A Quiet Life

 by Macy Johnson

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,

to mind your own business

and to work with your hands,

just as we told you,

so that your daily life

may win the respect of outsiders

and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV)

 

Every morning I open my Bible to a page in the Old or New Testament so the Holy Spirit can lead me to a verse for the day. My eyes fell to First Thessalonians 4:11 one Saturday morning as my thoughts swirled in preparation for a busy weekend.

Old Camper

by Macy Johnson

“Do not judge,

or you too will be judged.”

(Matthew 7:1 NIV)

 

I pulled our camper into the perfect site at Hard Labor Creek State Park, near Rutledge, Georgia. We were thrilled to have booked four nights at a promising campsite with sewer hookup and a charming view. I reserved it one year earlier to secure this particular site for our fifth camping trip to this park.

Slippery Slope

 by Macy Johnson

“Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path.”

(Psalm 119:105 NIV)

 

I might be on a slippery slope if I think I know the best way and am not willing to see things from God’s perspective. I dare not shield my eyes from His Light.

 

Our neighbor’s driveway is a steep downhill drop to their cabin at water level on the lake. Over the years my husband and I watched cars and trucks slip and slide up and down their driveway with squealing tires. The spectacle was more prevalent during rainy, autumn days, when the cement was covered with wet leaves.

My Mother's Bible

 by Macy Johnson

“Turn my eyes away from worthless things;

preserve my life according to your word.”

(Psalm 119:37 NIV)

 

There at the large, round, wooden breakfast table, my mother, Ruby Martin, sat with her Living Bible and various commentaries spread out before her. The padded green cover was torn and worn, and notes were scribbled on the pages of scripture in her unique penmanship.

Surprise Visitor

 by Macy Johnson

“Although Joseph recognized his brothers,

they did not recognize him.”

(Genesis 42:8 NIV)

 

My husband, Jeff, and I offered the use of our cabin to our church for visiting missionaries. Our guests were scheduled to arrive one Saturday afternoon. Their home church was in Georgia, and they served in Latvia.

People Need

by Macy Johnson

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

(Revelation 3:20 NIV)

 

One Sunday morning I was the substitute pianist at my church and presented Mark Hayes’ arrangement of “People Need the Lord” for the anthem. Steve Green recorded Greg Nelson and Phill Mchugh’s song in 1984. The lyrics gracefully express the story of our need to help those in need like us:

Provisions

 by Macy Johnson

“He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven

and crops in their seasons;

He provides you with plenty of food

and fills your hearts with joy.”

(Acts 14:17 NIV)

 

My husband and I piled into my car for our monthly trip to Athens, forty-five minutes away. Toilet paper was on my list, because we were almost out. I was concerned that Costco might be hectic with additional customers after the horrendous damage of Hurricane Helene.

More Notes

 by Macy Johnson

“Praise Him for His acts of power;

praise Him for His surpassing greatness.”

(Psalm 150:2 NIV)

 

During choir practice we rehearsed a new song written about Psalm 150. The keyboard accompaniment for the choir was sketchy, with just a few chords and minimal chord changes. I prefer to play only published notations, but soon realized what was written was boring and mundane. The director felt the same way, so she asked me to fill in the blanks and play more notes.

Divine Interruption

 by Macy Johnson

“She came up behind Jesus

and touched the edge of his cloak,

and immediately her bleeding stopped.”

(Luke 8:44 NIV)

 

My husband and I packed up the camper to leave Georgia’s Elijah Clark State Park. I put all the inside items into secure places, while Jeff turned off the water and retracted the stabilizer bars. Suddenly he noticed a young toddler wandering down the busy roadway that connected the camp sites.

Drop in the Bucket

by Macy Johnson

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,

you can say to this mountain,

‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.”

(Matthew 17:20 NIV)

 

We pulled our camper into Georgia’s Elijah Clark State Park for the first time. A sea of tents with a smattering of trailers filled the waterside campground. After we situated the trailer into our reserved campsite my husband plugged in the electric power. He then turned on the water. Nothing! We looked at each other and Jeff said, “Call the office.” 

Fallen Branches

by Macy Johnson

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,

while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes

so that it will be even more fruitful.”

(John 15:1-2 NIV)

 

It was a hot Saturday afternoon in early September. Jeff, my husband, and John, our son-in-law, lounged in our air-conditioned house and watched a college football game. My daughter, Libby, and I sat on the dock and watched her children swim and play in the lake.

Exploration

 by Macy Johnson

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;

I was found by those who did not seek me.”

(Isaiah 65:1 NIV)

 

In the mid 1800’s two ships set sail from England. They were assigned the task of discovering the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. All was lost within two years. Their tragic story is depicted in the AMC drama series “The Terror.”

Scan Now

 by Macy Johnson

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

(Psalm 139:23 NIV)

 

My laptop computer was not performing as it should. I contacted Best Buy’s Geek Squad online via chat and ordered a diagnostic review. Kainat gained control of my computer remotely and jumped through several screens to remove hundreds of temporary files.

It Works!

 by Macy Johnson

“And hope does not disappoint us,

because God has poured out his love

into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

whom he has given us.”

(Romans 5:5 NIV)

 

One Saturday afternoon my husband, Jeff, and I volunteered to organize our assigned book shelves at the local library. After two hours of reading off the twenty-six pages of titles while Jeff put the books in order, I drove us to Publix. We detoured to the pack-and-ship store to return a piece of internet equipment. Unfortunately, they had closed for the day just before our arrival.

Subtle Incapacitation

by Macy Johnson

“This is what the Lord Almighty says,

‘Give careful thought to your ways.’”

(Haggai 1:7 NIV)

 

My husband and I watched an episode of Air Disasters where an Ethiopian Airlines pilot allowed an early-morning flight to plunge into the Mediterranean Sea. His lack of proper sleep caused a lapse in mental awareness. The cause of the crash was deemed “subtle incapacitation” by the pilot.

The Why

by Macy Johnson

“For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.”

(Matthew 6:21 NIV)

 

Book number six of my God Sightings series was published. Three-hundred devotions in several books covered a six-year journey of weekly weblogs. Not a week of blogging was missed, although sometimes I came pretty close. I have often asked God, “Why do you want me to write these blogs?”

Deep Dive

by Macy Johnson

                        “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”

(Psalm 42:7 NIV)

 

A picture of a woman floating on a raft on a crystal-clear lake made me feel uneasy. I like to swim in pools and see what is beneath me. I do not want to know what is below my raft in the lake near my house. I do not want to watch creatures swim and crawl under me. Large rocks beneath the woman in the lake loomed larger than life and a bit intimidating.

As If

by Macy Johnson

“You turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth

and clothed me with joy.”

(Psalm 30:11 NIV)

 

One Sunday morning our congregation sang “Thy Mercy, My God, Is the Theme of My Song” as our Hymn of Praise. As I sang the second verse I thought of my recent injury and how my heavenly Father brought me through the pain and recovery. Then I looked up at the choir and caught the tear-filled eyes of one of the sopranos. She recently experienced a close brush with death and the words touched her heart, too.

His Face

 by Macy Johnson

“My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’

Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

(Psalm 27:8 NIV)

 

Someone remarked that every time they thought of Moses, they pictured Charlton Heston. As the star of the 1956 film, The Ten Commandments, his face was solidified in the minds of moviegoers. Jonathan Roumie of The Chosen series has provided viewers with a face to put with Jesus. Jonathan recalled in a documentary how he is often stopped on the street by people who request prayer for their needs. They feel a connection to God through Jonathan.

Rough Seas

by Macy Johnson

“A strong wind was blowing

and the waters grew rough.”

(John 6:18 NIV)

 

I looked out my window one summer morning and watched the wind blow the trees to and fro in a frightening manner. The water on the lake bounced back and forth. Waves seemed to dance on top of each other. Overcast skies hinted at much-needed rain, but it was not in the forecast. What is God trying to tell me? I thought. Am I in for some rough spiritual weather?

Ordinary People

by Macy Johnson

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay

to show that this all-surpassing power

is from God and not from us.”

(2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV)

 

Robert Redford won an academy award for directing the 1980 film, Ordinary People. It is about a typical family’s struggle with death and reminds the viewer no one is immune from the pain of everyday life. I am reminded daily my frame is frail. My first thought every morning is to give my heavenly Father my body for His use, to be a page in His Word. I am an ordinary messenger.

God's Empire

 by Macy Johnson

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on

toward love and good deeds.”

(Hebrews 10:24 NIV)

 

My husband, Jeff, and I enjoyed Chimp Empire, a documentary series on Netflix. Filmed in the remote Ngogo rainforest of Uganda, this film recorded the daily lives of chimpanzee communities.

 

I was enthralled with the nurturing gestures displayed among the family groups of chimps. The most important sign of affection and acceptance was to groom each other. Those chimpanzees who were not groomed by another chimp were considered outcasts. One large community split into two when the oldest male chimp was challenged, and battles often ensued between the two factions.   

Holy Experiments

by Macy Johnson

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart

may be enlightened in order that you may know

the hope to which He has called you,

the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”

(Ephesians 1:18 NIV)

 

Oswald Chambers wrote, “If you will give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you. God’s experiments always succeed!”

 

Our yard is my husband’s laboratory. As the descendent of a long line of New Jersey farmers, he has dirt in his blood. When he retired from manipulating inventory data for many years, he was trained to become a Master Gardener. Now he can organize and rearrange plants instead.

Not Heaven

by Macy Johnson

“Record my lament;

list my tears on your scroll –

are they not in your record?”

(Psalm 56:8 NIV)

 

Sunday morning I glanced out my window to catch an exquisite pre-sunrise. Shades of pink and purple splashed across the sky and announced the sun’s arrival. I walked out on my balcony to thank my heavenly Father for such a brilliant display of His glory. Hummingbirds whirred below me in the salvia bush while purple martins swooped over the water by the dock.

God's Gift Gallery

 by Macy Johnson

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

(2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV)

 

I was scheduled to volunteer at my local hospital’s gift shop. Mary Ellen opened the door for me and we visited for a while before she disappeared into the storage room. I moved around the displays with the help of my cane and inspected new items. A customer walked in and I noticed her employee badge.

 

Fireflies

 by Macy Johnson

“If the Son sets you free,

you will be free indeed.”

(John 8:36 NIV)

 

Two generations of adults relaxed on the porch and watched their children and grandchildren chase fireflies through Pop Pop’s garden. Overhead fans kept everyone cool as the evening darkness slowly descended. One by one, tiny lights flashed over the azaleas, black-and-blue salvia, and other plants scattered around the yard.

Rescue!

 by Macy Johnson

“To rescue us from the hand of our enemies,

and to enable us to serve him without fear.”

(Luke 1:74 NIV)

 

Purple Martins flew in a frenzy over the water and around their two-story house. “They must be feasting on bugs,” my husband commented. Then suddenly Jeff jumped out of his chair and hurried down to the dock. I noticed the birdhouse’s pole was thick and moving.

Movin' On Up

 by Macy Johnson

“The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai

and called Moses to the top of the mountain,

So, Moses went up.”

(Exodus 19:20 NIV)

 

It has been over five weeks since I ventured up the steep staircase from the main floor of our home to my piano/writing studio on the second floor. Fractures in my pelvis have healed enough for me to climb stairs again. With great anticipation, I look forward to slowly making my way up the staircase, left hand on the banister and right hand on my cane.

Sound the Alarm!

 by Macy Johnson

“Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees

and the crops of your land.”

(Deuteronomy 28:42 NIV)

 

To step out of my house these past weeks is to step into the movie set of “War of the Worlds.” The mating call of male cicadas resembles the sound of approaching alien aircraft in the 1953 film. The constant whirr, which is the loudest sound an insect can make, could bring a grown man to his knees like in the movie. I have been told that at some nearby locations, the sound is even more deafening than at our house.

Flowers

 by Macy Johnson

“Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves is heard in our land.”

(Song of Songs 2:12 NIV)

 

I received a large, flat, white envelope with instructions on the outside: “Do Not Bend.” Jeff, my husband, and I looked at each other. “What could this be?” he asked. I opened the package to discover a colorful floral rendition painted on cardboard with instructions to bring it to life.

Marching Orders

 by Macy Johnson

“At the Lord’s command they encamped,

and at the Lord’s command they set out.

They obeyed the Lord’s order,

in accordance with his command through Moses.”

(Numbers 9:23 NIV)

 

Eric, the physical therapy technician, followed me as I laboriously pushed the walker down the hallway. I ran headlong into Cora, one of the hospital administrators. “Who are you looking for?” the technician asked. “Her!” she said pointing at me.

No More Pain

 by Macy Johnson

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,

for the old order of things has passed away.”

(Revelation 21:4 NIV)

 

My husband, Jeff, and I recently watched a documentary about a man who cannot feel pain. His parents discovered his odd ability when he chewed off his tongue while teething.

You Never Know

 by Macy Johnson

“He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat

and you will find some.’

When they did, they were unable to haul the net in

because of the large number of fish.”

(John 21:6 NIV)

 

Our daughter’s family came for a long weekend visit over the Easter and spring break holidays. Saturday morning a new package of fish hooks blew off the dock into the water, lost to the watery depths. The next day our granddaughter, Dahlia, cast the fish net into the water to catch bait and pulled up the package of new fish hooks! “You never know,” I said to my husband, Jeff.

Neither Could I

 by Macy Johnson

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;

yet not my will, but yours be done.”

(Luke 22:42 NIV)

 

The Maundy Thursday communion service touched my heart. The choir sang two pieces from our Easter cantata and I was filled with the Holy Spirit. When I got home, my husband and I anxiously waited for our daughter and her family to arrive from Birmingham.

The Wilderness

 by Macy Johnson

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

to be tempted by the devil.”

(Matthew 4:1 NIV)

 

My husband, Jeff, and I watched a documentary on Amazon Prime Video about an actor’s walk of faith with Jesus. As he revealed his story of wandering in the wilderness, I was drawn to my own wanderings. God provided for his specific needs in a dramatic way, so he videoed the process on his phone and brought his audience to tears with him. When all hope was lost, the angels tended to his needs in a miraculous way. God prepared this actor’s heart to meet his Savior on his knees. He surrendered all to Jesus in the wilderness.  

Penelope

by Macy Johnson

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you

great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

(Jeremiah 33:3 NIV)

 

It was a quiet evening by the campfire at Watson Mill Bridge State Park. Jeff and I discussed dinner plans when children on bicycles zoomed past our campsite. An older woman cycled not far behind. My husband observed the activity and remarked, “That looks like fun.” 

Southpaws

 by Macy Johnson

“Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred

chosen men who were left-handed,

each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.”

(Judges 20:16 NIV)

 

Amy, our church’s music director, was seated at the piano bench with me one night before choir rehearsal. We practiced a four-hand piano duet together. I suggested I turn a particular page, so she wrote my name at the bottom of the sheet in her music book with her left hand.

Selective Hearing

 by Macy Johnson

“Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people.

They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear

but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.”

(Ezekiel 12:2 NIV)

 

My next-door neighbor, Susan, and I belong to a small choral group that meets at a local nursing home. We sing every Wednesday afternoon for the shut-in residents there. During one of the songs I leaned over to her, held the open hymn book up to my face and whispered, “See the lady in the back of the room in the blue shirt? She sticks her fingers in her ears when we sing.”

In or Out

 by Macy Johnson

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

the world and all who live in it.”

(Psalm 24:1 NIV)

 

As a child I often heard the phrase, “In or Out!” It usually occurred when I lingered in the doorway and allowed precious warm or cool air to escape.

Daffodils

 by Macy Johnson

“Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide

the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’

And the two of them went on together.”

(Genesis 22:8 NIV)

 

Friday afternoons I enjoy “Tea at 3” with my neighbor. We talk about how God has worked in our lives the past week over a cup of hot tea in my kitchen. Susan and I discuss hopes and dreams for our families as we share our hearts. I walked outside with her and she commented on the abundance of daffodils in our yard. My husband, Jeff, planted them to pop before our eyes in early spring.

Fiery Furnaces

 by Macy Johnson

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace,

the God we serve is able to save us from it,

and He will rescue us from your hand.”

(Daniel 3:17 NIV)

 

I firmly believe when I am taught a new lesson from scripture, I can expect a test along those lines pretty soon after.

 

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3 is one of my favorite Bible truths. Paige Brown of West End Community Church recently brought it to life for me in her online study in the book of Daniel. Although the three men were bound with ropes when thrown into the furnace, they walked around with a visitor. The blaze burned off their ropes, but did not singe a single hair on their heads. They were free!