1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." (NIV, italics added)
 

Prayer starter:
Father's Day is just a few days away. Maybe the fact that I had been seeing ads for this annual event everywhere was in the back of my mind as I was reading this verse a few days ago. For some reason, the part about what fathers are supposed to do really jumped out at me. According to the apostle Paul, a father has three main duties in raising his children:
1. encourage them
2. comfort them
3. urge them to live lives worthy of God 
In my opinion, all three are part and parcel of the fatherhood job description. Each is important, but works best in conjunction with the other two. Together, they form an almost invincible package to prepare a child for life in this world. But the most indispensable ingredient among the three is the last one. It serves as a lens of sorts through which the other two and any additional fathering task should be viewed. A father should be encouraging. True. But not so much so that he leads his children to think that they are better or more special than others. How can he encourage his children, yet keep them from getting overly inflated egos? By urging them to live lives worthy of God. Lives marked by prideful and entitled attitudes are not worthy of God. A father should be comforting his children. True. But not so much that they start feeling sorry for themselves. How can he comfort his children, yet keep them from focusing too much on their own misfortune? By urging them to live lives worthy of God. Lives marked by self-pity instead of gratitude are not worthy of God. 
Of course, being a father does not always present clear-cut choices. There is no "encouragement meter" or "comfort scale" that tells a father when enough is enough. Again, though, number 3 is the gold standard: parents should study what the Bible says about living a life worthy of God and reconcile that with the amount of encouragement and comfort they provide to their children. Reminders like "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31), when taken at face value, make it essentially impossible to get too excited about one's own value and ego. A verse like "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) can lift a downcast spirit and guide us on a positive, God-focused path. Thus, for any parent, the "secret" for any life situation should be to urge our children to live in a way that is pleasing to God. 

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Ephesians 5:15-16

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (NIV)

Prayer starter:
At first glance, this verse may seem very gloomy, indeed, but it actually gives me great comfort every time I read it. It reminds me that almost 2000 years ago, the apostle Paul already perceived the times to be "evil." Ephesians was written around 62 A.D., and even back then, Paul described how people "have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity" (Romans 1:29). When I get depressed about the state of affairs in the world today and the fact that evil seems everpresent, Paul reminds me that this is nothing new. Evil has had a foothold in the world for centuries, and, yes, it may seem more vile and more glaring in today's age of digital transparency, but mankind has survived all this time in spite of it. And all the while, good things have happened as well. Good people have done good things and committed acts of kindness, humanity, and mercy, oftentimes in direct response to unspeakable acts of evil. Good people "make the most of every opportunity" to do good or to show kindness. They don't wait around for special opportunities to jump in front of them. They think of positive and creative ways to make every opportunity, even the smallest one, an opportunity to live wisely in the eyes of God. Being kind, lending a helping hand, offering a kind word or attentive ear are all great ways to take advantage of the opportunities life presents us with.  
What opportunities do you have in YOUR life today to present and represent the love of Jesus to people around you? Don't shoot for the stars. It's okay to start small. Even a small kindness done in this generally so unkind world can go a long way. It can start a chain reaction that you may never even know about, along the lines of "Pay it forward." Moreover, every kindness and good deed you choose to perform will make you feel more empowered rather than depressed in the face of evil. 

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Romans 9:21

"Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" (NIV)

Prayer starter:

As you start your coloring meditation today, I invite you reflect for a moment about your perception of yourself. If you visited a pottery store full of all kinds of pottery, from humble flower pots to the most elaborate vases or urns, where would you see yourself? Would you be one of the fancy products or do you see yourself more as a simple, but functional vessel? Do you maybe consider yourself a basic model but secretly wish that you were one of the artistic models that are greatly admired by many people? Do you look at the fancy models with a hint of envy or are you possibly too dazzled by their external beauty? 
The Bible tells us in several places that even though God loves all who live according to His way, He did not make everyone to be the same. Romans 12:6, for example, states that "we have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us." And the verse you are coloring today illustrates this point quite well with the Divine Potter's use of clay. Some pottery is created for a noble purpose and some for a common use. If you look at the picture, you will realize that, quite intentionally, there are more simple flower pots than fancy vases. I think that's how it is in reality and that is how God wants it to be. The main question we should be asking ourselves is not "Am I the best-looking, most noble piece of pottery in the shop?" but rather "Am I fulfilling the purpose for which I was created to the best of my ability?"
Have these thoughts changed your perception of the type of pottery you see yourself as? Or the type of pottery you maybe wish you were? If you are still envious of the elaborate artistic urns, it might help you to consider that fancy urns are often used for the ashes of the dead, whereas humble flower pots can serve to grow new life. 


Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Jeremiah 1:9

"Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'I have put my words in your mouth'." (NIV)

Prayer starter:

I find this verse very comforting for two reasons: first, I am a visual person. I learn and remember best with visual cues. The image of God putting His words into my mouth is very vivid and encouraging to me. When I am faced with a difficult situation that has me struggling for words, I find comfort in visualizing God or the Holy Spirit actually putting the right words in my mouth. HIS words, not my words. Secondly, I tend to feel like I put my foot in my mouth more often than I would care to admit. I often have good intentions to encourage someone, but somehow what I say comes out wrong or does not convey what I meant. Sometimes I realize after the fact that the words I used could be interpreted way differently than I intended them. So I often ask God to put HIS words in my mouth. This certainly applies before difficult conversations, but also in everyday life. I don't want my words to be hurtful, but I want them to be truthful. Sometimes that is a treacherous balance that only the Holy Spirit can negotiate. In the New Testament, Jesus assures his disciples that if they are arrested, God will give them the right words:  ". . . do not worry about what to say or how to say it. . . . you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." (Matthew 10:19-20). 
As you are coloring today, think about your words and the impact they can have on others. Are you facing a difficult conversation and don't know what to say? Do you have good intentions and still feel like you are not saying the right thing sometimes? Ask God to put the right words in your mouth. If it helps you, visualize God's words being placed in your mouth, just as they were placed in the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah. Ask God to give you the right words to speak truth with love--and then for your words to be received in truth and love in the heart of the person who receives them. 



Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Acts 10:34-35

"I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." (NIV)

Prayer starter:

This is a very pertinent verse in today's political climate. There is a rather epic battle going on between the let's-hate-everybody-who-is-not-like-us camp and the let's-love-EVERYBODY camp. This verse makes it pretty clear that we should be somewhere in between. Our nationality does not matter to God. Where you are from or what you look like, on the OUTSIDE, does not matter to God. But He cares very strongly about what is on the INSIDE. He sets two conditions: 1. you must "fear him," i.e. respect and obey his commandments, and 2. you must "do what is right." With these two Bible-given conditions, it is impossible to belong to either of the battle camps mentioned above. You cannot hate other people just because they are different. Jesus made that abundantly clear in his ministry. He associated with and cared for people of other nations (e.g. Samaritans), as well as people who were shunned by mainstream society (e.g. tax collectors, cripples). The let's-hate-everybody-who-is-not-like-us camp likes to label people who don't agree with them as "unAmerican" or "unpatriotic" but the beliefs of this group clearly conflict with Acts 10:34-35 (and many other Bible verses). 
On the other end of the spectrum is the let's-love-EVERYBODY camp, which does not represent a Christian view either. Jesus told us to "love one another" (John 13:34), but he also made it very clear in his ministry that people need to make every effort to satisfy the two conditions of fearing God and doing what is right. The let's-love-EVERYBODY camp conveniently tends to ignore these same two conditions, demanding that we not only love everybody, but by extension condone their behavior, even if it disagrees with God's commandments or is not "what is right." If we disagree with people's behaviors, we are labeled as "haters" by this camp. 
While you color this verse today, you might want to think about where you are on this spectrum of opposites. Do you lean more towards one end or the other? Have you rejected people because of where they came from or what they looked like on the outside? Or have you loved people whose behavior went counter to Bible-based beliefs without making it clear to them that you did not condone their behavior? Are you afraid of being labeled a "hater" if you speak up against homosexuality or abortion? This is a difficult and treacherous battleground to tread if you truly want to follow Bible-based guidance. Ask God for wisdom, strength, and kindness in handling these issues in real life. 



Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Psalms 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (NIV)

Prayer starter:

Even though I grew up as a Christian, Bible reading was not really practiced in our home. As a result, the Bible was little more than an abstract book to me until I started to explore it in more depth as an adult. Now I consult it in most situations. Sometimes I just browse it with no specific purpose, and it never ceases to amaze me where this random browsing takes me. It always has something meaningful to say. Those who think that the Bible, the Word of God, is an ancient book that has no relevance for today have never really studied the Bible. I admit that I cheat a little. If I'm just randomly browsing the Bible, I tend to stay away from books like 1 Chronicles, for example, which is very heavy on history and lineage. In the Old Testament, I lean towards Psalms or Proverbs, or prophets like Isaiah or Jeremiah. In the New Testament, I never tire of reading the gospels or the book of Hebrews. The take-away from reading almost anything in the Bible is that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Mankind, despite its arrogant conviction that it has progressed far from its ancient, primitive roots, has not changed at all. Human nature is still the same. As a result, the Word of God is as relevant to our lives today as it was two thousand years ago. The world could be a dark and confusing place back then, and it certainly can still be that today. We now turn on electric lights with the flick of a switch, but we still desperately need the Word of God to light our path because the path is still littered with the same human failures that abounded centuries ago. 
Maybe, you are one of the people who spend many hours on the internet, browsing for random tidbits. How about giving the Bible a try instead? You might resolve to spend just half an hour a day on reading the Bible. Bible study materials are readily available, even for free. If you don't understand a passage or need more background, you can find that online as well (a couple of websites to get you started: biblegateway.com and biblehub.com. Both offer lots of helpful materials and different Bible translations.). Personally, I love my actual, physical Bible. It is infinitely more personal to me than a Bible passage online. It is actually one of my most treasured possessions. 
While you color today, think about where you generally get your wisdom from. Are you a book reader, an internet surfer, a TV watcher? How much of your day do you spend with your favorite "resource"? Where do you turn when you need advice? Do you think of the Bible as a life resource that has relevant advice for today's world? Hebrews 4:12 tells us that "the word of God is alive and active." It is not a dusty history book. Are you willing to let it light your path? 



Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Galatians 6:2

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (NIV)

Prayer starter:

Carrying someone else's burden may be a truly heavy-duty task, like taking responsibility for a family or supporting someone who is struggling with health or financial issues. But sometimes it may be a very small thing that can take a load off of someone else's shoulders or make the dark clouds disappear: a helping hand loading groceries into a car, a few encouraging words to a struggling mother, a card or call to cheer someone up. Christ shows us time and again that caring for others is essential for Christians, and part of caring is carrying--or at least sharing in--someone else's load. So instead of asking "Why should I do this? It's not my job.", ask yourself "Why not me? It may not be my job. But it's not a hardship for me either." You will notice that once YOU make that choice, it won't feel as much like a burden and you can help out cheerfully instead of resentfully.
The trickier part of this verse is the communication of one's burdens. I think men, in particular, have it tough. Not only are they brought up to think that they have to carry the burden for the family. They are often also taught that it is not "manly" to talk about their burdens. But it is difficult to carry someone else's burden if we don't know that the burden exists. If we see people carrying an actual load that they are having difficulty handling, most of us, I would hope, will try to help out. But non-physical burdens are not so easy to see. They need to be communicated. Don't share your burdens if you just want to be pitied or you are too lazy to handle them yourself. But if a burden is really weighing you down to the point of crushing you, consider sharing it with a friend so that he or she can help you carry it.
If you some heavy burdens weigh you down today, you might take this coloring moment to sort them into burdens you can handle yourself and burdens that may require someone else to help you carry them. If you have no burdens right now, you might think about whether someone you know may be struggling with a burden he or she is not communicating and think of a way you may be able to help carry that load. In every situation it is good to remember though that Jesus is ALWAYS there to help carry our burdens. Whether we tell him or not, he already knows.

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Luke 12:15

"Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." (NIV)

Prayer starter:

Reading this passage, I am reminded of the movie "Finding Nemo." In one memorable scene, a number of seagulls are fighting over a single crab, all of them greedily screeching "Mine! Mine! Mine!" (If you are not familiar with the scene, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-3e0EkvIEM.)
The message that stands out to me in this verse is the part about "all kinds of greed." Greed is not just about accumulating possessions or money. Greed can be an integral part of jealousy or envy, for example, the coveting of something that belongs to someone else. As a matter of fact, several Bible translations use the word "covetous" instead of "greedy" in some passages (e.g. Ephesians 5:5). One of the main characteristics of greed or covetousness is self-centeredness. For greedy people, THEIR desire overrides all other considerations. They are willing to disregard moral, legal, or ethical constraints to get what THEY want, and they will find all kinds of excuses to justify their behavior. But the Bible tells us that greed, in any form, is sinful. Its inherent self-centeredness runs counter to Christian ideals. Jesus lists greed as one of the most evil things the human heart can produce, in the same category as sexual immorality, theft, murder, and adultery (Mark 7:21). And when you look at this list of evils, you will notice that every single one of them is rooted in self-centeredness, in a person's own desire overriding all other considerations.
But back to the seagulls. You may not be screeching out loud "Mine! Mine! Mine!" but, as you color this verse, you may want to think about if, maybe, there is a very quiet "Mine!" scream inside of you in some area of your life. Maybe you are begrudging someone else his or her success because you don't think that person deserves it? Pray for God's grace to help you let go of any kind of greed in your life and focus on "other-centeredness" rather than self-centeredness.

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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James 1:5

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  (NIV)

Prayer starter:

It is interesting that "wisdom" is generally perceived as something that people should seek out, and those who attain it are held in high esteem. This perception seems to be supported by many passages in the Bible. After all, the word "wisdom" occurs in over 200 verses. Next to Jesus, Solomon is often considered the wisest person who ever lived, for "Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt" (1Kings 4:30). Yet the very same Solomon did not much appreciate his own wisdom: "What then do I gain by being wise? . . For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered" (Ecclesiastes 2:15-16).
We need to understand very clearly that there is wisdom in the sense of knowledge and there is wisdom in the sense of divine discernment. Solomon was making light of wisdom in the sense of knowledge and human understanding. This is the kind of wisdom the world wants us to pursue: education, information, and scientific inquiry. I have spent my entire career in education, so I'm certainly not opposed to this pursuit. But the Bible makes it clear that, in matters of importance, we should be seeking the wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit. If we want to know if the earth is round, we don't need to ask God about it. If we want to know whether a difficult decision we are about to make is the right one, we definitely should ask God about it. This is the kind of wisdom James is talking about in this verse.
Luke says about the young Jesus: ". . . he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him" (Luke 2:40). Jesus did not go to Harvard to attain his wisdom. He was simply "filled" with it. For us normal human beings, pursuing educated wisdom is a good start, but it can only take us so far. To attain true discernment, we have to ask God to fill us with His spirit-guided wisdom.
So, today, if there is a decision in your life that needs to be made, evaluate it with your educated mind, seek out the necessary information, but if that does not provide the answer, ask God for guidance and He will give generously.

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works."  (NIV) 

Prayer starter:

Hands play a major part in today's coloring activity because we are the result of God's creation process, His handiwork, which according to the dictionary means His product, work or achievement. But we are not the work of some robot screwing parts onto a car frame at a Chrysler auto plant. God physically "formed a man from the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7), most likely with His hands. So we are literally the work of His hands. It goes without saying that God's hands are powerful and can do anything He wants them to do (e.g. Joshua 4:24). He can perform miracles, build up or destroy, effortlessly, with His hands. In the New Testament, we see His son, Jesus, using his hands very powerfully as well, mostly to heal people and to perform miracles (e.g. Matthew 8:3, Luke 4:40).
In Ephesians 2:10, Paul reminds us that God created us to follow the example of Christ and to use our hands to do good, not to do harm or evil.
So what have your hands done today? Take a couple of minutes, as you color, to think about all of the things your hands have done today. How many of the actions your hands performed were just rote, almost automatic, everyday kinds of things? How many times did your hands purposefully and intentionally do something positive, like help someone or touch someone in kindness? Have your hands done any harm today? Can you think of ways to use your hands in more powerfully positive ways tomorrow and the day after that?
If you don't know what to pray for today, you could start by asking God to teach you how to best use your hands so that YOUR handiwork will be good works that glorify Him.

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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Psalm 33:3

"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy." (NIV)

Prayer starter: 

More than half a dozen times in Psalms alone are we told to "sing to the Lord." Singing is obviously a perfect instrument to praise the Lord and to exalt Him. But it is also a perfect way for us to express our joy and gratitude. Singing can be a very emotional activity and therefore lends itself to channeling any overflow of emotions. It works for joy and gratitude, but it also works for deep sadness and mourning. 

I like to think of coloring as a "silent" way to sing to the Lord. It's a more introspective kind of "song." You can praise God in silence as you ponder all the things you have to be joyful about. Coloring gives you the opportunity to dedicate a short block of time to the Lord and to meditate on your blessings. 

Use this activity to think of all the ways in which God gives you joy and thank Him for all of the people and things in your life that give you joy. 

Maybe you have had a rough few days, weeks, or even months and find it difficult to think of something to rejoice in. Start small. There are many small things that can bring us joy if we consider them extraordinary rather than "normal" or "dull." 

Specifically, in the context of this coloring activity, think about the joy of color and the fact that you are able to perceive color at all. Many animals are not able perceive color the same way humans do, and even some people see only a limited color spectrum. Think about a gray and foggy winter day, when you can barely see more than a few yards ahead of you, and the whole world around you seems to close in on you. Then, think about a bright summer day bathed in light and colors all around you. Doesn't that just make you want to shout for joy? Color brightens our mood and generally makes us see the world in a more positive light, literally and figuratively.

So go ahead, be thankful for color and take it from there. I'm sure you can come up with some additional sources of joy in your life, even if you have to start small.

Be Brightly Blessed! 


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