The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Watcher(s)"
Our beagle Ellie follows in the pawprints of Sparrow, our beloved hound who passed away several years ago. Ellie sits at the same window in our home as did Sparrow, watching the world go by and waiting to alert us if a cat passes through our yard! (would you believe it??? Just as I wrote those words, a cat passed by. And Ellie, ever on guard as was Sparrow, alerted me to the danger!).
"I speak that which I have seen with my Father" (John 8:38).
The Lord Jesus Christ was a watcher. That is, He spiritually attuned His heart toward Heaven and the Father who led and enabled Him throughout His earthly lifetime. Indeed, our Savior lived by faith no less than do we ourselves.
"The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do… I live by the Father" (John 5:19; 6:57).
In this light of the Watcher who looked unto His Father, the writer of Hebrews calls us to the same directing of our hearts toward Heaven.
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
The Lord Jesus looked to the Father for guidance and enabling. We look to the Son for the same. The Holy Spirit leads us in the light and life of Christ as we avail ourselves of God's grace by faith. Thereby, we walk in blessed Footsteps of the One who knew life such as we know it, in a world that challenges our confidence day by day, and sometimes, moment by moment.
"Walk, even as He walked… We walk by faith" (I John 2:6; II Corinthians 5:7).
Ellie maintains her watch as I write these words, sitting in precisely the same place and posture as did Sparrow for so many years (beware, cats!). Both dear ones bear witness to the greatest Watcher of all, the Lord Jesus, and to our privileged calling to fix our gaze upward as did He. Like Sparrow to Ellie, we walk a path already paved by the One who knows better than do we ourselves the challenge of living by faith in a fallen world. In times of difficulty in trusting God, "looking unto Jesus" will secure our confidence and empower our steps as we watch, even as He watched…
"Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
(Hebrews 12:3)
Weekly Memory Verse
Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
(Hebrews 12:3)
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