Month: March 2024

Morning Dew #78

God, my Resurrection

Returning Fishermen – North Coast, Jamaica. Photograph by Josephine

It was early morning and the sun softly lightened the Jerusalem hills when Mary rose from a restless sleep to return to the grave of her Master. The past two days had been excruciating. Jesus, His teachings, His promise of a full abundant life was halted as He hung lifeless on the cross. She relived His piercing cry, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”, His final words, “It is finished”, and the enveloping darkness. 

Her goal now was to find closure- retrieve His body, prepare it for a complete burial, and somehow move on. Arriving at the tomb she discovered an empty vault. It matched her heart’s emptiness. If He is not here, where then is He? 

We need not guess. Jesus directs us to where He may be found— with the hungry, the thirsty, the lonely stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned— Matthew 25:34-40.  May our Easter search redirect us from the tomb to places of service because He lives among those who are “the least of these”. He has promised that as we serve them, He serves with us. 

Dear Lord, I will join You among “the least of these”, to provide the care and love that You would have them receive.  Amen

Morning Dew #77

God, my Bedrock

Majorca coast, Spain. Photograph by Josephine

We live in a world of shifting values where the appropriate time is “whenever you choose”, the best place is “wherever you are”, right and wrong are “maybe”, and promises are undependable. In the absence of absolutes, crime has risen, anxiety abounds, and suicide is prevalent. Are there bedrock principles for confident living? 

§ – Love unconditionally: “. . . love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” Matthew 5:44.

§ – Never speak when we should be silent: “Be still, and know that I am God . . . The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.” Psalm 46: 10, 11.

§ – Never run when we should stand still: “And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. Exodus 14: 13.

§ –Never worry when we should pray: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34.

§ – Never doubt when we should trust: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11: 1

Dear Lord, I would receive from You the wisdom to live a strong, meaningful, confident life where my yes is trusted, my decisions are sound, and my hope is Eternal. Amen

Morning Dew #76

God, my Company

God at Dawn. Photograph by Josephine

Miriam was the choir leader for the Israelites journeying from Egyptian slavery to God’s promised land of freedom and prosperity. The Israelites revered Miriam who lifted their spirits  with beautiful praise and worship services. 

However, Miriam wanted to be more than choir leader! She wanted her brother, Moses’ job— head leader. Her envy led to rebellion that displeased God and so He punished her with leprosy. Moses prayed for Miriam and God cured her leprosy but she had to go through the required time of cleansing. Miriam was placed in “time-out” alone, outside the camp.  

Why didn’t The Israelites move on and leave her to stew in her consequences? They couldn’t!  They could break camp only when the Cloud that led them moved on. That Cloud, God, stayed put, unmoving for the length of Miriam’s “time-out”! 

When the consequences of our actions bring hardship, God does not retreat from us but as with Miriam, so He is with us— He stands faithful, loving vigil, waiting with us. 

Dear God, Please reassure me daily that “. . . neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate [me] from [Your] love .”  Romans 8:38, 39. Amen. 

Morning Dew #75

God, my Value-Maker

Y Falls, Jamaica. Photograph by Josephine

According to the United Nations Worldometer this world’s population on Sunday, March 10, 2024 is 8,096,044,209 and growing! Imagine, I am— you are one of 8 billion people! How insignificant that could make us feel. 

The combined volume of Earth’s oceans is about 352 quintillion gallons of water. In that vast body of water live Prochlorococcus a microbe that is so minuscule, over 20 thousand of them live in a single drop of water! But don’t let size fool you, we owe one out of every five breaths that we take to this minuscule oxygen-producing microbe!

If we awake today feeling that we are just one-in-billions and of no value, the above seeming trivia says otherwise. The Bible places value of the smallest. Jesus as He walked the earth cherished the simplicity of the child over the pomposity of the academicians, the farthing of the widow over the thousands of the rich, and the tiny mustard seed for its potential to be a valued tree. 

Our worth is not in our size but our willingness to care and to serve. As the song says, “if I can help somebody as I pass along then my living shall not be in vain.”

Dear Lord, help me to use my one-in-a-billion uniqueness to make someone smile today. Amen. 

Morning Dew #74

God, my Restorer

Morning Has Broken. Photograph by Josephine

Loneliness is on the rise. In this age of cellphones, Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceBook, rapid land, air, and sea travel, we are growing lonelier! Our world is a continuous masked-ball where we cope behind beautiful masks of prosperity, gaiety, and laughter hiding rejection, insecurity, and despair. 

Loneliness can also be the result of poor choices. Moses of the Bible, in uncontrolled rage killed a man and had to run, exchanging palatial comforts for the harshness of the desert. Hagar, Sarah’s lady-in-waiting, because of arrogance lost her privileges to wander pregnant, homeless, and desperate. 

Whatever the reason, loneliness has led many to do desperate things including self-harm and the harming of others. 

Both Moses and Hagar found out that although lonely, they were not alone. Moses at the burning bush, received renewed purpose and promise of protection from God. Hagar was revived and redirected in a place she gratefully named “The-God-Who-Lives-and-Sees-Me.”

The lives of Jacob, Joseph, Esther, Naomi tell us that God does see, hear, and come alongside in our moments of desperation. He calls us to look for Him and draw strength for life’s journey.

Dear Lord, May Your promises below build my faith and trust that You can satisfy my longing. Amen 


*Found Poetry from the the Old and New Testament –  Compiled by Josephine. Feb., 2024
*Found poetry is created by taking phrases from other sources (e.g., the Psalms) and organizing them to create a type of poem.