The Wonder of God

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Psalm 40:5
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done.

The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; 

were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

This is a beautiful video with some incredibly beautiful time lapse photography. If you get this in your e-mail and the video is missing click the blue title to get back to the post to see it.

Today I have been looking at art and photos trying to find the inspiration for the Tree of Life mosaic project. There are so many directions I could go with that project that I really need to see what it is that God would have me do with that project. In thinking about that project I have stumbled across many beautiful paintings and photos of Gods creation. I guess it is hard for me to begin to fathom that heaven is far more beautiful.  I think that the Tree of Life rests in the Paradice of God. It is guarded by an Angel with a flaming sword. It bears 12 kinds of fruit and its leaves will bring healing to the nations. It sits along the banks of the river of life that flows from the throne of God. So I wonder what is the essence of this project - how do I begin to represent the splendor and the wonder.

I guess I am surprised by how much Tree of Life art is out there. There a celtic tree of life designs, and tree of life tatoos and wonderful paintings. It seems to be found in many cultures and lands and time periods. I saw one artist that does individual tree of life paintings out of symbols that mean something to the patron. One was made up of dragon flies, it was very clever and beautiful.

I'd like to tell you that I can just "ta da" see this because I have asked God to show me. Perhaps it will come in a dream or a waking vision perhaps something will suddenly click. I know the Beloved project happened in stages, I could see it, I could draw it small, I could draw it big but before I could lay the glass I had to some how feel it and that was something that God allowed me to feel after much healing. So I wonder what it will take to remove the blinders from my eyes to be able to see this. For now I watch and wait with expectation that the Lord will show me. I suspect there is something in me that is not ready to behold this wonder. Then again it may be like naming my second child. The first one God clearly gave me the name the second one he was silent and I had to search til I found the name that seemed right. So I have learned in life and in art that one can't put God in a convient box and expect that he will do things the same way every time.

Did you ever notice that the accounts of how Jesus healed blind men was different every time.
Here in this example He spits in the guys eye and says "Do you see anything"

Mark 8:23
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. 

When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, 

Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

 In the next example spit was not enough this time He spits in the mud and puts mud in the guys eyes.

 John 9

¹ As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  

² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

   ³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

 ⁶ Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 

 So before you go off and make up a spiritual formula to cure blindness. Take a look at the next example... no mud, no spit - what the heck - just what do you want me to do for you - and ta da its done. It just goes to show you that you can't fit God in a box. 

Mark 10:50-52

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
   ⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
   The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
   ⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Well thats about it for my great wisdom for this post.  Oh I have one more cool story to tell you. I prayed last week for a young man in India in facebook land chat. He was having a bad day and said he needed a word from the Lord. By faith I shared with him the word that was on my heart from Proverbs 16:18 about the gift making the way for the giver.

He wrote me today to tell me that he applied that word to his life and went to an orphanage on Christmas day to take gifts to the children. He shared with me how he has received great favor from other leaders in the ministry where he serves.  He writes "when u give that woed from that day onwards every big appercaite me like anything praise god everyone appeciate me all people encourage me that is the reflcet of christmas orphange people food given" 

I am blessed to know that the word I felt led to share - made a difference. I am blessed to know that there is no distance in God's kingdom. That God can do wonders in far away places and speak into lives through the prayers that we pray and the words of encouragement that we share with others.
His story today encourages me to not put God in my own little boxes in thinking that He moves when I lay hands on people to pray for them. He ministers through each of us as we step out in faith to believe that He loves us and wants to touch others near and far if we will believe and be led by the Holy Spirit.

God is good -He is amazing and I look around and I am in awe of His wonders.

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I pray you would open the eyes of those reading this and that if they have put you in some box, that they would allow you to expand their paradigm. Help us to be led by your Holy Spirit in little things like a word of encouragement or a bible verse or a prayer I pray that those little acts of obedience, faith and kindness will be like a stone tossed in a lake that will create ripples that go on and on.

One more beautiful video and a great song by Phil Wickham.
Wow the changing sunset behind the lone tree. - Beautiful! 

Counting Your Blessings

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Psalms 40:5

Many, O LORD my God, 
are the wonders you have done. 
The things you planned for us 
no one can recount to you; 
were I to speak and tell of them, 
they would be 
too many to declare.




Did you catch in todays verse where it says..."The things you planned for us no one can recount to you: were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."  Have you stopped lately to count your blessings. All the undeserved things that happen each and every day in our lives. There are so many things that we take for granted. Yet God has lavished His love upon us in the beauty of the sunset or sunrise.  The wonders of creation. The smile of a friend, a kind word. There are thousands of little ordinary miracles that happen each day. Perhaps you can explain many of them away to natural causes and perhaps they are just little gifts of grace that touch our lives in a million little ways.

Proverbs 17:22  The Message "²² A cheerful disposition is good for your health;
   gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

Amplified Bible 17:22²²A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.'

 Thankfulness is a powerful thing. There have been difficult seasons when I would make a point to wake up and think of things I was thankful for. Thankfulness sets your mind and heart on a different path than a complaining or grumbling heart. We need to stir up the gifts that God has put inside us. We need to stir up our thankfulness. Its easy to get weighed down in depression, discouragement to the point that we wear it around like a wet blanket. We stand there pitiful, wet and cold and wish someone would come join us in our pity party. I don't mean to make light of anyones troubles but often the biggest adjustment that needs made is to our attitude. 
Put on the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  Which reminds me of this song that I am too tired tonight to try and record. So here is a link to a nice version someone did on you tube. I like the flags at the end.


If you are getting this in your e-mail you will need to click the blue title to get back to the devotional site to view the video.

Some more verses to think about today. Note that "And be thankful." at the end of Colossians 3:15
Don't just let Christ rule your heart and live at peace. Those things are followed by a very strong "And be thankful" You can start with being thankful that the peace of Christ does rule in your heart.

Colossians 3:15 NIV 1984  "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Philippians 2 reminds us  ¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

I like it in The Message starting with 13b Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
 ^14-16Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing. 

I believe as we go through the ups and the downs of life that people around us are watching. If we can begin to cultivate a lifestyle of thankfulness, and joy not just in good times but in the hard times as well. Our lives become a testimony of the power of God at work in us.  I love the line in the verse above that says That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.  Our God is a gentleman and waits to be invited by us into the situations of our life.  God is doing the work in us, he wants to provide the energy and the will to do the things he desires for us.


What are some things that you are thankful for?

Is there anyone or anything that you have been taking for granted?

Why might it please God for us to come to him with a thankful heart?

Are there things that you are complaining about that you might want to look at from a different vantage point. Maybe ask God what He is using it to work in you?


Prayer:
Dear Lord,
You do so much for us every day. There are so many things that we have grown accustomed to that we over look them or take them for granted. Lord help us remember those things. Help us more and more find reasons to be thankful for all that you do. Even in the midst of the trials we are facing help us to see the fingerprints of your love and mercy. Help us to be doers of the word and not those who just let it go in one ear and out the other. Help us more and more put it into practice in our lives. Help us catch ourselves when we might begin to complain and turn it around and find a reason to thank you.