One of my gifts is a daily devotional that I have read year after year, Streams In the Desert by L.B. Cowman. Life happens to all of us and this is a precious reminder to me everyday that God is walking with me.
Song of Songs 8:5 Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her/beloved? There are many ways to read The Song of Solomon and as I was preparing for this time of sharing, my focus was reading God’s Word to understand ourselves in the context of
Our relationship with Jesus Christ as a child of His. As parents, let us remember that we are also children—a child of our Savior and Lord.
In a southern church I learned a great lesson at a prayer meeting: As one man prayed, he asked the Lord for various blessings, just as you or I would, and he thanked the Lord for many blessings received, just as you or I would. But he closed his prayer with this unusual petition: And O Lord, support us! Yes, support us on every leaning side!”
Do you have any “leaning sides”? This humble man’s prayer pictured them in a new way and illustrated the Great Supporter in a new light, as well. He saw God as always walking along side the Christian, ready to extend His mighty arm to steady the weak on “every leaning side”.
Guess what? Parenting is no easy task. If there is only one thing that you remember from my message today, let it be the word LEAN! How many of us have heard from a teacher, a parent or a grandparent, “Stand up straight! Sit up straight! My message this morning is “Lean—Lean—Lean”. Lean on Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He is the lover of your soul—He is the only one who will never leave you or forsake you. Your humans, your human friends and human family and human family friends, we will disappoint you and fail you. Christ won’t. Lean on the Lord and be a parent who leans on the Lord.
Hopefully, every one of us here today will have a new reminder now whenever you say or see or hear the word, “LEAN”! From a parenting perspective:
L = Love (Loving Leadership (parenting means leading, setting boundaries)
E = Encourage (Be a positive influence in your child’s life; inspire her with courage or confidence.)
A = Admonish (Correct, teach, to scold especially in a mild and good-willed manner; to caution and advise)
N = Nurture (feed, protect, support, train, snuggle, play with her)
Parenting requires leaning. Lean on Christ. Life requires leaning for each one of us whether we are parents, preparing for parenting, or just living life. May each one of us be reminded that God designed our lives to be entwined with His. He wants us to LEAN on him.
As we continue to live our days, may each of us be reminded to LEAN on HIM. So…may you never read the word LEAN again without being reminded of this message!! Let’s LEAN on Christ, each one of us.
The shower was especially a blessing because of all the people who came and showed support to Julie and our family. I was very encouraged by the love that was in the room of 50 or so women. God is so good. I am so thankful for my church family at home and for a loving God who takes care of all of our needs.
Matthew 6:25-34
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life,
as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body,
as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns,
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace,
And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace,
will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
