by Macy Johnson
“May the God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace as you trust in Him,
so that you may overflow with hope by
the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Romans 15:13 NIV)
My word
for the new year is imagine. Merriam-Webster defines it as the act of
forming a mental image of something or someone not present.
by Macy Johnson
“Be merciful, just as your Father is
merciful.”
(Luke 6:36 NIV)
At the
suggestion of our son Jeff and I watched a Netflix documentary on World War II.
One of the commentators had been captured by the Nazis. He was the survivor of
a bombed tank in Northern Africa and told of the ordeal of his transport as a
prisoner of war across the desert and the Mediterranean Sea. Upon arrival in
Italy, he and his fellow prisoners were marched through villages to the prison
camp.
by Macy Johnson
“But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most
excellent way.”
(1 Corinthians 12:31 NIV)
Excellence
is an outward expression of inner integrity, of having a passion and strong
sense to make a true difference.
by Macy Johnson
“Your eyes saw my unformed body. All
the days ordained for me
were written in your book before one of
them came to be.”
(Psalm 139:16 NIV)
Ponder
this for a moment: God dreamed of you before He created you. He imagined you in
His image. No one is conceived by accident. This is God’s plan from the
beginning.
by Macy Johnson
“We ourselves, who have the firstfruits
of the Spirit,
groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for
our adoption as sons,
the redemption of our bodies.”
(Romans 8:23 NIV)
I sat on
the long wooden bench at our dining room table. From there I can see out of our
sidelights up the long driveway to the street. My perch allows me to know when
our children, grandchildren, and special visitors arrive. Every house I have
lived in had a special place that gave me the perfect view of approaching activities
and people. Like a child waiting for her parents to return home, I wait eagerly
for guests.
by Macy Johnson
“In the last days,
God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on
all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.’”
(Acts 2:17 NIV)
Maybe you
remember this slogan, “Inquiring minds want to know” which was used by the
National Enquirer in the 1980s. This tabloid magnetized the attention of
shoppers as they waited in the checkout lines of their favorite stores.
by Macy Johnson
“He made Himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.”
(Philippians 2:7 NIV)
I took a
closer look at the genealogy of Jesus in the book of Matthew. Forty-two
generations from Abraham to Joseph included the names of five women. Tamar
deceived her father-in-law, Judah. Rahab was a Gentile prostitute in Jericho.
Ruth was a foreign widow from Moab. Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, was murdered by
King David. Mary was an unwed mother.
by Macy Johnson
“But you are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood,
a holy nation, a people belonging to
God,
that you may declare the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His
wonderful light.”
(1 Peter 2:9 NIV)
It was
Halloween morning. I reviewed the notes I had written in the My Utmost for
His Highest journal my daughter had given me in 2003. On October 31st
of that year I had written, “Called to be a Christian writer.” God put the
desire in my heart and fulfilled it sixteen years later.
by Macy Johnson
“I am saying this for your own good,
not to restrict you,
but that you may live in a right way
in undivided devotion to the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 7:35 NIV)
Friends
recommended I watch The Chosen on Prime Video. My husband and I were
captivated from the first episode by the authentic portrayal of Christ as He
selected His disciples.
by Macy Johnson
“Blessed are they who keep His statutes
and seek Him with all their heart.”
(Psalm 119:2 NIV)
A special
friend, fellow writer and Bible scholar, informed me she started
memorizing one Bible verse a day and suggested I give it a try. I pondered the
thought the next morning during my devotions and selected Psalm 119. On the
second day, I wrote verse 2 in my designated notebook and asked God to reveal
Himself in this process. The most amazing thought came over me – “You were made
for this!”
by Macy Johnson
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation,
the old has gone, the new has come!”
(2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)
On an
episode of Heartland on Netflix, Amy gently guided a potential police
horse through obstacles on the training ground. The skittish horse bucked and
whinnied, but Amy’s persistence paid off.
by Macy Johnson
“What a wretched man I am!
Who will rescue me from this body of
death?”
(Romans 7:24 NIV)
In my
daughter’s neighborhood lives a dog who is a major pest. Dodger wants you, or
anyone within his vision, to throw a stick for him over and over and over.
Don’t dare pick up the slimy piece of wood he drops at your feet. He will dance
around you and try to entice you to play his game, but don’t give in, or you’re
stuck!
by Macy Johnson
“Direct me in the path of your
commands,
for there I find my delight.”
(Psalm 119:35 NIV)
I drove away
from the Senior Center after a fun afternoon playing Bridge with friends. I maneuvered
my car into my favorite spot at the nearby grocer, turned it off, and traipsed
inside to gather supplies.
by Macy Johnson
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things
and will remind you of everything I
have said to you.”
(John 14:26 NIV)
The Holy
Spirit is a person, an awesome gift of God Himself to me. A recent study of the
book by Francis Chan, Forgotten God, reminded me that I often do not
treat the Holy Spirit as a person, but as an object. Jesus is God in human form,
while the Holy Spirit is God in spirit form. He, like Jesus, emanates from the
Father. Understanding the mystery of the Trinity includes understanding the Person
of the Holy Spirit.
by Macy Johnson
“Those who accepted Peter’s message
were baptized,
and about three thousand were added to
their number that day.”
(Acts 2:41 NIV)
There was
a big elephant in the room, and no one wanted to talk about it. The Methodist
church had divided and gone separate ways, or so it seemed. More than half of
the local congregation became Global Methodists while the remainder stayed with
the United Methodist Church.
by Macy Johnson
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds,
and it will be the sign of the covenant
between me and the earth.”
(Genesis 9:13 NIV)
I was a
local church’s pianist for eleven years, with a three year sabbatical in the
middle. Near the end of my tenure I felt the Holy Spirit shift in my heart. I sensed
a call to move on and allow God to do something new in the church and in me. Although
anxious and afraid of slipping out of the center of His will, I was safely
guided through the fog.
by Macy Johnson
“For as the soil makes the sprout come
up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make
righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.”
(Isaiah 61:11 NIV)
We had a
bumper crop of acorns this year. As my husband, Jeff, and I sat on our porch
and looked out over the beds of plants and flowers hugging massive trees, we
noticed tiny oaks peeking out above the pine straw and mulch. The tiny saplings
had sequestered the beds and provided an unwelcome blanket of ground cover.
by Macy Johnson
“We also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces
perseverance.”
(Romans 5:3 NIV)
In
Jonathan Cahn’s The Book of Mysteries he provides insight into “The
Resistance Secret.” He writes, “When you exercise the qualities of God against
resistance, it causes you to grow stronger.”
by Macy Johnson
“This is what the Lord says to me:
‘Go, post a lookout and have him report
what he sees.’”
(Isaiah 21:6 NIV)
GOAL is an
acronym for Get Out And Look! This expression is used to remind drivers to get
out of their truck and look before backing up. My husband, Jeff, and I have a
list of procedures to help set up and take down our camper. On the set up
list is written: “Pull trailer to site – GOAL – Get Out And Look! Take your
time!”
by Macy Johnson
“I am sending you out like sheep among
wolves.
Therefore be as shrewd as snakes
and as innocent as doves.”
(Matthew 10:16 NIV)
My husband
and I watched an episode of Designated Survivor on Netflix. Enemies of
the new President of the United States were coming out of the woodwork like
roaches. I was surprised when the reluctant leader of the free world selected a
new Chief of Staff. He chose the ringleader of politicians who made his life
miserable! My thought was, “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
Then I realized the newly-appointed President probably made a very wise choice.
by Macy Johnson
“When the king of Egypt was told that
the people had fled,
Pharaoh and his officials changed their
minds about them
and said, ‘What have we done?
We have let the Israelites go and have
lost their services!’”
(Exodus 14:5 NIV)
It
happened again. My body is falling apart. Twice before I have had a medical
procedure and hoped I was done with this issue. Not quite, though. It was time
to decide whether to go through the painful process again or not.
by Macy Johnson
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall to the
ground
apart from the will of your Father.”
(Matthew 10:29 NIV)
The Global
Positioning System (GPS) is a U.S.-owned utility that provides users with
positioning, navigation, and timing services. This system in Google Maps allows
my husband and me to track each other on our cell phones.
by Macy Johnson
“Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the
road
that leads to destruction, and many
enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the
road
that leads to life, and only a few find
it.”
(Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
I am the driver
designated to pull our new camper trailer. Someone asked me if I preferred hauling
the 5,000 pound box on interstates or back roads. I answered, “Interstate!”
They were surprised, and my reasons are simple. Small highways are curvy,
hilly, and a favorite place for animals to cross from their hiding places in
the woods nearby. Low hanging tree branches reach out, grab at our camper, and
knock off awning caps. I admit to love the scenery of country roads, but they
are more difficult for me to navigate as I pull a twenty-four foot trailer.
“What do you think? There was a man who
had two sons.
He went to the first and said,
‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’”
(Matthew 21:28 NIV)
It was
time to put our beloved popup camper on the market. We had purchased a new camper
trailer and packed it for its maiden voyage. I filled out all the forms online
on RVTrader.com to list the popup for sale, throw out the bait, and entice bites.
by Macy Johnson
“Do not be anxious about anything, but
in everything,
by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.”
(Philippians 4:6 NIV)
After a
swim with my grandchildren in the lake, I hurried to the outside shower and
turned it on. The pressure was low, but I continued to lather up my body in my
swimsuit and rinse off. When I turned off the shower, I noticed a stream of
water running down the length of our carport. I opened the door to the storage
room behind the shower and discovered an inch of water on the floor.
by Macy Johnson
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.”
(Psalm 34:4 NIV)
As I stood
on my balcony one sunny, Sunday morning, I heard a voice say to me, “Don’t try
to do too much.” It came right after I raced through my mind and listed the
things I planned to do the week my grandchildren were with me. I knew the voice
in my heart was straight from my heavenly Father.
by Macy Johnson
“But let all who take refuge in you be
glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may
rejoice in you.”
(Psalm 5:11 NIV)
God sent a
rodeo clown to help protect us.
While driving
west on Interstate 10 from Tucson to Phoenix, a large rock flew up from an 18 wheeler
rig’s tire and hit my windshield. It sounded like a gunshot! I called my
insurance company. After several phone calls, I decided to wait until we were
home in Georgia to have my car repaired.
by Macy Johnson
“Anyone who does not take his cross and
follow me
is not worthy of me.”
(Matthew 10:38 NIV)
“I cannot
get these sway bars off the brackets!” my husband exclaimed. We just arrived at
home with our new camper trailer. Jeff and I had previously viewed many
nightmarish scenes on YouTube of RV failures and installations gone wrong. Here
we were, experiencing our first.
by Macy Johnson
“Woe to those who call evil good and
good evil,
Who put darkness for light and light
for darkness,
Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for
bitter.”
(Isaiah 5:20 NIV)
Jonathan
Cahn, in his Book of Mysteries, describes weights used in ancient times to
determine values. Altered weights made an item appear heavier or more valuable
than it actually was. This reminds me of how differing weights are man’s way of
twisting the Truth to conform to his desires. When a civilization redefines its
values away from God and the created order, altering its measures of right and
wrong, it is turning man into God. These are signs of corruption in society.
by Macy Johnson
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.”
(Isaiah 43:18 NIV)
Thomas
Lambrecht wrote, “In this time of change, it is important to grasp the reality
that God is working in all situations to do something new.” How do I get ready
for new things? I need to release my focus on the past and look forward to what
is coming. Lessons learned in the past can be applied to new experiences.
by Macy Johnson
“Is there anything of which one can
say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.”
(Ecclesiastes 1:10 NIV)
There is
nothing new under the sun. My husband, Jeff, reminds me of this in short history
lessons. I have much to learn from former leaders. The stories remind me that human
nature reaches for power and control. But it is God’s nature to give and not
take – a new way of thinking for some.
by Macy Johnson
“Flesh gives birth to flesh,
but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
(John 3:6 NIV)
One
morning while considering upcoming devotions, the Lord revealed to me that each
of the blogs He has given me has a life of its own. He gives me the thoughts,
the words, and the story which is born when it is posted online. Some may view
the “baby” on its birthday, but others are touched by its “life” days, months, even
years later.
by Macy Johnson
“Then the Lord sent venomous snakes
among them;
they bit the people and many
Israelites died.”
(Number 21:6 NIV)
On one of
my recent walks in my neighborhood I came across an injured copperhead snake.
It was curled up on the centerline of the road. I had passed that way four
times earlier during my walk, but didn’t notice it until now. Was I so focused
or distracted that I didn’t see it? The snake reared its head and looked at me
as if to say, “Help!” I noticed a deep cut in its side, but no other injuries.
by Macy Johnson
“Let the fields be jubilant, and
everything in them,
then all the trees of the forest will
sing for joy.”
(Psalm 96:12 NIV)
Our
property is snuggled in the middle of the Oconee National Forest. When a storm
blows through, we expect several limbs and possibly entire trees to be felled.
My husband keeps a tree surgeon’s phone number close at hand.
by Macy Johnson
“He performs wonders that cannot be
fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.”
(Job 5:9 NIV)
In a few
short weeks my husband, Jeff, and I will embark on a Magical Mystery Tour - a
road trip to the Grand Canyon. I have never visited the national park, and it
has been sitting on my bucket list for a long, long time. I sense an urgency to
seize opportunities, to make things happen.
by Macy Johnson
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable – if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy –
think about such things.”
(Philippians 4:8 NIV)
GIGO is an
acronym for Garbage In, Garbage Out. It is a term I kept in my mind’s forefront
as I wrote computer programs in COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) in
the 1980’s.
by Macy Johnson
“In his heart a man plans his course,
but the Lord determines his steps.”
(Proverbs 16:9 NIV)
My
grandson would be celebrating his birthday soon. We lived too far away to join
in the festivities, so I ordered a gift for him on Amazon to be delivered to
his home. A few days later, as I was addressing his birthday card, I noticed a
discrepancy in the addresses. “Oh no!” I thought. Noah’s old address was in
Amazon, because I had sent him a gift in the past. His new address was staring
me in the face.
by Macy Johnson
“His work will be shown for what it
is,
because the Day will bring it to
light.
It will be revealed with fire,
and the fire will test the quality of
each man’s work.”
(1 Corinthians 3:13 NIV)
I keep a
collection of my God Sightings books on hand to give away as hostess or
birthday gifts. My personal supply was running low, so I ordered a handful of
each publication. The book copies rested on my desk waiting for me to autograph
and put them with the others in a portable bin.
by Macy Johnson
“They still did not understand from
Scripture
that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”
(John 20:9 NIV)
An
assumption is defined in the Cambridge English Dictionary as something that
you accept as true without question or proof.
We patiently
waited in my Tahoe in the lane to turn left onto Highway 11. It had been a fun
morning at the library and adjacent park in Trussville, Alabama. With a Happy
Meal, chicken nuggets, a burger, and milkshakes, my grandchildren and I were
headed home.
by Macy Johnson
“They had such a sharp disagreement
that they parted company.
Barnabas took Mark and sailed for
Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace
of the Lord.”
(Acts 15:39 NIV)
My email
inbox was full, again, of information I no longer needed. In the past I
purchased something from a different company, or inquired about a new service
provider. They were no longer on my radar, but I was on theirs.
by Macy Johnson
“When you give it to them, they gather
it up;
when you open your hand, they are
satisfied with good things.”
(Psalm 104:28 NIV)
My
granddaughter, Dahlia, likes to pretend she owns and manages a restaurant when
she visits us. She explores my refrigerator and pantry to find items for her
menu. I am amazed at the beautiful list of options she creates on my computer with
unique pictures and special fonts.
