke. It was until a few days later.

For the next week or so I was summoned out of bed at all ungodly hours of the night to let her out of her box. Now I don’t know why this happens. She seems to be able to use it at other times. So one day I decided to just take the door off.

That worked … until one night I was once again woken by frantic scratching. At this point I have no idea what could be happening. Imagine my surprise when I flick on the bathroom light and found my little cat clawing with such fury at the opening of the cat box.

I just looked at her for a few moments. There she is sitting in her box with complete freedom to leave yet in her mind the door is still there.

I touched her head and she jumped out. I went on to bed thinking I had the craziest cat in the world. The next morning this thought came to me while cleaning that box.

How many of us live our lives that way? I wonder how often do we receive victory over an area of our life through Christ yet still live as if we are defeated?

If I think back I’m sure I will see myself clawing franticly at an invisible door. One that Christ removed and yet I am still convinced is there. Still held captive behind the idea of the door. The beautiful part is that not only does God open doors but sometimes He takes the doors off their hinges.

What about you? Are you still unable to walk through the door?

Ask God today to show you the doors that you still believe are locked.

Then believe Him and walk out!

@June 19, 2009

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Longing for a better country

By Terri Lines

Hebrews 11:12-16: 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Here we are in the New Year. We are making our New Year Resolutions. We are reflecting on the pass year. Perhaps we are kicking ourselves for the mistakes of 2008. Or maybe we are excited to continue on this next year with the good habits we have created. Regardless of how we feel about 2008, we are now here in 2009.

I am always humbled by Hebrews 11. It reminds that we are to be living by faith. Moses, Abraham, Abel, Enoch, and Noah all show us what is expected if we are to have our promises fulfilled. Faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Hebrews 11:1. These men were hopeful that God would fulfill the promises He made to them.

Yet Hebrews is clear to point out that these men did not see their faith fulfilled while on this side of glory. Hebrews 11:13 says “They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.” Are there things in your life that God has promised you? Are you becoming tired of waiting? Are you starting to loose your joy because it seems that He is not coming through on His end of things?

Take heart my friend. God always fulfills His promises. We may not see it until the day of Jesus’ return but rest assured, God is not a liar.

Something else strikes my spirit when I read Hebrews 11. Notice the rest of verse 13; “And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.” It is so important to keep our focus while on this earth. We are God’s children. We live here but we are looking forward to the day when Christ returns and we can go home.

Hebrews 11:15, 16 says something to me about my outlook for 2009. These men left their country and basically never looked back. If we continue to look back at 2008 we will then have the opportunity to go back spiritually speaking. I don’t know about you but I do not want to go back. I’m longing for a better country - a heavenly one.

I want to encourage you to seek God more then ever in 2009. God has a city prepared for you. Leave it all behind in search for it. Don’t look back.

And remember … God always fulfills His promises. Live BY FAITH!

@ Jan 8, 2009

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