spiritual walk

The moon can be so bright sometimes. There are multiple phases of the moon – sometimes it’s full and bright, sometimes it’s a mere sliver, and sometimes we cannot even see it at all. There are even “super moons” when it appears so close to the earth its size is magnified.

The Apostle Paul is a most unique person in the Bible. Having said that, he was still an ordinary man – just like you and me. And as such, he had the same physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual needs as we do. Paul also made plans . . . that God interrupted. More than once.

Have you ever been away from a loved one for an extended period of time? Did you wait longingly for the mailman in the hopes you would receive a letter from your love? And when you did receive one, was there anything else that took your attention before you ripped open that envelope and read those words?

How often is God “hidden” by the clouds in my life. Clouds of fear. Clouds of panic. Clouds of depression. Cloud of doubting. Clouds of worry. Clouds of temptation. Clouds of neglecting God. The clouds (often of my own creation) are just in the way. But clouds are mere wisps. They may keep me from seeing God – but . . .

I love a good crescendo, don’t you? It can be in a movie, such as the scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” where George and Mary share the phone to listen to Sam explain his new opportunity. It’s the moment where George realizes he loves Mary, but it means his life won’t play out the way he dreamed.

I like wine. To be precise, I enjoy really fine wines. As the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe has been quoted many times – “Life is too short to drink bad wine.” One night some years ago, while studying Bruce Wilkinson’s “Secrets of the Vine”, I prayed “Lord, make me a fine cabernet sauvignon . . .