Proverbs 18:24b – There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (NIV)

Despite delays in waiting for medical procedures, my legs have recovered sufficiently that I feel strong enough to walk down The Trail again. As I write, it is the first day of fall, and absolutely gorgeous!

The sights! The sounds! The smells! The feeling of the warm sun, combined with the cool breeze, absolutely thrills my soul.

Sparky, my dog, is elated as he runs from one exciting scent to another.

How great is our God Who bestows such beauty on our earth for everyone to enjoy at absolutely no cost.

The blue jays call raucously to one another, and the geese honk happily in preparation for their flight south. Squirrels and chipmunks race about, gathering and storing up food in preparation for the coming winter.

The milkweed pods are nearly bursting as they await the exact timing to release hundreds of fuzzy seeds into the air. I notice that I have picked up some prickly hitchhikers and begin to pull them off my pants and toss them into the grass. Here they will dig in and begin some new plants.

I feel Sparky nudge up against my leg as he curiously watches my strange actions. That brings a smile to my face as I think how much he is like one of these burrs, always sticking as closely as possible to me.

That thought reminds me of today's verse from the book of Proverbs that speaks of the One Who sticks closer than a brother. That One is our Lord, "Immanuel … God with us" (Matthew 1:23 NIV).

I stop what I am doing, and as I look up at the brilliant, blue sky and fluffy, white clouds, I thank my wonderful Lord for reminding me, once again, of this vital truth in such a beautiful way.

I reach out and hug my curious little dog, and then, I pat him and say, "C'mon, Little Burr. Time to go home."

Prayer: Thank You, Father, that You are the God of the small things as well as the large things. You give us such pleasure in the everyday sights and sounds of Your creation, as well as the constant assurance of Your never-ending presence. May we never take these blessings for granted. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Sharon Y. Greer <sygreer11@gmail.com>
Sandycove Acres, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada
Send your feedback to the author