Treasured Jewels

What is your most treasured jewel? 

Some people may say it is their wedding ring or wedding band because of the double blessing that it represents, the ring itself and then the symbolism of marriage.  There are a variety of rings with various shapes and sizes.  Some are dripping with multiple karats of gold and jewels of various kinds.  Some have just one large jewel that catches the eye, standing out on its own.  Still some are very simple small band or a simple jewel.  Each one regardless of variety is meaningful to each owner.

Others may treasure family heirlooms as their most treasured jewel, considering those precious items that are passed down from generation to generation their most valuable jewels. These items are usually presented at special events and memorable to all.

Others would consider their own family members their jewels.  Spouses will say this about their husband or wife and parents will proclaim this about their children.

When reading scripture, there is clear evidence what things are jewels in God’s eyes. His creation and all those that hear upon His name and receive Him

Sacred Jewels

One of the Minor Prophets, Malachi expresses perfectly God’s idea of a jewel.  He says “And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.  In all the splendor of the world, a magnificent and holy heavenly Father does not brag upon His creation of the galaxies, Ozarks or even the vastness of land or ocean deep wonders.  Instead, He desires with great passion to make you His jewel through His Son Jesus.

Questions

So I want to ask you, what is your most treasured jewel?   Do you know that you are a gazillion times greater a treasured jewel to God?  Why?  Because He created you!  Look to Him to draw closer and reflect the shiny rays of the light of Christ.

Scriptural Text:  Malachi 3:17

© Copyright 2010 Simone Lake. All Rights Reserved

Deep Roots in Christ Ministries ©

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Bubble Gum

Someone once likened a personal relationship with God to bubble gum.  Now I must admit that I love bubble gum, especially the Dubble Bubble kind. I find myself more often than my diet would allow, chewing on a big juicy piece. For this reason alone, you can see how this analogy pulled at my curiosity.

 The comparison is that bubble gum has these characteristics:
1) It is sweet.
2) Takes work to chew (thus tapping into even more sweetness), which leads to smacking.
3) When a bubble is blown, all who look will take notice by the size of the bubble and loud pop.

When comparing this analogy to the Bible, I can see how these parallels might add up:
A)     The word of God is sweet to those who eat it.
B)     It gets sweeter with each bite to the point of making noises.  
C)    When you can no longer attain it in your mouth, a big bubble is the result, ending in a loud pop which announces to all who sees and hears that you are indeed chewing a piece of bubble gum.

Scriptures also confirm these parallels:

-In the biblical praise acrostic, the psalmist describes to music the sweetness of God’s word.  He states “How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103

-When I think of chewing, what comes to mind is a cow chewing on its cud.  Maybe not a pleasant thought to some, but in regards to the bible, chewing and meditating is equivalent.

In Psalm 119:15, the Psalmist expresses the focus on chewing on God’s word and says, “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways.”  The Hebrew word for meditate is sē'·akh  ( שיח ) which means to muse, ponder, mutter,  consider.  Because of the rich sweetness, this biblical meditation requires noise. Much like a delicious meal, the mouth cannot be contained to silence. When a person reads God’s word, their heart is moved and will respond with emotions.  Emotions require thoughts of meditations. And meditations of the mind are hard to contain so the mouth reacts by mutter, verbal mulling over, praise and song.  This is spiritual “bubble gum smacking”.

Finally, Psalm 96 was written to declare the glory of God. Verse 3 says “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!”  By speaking God’s word to others, it is similar to blowing a bubble for all to see.  One might not know if you are chewing bubble gum unless perhaps they happen to be close by you.  However, if you were across the room blowing a bubble, one could see that bubble from all the way across the room or even further.

While I check my purse to see if there is a piece of bubble gum left at the bottom, my greatest prayer is that we all have a strong eagerness, compelling us to strive towards the God in a richness to overflowing like never before.

MY PRAYER

1) Tasting the sweetness of God’s word (Read it daily)
2) Meditating over it (Memorize, sing, praise)
3) Declaring it for all to see, hear and know (Share the love of Jesus with all)

 

 

 

© Copyright 2011 Simone Lake. All Rights Reserved

Deep Roots in Christ Ministries ©

www.simonelake.com
www.facebook/SimoneLake.com.