"For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12

YOUR COMMON EVERY DAY SUNDAY AFTERNOON STROLL Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Y Finding myself with a couple of hours and my family snoozing away a Sunday afternoon, I decided to get my boots, coveralls, camera and head for the hills or valley as it was in this case. I arrived in 15 minutes and scampered into Hidden Valley Park. I looked forward to a quiet undisturbed time in the woods. I headed down a slope to the woods that hides the valley. As I entered the barren Siberian like winter woods of Missouri, the slope leveled out along the dam of a drying stock pond, then the trail sloped back up to a clearing. The clearing probably had been grazed years ago, but scrub trees were now coming up through the grass and some had grown to be 8' or 9' tall. I had hiked along this trail many times, so I cut west to find some wildlife off the main trail. I walked through the meadow coning to some woods which ran along beside a deep ravine. Seeing a possible crossing point, I decided to head for it instead of trying to cross the Grand Canyon. : It still was steep, so I zipped up my camera inside my coveralls and headed down using all 4's. When I got to the bottom I needed to go up the other side which was no small feat. As my vibram soled boots gripped the ground I groped for strong roots to pull myself to the top. My lungs were gasping for air, but it felt good to be tired. I scanned the area for signs of life. Bare trees and fallen leaves met my gaze. I enjoy the winter woods. You don't have to fight the cob webs and there is no brush below the trees to block your view. Different species of trees have different branch patterns. They seem to be in worship of God with their arms raised. "For you will go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." (Isaiah 55:12) Hiking south I went up over a hill and came down to a side ravine. Down in the ravine I tried to take a picture but there just wasn't enough light down there to get one. So I scrambled up the other side. I continued to move south. An emergency siren could be heard to the east. That set off the howling of 2 coyotes. They howled and yipped for a short time after the siren had stopped. The park seems to support a variety of wildlife. I was hoping to see deer but there would be other times to look for them. All returned to quiet. The sky was drab gray except for a few fluffy clouds which could be seen to the southwest, through the many tree branches that crisscrossed the sky. I came to another gully and negotiated it with increasing efficiency. I encountered a road leading to a private property, as I came to the top of the next hill. They had put up a few benches and a picnic table. I sat there observing the woods, thinking and meditating on the Lord. God made nature. It is now out of balance because of sin, but you can still see the beauty and symmetry of what God has made. The God that made this is also molding us and shaping us for His purposes. I decided that I had better head back, because evening church was coming up. I headed down the hill looking for a good stand of trees to photograph. I finally decided on one and set the camera meter for the trees and not the sun shining through the clouds. I got my shot and headed for the creek. I walked up the creek, jumping it from side to side as it meandered from one side of the gully to the other. Reaching the viewing platform that juts out over the bank, I climbed up the sheer wall of loss deposits. As I climbed for the top I was using my lungs as much as I had when I played basketball in December. When I got to the top I realized I had picked the wrong spot to climb, because there was a deep gully between me and the trail I wanted to catch heading north. So I bit the bullet and attacked the next gully as if a roaring fire was nipping at my heals. When I got to the top I walked slow to allow my energy to be replenished. I walled up the trail gaining elevation. A nice maple tree in the meadow marked the spot where the trail cuts into the woods. The trail sweeps down into the woods where a lot of thick vines weave through the trees. As I walked up the last hill I was giving glory to God because He has blessed me so much. I got to the car, ripped off my coveralls, put ray camera in the bag and was gone. I enjoy the woods and am refreshed when I spend time there. But going up and down a lot of hills wears me out. To enjoy the woods I need to be in shape. It is the same with spiritual things. God's Spirit and His word are refreshing, but when I want to accomplish things in the spiritual realm I need to be prepared to be effective. Because growth relies on our service, one of the best ways to grow in spiritual strength, is to find something that needs to be done and do it. If we will do what God shows us to do, God will enlarge our heart to cope with the problems of doing it. (Psalms 119:32) Once you start serving the Lord you will cry out to God for help. You will search the Scripture for answers to problems. You will seek out the fellowship and teaching that you get in a church. As you become involved in ministry, God will direct you more clearly on what He wants you to do. (Isaiah 30:21) How Jesus prepared Himself for ministry can give us clues on how to serve effectively. First, He fasted after He received the Holy Spirit. I have never thought of fasting as submitting to a test, but Jesus' fast of 40 days was for this reason. James 1:12 shows that overcoming trials brings the crown of life. Matthew 4:1 - Led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Mk. 1:12 - He was (driven) impelled by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness Luke 4:1 - Led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Jesus did not go into the wilderness on His own but by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Be open to the Spirit leading you into a wilderness experience. Second, it says in John 4:34 that Jesus' food was to do the will of Him who sent Him. That is He was refreshed by doing what God called Him to do. You will care about what God puts on your heart, and you will be motivated by it. (Psalm 37:4) You will want to put your money and effort there, because it will give you satisfaction. Third any job will tire you out. Jesus took time to rest. (Genesis 2:2; Colossians 1:10) Fourth, He made prayer a priority, rising before sunrise to pray. (Mark 1:35) Fifth, Jesus made it a habit to attend church. (Luke 4:16) Sixth, He knew the word and knew how to rightly interpret it. The Bible shows us the right way to live and Jesus used it to resist Satan. (Matthew 4:6,7; 2 Timothy 2:15) Seventh, He did not acquire riches for Himself but plowed all the money he received, back into His ministry. His focus was not His own life, but others. (Luke 9:58) Home | Back to Top

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