Where is God When You Walk Away?

 

The born-again child of God (John 3:3-8) who has trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6) cannot lose his salvation and is eternally secure (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39). Jesus promised that He would never cast out any who have come to Him, for it is His Father’s will that He should lose none of His children and that all of them have eternal life (John 6:37-40).

In His prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for every one of us who have trusted Him, for He kept secure every one whom the Father had given Him. Notably, that did not include Judas Iscariot, the “son of perdition,” who outwardly appeared to follow Him but who never had placed his faith in Him (John 17:9-24).

Once we are God’s children (Romans 8:14), He exhorts us to leave evil and wickedness behind (2 Timothy 2:19). But even the apostle Paul said he had to "die daily" to his flesh and yield to the Spirit to avoid sinning, a battle he did not always win, for none of us can (Romans 7:14-23). When we do sin (Romans 3:10,23; 1 John 1:8-10), it is our old sin nature winning out, not the Holy Spirit within us, Who cannot sin (1 John 1:4-7).

If God were to throw us out of His family whenever we sin, or whenever we sin "enough," how could He then chasten us (Hebrews 12:5-11) as a Father chastens His children? What would sinning "enough" to merit expulsion from God’s family even mean? Holy God does not differentiate levels of sin, and He cannot tolerate in His presence any sin or any sinner who has not been washed clean in the blood of Christ (Romans 3:25; Revelation 1:5) and taken on His robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).

If a believer were expelled from God’s family whenever he sinned, even if the sin is so grievous that he tries to convince others of lies and false teachings, it would leave no room for the chastening hand of God to correct and perfect him, leading him back to the truth and to the right path (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Why would any child of God “walk away” from the faith? Reasons could include loss of mental faculties or psychiatric illness, or severe life circumstances causing one to doubt God or to be angry with Him. Or, perhaps most commonly, falling in with the wrong crowd and being influenced by them (2 Peter 3:16-17), or listening to and believing the lies Satan is blasting over the airwaves (Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 3:13; 4:3) through his wicked people in high places (Ephesians 6:12).

We should stand firm in our faith (1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Peter 1:10; Ephesians 6:11-14), but pride or unbelief may cause us to fall from stedfastness into reproach, temptations, lust or condemnation, meaning disapproval but not damnation (1 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Timothy 6:9; Hebrews 4:11; 2 Peter 3:17; James 5:12)

Knowing that his time is limited, the devil is working overtime to spread false teachings, to keep people from being saved by the truth and to ruin the fruitfulness and testimony of those who are saved. For this reason, we must constantly be on guard not to believe his lies (1 Peter 5:8-10), by studying God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16), knowing and standing for what we believe (Colossians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 15:57-58), and putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).

But what if we do drift away by turning our path, attention, and affection to the world and away from Him? As the saying goes, if we find ourselves separated from God, it is we who have moved, and not Him. He cannot change or lie (Hebrews 13:8; Titus 1:2), for He is faithful (Psalm 89:8; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13) and true (James 1:17), and He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

So what does God do with His child who has “walked away” and may even be encouraging others to do the same? First, He speaks with His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12), perhaps convicting them of their error through a Bible verse they see or hear (2 Timothy 3:16), or a word from a Godly friend (Proverbs 27:17). If it is not too late and their conscience has not yet been seared (1 Timothy 4:2), He speaks to them through His Spirit.

Then it may take harsher measures, just as a loving earthly father resorts to when his child still disobeys in response to “the look” that means “Don’t even think about doing that again;” the verbal correction, and the “time out.” Then the earthly father may take away the child’s privileges, and God may allow Satan to remove what is important in the life of His child – health, wealth, job, and even family.

We see God allowing Satan this power in the life of Job (Job 1:8-22) even though God considered Job to be His faithful servant, to perfect Job and to glorify God when He restored all to Job (Job 42:10-17).

But what if God allows trials into the life of His child to correct him and to increase his faith, and yet the child still rebels? As our late pastor at our former church used to say, “Sometimes God gets more glory from His child’s death than from his life.” Even within the church, or called-out body of believers, there are vessels which honor the Father and are suitable for His use, and those which dishonor Him (2 Timothy 2:19-21).

If we are dishonoring God by ruining our own testimony and discouraging or deceiving others, God may not only prune us as He would unfruitful branches (John 15:1-2), but He may allow Satan to take our life and destroy our flesh (Ezekiel 18:24-26) before we can do more damage.

Even then, however, our loving Father takes us home to be with Him throughout eternity. We cannot lose our salvation or our relationship to God as His born-again children, even though we can lose the joy of our salvation while on earth (Psalm 51:12), our fellowship with God (1 John 1:3-6), our earthly life itself (Matthew 10:28; Romans 6:23), and the eternal rewards we could have had by fulfilling God’s perfect plan for our lives (2 John 1:8-9).

All of the above applies only to the person who has truly realized that they are a sinner in need of a Savior; that Jesus Christ paid in full for all of their sins (Romans 3:23-26); that He is the Son of God (1 John 5:20) Who rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4); and who has asked Him to be his Lord and Savior (Luke 23:42-43). When we are saved, we become a new creation in Christ, and there should be evidence of a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17). As Jesus said, “by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:15-20).

No doubt there are many who have said the “sinner's prayer” without truly repenting or placing their faith in Christ, and without asking Him into their heart (Matthew 7:21-23). They may have done it only to please someone else, to fit in with their peer group, or even to try to go to Heaven without having a relationship with Christ.

These people are still unsaved, and they may subsequently "walk away" or “fall away” from the faith they never really had. But only God knows the hearts (Psalm 44:21; 139:23) and knows whether they have accepted or rejected His Son.

Therefore, I believe that a better way to state "Once Saved, Always Saved" is "Once TRULY Saved, always saved." May we remain stedfast, unmoveable, and continuing in the work He has so graciously appointed to us (1 Corinthians 15:58), always setting Him before us and at our right hand, so that we shall not be moved (Psalm 16:8). Once we are truly saved and born again as a new creation in Christ, may we stand fast and walk with Him in the light, yield to His Holy Spirit guiding us into truth, and may we do all to His glory!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Missed Service

 

Photo by Rodhullandemu 2020

I rolled over lazily in bed, slightly disoriented by light streaming through the window, but I felt certain I had time for a quick morning snooze. But then a small voice inside nudged me to look at the clock. Oh no! It was already ninety minutes later than when I needed to get up to prepare for church. At this point I would be so late I wondered if it was even worth attempting to get there.

But then a great wave of peace rolled over me and I breathed a deep sigh of relief as I realized it was only Saturday – a day I could sleep in guilt-free!

I didn’t think much more about it until one of our morning’s devotionals was about the writer’s grandmother, who always laid her clothes out Saturday night so that she would be prepared for church on Sunday morning. Even on the Saturday night that the Lord took her home, her husband discovered the outfit she intended to wear on the Lord’s Day, neatly cleaned, pressed and ready on a hanger.

The author of the devotional compared her grandmother’s preparation to Jesus’ parable about the wise virgins who kept their lamps trimmed and filled with oil, so that they would be ready when the Bridegroom came to take them to the wedding feast. In contrast, the foolish virgins failed to be vigilant, let their oil run dry, and had to go out to buy more, completely missing the Bridegroom’s return and being forever shut out of the wedding feast (Matthew 25:1-13).

As we don’t know the day or the hour our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, is returning (Matthew 24:36) to Rapture His church to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:51-58), we need to be ready to meet Him by trusting in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). Those who have not done this before His return will be left behind during the Great Tribulation, and those who have rejected the Gospel before the Lord’s return are unlikely to then accept Christ, as God will send them a strong delusion allowing them to believe Satan’s lies (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

But even for those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we need to be ready for His imminent return. At the judgment seat of Christ, we will all give account to Him for what we have done with the time, talent and treasure He entrusted to us since we were saved (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

We will receive rewards for acts of service done with the right motive of pleasing and honoring Him. But we will lose rewards for good works done to bolster our pride or earn praise from others, and for missed opportunities when God opened the door for us to grow His kingdom, but we failed to walk through the open door.

Do we give Jesus Christ the pre-eminence in our lives? He deserves to be first (Colossians 1:18) as the One Who created us for His specific purpose He determined before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10), Who sustains us (Colossians 1:17), and Who redeemed us from sin, death and hell (Job 19:25). Or do we take Him for granted, giving Him our second best, our leftovers, and our lowest priority?

Shortly after I was saved, a fiery preacher visited our church and gave a powerful sermon on the importance of serving Christ. I still remember him saying “It is not a small thing to sing in the choir, or to be an usher or greeter, or even to faithfully attend every service!” The empty choir seat, the absence of someone meeting a visitor with a warm smile, and sparse attendance speak volumes about the apathy of the church, as in the End Times church of Laodicea, and the need for revival (Revelation 3:14-22).

There are many valid reasons why born-again Christians miss church on occasion, such as health or family emergencies, being out of town, or having to work. Many are out for extended periods because of physical limitations or serving as full-time caregivers. Many avoid church in times of discouragement, grief, or failure, thinking they will be a burden to others, when these are the times they most need to be uplifted by the body of Christ.

But how many miss services to catch up on their sleep, housekeeping, at-home work, or even recreation? How many don’t go because they think it’s inconvenient or they’d rather be doing something else? How many let the devil convince them that they can just as effectively worship in their own home or out in nature, and that they won’t be missed and that it doesn’t matter?

But it does matter, not only to the individual believer missing opportunities for service, spiritual growth and encouragement, to the congregation seeking fellowship and worship with the body of Christ, and to the pastor with a burden on his heart to feed the flock and reach souls for Christ, but to God Himself. He designed each of His children with unique gifts and talents to fit perfectly as a member in the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-9).

Just as our physical body functions poorly or not at all if we are missing a limb, nerve, or vital organ, the church suffers when individual members are absent. Imagine if the pastor didn’t show up! But each of us has a vital role, and not just the deacons, leaders, teachers, worship leaders, musicians, ushers and singers. What if no one is there to stock the rest rooms or turn on the lights?

There have been times, such as during the Covid pandemic, that many churches prudently turned to online services to protect the health of their members and community. Yet when the pandemic was over, many who had gotten used to missing church no longer missed it. They initially grew content to watch Sunday services online, never returned to church, and then stopped watching altogether, disobeying the Lord’s command to not forsake corporate, in-person worship, especially as His return draws nearer.

Not coincidentally, our Pastor’s Sunday morning message on the day after I slept in on Saturday was about faithfulness. Praise God for His faithfulness to us, for every good gift comes from Him; without Him we can do nothing; and with Him all things are possible. In thankfulness and obedience to Him, we too must be faithful, reliable, and dependable in our service.

As the apostle Paul urges us, may we be stedfast, unmoveable, and ever abounding in our work for the Lord! (1 Corinthians 15:58). May we be “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord (Romans 12:11). May we be like the wise virgins, always prepared for Jesus Christ’s imminent return, knowing that He will reward us for our faithfulness!  May we hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21)

Laurie Collett

Copyright 2025

Faith Revealed

 

Photo by Tuxyso 2013

More than a decade ago, as my husband and I set off to Las Vegas to celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary, we were excited yet a little apprehensive. We had been invited to perform a Theatre Arts solo exhibition at a ballroom dance celebration, and we were planning to dance our Christian ministry piece, “Transformed,” which uses the imagery of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly as a metaphor for salvation to eternal life (Romans 12:2). In our dance ministry, we often perform to largely unsaved audiences in secular settings. Yet we had never performed at the ballroom of a Las Vegas casino, so we prayed especially fervently that our message would be well received.

Added to that was the usual struggle of trying to tie up loose ends before we left home for a week, praying that our businesses would run smoothly and especially that our loved ones would be healthy and safe. Our son was suffering with a bad cold that kept him out of work for a few days and prevented us from getting together before we left. My husband’s mother, over 90 years old, had many chronic medical conditions that had caused her to be in and out of the hospital.

As our anniversary was in January, we were in the peak of snow and ice storms and bad weather, and numerous flights had been cancelled or delayed within days before our scheduled departure. It even crossed my mind that we might not make it to Vegas in time for our performance!

But as we left Tampa in unusually brisk 30 degree weather, we were relieved to be dressed in our long coats and even more blessed to have safe, on-time flights and arrival, so our fears were unfounded (1 John 4:18). Although the weather in Las Vegas had been chilly the week before, we were blessed with mild, sunny weather for most of our stay.

The gentleman who had invited us to perform, whom we had only met on one occasion several years before, could not have been a more gracious host, treating us to many meals and driving us around to see many sights that would not have been possible without a car.

We saw David Copperfield’s show and were astounded by one illusion in which he blindfolded a woman from the audience and had her wander under a canopy of 100 ribbons, each tied to a different word provided by 100 other audience members. Another audience member started and stopped a recording of music whenever she wanted to, and when she stopped, the blindfolded woman stopped and reached up with her hand to grab the nearest word. Of all the words (some proper names, some common objects, and some emotions) she could have selected, she chose the word “FAITH!”

I know that magic tricks have a logical explanation and are not miracles or evidence of supernatural power. Yet I was encouraged by this gentle reminder, regardless of the setting, that all we need is to have faith (Matthew 17:20; 21:21), trusting and obeying God whether or not we see His hand at work. But David Copperfield’s illusion had just begun, and he asked the audience to raise our hands high in the air. As we had entered the theatre, we had been given white paper bracelets printed in black with “David Copperfield.” But now as we raised our hands high, black light shone on our bracelets to reveal the word “FAITH” appearing in fluorescent letters on each outstretched wrist!

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1), and without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). But this got me thinking that every now and then, perhaps more often than we even notice, God gives us little glimpses of faith revealed (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:23). We do not need signs (Matthew 16:4) to know that God loves us and is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Still, I believe that He paints loving pictures to encourage and calm us, just as a parent might tuck a thoughtful note in their child’s lunch box to remind them how much they are loved.

Praise God for His faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:8; Isaiah 25:1; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13)! This was manifest to us when all aspects of our performance came together beautifully, despite jet lag, lack of recent rehearsal, and what I thought might be a stomach flu and migraine I experienced that morning. We danced to a full house and very appreciative audience, and God allowed us to testify to His goodness and power of salvation, not only through our dance but verbally as well. Our prayer is that hearts were softened to Him as seed was planted (Matthew 13:3-32).

We had many exciting outings planned for the remainder of our trip, including seeing several Cirque de Soleil shows and walking around the magnificently decorated hotel lobbies. It is almost like walking around the world, as you can see replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Venetian canals, and the Coliseum all in the same day! But lest you think otherwise, we do not drink, smoke or gamble, and I joked that our stay may have set a record for the longest vacation in Las Vegas without a penny spent in a casino!

Our faith would be tested yet again, as one morning as we were traveling to see the Hoover Dam, Richard got a phone call from his sister. His mother had just been readmitted to the hospital for low blood sugar and pneumonia, but his sister reassured us that she would handle things and that we should not cut our trip short.

Naturally we were concerned, but as I gazed out the window at the blue, cloudless sky, I was blessed to see a perfect, white cross, perhaps left by two intersecting jet trails. Yet there was no fading off of the lines at their ends, and the arms of the cross were in exact proportion and right angled to the upright beam. Without Christ’s finished work on the cross to pay for our sins, and His resurrection to eternal life, which conquered the curse of sin and death, there would be no physical or spiritual healing (John 11:25-26; Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). 

He is the Great Physician, and we can trust Him to rid our bodies of the curse of sin (Psalm 147:3), whether through His design for recuperation and disease-fighting He has programmed into us (Psalm 139:14; Hosea 6:1), or through taking us to Himself where we feel no pain, sickness, or suffering (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17; 21:4).

The third reminder of faith revealed was at the Grand Canyon, at Eagle Point where the rock formation resembles the outstretched wings of a giant eagle. This of course brought to mind Isaiah 40:31, which has always been a special verse for us in our dance ministry: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

As we left this breathtaking view I was surprised to see a small rainbow from the bus window. These always remind me of God’s faithfulness to keep His promises (Genesis 9:12-17), and yet this one was extraordinary, not for its size or beauty, but because it was there at all! We were told it hadn’t rained for weeks; there were no clouds in the sky; and typically it only rains briefly on 10 days out of the year in Las Vegas, for a total annual rainfall of less than 2 inches. Truly a dry and thirsty land (Psalm 63:1), thirsty not only for rain but for the Living Water of Jesus Christ (Song of Solomon 4:15; John 4:10-11; Revelation 7:17), and yet God gave us a rainbow!

On the last day of our vacation, we were in fact treated to a 5-minute rain shower, followed by one of the largest, most brilliant rainbows I have ever seen, particularly resplendent as it stretched out over the blue and purple mountains outside the city. As we admired it, we reflected on God’s grace in arranging all details of our journey to make it a much-needed time of refreshing and renewal of our vows to one another, to our ministries, and to Him.

He saw us safely home to Tampa, and thankfully we traveled not on the day of, but on the day immediately following, massive delays and cancellations due to severe weather in Atlanta, and our flights were safe and only 30 minutes late. Richard’s mother was stable, and we were able to spend quality time with her in her last days, as He ultimately brought her safely home to Himself shortly thereafter, on Valentine’s Day. Once again a beautiful reminder of His perfect love, so great that He gave His only Son so that whosoever trusts in Him will never die, but will enjoy eternal life! (John 3:16)

 
Richard’s mother was saved very late in life, and it was our prayer that her memorial service would lead others to know Him. May we all continue to witness to and pray for those who do not yet know Christ, no matter how old or set in their ways, as nothing is impossible for Him!  (Matthew 19:26) May we not grow weary of doing His work, for if we persist, we will see the harvest in His perfect timing! (Galatians 6:9)

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Liberty and Justice

                                                                                                    

Photo by Martin Falbisoner 2013

As we in the United States of America look forward to celebrating Independence Day, we give God thanks for our great nation, founded on Christian principles and blessed by God throughout the years since her birth on July 4, 1776.

Our Pledge of Allegiance to the flag recognizes that we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Being under God and being near to Him is what makes our nation great, as we learn from:

Deuteronomy 4:7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

Despite the cultural, socioeconomic, and ideological differences among Americans, if we remain indivisible, or united as a nation under God, we can gain great strength from one another. There is strength in numbers when we work together (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Our diversity gives us strength, much as God uses the unique gifts, talents and resources of each member of His Body, the Church, to serve a specific function in His kingdom (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:14-27).

Our sin nature often results in discord where there should be unity, but only God can bind us together under His leadership, protecting us from all enemies. As the apostle Paul wrote: If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).  

God is the source of all our nation’s blessings, for blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12). Whatever problems and challenges our country may be facing, God has promised to heal our land if we humble ourselves, turn away from our sins, and pray for His blessing:

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

As the Pledge of Allegiance reminds us, the USA is blessed to have liberty, or freedom, in many areas of life, and one of her great goals is to have equal justice for all. True liberty and justice are possible only through our Lord Jesus Christ, once we have trusted in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

Isaiah prophesied that through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ would proclaim liberty to those held captive by sin, death, and hell, and that He would open the prison doors of all those enslaved (Isaiah 61:1). How was this possible? The Son of God, God Himself, came in the flesh and died as the perfect, sinless, atoning sacrifice to pay in full the penalty of our sins, reconciling sinful man to Holy God (Romans 3:25; 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

He then rose again on the third day, so that all who trust Him would find perfect liberty in Him (2 Corinthians 3:17), meaning eternal life in Heaven (John 3:16) as well as abundant life on Earth (John 10:10), beginning at the moment of salvation. We are not to insult His precious gift of liberty by becoming legalistic (Galatians 5:1), thinking that we can add to His completed work on the cross (Hebrews 10:10) through religious rituals or good deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9). Nor should we restrict the freedom of others to worship and serve Him according to their unique personalities, talents and preferences, provided they are not in conflict with His Word, for He created and gifted each of us for His specific purpose (Ephesians 2:10).

God is perfectly holy, just and righteous, and fairly administers justice equally to all people. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2); He is all-knowing (Psalm 139:6); and Jesus Christ is Truth personified (John 14:6). His justice is therefore perfect, yet tempered by mercy (Psalm 89:14). Perfect peace, judgment and justice await Christ’s reign in the Millennial Kingdom and will continue forever (Isaiah 9:7).

The apostle Paul tells us that God considers all His children who have trusted His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to be equal in Him, regardless of race, nationality, sex, or social status (Galatians 3:28), and James and Peter write that God is no respecter of persons, meaning that He loves and judges all fairly and equally (James 2:1,9; 1 Peter 1:17).

Thanks to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, all who trust Him can have true liberty from the penalty of sin, which is death and eternal punishment in hell. He satisfied the judgment for our sin required by His perfectly holy, just Father. He will reign one day in perfect justice.

Praise God that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, so that all who trust Him can experience true liberty in Heaven from even the presence of sin! Our glorified bodies will live forever with Him and with our loved ones in Him, without aging, death, pain, sorrow or sin!

Copyright 2025 Laurie Barclay

Bright Clouds

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

We almost talked ourselves out of watching the sunset because the forecast called for rain. And yet, here at our beloved beach getaway, my husband Richard and I have a tradition of always watching the sun as it sets, or more accurately, as we here on Earth rotate away from it. (We like to tilt our porch chairs backward to emphasize this point)!

This evening, the rain held off to allow us to enjoy a hug in this spectacular setting from the privacy of our balcony. A balmy breeze refreshed us after a day of long walks on the warm sand. Osprey and pelicans soared above the sea or plummeted into it in search of fish, while waves undulated along the shore in crescents of foam or billowed and crashed into it.

But the main attraction is always the light show, ever-changing colors and shapes swirled together by the Master’s hand according to His infinitely creative and intelligent design (Genesis 1). According to meteorologists, the Saharan dust storm, traveling all the way to Florida, not only helps protect against hurricanes but also enhances the sunsets as light refracts off the dust particles. And high humidity, while oppressive, contributes to the beauty as the setting sun illuminates the cloud formations in a rainbow of colors.

In school we learned about three types of clouds: wispy, feathery cirrus clouds; fluffy white cumulus clouds; and brooding nimbus clouds threatening rain and storms. Some clouds are a combination of two of these types, and recently scientists have added even more categories according to shape, such as lens- or pouch-shaped. God uses all these types as elements of His ever-changing landscape to demonstrate His beauty (Isaiah 61:3), power (2 Samuel 22:33) and glory (Psalm 29:3).

Shortly before this evening’s sunset, what I could see from the downstairs sliding doors was a neutral gray sky brooding over dark green waves. But as we opened the door to the upstairs balcony, we were speechless except for “Ooh! Aah!” and “Wow!” The crimson orb of the setting sun was barely visible through the thick clouds, yet its golden, ruby and diamond beams of light penetrated the cloud formations, painting each with a unique pastel hue.

Mere words, written or spoken, could not do the scene justice, nor do the photos below. How true that the heavens declare the handiwork of God (Psalm 19:1), revealing His majesty, splendor, and infinite power. To think that He created this masterpiece to lift our spirits and assure us of His presence (Psalm 114:7) reminds me of His infinite love (1 John 4:8).

We have been blessed to view many sunsets on this island, and each is unique and awe-inspiring in its own way. Yet to me, the sunsets on humid, dusty days in a cloud-strewn sky are always far more dramatic and magical than those on clear evenings. It is as if God uses the negatives of dust, humidity, and clouds to contrast with and even enhance His pure, radiant Light (1 John 1:5), creating beauty from ashes ((Isaiah 61:3) .

Similarly, we would not appreciate the joy that comes in the morning were it not for the weeping in the night (Psalm 30:5), nor the depth and abundance of His blessings (James 1:17) were it not for the trials and tribulations of this world. Ultimately, we who trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to eternal life (John 14:6) will encounter the perfect beauty, peace and joy of Heaven, made all the brighter against the backdrop of the “light affliction” we suffered here on Earth (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Praise God that He works all things together for our good! (Romans 8:28) He can use the Saharan dust storm to create a spectacular sunset, and He can shine His light through us and from us (John 1:9; 8:12) to overcome the darkness of this evil world!    

Copyright 2025 Laurie Collett

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

A Godly Legacy: Fearing God, Worshipping Him, Obeying Him

 

As we get ready to celebrate Father's Day, we may consider King David, who set a Godly example for his son Solomon to follow as a believer in God, as a wise man, and as a ruler over God’s people. Despite David’s sins, beginning with idleness, then snowballing into lust, adultery, and deception, and culminating with murder (2 Samuel 11), he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), showing genuine repentance and asking God to cleanse him of his sins (Psalm 51:7-17). If God could forgive and use David so powerfully, there is hope for every one of us!

During his reign, David defended God’s chosen people against her enemies, honored God in his daily walk, and provided Solomon with what he needed to build God’s temple, including precious metals, building materials, and semiprecious stones. His example inspired similar gifts, offerings and service for God’s house from the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and the rulers of the king's work (1 Chronicles 29:1-8).

Moved by the willingness of his people to serve God, David blessed, praised and thanked God for His greatness, abundant provision, and power. He recognized that he and his people were strangers, sojourners, and mortal before the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (1 Chronicles 29:9-16). Even though the Israelites were God’s chosen people, they had to be saved through faith before God could call them His friends, for faith is the common theme underlying salvation through all periods of Biblical history (Hebrews 11:6).

Obedience is the outward sign of faith, which is why “trust and obey” go hand in hand (1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:15,21; 15:10). As I heard a missionary preach once, when Jesus tells you to do something, just do it! (John 2:5). David prayed that his people would always be willing to serve God, that they would prepare their hearts to receive Him, and that Solomon would have a perfect heart, to keep God’s commandments, testimonies, and statutes; to do all that God would have him do, and to build the palace (1 Chronicles 29:17-19).

Again following David’s lead, the people prayed to God, worshipped Him, and offered Him burnt offerings and drink offerings, in addition to the material sacrifices that they donated to build His house. They celebrated the transition in leadership from David to Solomon by joyfully feasting before the Lord, a second time making Solomon to be king, and anointing Solomon to the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. As Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king, all the princes, the mighty men, and all David’s sons obeyed the new King Solomon (1 Chronicles 29:20-24).

David’s shortcomings prove that he is human and a sinner like all others (Romans 3:23) and that the Bible is true, rather than glossing over weaknesses of heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11). Despite David’s sins, he left a Godly legacy for Solomon, his nation, and for all of us to learn from by reading God’s Word. God rewarded David’s faithfulness by answering his prayers for Solomon.

The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. Of the forty years that David had reigned over Israel, seven years (the number of perfection or completion) were in Hebron, and thirty and three years in Jerusalem. David’s reign, marked by longevity, riches, and honor, was recorded in the books of Samuel the seer (wise man or sage), Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer (1 Chronicles 29:25-30).

Even if we are not rulers or in positions of power or leadership, may we be like David, good stewards over what the Lord has entrusted to us. Once we realize that we are sinners saved by God’s grace through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)  in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), He immediately blesses us with forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9), eternal life (John 3:16), and abundant life (John 10:10). May we share Him with our families (Acts 11:14; 16:31) so that they too accept God’s freely given gift of salvation!

Our inheritance as children of God (1 John 3:1), joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and part of His bride (Revelation 21:2) includes opportunities to serve Him as His stewards (1 Corinthians 4:2), fellow-workers, and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). May we be an example of faithfulness, obedience, and honoring God to our children, families and those who come behind us. May we always remember to thank, praise and worship God for His abundant blessings to us, our family, and our nation!

© 2016 Laurie Collett

What Do You Treasure Most?

 

Photo from CNN

A few years ago at a flea market in the Midwest, a scrap metal collector going through tough times bought a decorative gold egg containing a watch. The purchase price was $14,000, way beyond his means, but he thought he could get at least twice that for the weight of gold in the item, and he leveraged all his remaining assets to buy it.

But he had overestimated the weight of the gold, and he realized that his profit after melting it down would only be about $500 – hardly enough to rescue him from his dire financial straits. In desperation, he Googled “egg” plus "Vacheron Constantin," the name inscribed on the watch, and was amazed to learn he might be holding a rare collectible.

He took it to an art dealer who immediately recognized the great value of the piece, not for its gold content, but for its design, craftsmanship and beauty. The dealer realized it could only have been the work of Peter Carl Faberge, jeweler to the last Czar of Russia, and that it matched the description of one of the eight missing Imperial eggs that was designed in 1887 for the Czarina. 

Although the Czar had commissioned 50 of these jeweled eggs throughout his reign, to be given as Easter gifts to his family, only 42 had been retrieved after the bloody revolution in which the Royal Family was assassinated.

The price paid by the art dealer to the scrap metal collector was undisclosed, but the last Faberge egg to be sold at auction (in 2007) fetched over $30 million, even though it was a non-Imperial egg and therefore less valuable than those commissioned by the Czar. So even though the scrap metal dealer sold all he had to purchase the egg, it was by far the best investment of his lifetime.

It reminded me of Jesus’ parables about the kingdom of heaven, which is like treasure found and hidden in a field so that the man burying the treasure could buy the field (and the treasure!) by first selling all that he had. Jesus then told of the merchant who looked for expensive pearls, and when he had found one pearl of great price, sold all that he had to buy it (Matthew 13:44-46).

If we are not willing to sacrifice all that was once dear to us, how can we invest our life in serving Him? Only then can we experience the priceless rewards He longs to give His children (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13). If we were to own the whole world, it would mean nothing if we were to lose our soul to eternal punishment in hell (Matthew 16:25-26; Mark 8:35-37).

The tale of the Faberge egg got me thinking about how we measure value. At a flea market, very few bargain hunters, even the most shrewd, would dream of spending $14,000 on any purchase, no matter what the potential value. Why would the flea market vendor sell the egg so “cheaply,” without even researching the price of the gold alone? What if the scrap metal dealer had failed to realize what an invaluable treasure he held in his grasp?

And what if the Czarina could tell us of what that egg represented to her – a symbol of her family’s power, lavish lifestyle and opulent wealth? A token of her husband’s deep and passionate love for her? Did the beautiful watch within the golden egg mean that the Czar wanted to give her the gift of time, wishing their happiness would last forever? Or, as it was an Easter gift, did it remind her of the most precious gift of all: Our Savior’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), so that all who trust in Him would have eternal life in Heaven (John 3:16), where time can no longer be measured?

Much of the decoration of this art object suggests its religious significance. It is fashioned of gold, fit for the King (Matthew 2:11), and contains a timepiece, which is appropriate to the One Who controls time (Daniel 2:21; Acts 1:7). It is adorned with three sapphires and three golden garlands, which could represent the Trinity. A diamond is the opening mechanism revealing the watch, reminding me of the sapphire and diamond on the high priest’s ephod (Exodus 28:18; 39:11).and the jewel-like brilliance of Christ seated on the throne of glory (Revelation 4:3). The Faberge egg sits upright on an elaborate gold stand supported by lion paw feet, which might be a reference to Jesus Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).

On the night that I heard this news I dreamed, ironically, that I really needed to sleep, because of important and taxing commitments I had the next day. But in the dream, I kept waking up because of a CD player. The first time I was sure I had shut it off before going to bed, until I was surprised by Charles Stanley’s voice preaching. This was no time for a sermon, I thought with irritation, because sleep was now my first priority.

In the dream, I flipped the power switch to “Off” and once more drifted into restless sleep, when I again heard God’s Word as delivered by one of my favorite preachers. But in my annoyance at being awakened once more, my thoughts toward him and his message were not exactly charitable. This time I yanked the power cord from the wall and resumed my tossing and turning.

But to no avail. I again “awoke” (still dreaming!) to the sound of Scripture, this time not read by Charles Stanley but in tones so rich and pure they sounded like crystal resonating. Fascinated, I followed the sound to a golden egg, which appeared to contain not only a timepiece but a musical movement playing Bible verses. I tenderly cupped the egg in my hands and pressed it to my chest, letting the Word resonate through my very being.

No longer dreaming, I arose feeling blessed and inspired. But then I shuddered to think how many times I had shut out my Lord’s voice because of concerns that seemed more pressing, unaware that I was quenching and grieving the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30). Sleep is valuable and necessary (Psalm 127:2), but how much more precious if He would speak to me! (1 Samuel 3:1-10)

What an awesome blessing when He awakens me with songs or visions in the night (Job 35:10; 4:13; Psalm 42:8; 77:6; Genesis 46:2; Daniel 7:13), perhaps laying a burden on my heart to pray for someone’s specific need, or giving me the long awaited solution to a problem, or even a new direction to follow

How often do we put God’s voice on “pause,” or “off,” valuing the empty chatter of the world more than His Word that is our daily bread and guiding light? (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3; Psalm 119:105) Even worse, what if we place more worth on our independence than on our relationship with Him? If we attempt to disconnect from our ultimate Power source, we will be as useless as branches yanked away from the True Vine (John 15:1-8).

What do we value most? Do we worship the idol of wealth accumulation (Luke 12:15-21), only to have it stolen or corrupted (Matthew 6:19-20), or to find that we have no time left (James 4:14; Job 14:1) to enjoy our hoard? Do we pour all our energy into making a living rather than seeking new life?

We should not worry about our physical needs (Psalm 37:25), for He is the ultimate Provider (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; James 1:17). All we have to do is seek Him first, and we will give us His Kingdom and all that we need (Luke 12:22-32), granting us the desires of our heart as they align with His perfect will (Psalm 37:4).

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Praise God that at the moment of salvation, His Holy Spirit enters our heart (2 Corinthians 1:22;5:5; Ephesians 1:14), which is the most precious gift imaginable. If we allow Him, He will write His mercy and truth on the tablet of our heart. His wisdom far outshines gold, silver and jewels, adding longevity, riches and honor to our life (Proverbs 3:13-16).

He makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), transforming us from scrap metal fit for the junk heap to His finely crafted workmanship, destined for His ultimate purpose (Ephesians 2:10). No longer need we fear time running out on our earthly days, for He has conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:26,55-57) and given us eternity with Him!

May we always hide His Word in our heart that we might not sin against Him! (Psalm 119:11) May we treasure Him above all else!

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives