The lawn care company with which we are more than satisfied gave me sage advice years ago. Mark, an experienced outdoors man, told me that ants are ubiquitous. They have a way of getting around, and they keep invading year after year. It would seem that they can't be stopped! I don't like ants; I'm not fond of them at all! They are not welcome in my home, my property, or my life.

A few years back, they almost took over my lawn, and started encroaching and overcoming our domicile. Thankfully, our "watch-cat", Lucy, noticed them coming in by the patio door or the side entrance. She would bat them around with her paws. Her actions would alert us to their presence. It's one of many reasons why pets are lovable. They watch out for us and stand guard on our behalf.

Being alert and on guard is one of the best things that we humans need to do as well. Take, for example, the apostle's letter to the Corinthians, one of the early church congregations. Paul was on guard and alert to bad advice, teaching, and example by nefarious people. To help the assembly of the saints and to encourage them to keep maturing in their faith, Paul gives the following advice:

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 – Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. (NKJV)

The apostle's admonitions are clear and informative: stand on guard and be alert to things that are a threat to the faith. Interestingly enough, Paul states what we need to do and how to do it. I confess that I have no love for troublesome ants. However, when it comes to our fellow human beings, Paul wants love to be in operation. Ants and their "antics" do not possess a threat to my spiritual well-being. The apostle, however, was more than a little concerned for guarding the spiritual well-being of the Corinthian Christians. Now that's important!

How alert are we to the intrusions into our congregations of false information or unwise advice that is not biblically sound? Let's be alert and watch. Paul's action and advice are good to emulate.

Prayer: God of all creation, we ask You to help us to be alert to things that can harm us in our desire to stay strong in the faith and to mature in our desire to manifest Your love. Help us to guard Your sage advice in matters that have eternal blessings. We pray in the Saviour's name. Amen.

Have you noticed while driving in the city or on the highway how some cars veer off to the right or left? It never comforts me when I see cars leaving their lane and crossing the line into oncoming traffic. Most of the time, the offending drivers catch themselves and yank the car back inside the lane. Why is it so hard to stay within the lines of the traffic lanes? In a word: distraction.

It is common knowledge that we live and breathe in a distracting and distracted world. People who are distracted by their smartphone antics (calling or texting while driving) are endangering themselves and others by erratic driving. Instead of focusing on the important things, some folks feel that they can ignore the important and be distracted by the lesser issues.

In the story of Mary and Martha, we see the impact of distraction. Yes, Martha was distracted. She gave in to the lesser matter of hospitality for the more important matter of Jesus' presence and teaching. Mary got it! Martha was distracted. Jesus said as much!

Just think how many ways that people can be sidetracked from the greater issue by the lesser! Are we distracted away from prayer by some urgent problem? Are we diverted from our devotional time by the attraction of e-mail or social media? Are our thoughts pre-occupied by recent hurtful statements made by a family member or friend?

As days unfold during the week ask yourself: In what ways am I distracted away from spending time with Jesus and His welcoming presence in prayer and Scripture reading?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we confess that too easily we lose our proper focus. Help us to be more like Mary and less like Martha when we are tempted to be distracted from Your presence. We ask for Your help today. Amen.

I enjoy toast for breakfast. Peanut butter and jam is my favourite morning fare on bread, and has been for years. It's good to know that peanut butter, in moderation, is good for you — protein, right?

I love a sandwich for lunch, but in recent months, I have noticed some changes in a loaf of bread. Sometimes, the weight is the same. The packaging is the same. Yet once I open it up, the slices are either thinner, or smaller, or both! When I put two slices of toast in the toaster, I now have a mental picture of two slices the size of soda crackers! The price is the same, or more, but there is less bread!

Do you remember when you put a slice of bread on the palm of your hand and the slice would cover most of it? Not any more! Now the slices are so small that I am left hungry, empty, and needing more.

Speaking of more or less, have you noticed that some of the packages, in fact, go so far as to decrease the number of items? For example, we used to buy a package of pita bread with eight rounds in it. Now it's down to six or seven.

Each year, we consumers are paying the same price or more, but getting less. Whoever thought of giving less and keeping the price the same as when you got more?

John 6:35 – And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (NKJV)

Earlier in John's gospel, Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10b, NKJV)

While some want to take away and give less in life, Jesus, the bread of life, came to give more, abundantly more! Have you experienced that abundant life?

Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving us "our daily bread" — the kinds of bread that satisfy both body and soul. Thank You for an abundant life that gives more with each passing day. We are eternally grateful. Amen.

One morning, while I was driving east past our university, the rising sun was at that perfect position to blind my vision. The visor could not help, and neither did my sunglasses.

As I kept driving and becoming quite concerned, one of the trees on the university property came into view. It was tall and just the right height and girth to block out the sun's penetrating power to blind. What caught my attention immediately was a pedestrian walking across the road. Needless to say, I responded appropriately. The pedestrian had no idea that initially I had not been able to see her, but thanks to the tree, she appeared in my view! Phew! By the grace of God, disaster was averted!

God used a tree that He had created so long before to save both me and the pedestrian from what could have been … well, you know the rest.

The timing of the tree's assistance with my vision prompted me to do a word study on trees in the Bible. One particular reference really caught my attention. In addressing his flock, the apostle Peter pointed out the redeeming work of the Saviour:

1 Peter 2:24-25 – [Christ] Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (NKJV)

Isn't it interesting how Christ's sacrifice on the tree at Calvary sheltered us from the wrath of God and allowed us to see our sins? While we were blinded and aimlessly wandering away from God, the tree upon which Jesus died restored our sight, revealed our situation and wrong direction, and enabled us to regain our bearing.

It's no wonder why we see the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. Was it in some way pointing us to Jesus and His ability to save us from disaster?

I think so!

Prayer: Your creation, O God, accomplishes more than we'll ever know. Not only are trees beneficial for the birds of the air for shelter from storms, but they also help people to travel safely and to avoid harming others. Your providential care is evident in all creation. Thank You! We pray in the name of the One Who died on a tree so that we could be set free from the wages of sin. Amen.

Life is all about waiting: waiting for people, waiting for an appointment, waiting in traffic, or waiting in line. Well, you get the idea.

These days, people are waiting for spring.

When we were kids, we had to wait to get to our summer vacation spot. I remember how many times, as children, we'd emote from the back seat of the family car, "Are we there yet?" It is hard to wait when you're in kindergarten.

Do you remember having to wait until you were old enough to have a bicycle? I do. It was a manual pedal bike, as opposed to the multi-speed roadsters and mountain bikes.

Then of course, we all had to wait to be old enough to drive a car. Do you remember waiting to graduate, or waiting for your name to be called so you could march with fellow diploma recipients to the platform?

Do you remember waiting to save for a down payment on your first house? How about waiting for the first-born child?

Waiting is not learned all at once. I dare say that it takes a lifetime to learn how to wait.

There are some tricks that I've learned about how to wait — how to put in the time. I would share some of them with you, but you'll just have to … wait.

As followers of Jesus, we also need to learn to wait. Isn't it interesting that God, Who is outside of time and space, wants to teach us about the value of waiting!

Noah had to wait while floating apparently aimlessly about. But he undoubtedly learned how to wait: He learned to trust in God's timing.

Hope springs eternal while we wait. Waiting fixes our focus on hope. As we get older, life teaches us that there is wisdom in waiting. This is especially true as we wait for God's good time.

Let's all practice this bit of wisdom and precious advice that the psalmist offers us:

Psalm 25:5 – Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day. (NKJV)

Prayer: Dear Lord and Father, with each new day, we learn the wisdom of waiting. As we wait, may we be filled with Your calming peace which we sense as we hope in You and Your sovereignty. We patiently wait and pray that Your will be done and Your kingdom come. Amen.

Over the years, I have journaled after reading a daily portion of the holy Bible. I have also underlined meaningful Scripture verses in one of the many versions. With the recent digital revolution, I have read, underlined, journaled, and studied electronically. All these various ways enable me to come up with practical demonstrations of God's Word in my life as I challenge myself with the appropriate life applications. There are many ways to avail ourselves of the insights from the wisdom of the ages — the Bible.

In the book of Romans, we read the following advice from a Christian missionary whose life was impacted by God's wisdom and Word. Here is what Paul the apostle wrote:

Romans 12:9-10 – Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. (NKJV)

There are more dynamite verses that follow these ones. But these two verses contain for Christians some great challenges to accept in 2017. Can you imagine the impact upon others if we embraced, in practical ways, these gems from God's Word? As followers of Jesus, these two verses should be visible in our daily lives. That is the purpose and blessing of a daily quiet time: God's Word becomes evident to ourselves and to others. May God be glorified as we plod on through each new day.

Prayer: Eternal God, highest in the heavens, You are the all-wise, all-knowing Creator. We are grateful for Your faithfulness in the past year and continue to appreciate Your faithfulness and daily blessings. We humbly acknowledge that only You can help us to excel as we long to have our souls revived through the impact of Your Word. Thank You for Your trustworthy statutes. May we — body, soul, and spirit — embrace Your wisdom for life. May Your Word show in our daily lives. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

An interesting television show, "Canada's Worst Driver", has been on the air for a dozen years. The premise of the show is to find bad drivers and turn them into better drivers.

Along the way, the host reminds them of one of the most basic, if not one of the most important principles for proper driving skills. I can hear the lament of the host, Andrew, echo through my mind. How many times, I wonder, has the host repeatedly said to the drivers that one, all-important "prime directive" in driving? It is this: "Look where you want to go." If you look other than where you need to position the car, you will veer off course, or crash, or get stuck — guaranteed!

Similarly, in the Bible, Isaiah, arguably the best of the prophets in the Old Testament, invites all people on the planet to look to God. In other words, if a person wants to go to heaven, and wants to have eternal life with God and a peace that transcends our comprehension, then quite simply, the best advice is to "look where you want to go".

Look to God! When you're driven or you drive off course, look to the One Who knows the end from the beginning. In today's verse, thus says the Lord, "Look to Me and be saved." Why not follow His "prime directive"?

Prayer: Hear us, O Lord, as we humbly pray. Thank You, Almighty God, for eyes to see and ears to hear of Your grace, goodness, and love. Help us daily to look to You. Save us! We pray in Your Son's name. Amen.