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!

Adopt-A-Shelf

 by Macy Johnson

“Dominion and awe belong to God;

He establishes order in the heights of heaven.”

(Job 25:2 NIV)

 

Benjamin Franklin is credited with the quote “A place for everything, everything in its place.” According to BookBrowse.com, “the first known use of the exact expression appears in The Naughty Girl Won, a story published by the Religious Tract Society in 1799.”

Ping!

 by Macy Johnson

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart O God, you will not despise.”

(Psalm 51:17 NIV)

 

I sat quietly and read through my weekly Bible Study on the book of Ephesians while my piano received its annual tuning. The sporadic sounds of notes played repeatedly were a distraction. Ping! A sudden “crack” reverberated through the house. 

Open Doors

by Macy Johnson

“Ask and it will be given to you;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.”

(Matthew 7:7 NIV)

 

I took my seat at the large table for the quarterly meeting of the Friends of Greene County Library. I visited with the Vice President and prepared to take minutes as the new Secretary when a member sat down next to me. I met Kim at a previous library function many months ago. She laid down a copy of one of my God Sightings books, pointed to the picture on the back cover, and excitedly asked, “Is this you?” “Yes,” I replied. “I want to talk with you after the meeting,” she whispered.

 

Celebrate Life!

by Macy Johnson

“For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

(Psalm 139:13 NIV)

 

I recently attended the memorial service for a dear friend. Many years ago Sally and I sang in the church choir and played handbells together. She passed away on her seventy-fifth birthday after she fought a long battle with cancer. The same day she was welcomed into heaven, my daughter celebrated her birthday. Sally ran into the arms of Jesus while Libby strolled on a sunny beach in the Caribbean with her husband.

Glory

by Macy Johnson

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.”

(Psalm 57:5 NIV)

 

The word glory appears almost three hundred times in the Bible, forty-four times in the Psalms alone. It can be defined as the manifested presence and uniqueness of our Creator God.

Unseen

by Macy Johnson

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’

before men, to be seen by them.

If you do, you will have no reward

from your Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 6:1 NIV)

 

I recently read a story about a master craftsman who labored at the site of a new cathedral. A bystander asked him why he worked with diligence on a piece of stone that would not be seen. The man replied, “God will see it.”