LEAP DAY

“The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty…
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved.”
(Psalm 93:1)

Today – February 29^th – is leap day.  We have one extra day this year, making a total of 366 days in 2012.

We all know the general rule for leap year:  every four years, we add an extra day onto the end of February.  But that’s only the general rule.  Did you know there’s actually more to it than that?  Here’s the complete rule for leap year…

• The year is evenly divisible by 4
• If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year.
• But if the year is also evenly divided by 400.  Then it IS a leap year.

For instance, the years 1600 and 2000 were leap years; but the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years; nor will 2100 be a leap year.

Why?  Leap years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth’s orbit around the sun.   It takes the earth exactly 365.242199 days to circle once around the sun.  And since it is not exactly 365.25 we have to add some extra adjustments every 100 and 400 years to keep the calendar on track.  WOW!  Did you know that when God set the earth in motion, He did so with such precision?

Leap day serves to remind us of two significant truths.  First, God is the Creator. Our world did not just happen by chance.  It was precisely and firmly established by God.  He created all things – the universe, our solar system, the earth, and everything on the earth.

Secondly, God loves us!  He created this planet for man.  The orbit of the earth around the sun, the rotation of the earth on its axis, and the tilt of the earth on its axis all combine to create a perfect climate to support human life.  While there are several more anthropic constants, these serve as simple reminders of God’s love.  He designed a perfect environment to sustain life.  He created earth for mankind.

So, when you think of leap day or leap year – remember the majesty of God (He is our Creator) and remember His love for you!

Dear Heavenly Father,
You are truly a majestic God!
You set the earth in motion & established the universe.
You are the creator and sustainer of life.
Thank you that you love me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!

PRAYER-DARE

“Three times a day he (Daniel) got down on his knees and prayed,
giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
(Daniel 6:10)

In 1963, the United State Supreme Court banned public prayer from our schools in America.  Bible-reading was banned from schools a year later.  Since that time, we have seen a constant barrage of attacks against Christianity in any public forum.  Today, the Ten Commandments, Christian crosses, and Nativity plays are forbidden in public.  The mere mention of God’s name is anathema.  Every year, we hear of students being taken to court for daring to pray at their graduation ceremonies or mention the name of Jesus in a graduation speech.

What would Daniel do if he were living in America today?  In Daniel 6, the political leaders devised a plot to have Daniel thrown to the lions.  They convinced the king to issue a decree forbidding everyone from praying to any god except the king himself.  Essentially, they dared Daniel to continue praying.  When Daniel heard about it; he was not deterred.  He immediately went home, opened his window facing Jerusalem and proceeded to pray three times a day as was his custom.  No threats would stop Daniel from praying.  No lions would shut Daniel’s mouth.

What would happen in America today if Christians followed Daniel’s example?  We could start by making prayer a consistent priority in our lives – more than just “thanks for the food” at each meal.  Then, we might follow Daniel’s example by refusing to let anything or anyone deter us from prayer and our personal relationship with God – no threats from our culture, no demands on our schedules, and no excuses, interruptions, or shortcuts.

Bring on the lions.  Dare to be a Daniel!

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for godly heroes of faith like Daniel.
Give me the courage I need to follow his example.
I choose to make prayer the priority of my life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!

PRIDE

 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,
that he may lift you up in due time.”
(I Peter 5:5-6)

God hates pride!  Just ask King Nebuchadnezzar.  In Daniel 4, after warning Nebuchadnezzar and waiting a year for him to humble himself, God’s patience finally ran out.  God humbled him.  God judged Nebuchadnezzar by striking him with a psychotic insanity called zoanthropy.  He literally lived in the fields, eating grass like a wild animal for seven years.

C.S. Lewis referred to pride as the great sin.  He wrote in Mere Christianity,

There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and which hardly any people ever imagine that they are guilty themselves . . . The essential vice, the utmost evil is pride . . . It was through pride that the devil became the devil.  Pride leads to every other vice.  It is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

Pride wants to be the center of attention.  Pride never apologizes.  Pride is defensive.  Pride thinks only of oneself.  Pride looks down on other people.  But worst of all, pride keeps one from God.  Pride is self-sufficient & has no need for God.

But, here’s the good news.   God loves humility.  After seven years of insanity, Nebuchadnezzar finally lifted his eyes to heaven (Daniel 4:34), and God immediately restored his sanity and his throne.

God wants to have a relationship with you.  He wants to give Himself to you each and every day.  So, humble yourself.  Lift your eyes to heaven.  Turn to God.   A living, vibrant relationship with God comes only though humility.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I acknowledge that You are God and I’m not!
I long for a living, vibrant relationship with You.
So I confess my pride and humbly seek Your face.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!

COURAGE

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve
is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.
But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not
 serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set us.”
(Daniel 3:17-18)

Do you remember the first time you jumped into a swimming pool as a child?  Your mom or dad was probably in the water, encouraging you, “Jump.  I’m right here.  I’ll catch you.  You can do it.  Jump!”  Even though you were terrified, you mustered up all the courage you could and finally jumped into the pool.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are models of courage.  Even though their hearts were fearful, they jumped right into the fiery furnace.  Okay, they didn’t actually jump in; they were thrown in.  But still, they faced the fiery furnace with incredible courage.

The key words in the verses above are found in verse 18 – “But even if he does not…”  They knew God could save them from the fiery furnace.  They knew God could rescue them from the king’s wrath.  But there were no guarantees that God would deliver them.  Still, they did not back down.  They refused to compromise their convictions.  They stood tall while everyone else bowed.  They courageously faced the consequences of their faith.  Courage is faith in action.

You and I may never be asked to make a life-or-death decision for our faith.  But, taking a stand on your convictions could cost you a good grade in school.  It may cost you a promotion or a raise at work.  It could even cost you a job.  And it could cost alienation from your family or friends.

God certainly can save you from evil consequences.  God certainly can bring something good out of bad circumstances.  And He often does.  But, there are no guarantees that He always will in this life.

Are you willing to stand tall while others around you are bowing to the idols of our culture?  Are you willing to say, “But even if He does not…”?  Are you willing to jump into the pool (or the fiery furnace) in the face of fear and stand up for Jesus Christ?  Be courageous.  Be a modern-day hero of faith?

Dear Heavenly Father,
Your Word is filled with courageous heroes!
When I am pressured by our culture to compromise my faith,
give me the courage to stand tall for Jesus Christ.
May I be counted as a modern-day hero of the faith!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!

BUBBLES

“So I commend the enjoyment of life,
because nothing is better for a man under the sun
than to eat and drink and be glad.”
(Ecclesiastes 8:15)

Our grandchildren were over at our house a few days ago.  It was time to eat dinner, so I took Ethan (almost 3) into the bathroom to wash his hands.  After I squirted some soap on his hands, he excitedly said to me, “Oh boy, I can make bubbles.”  He proceeded to rub his hands together and the soap turned into soapsuds.  He opened his hands, held them out proudly, and with a great big smile proclaimed, “Look poppy, I made bubbles!”  All I could do was laugh.

Isn’t it amazing how young children can find so much enjoyment in the simple of things of life?  Unfortunately, as we grow older, we tend to lose that sense of wonder and amazement in life.  We go to school and we get jobs and we start taking life so seriously.

Ethan taught his grandfather an important lesson last week – lighten up & enjoy life!  Granted, much of life is to be taken seriously; but even God wants us to enjoy life.  Take a look at these verses…

• “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks … for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”   (Nehemiah 8:10)
• “A cheerful heart is good medicine…”   (Proverbs 17:22)
• “Enjoy life with your wife…”   (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
• “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!”   (Philippians 4:4)
• “Put (your) hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”     (II Timothy 6:17)

So, here’s my simple encouragement to you today – Lighten up.  Quit taking yourself so seriously.  Enjoy life!  Go make some bubbles!

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for simple pleasures of life.
Open my eyes that I might enjoy them daily.
May the joy of the Lord be my strength!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!