Presence On The Porch

Thursday, July 16, 2020 Good morning, Lord V.O.D.: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.—Hebrews 11:1 M.O.M.: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 Today's reading: Psalm 18-19 Acts 20:17-38

The Presence on the Porch

Sometime in the past years I wrote of my Dad sitting on our westward-facing front porch as the storms rolled in. He would send us in the house and watch across the railroad tracks like a watchman on the wall. I would sit just inside that old frame house and watch out the window from his chair just a few feet away. The imperfections in the antique windows made in the 'old way' had 'waves' that distorted my view but I could see enough.

The clouds would get dark and and then, sometimes, it would get so eerily still and Dad would not move. He showed no fear as the wind picked up and the lightening and thunder began their show. He watched the movement in the clouds until the rain began and then would slowly stand and come in the front door. He believed the worst part was over when the rain started and that still holds true a lot of the time. "God gave us enough sense to get out of the rain", he'd say.

Some of us had that same 'presence on the porch', so to speak, in a father that stood watch over the family. Some had mothers who were 'bears' for their children who gave us that feeling of security.

Getting gray, among other things, means that I appreciate more and more the security that my Dad and Mom built in my heart. It also means I am aware that many never knew that and this should be a matter of prayer for all of us.

Feeling secure, I believe, is part of the fruit of the Spirit in peace and self control whether we felt that security as children or not.

Peace has to be uncovered for some a little at a time. The more consistently we seek God the more peace we realize.

Self control must be learned but it is layered on experience to experience. Setting a time for ourselves everyday to be with God in private-meditation, Bible study, prayer-means developing good habits. The promise of developing good habits has no expiration date-it is never too late to learn.

If you are insecure, you must believe that Jesus died, rose again, and ascended so that you would know His peace. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not as the world s I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled nor let them be afraid."John 14:27

The 'presence on the porch' is always there in my life though my Dad has been gone since 1970. The Holy Spirit is my security as well as any who have placed their faith in Christ. God wants us all to know that security.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Saved through faith-it is a gift. God has given us all we need to grasp this great reality. We must continually seek Him in that faith to realize how great a gift it ultimately is.

Our Heavenly Father has marked us-Ephesians 1:13 "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit"---and he will finish what He started. Philippians 1:6; “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Today we start to expect to be confident in Christ because we know that we constantly seek Him.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven, Forgive my inconsistency. I will seek You and learn. Father of security and peace, In the name of Jesus, Amen