The Thorn Remover

I absolutely love a good story, and one day back when I was in my early teens an elderly lady came by my church and told a story about a little girl who was disobedient, so she did not listen to her mother when she said ‘don't climb that fruit tree’. But one day her mother went to the market, and she went up in the tree, before long she fell out of the tree into a pile of thorns. That little girl was the grown woman telling her own story.  

In my life’s observation, some of the most beautiful and vital things are covered with thorns: aloe vera, roses, grapefruit trees, prickly pear and the crown of thorns just to name a few. In plant morphology, according to Wikipedia, thorns are all hard structures with sharp, stiff, ends, generally with the same function of physically deterring animals from eating the plant material.  There are thorns in our lives that hide the beauty within and deter us from serving God the way we should. These thorns may be the negative words we speak about each other, selfishness, covetousness, lying, sexual immorality, unfaithfulness to God and lack of love. Before they crucified Christ, they placed a crown of thorns on His head. Blinded they were of His divinity, as they stood there laughing and mocking. But in spite of that, He wore the thorns because He knew that He had a majestic plan of salvation beneath it all. So reader, ‘who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?’ (Rom. 8:35). These thorns will not stand; they shall not prevail if you ‘put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil’. (Ephesians 6:11)  It all starts with your mind, what do you think about daily? What do you listen to daily? Who are the people you surround yourself with daily? Let us pray that as we go through this life, that our hearts may rest on Jesus, ‘the thorn remover.’

-Christal-Ann Thompson Richards

Forgetting

Have you ever forgotten to put salt in a dish you're preparing? Have you ever forgotten your money for the bus at home? Did you ever forget a special someone’s birthday? Forgetting is something that happens to all of us at some point. Some things however, we want to forget like bad experiences. But remembering is very important.  The story is told in Mark 4 about seeds that went their different ways. Some fell among rocky soil, some fell by the wayside and some fell on good ground. I want to pay close attention to those that fell by the wayside, for the birds came and devoured them.  The birds represent Satan, as soon as there is a word of truth that falls on our hearts he tries to take it away.  To be distracted by this world is to look away from God, so Satan makes it attractive and easy.  You forget the words of God for a millisecond and Satan slips right in. Remembering God’s word is so important, that in Proverbs 3:3, it says bind them around your neck, write them on the tables of your heart, for only then will we not forget. If we live the good words from God we are taught it makes it easy for us to remember.  It’s important for us to train our minds to ‘remember.’

There are so many things that God wants us to remember. ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy…’ and ‘remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth’.  Remember too that you may be only bible that others read. God is pleading with us to ‘remember’ to make a conscious effort to put Him in the forefront of our hearts and minds, only then will we be able to see that challenges aren't stumbling blocks but stepping-stones, look beyond them and remember that He cares for you.  Ellen White said in her book something so profound, I have to share, ‘…transgression is our own act…the will must consent, the heart must yield, or passion cannot overbear reason, nor triumph over righteousness.’ Let us exercise living faith and pray lest we forget.


-Christal-Ann Thompson Richards

FRIENDS

On Instagram I have 111 followers and on Facebook I have 853 friends. Jesus had 12 followers or disciples while he was here on Earth and according to  http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/   Jesus should have over 7,266,012,270 friends on our planet.  So I imagine if Jesus were to have a Facebook page He would pass his ‘friends limit.’ In reality he has none. Are you apart of that number? Is Jesus your friend, your confidant, your comforter? Do you rest in His unchanging love? Do you find peace in the messages He sends us daily, in the smile of a child, the freshness of the morning, the gift of air flowing through your lungs? Are you following Jesus Christ on His ‘Instagram’? And if you are, do you just look at the pictures He posts in the lives of others or are you sharing the blessings He has given you?

 

One day I got phone call, ‘come on wi ago river go cook out, don’t bring anything. Just come.’ So I did as instructed. After picking coconuts and swimming I was very hungry and the portable stove on the riverbank was cooking up a storm and it smelt amazing. Before long it was eating time, but there was no 'equipment' to eat with or from, no plates, no forks, no nothing. One person broke off a badu leaf washed it off in the river and said ‘share mine inna dis,’ the rest of us followed in a similar manner. “And He said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and FOLLOW ME” Luke 9:23. 'Dont bring anything with you' because He will take care of you. Let us formulate or strengthen a trusted relationship with Christ. ‘He is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you’ Exodus 34:14. He already knows your secret pain, your secret hurts and secret joys. He knows more about you than you have discovered about yourself. Talk to Him in prayer. Make Jesus your friend today.

-Christal-Ann Thompson Richards

Perfection

Reading my Sabbath School Quarterly is one of the things i love to do. Since recently i find myself finding excuses to it. ‘no time’ ‘later’ ‘on sabbath’ are some of the things I say. If my soul is more important, why am I spending less time on renewing each day? The lesson I read said  ‘we are like a work of art; we can always be improved upon, and God promises to do just that a long as we press on in faith, seeking to surrender to Him daily in trust and obedience.’ What am I waiting for? Nothing that makes sense He’s ready to hear my every cry, He is always their listening to me pray. So, Father of the world, help me to look beyond those excuses and see that Your plan for me is great. If you take care of the birds, what am I worrying about? What are you worrying about? Leave it in God’s hands, he knows you inside out and is fully capable to lead you in the right direction and give you His eternal peace.

-Christal-AnnThompson Richards