Charming

Words fascinate me in general, but the collective nouns for birds have a particular appeal.

A scold of jays? Yes.
A raft of ducks? Apropos.
A host of sparrows? If our feeders are typical, absolutely.
A drumming of woodpeckers? No joke.
A charm of finches? Indeed.

House finches live year all year, but we only see goldfinches in the winter. They are here en masse right now, and I am loving every minute of it. This morning I counted 10 coming for breakfast at the same time. (They are quite petite, much smaller than house finches or sparrows, but larger than the hummingbirds we see here.)  May the following peeks into our backyard brighten your day.

Help

...he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13:5b-6

Medical tasks and upcoming medical events have been overwhelming me lately. In that context, this week's entries in Voices from the Past encourage me to persevere in trusting the Lord. May these words from William Gurnall strengthen your soul to press on as well.

"The dear love God has for his saints engages his power. The believing soul is an object of God's choicest love, even the same love with which he loves his Son (John 17:26).... He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. O, how must God love that creature he has carried so long in the womb of his eternal purpose! God also loves his saints as the purchase of his Son's blood. They cost him dear. He that was willing to expend his Son's blood to gain them will not den y his power to keep them....

"The saints' dependence on God, and expectation from God in all their trials, oblige his power for their succour. Christ's presence in heaven lays a strong engagement on God to bring his whole force and power into the field upon all occasions for his saints' defence. He intercedes for fresh supplies of grace and help for us" (16 January).

"The apostle teaches: 'I will never leave you nor forsake you' (Heb. 13:5). Every believer may boldly say; 'God will help', not 'perhaps he will'. We may boldly assert it before men and devils because the Almighty said it.... No act of faith so strengthens us for duty as our belief that God's almighty power is engaged for our assistance.... The Christian's comfort also increases when we trust in God's almighty power. Many fears like waves roll over us. He who sees himself folded in almighty arms, O how he mounts up before the wind with his sails filled with joy and peace! Let storms arise, this one may sing merrily with the sharpest thorn at his breast" (17 January, quotes from William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, Volume 1).

Refining Fire

“Refining fire, go through my heart,
Illuminate my soul;
Scatter thy life through every part, and sanctify the whole.”
F. B. Meyer

Reminders from Spurgeon on the Threshold of the Year

"We rejoice that we will never have to change our confidence, for our God will never be carried into captivity or torn from his throne. Our faith is built on a rock that can never be moved.
Nothing in the past has shaken the foundation of our faith.
Nothing in the present can move it.
Nothing in the future will undermine it.
Whatever may occur in the ages to come, there will always be good reason for believing in Jehovah and his faithful Word.
The great truths he has revealed will never be disproved.
The great promises he has made will never be retracted.
The great purposes he has devised will never be abandoned.
So long as we live, we will always have a refuge, a hope, a confidence, that can never be removed...."

"The Lord is good to us in all tenses and in all ways."


And again:
"God's acts of faithful love in the past help us in three ways in the present:
first, they aid us in prayer to know what God has done for His people in the past;
second, they support our faith because we know God can accomplish anything He wishes;
and third, they provide happiness for His people in the present when we rest in what He has already done for us."

May we raise our Ebenezer over the trials and triumphs of 2017:
"Thus far the Lord has helped us!"
May His unchanging faithfulness give us courage to step boldly into 2018,
trusting that He will help us again.
He is good in all tenses and in all ways.

Courage, dear hearts!