One of my dear friends absolutely loves roosters. She has replicas of roosters on cabinet tops in her kitchen. She has a mirror and cabinet in the front hall with roosters painted on them. She has salt and pepper shakers in the form of roosters, and, at times, she has had calendars with pictures of roosters on them. She adores roosters!

Sometimes, when I am out in one of the malls, and I see a rooster of some sort, I will buy it for her as a gift. I like roosters too!

I do like roosters, but for a different reason. Every time I see a rooster, alive or replicated, it makes me think of Peter and Jesus. Jesus knew that Peter loved Him, but He also knew that Peter would deny knowledge of Jesus on that fateful night.

Luke 22:56-62 – A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. (NIV)

Peter knew that acknowledging that he knew Jesus at that time could possibly have cost him his own life, so he took the easy way out. He denied Jesus. I wonder: if it meant putting our lives on the line to simply acknowledge being a Christian today, would we also deny Jesus, or would we go the way of many of the saints and die for Jesus? Can we say that we love Jesus?

Prayer: Loving Father, give to each of us the strength to acknowledge Jesus as our King. Give to each of us the courage to say, "Yes, Jesus is my Saviour, and, by His blood, I am washed of my sins, and am free from the corruption of the world." These words we pray in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

In mid-October, 2002, I was travelling by bus between Edmonton, Alberta, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where I was to meet my brother, who was picking me up there to travel on to Regina, Saskatchewan. I think we were about halfway between Lloydminster and Saskatoon when the sun started to set. The western prairie sunsets are usually outstanding; however, the one this night was breath-taking. It seemed to hang in the western sky for hours, and I think the different changing colors included all or most of the colours that an accomplished artist could manage to put together. I lived on the Canadian prairies for a few years back in the 1970s, but never did I witness such a magnificent sunset as this one.

Later that same night, I was travelling with my brother between Saskatoon and Regina. It was around 11:30 p.m. when we pulled off the highway to take a break and stretch our legs. As we did, I looked upward into the night sky, and was amazed as my eyes absorbed a most magnificent sight. There, coming from the north, the south, the east and the west, were the northern lights (aurora borealis), dancing throughout the sky and coming together at a point that seemed directly above us. Most times when we in the north see the northern lights, they will be seen in one area of the sky, but this night was different. It was a frosty, cold October night, and yet my brother and I stood there for well over twenty minutes, not speaking, just soaking in the sparkling colour and display of the lights.

Yes, our Lord does let His glory be seen in the heavens above, just as the Psalmist wrote. He also has given us the opportunity to let His light shine through us when we live by the truth, as it says in John 3:21: "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (NIV)

Prayer: Loving Father, we thank You that You show Yourself to us daily. Whether it be by day or by night, we know You are always present. We thank You for the beauty of the northern lights, the prairie sunsets, and the animals and birds that You have given us. Lord, we thank You that it is so clear that when we live by the truth, we come into the light, that Your Son shines forth out of us. Father, we ask that we continue on in the light, and we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Many of us, I'm sure, have been out in the woods somewhere, and have had to find our way back to a cabin or a tent in the dark, even if only for a distance of a hundred feet or so.

This happened to me many years ago, when I found myself arriving by motorboat at the end of a lake, where there was a path through the woods for about a quarter of a mile to the cabin. I knew the lake very well, and it was no problem motoring the mile or so up the lake in the dark, but, when I got to shore, I found that I didn't have my flashlight with me. In a land inhabited by wolves and black bears, I didn't feel very comfortable, but I had no choice. I found my way in the dark, sometimes stumbling on tree roots and rocks, but eventually — after many prayers asking God for guidance — I saw the light from the cabin window, and then easily made it to the safety and warmth of the cabin.

I found my way because it had been familiar to me, but, in the dark, things change, and, if I hadn't known the way really well, I could have become lost. Years later, I read today's scripture verse, and realized that the Word of God was indeed the lamp to my feet and the light for my path. Just as God's Word was a lamp for me long ago, it is still a lamp for each of us today.

Prayer: Blessed Father God, we gather at Your feet, and thank You for being the lamp to our feet and the light for our paths. We ask You, Lord, to continue to show us the way every day, so that we will shine for You always. This we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

One morning early last spring, I took my little dog, Heidi, out for a walk. It wasn't the nicest kind of a day; the roads and the sidewalks were wet, and still had the grit and dirt from the winter left on them. Heidi, a miniature German Schnauzer is a beautiful salt and pepper color with white boots on all her legs. Heidi loves her walks, and is always disappointed if she doesn't go at least once a day.

Anyway, away we went, and forty-five minutes later, back we came, and she was a mess. Her white boots were nearly black with grit, and her underbelly was filthy too.

Downstairs to the laundry tub we went for her bath. After finishing up, she was joyous, full of energy, and so proud. She had been washed clean, and had a fresh start on her day.

When we as accept Christ as our Saviour, and renounce the filth of the world, we start a new life, much as Heidi got a clean start again with her bath. Being washed with the blood of Jesus and renewed with the fruits and the gifts of the Holy Spirit gives us the cleansing we need to start our new life with Jesus.

Prayer: Loving Father, we thank You for the gift that You gave to us when You sent Your Son, Jesus, to live with us and show us the way. We thank You that He gave His life on the cross so that we could be reborn and washed clean. Please help others to find their way to Jesus and a fresh, clean start on their lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)

While watching the local Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television news recently, a reporter was interviewing two people from Ontario, who were having a lobster boil on an ocean beach near St. John's, Newfoundland. It was a nice day in May, and while these two were being interviewed, the reporter asked them what they thought of the icebergs that were in the background. The reply: "Well, we came to Newfoundland to visit some friends and to have this lobster boil, and the icebergs are very beautiful added gifts."

These two people had come to Newfoundland for two reasons, but had received the extra bonus of seeing one of God's more beautiful phenomena. What they had received was indeed a beautiful gift.

Isn't this very much like when we become Christians? We come to Jesus expecting to receive salvation and eternal life, but we receive the extra bonuses of our own spiritual gift and the fruit of the spirit. What we have received is indeed a beautiful gift.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, please help us to open our eyes better to see the beauties of this earth. Open our ears, Lord, so that we can hear the music You play for us every day with the wind, the waves, and the bird songs. Lift us up, Lord, to be open to receiving the gifts that You have for each of us. These things we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

While ascending out of Honolulu Airport and flying over Diamondhead, I looked out the window, and, down below me, I saw a round rainbow! Yes, a completely round rainbow. How absolutely beautiful it was!

Then I wondered, is this how God sees all of His rainbows? Does He see them completely circular rather than as just an arc, like we see, when we have our feet on the ground? Could this mean that God's rainbows have no end? Is being round a part of the completeness of God's promise to us in today's Scripture?

To me, this makes perfect logic. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. He is never ending, just like His round rainbow.

Does this mean that we also should strive to ensure that our covenant with Him is circular, totally encompassing, never ending? Hmmm … Sure does make one think, doesn't it?

Prayer: Holy Father, God almighty, please forgive us when we break our circle with You, and don't measure up to Your covenants. Thank You, Lord, that You are so all-encompassing that You always remember Your covenants, and forgive us even when we are weak. Help us, Lord, to become stronger in You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

While travelling home on the highway, I looked at the directional signs saying to go this way for that place, that way for over there, and straight ahead for a long trip. It made me think of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

I thought, if I follow that arrow, it will lead me astray, only a short distance, but nevertheless astray. If I followed the arrow that pointed straight ahead, I would go a long way out of my way before I could turn around and head home again. To get home, I would have to take the "that way for over there" road to go there directly, without having to turn around or look for new directions.

It struck me at that moment that God's directions for us are all written plainly in his Book of Directions, the Holy Bible. As surely as the Department of Highways gives us road signs to follow, God gives us guidelines to follow.

It is true that most of us have taken the wrong road and gone "astray" at times, but if we go to God's Book of Directions, the Holy Bible, we will always find the right "directions" to get to the place we need most at that time. Invariably we will find ourselves "home", safe in the knowledge that Jesus Christ is with us, even though we have strayed. We will also find our way "home" when our Saviour returns on Judgement Day.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, we thank You for giving us constant direction. Help us, Lord, to keep our eyes and ears open to seeing Your "signs" and to hearing Your voice. Give us Your gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and discernment, Father, to enable us better to follow Your directions. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.