Vol. 17 No. 35 | August 31, 2015

Near the end of the story of the Sower (Matthew 7; Mark 4; Luke 8) Jesus makes this statement in verse 14, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” (Luke 8:1-15, NIV)

Those words surfaced in my memory recently when I was on a late afternoon walk along the Greenway in what was once a golf course. It’s the same golf course I’ve written about before. (See: It Doesn’t Take Long and Caring For Your Soul) It was a beautiful afternoon as I enjoyed the walk with a nice breeze, the setting sun and listening to a favorite music playlist when I realized I was consumed by weeds. When I say weeds I actually mean thistles (see: Thistles).

When I say overcome by weeds I actually mean engulfed by thistles. They have grown tall, almost as tall as me, and have almost completely covered the golf course. As I began to take in the view along the paved path I realized that at eye level and in certain directions all I could see was tall prickly weeds.

That’s when I thought of the words of Jesus, “…they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” Those who heard the word were choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

“I know those people,” I thought. Then, I thought at times I am one of those people. I am one of hear the Word. It makes sense. It is planted into my heart. It begins to grow. Then, the weeds appear. They grow. They grow strong and tall and block my vision of the things that are real and true and clear gets choked out by life’s worries, riches, pleasures and they do not mature. I have been there. Maybe you have too. Maybe you are there now. You are consumed by weeds.

I looked up. Above the weeds. Above the thistles. Further up the path. At the top of the hill. There was a grove of trees. Strong healthy trees. Green lush trees. The weeds had no affect on these trees. They stood firm as if to say, “You can do this. You and survive this. The Word can and will thrive in you.”

It was at that moment when I was consumed by the weeds that I realized it was not the trees speaking to me, but the Lord, and I remembered the next verse in Luke 8: “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Consumed by weeds but refreshed by the Word.

Are you consumed by the weeds of life. Look up. Find a tree. Study it.  Hear the Lord as He speaks to you and raises you above the weeds.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 34 | August 24, 2015

If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:19-24, NIV)

Do I really want to do this? Am I ready to do this? Am I brave enough to ask You to search me and test me? Do I really want You to know my anxious thoughts? Am I comfortable enough with You to invite You to look inside and see if there is any offensive way in me? Is there another option?

You already know all this. You have known me since before I was formed. You have known all my anxious thoughts, You have known my heart, You have known all the offensive ways in me, and You have been ready to lead me in the way everlasting my whole life.

You know there that are people that I consider enemies. Unfortunately too many times my reasons for calling them wicked or enemies are for selfish reasons, not because they have evil intent or misuse Your name or live in rebellion to You. I, too often, count them as wicked or as enemies because they do not look, think, act, or live the way I would prefer them to look, think, act, or live. You do not have too look very far to know that there are offensive ways in me. If You did not know me so well, and love me so much, that would create even more anxious thoughts in me.

In spite of the anxiety it produces  or how fearful of it I am, I ask You, Father, to search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Search me, God. Look all over me. Look inside me. Examine each detail of me. I am Yours. You know me. Search me, God and know my heart.

Test me. Try me. Challenge me. Push me. Check to see who I really am.

Know my anxious thoughts. When life seems unstable know my anxious thoughts. When it seems everything spinning out of control know my anxious thoughts. When my inward self is restless and frightened know my anxious thoughts. When I have difficulty seeing You and hearing You know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me. There are offensive ways in me. I know it. You know it. Help me clean them out. Keep them away.

Lead me in the way everlasting. Lead me, Lord. Please lead me. Lead me in Your ways. I want my ways to be Your ways…Your everlasting ways.

Father, You handle my enemies. Make the only enemies I have be those who are enemies of Yours. And Father, since You know me better than I know myself, thank You for loving me, empowering me, and challenging me to be more like You.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 33 | August 17, 2015

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts
(Or How amazing are your thoughts concerning me), God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you. (Psalm 139:13-18, NIV)

This phrase stands out, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

God knew me before I was born. He knew you before you were born. He was aware of and involved in the process of our formation. He knew the exact date of our birth before we did, before our parents did, before our doctors did. For Him there was no wondering and there were no anxious days of waiting.

He watched our little bodies were taking shape. He needed no ultrasound or special equipment see us as our fingers and toes were forming. He was there when our hearts beat for the very first time, and before the first beat. He was there as our lungs were being inhaling and exhaling for the first time. He was there and He knew exactly how long we would reside in the warmth and safety of our mother’s womb.

He was there when our eyes reacted to the first ray of sunlight. He was there when our mother and father held us in their arms for the first time. He knew the exact moment when our mother and father saw us for the first time, and He knew how they would respond at that moment. He knew the number of tears that would leave their eyes at that miraculous moment. He was there when our grandparents nearly burst with joy as they watched their children experience the joy of being a parent.

He knew the exact moment when we would take our first step. He knew the exact moment when we would skin our knee for the first time. He knew the exact moment when feel the ocean breeze on our face and sand between our toes for the first time. He knew when we would jump off the side of the pools for the first time. He knew when we would take the first swing at a baseball for the first time. He knew the first time when we would feel our heart flutter at the sight of cute little girl when she walked into our classroom. He knew the exact moment when you would propose and that she would say yes.

He knew the exact moment when you would walk across the stage to receive your diploma and degree. He knew the exact moment when you would go to your job on the first day. He knew ahead of times you would change jobs and why. He knew the exact moment when you would move into your first house, and your second, and your third and all the other times.

He knew the exact moment when you would say, “Yes, I believe He is the Son of the living God and I want Him to be the Lord of my life.” He knew the exact moment when you would face your first big challenge to that commitment, and that you would stay the course.

He knew the exact moment when I would decide to camp on the 139th Psalm for a few weeks, and He knew which sentences would catch my eye and prompt my thoughts. He knew the exact moment when I will finish this article and push the send button. He knew the exact moment when you will open your meal and choose to read or not read.

“All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” I am thankful that He knew, and that He knows. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.”

Tom

Oh, by the way He knew that our third granddaughter— Hadassah Tate Norvell — would be born at 8:05 PM on August 16, 2015 and that she would weight 7 pound and 13 ounces. Mom, Dad, and big sister are all doing very well. His works are truly wonderful.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 32 | August 10, 2015

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12, NIV)

There are times, Lord, when You seem to be far away. There are times with our communication seems muffled and erratic. There are times when it feels like I cannot find You. There are times when the darkness seems to overpower me and my ability to see you. There are those times.

Although those times are difficult and lonely and disturbing, those times never last for long. Those times never last because You are there…You are always there. No matter where I go You are there. Even when I try to flee from You so that I can pursue my ways, You are there. I cannot flee from You, because You are there…You are always there.

If I look up into the heavens, You are there. I see You in the clouds. I see you in the blueness of the sky. I see you in the light of the sun. I see you in the stars. I see you in the moon beams.

If I go to the sea, You are always there. I see You in sand on the shore. I see You and hear You in the crashing waves. I hear you in the laughter of the children playing in the surf. I feel you in the ocean breezes. You are there…You are always there.

You are there, but You are not just there. You are there to guide me and to hold me. You are there to comfort me, protect me, calm me, and nudge me. You are always there.

When the darkness overtakes me, You provide a light for my path. When the darkness seems to provide a cover for my sinfulness, Your light shines on me to reveal my sinfulness and remind me that You rescue me from my sinfulness. Your light overpowers the darkness and brings me hope of a new day. You are always there. Thank You.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 31 | August 3, 2015

Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:4-6 NIV)

You lay your hand upon me and I feel Your presence. Your hand resting on me reminds me that I am not alone. Not only does your hand remind me that I not alone, but I am comforted by the fact that it is Your hand that is upon me…not the hand of a stranger. Because it is Your hand I know that no harm will come to me.

You lay your hand upon me and I cannot move far from me. I am hemmed in from behind and before. I do not feel trapped. I do not feel confined. I feel protected. I feel secure within the boundaries of your love.

You lay your hand upon me before some words are on my tongue to remind me not to speak them and sometimes to remind me to say the words that You have placed on my lips. Your hand prompts me that it is time to speak and that it is time to be silent.

You lay your hand upon me and my soul that had become restless, becomes calm. There is a soothing that comes over me with the touch of Your hand upon me.

You lay your hand upon me when my spirit is troubled and agitated and I am assured that You have everything under control. You ask me to remember that it is not my responsibility to fix all the problems of the world, and that You do not need me to defend your actions or lack of action.

You lay your hand upon me to tell me it is okay for me to sleep. In the morning Your hand is upon me to awaken me to the blessings and mercies of a new day.

You lay your hand upon me when my patience grows thin as a cautionary reminder of times when You and others have been patient with me.

You lay your hand upon me when I have been injured by words or acts of unkindness and begin to plot my revenge to remind me of those times when I have injured others and they have overlooked my unkind words or actions of unkindness.

You lay your hand upon me when the Enemy entices me to dwell on all my failures and shortcomings and offer a reminder of how you have long ago forgiven and forgotten all of them.

You lay your hand upon me sometimes it seems just so I will not forget that You are always with me and that You have promised that You will never leave me.

You lay your hand upon me. Thank You.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2015. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.