Yesterday was a beautiful day. We went to Minto Brown park and walked around to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. I asked God for a bird. He gave me this one and although it was facing the opposite direction, it’s still a joy. I tried to get a better shot, but it decided to fly away.
The sun was still high up when we headed out. Today is a different story. While the sun is gleaming brightly, my heart is heavy. If only we could see the spiritual battle waged at us every single day.
“As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.”
Ezekiel 33:30-31
Before we left the park, this thing was perching by the parking lot. I was glad to have gotten another angle of a bird. My dream would be to take one of a Cardinal on a Cherry Blossom tree. It’s so beautiful.
“Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.”
Ezekiel 33:32
How Ezekiel must have felt when God revealed to him the reality about those who were around him.
We left Minto and headed to a park by the house. Someone hollered and commented that these things don’t smell so good and he’s right. The colors attracted me to this plant that I was willing to put up with the unpleasant scent it was giving off. We sometimes do this with people. We gravitate to some because of colorful appearances even though time and time again, we can see the error of their ways. We will all sin while we are in this body, but the Word of God calls us to be set apart from those who willfully and repeatedly do the same thing (2 Timothy 3:5, Romans 16:17-18). The outward indicator of repentance is when someone stops the act altogether. It’s not easy, but it has to be done.
On the way home, I was able to get a shot of the moon. It amazes me how some still assert about planets being flat when the evidence is staring us right in the face. It’s amazing to see the craters and the details of the moon as far as it is.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
James 1:22-25
My apologies if I overload you with pictures. They are of God’s creation and it is a joy to be able to share them with you.