I If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands ...I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land. Leviticus 26:3, 6
Peace, peace wonderful peace. A peace that allows me to rest, just as David expressed in a Psalm that he wrote about trusting God.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8
Trusting God is really what it is all about. He has promised to keep the enemies and scary wild animals away. There was a cougar spotted only a few miles from my home during a recent winter when it was unusually cold and snowy. The animal didn’t harm anyone…but it was likely very hungry as all the rabbits it customarily ate were hiding from the blustery weather. I’ve personally seen coyotes nearby three times in the last twenty years, but I’m not losing any sleep over having these animals in our vicinity. I worry more that they will get hit by a car and killed. Then how will the mouse population be controlled? There is an ecological balance when we have natural predators. Balance gives peace—no fear—but does it give you restful sleep? Trusting in the Lord gives peace and fearless sleep. Ezekiel commented about living and sleeping securely when he wrote about a new covenant, the millennial kingdom and the Messiah.
I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear. Ezekiel 34:25
I’m not sure how many people really like to “sleep in the woods” but that is a favorite of mine. There is nothing like sleeping and waking under tall pine or fir trees, hearing the wind through their branches, and smelling the fresh mountain air. Add in a babbling brook and you have a recipe for a peaceful night’s sleep.
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| Mt. Rainier - somewhere behind the clouds. |
When my hubby and I took a road trip up to the mountains last summer all the way to Mt. Rainier. It was fogged in—wrapped itself in a cloud. A mountain of that size, 14,411 feet high, creates its own weather. A friend of mine used to say that fog made her feel like Jesus was wrapping His arms around her. We certainly felt that presence of Jesus today. Being out in the wilderness reminds me of another depth of God’s creation. You can see God’s creation in the produce at the market, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, in newborn babies and in the stars in the night sky. But the quietness of a vast wilderness experience whether it is in the mountains, desert, or seashore provides another dimension of God’s creativity. Can you find His peace there? Can you find His peace in your heart no matter where you are? Do you have His peace to give you a restful night’s sleep?
Prayer ~ Lord God, provide me with a new revelation of your peace in my life so that I will lie down and sleep well, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.
Verse of Salvation ~
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:5
Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table
Healthy Foods Menu
Since February is National Heart Month, it is a good time to consider eating good foods and exercising. Exercise at least 20 minutes every day and then feast—within reason—on the bounty God has provided for us.
Here are some healthy heart foods to consider in your menu planning:
Chick peas – hummus, minestrone soup
Sardines and salmon – high in omega 3’s
Leafy greens – contain magnesium essential to a healthy heart – includes spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, romaine lettuce
Milk – even nut, almond or coconut milk – high in calcium and Vitamin D
Almonds
Oats and barley
Fresh vegetables and fruits – in the colors of the rainbow
What can you do with these food items? How about a spinach salad with salmon, almonds, chick peas and a wine and olive oil dressing? A little oatmeal with fresh blueberries, cinnamon, honey, and milk for dessert rounds out the food list. And you thought there couldn’t be just one dish/meal that would have all these foods!
So choose some healthy foods and feast on them, not just today or during February, but include good fresh foods at every meal all year around. Of course, you can eat some other foods--a moderate amounts red meat, as well as chicken. Shop the outside aisles of your supermarket—that’s where the fresh foods are located. Enjoy a Banquet at the King’s Table.
(C) 2021 Text, photos and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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