Articles by Elizabeth Price at Heartlight

The Right Light

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Decades ago, I received two very pretty, oval shaped, pink stones that had fallen from a piece of costume jewelry. I have no idea what they are made of, probably just colored glass. They could be worth zillions, or not worth anything. To me, they are priceless treasures.

Late one afternoon at about dusk, I was searching through my treasure box for a broach and one of the pink stones fell out of the box. I heard its soft thump on the carpet and bent down to feel around in the dim light where I thought it would be. It wasn't there, so I switched on the light. Still it remained hidden. Finally, I shone a torch over the area. It still eluded me.

Next morning, I searched again; I still could not find my treasured pink stone. Perhaps I should bring the forceful assault of the vacuum cleaner to bear, but I suspected my stone could be shattered by such power and then it would be lost forever.

Another day went by, and as I contemplated the spot where my stone might be, the sun streamed through the window and there was my little pink jewel shining softly in the sunlight against the blue carpet. It only needed the right sort of light to reveal it.

Often, when something is difficult to uncover, we search and search for answers. However hard we search, it remains hidden and none of our artificial lights can reveal it. Our only choice is to be patient, and then when the timing is right and the right light shines on it, we find our treasure.

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12). The Psalmist proclaimed, "For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see" (Psalm 36:9 NLT). The right timing and the right light reveal the treasures of the kingdom of God to us.

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

What's Your Diet?

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0600

You hear a lot about food these days, such as "for the hungry" campaigns and "food for oil" scandals. And you are confronted with outlets and options for your every food craving every time you wander through the supermarket. Whole sections of the building are dedicated to food.

It seems life's greatest temptation, or at least pre-occupation, is to eat too much of it, or to starve one's self of it, or to withhold it altogether from vast sections of population, or to make a living out of it. However you look at it, food is of consuming interest -- pun intended.

The devil himself is hooked on the stuff. He got stuck into Adam and Eve with food. (Genesis 3:1) He got stuck into the Children of Israel in the wilderness over it. (Exodus 16:3) As soon as God declared Jesus to be His Son, he got stuck into Jesus with it. "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread," said the devil. (Luke 4:3)

And the devil made food very popular as we have noticed by all the attention it gets. Film makers, popular books, and drug dealers have turned millions of stones into bread -- pun intended -- as in putting very lucrative bread on their own tables.

However, Jesus gave the whole idea of food another value when he said, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." (John 4:32)

Ah, the plot thickens. Food is now a mystery! And for a couple of millennia, it has been touted as a spiritual mystery -- eating and drinking creating a mystery of the fear, excitement and curiosity of a block-buster movie spread across continents and available only through certain spiritual avenues.

But is it such a mystery? As quickly as he drew breath on the "What is it?" mystery (The word manna means "What is it?), Jesus laid it on the table -- pun intended. "My food," he said, "is to do the will of him who sent me to finish his work." (John 4:34)

His lunch was on the table and that was his diet. Guess it's now time we asked what our diet really is!

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

Storm Peace

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Sat, 18 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Years ago I heard the story of the farmhand employed by a man who lived in the city. Every evening before nightfall, the farmhand would secure all the gates and close down all the sheds and outhouses. Nothing was left to chance. There were no open doors left to bang around in the wind and no loose gates to accidentally swing open and cause trouble. He did his work thoroughly and made everything under his control as secure as he possibly could. If storms blew in during the night, they would not do any damage due to the faithful farmhand's oversight, diligence, and faithfulness.

Late one evening, the owner visited the farm and heard a weather report of an unusually severe storm approaching. The wind gusts were frightening and such a storm had never been experienced in the area before. In the dark, alarmed at the report, he sought out the old farmhand down at the cottage.

"There's a terrible storm coming," he said, banging on the door. "Why aren't you out there making everything secure? What needs to be done?" he asked in a panic.

The old farmhand opened the door and held his lantern high. He looked at the owner and replied in a measured and dismissive tone as he turned away, "I sleep well on windy nights."

The Old Testament tells of a man who did not wait until the storms raged. Like the farmhand securing the farm, it was his custom to secure his family every day. Early every morning, as was his "regular custom," Job took each one of his grown up sons and daughters to a safe place with God and secured pardon for any sins they might accidentally have committed. (Job 1:5)

Have we done everything in our power during the good times to secure our loved ones against whatever tragedies and difficulties might threaten them?

We, too, can sleep well on windy nights when destructive storms and gales threaten our families after we have placed them in the Lord's keeping. Make it a "regular custom" so that we have peace even in the midst of storms.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (Jesus in John 14:27 NKJV)

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

The Cockatoo Run

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0600

The white Cockatoo is an Australian parrot. They live in the eastern mountains in huge flocks. Years ago, people found sights and views not known before and small communities were established in those isolated places simply by following these large flocks of Cockatoos. In time, a train line was built through the enchanting countryside to the wonderful sights across the Illawarra Escarpment with its views of the ocean and on to a little town called Robertson.

The journey came to be known as "The Cockatoo Run." It is still valued by the train drivers who travel it as much as by nature-loving tourists. Talking about it, a train driver said, "It reminds me of another story. I regularly drive a freight train across a bridge and under the bridge there was a permanent water hole where an Eel had made his home. We would often see the Eel basking in the last rays of the setting sun on a rock near his pool. Sometimes we would see him swimming around in it. Then a severe drought crept across the land. It took its toll beneath the bridge, the water dried up and the Eel moved away."

The Eel reminded me of someone else who had to move house. His name was Elijah. There was an awful drought in the land and the water dried up, just like it did at the Eel's home. So God told Elijah to leave home and live near a brook called Cherith. Then God sent a Raven to provide Elijah with food every morning and every evening. It was one of a series of very serious life changes for Elijah. (1 Kings 17:1-6)

Jesus knows about making serious changes. He understands our losses and our grieving because he left his home, too. He left heaven when he came to earth to live with us. He even had to flee for his life as a refugee with his parents during a bad political time. During his most trying times, most of his friends forsook him and he faced his worst moments alone. He knows how we feel about serious changes and he assures us he is with us.

"I will never fail you. I will never forsake you." That is why we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid." (Hebrews 13:6-7)

I'm not sure what sights you will see on your journey through life. I'm not sure what changes lay ahead for you. I do pray, however, that you will journey with faith that you will never be alone.

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

Fan into Flame

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0500

The train driver was passionately aflame about driving trains, so somebody in our group asked him what inspired him. A far-away look came over his face and he told us why. This is what he said:

"As a small boy growing up, all things mechanical were interesting and exciting. In a little boy's world, the steam engine was the ultimate. It had side rods that moved back and forth, giant driving wheels that could haul a passenger locomotive in excess of seventy miles an hour, and large steam cylinders that could produce nearly two thousand horse power for heavy freight hauls across the Dividing Range. It had lubricators, steam injectors, air compressors and all sorts of levers and gadgets. Just enough to fill a small boy's mind.

"Friday afternoons would find my grandfather and me down at the locomotive depot. Grandfather was a farmer. In his early years, he used steam traction engines to work the land and the love of steam was always with him.

"The highlight of our visit was to watch the Riverina Express, pulled by a thirty-eight class steam engine. We would watch in silence, both wishing we could be aboard the footplate.

"Our concentration would be broken by the friendly waves from the crew aboard the thirty-eight class. We would think about the wonder and adventures of a train driver as the Riverina Express disappeared down the track.

"Even then, I knew I must follow both our dreams, his and mine."

As we listened to the train driver, we could all see how the dream set before him that fanned his inspiration. A fortunate few know exactly what fans their inspiration. Paul was inspired because God set him apart from birth so that he might preach Christ (Galatians 1:15) and love compelled him to share the message of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21 CEV) John the Baptist was inspired because he was "great in the sight of the Lord" with a purposed destiny even before he was born. (Luke 1:15)

Jesus was "chosen before the creation of the world" (Revelation 13:8), spent time in the presence of God to restore his passion (Luke 5:16), and his inspiration was the joy that would follow his costly sacrifice. (Hebrews 12:2)

Paul noted that Timothy's inspiration came through his mother and grandmother. "From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15)

But, he puts his finger on the pulse of Timothy's inspiration when he commanded him to "fan it into flame" the gift he had been given by God. (1 Timothy 1:5-6) Being gifted and called by God are the basis of all spiritual inspiration in our lives. However, it is our passion and determination to fan into flame that gift that is the fire that fuels our inspiration and shares Jesus' light with the world.

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

Echoes of Reality

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Every year for quite some time, we have been visited by an attractive little bird. He spends several months in our garden, but when it is time to build his nest, he leaves. He seems to say "This is not my home, I am just a visitor."

We have formed a bond with him and he seems to know it. Whenever we are in the garden he seems to seek us out, taking nectar from the flowers closest to us and hovering nearby.

Every year, we hope he might stay. However, he seems to have other duties and must be on his way. When he leaves, the garden seems empty even though there are still many other lovely birds still left. Nothing compares with him and we look forward to his return.

This year, we thought he had gone. Sometimes, however, we seemed to hear his song or we seemed to glimpse him high in the trees. We could not be certain; they were just fleeting echoes, but we kept alert and remained watchful and hopeful. Was he gone or had he only withdrawn for a while?

This morning, cup of tea in hand, I stepped outside. The garden was coming out of winter rest and a favorite rose was putting on its foliage. There was a distinct flutter of wings and our bird was there. He landed on the rose bush close by and looked at me. Then he sang triumphantly, loud and clear, for the whole garden to hear! He was staying with us! He was no longer a visitor; he had made our garden his home.

His song was a reminder to me that Jesus visited us for a while, then left because he had other duties to attend to. Sometimes we seem to hear him or catch a glimpse him. We hear what seem to be echoes of his reality, drawing us towards him. He has withdrawn for a while and the garden seems empty, but we are quite certain that one day it will overflow with song and joy at his return. He will make his home with us. He will be close by and will seek our company:

Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)

It is every reason to be alert and watchful and hopeful, isn't it?

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

Blossom in His Garden

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0500

I walked down into an isolated part of the garden where we had planted some trees and shrubs. They had been there for a couple of years now and I wanted to see how they were doing.

The seasons had been good and the young trees were thriving. A couple were as tall as I and others were not far behind.

Then, I noticed a curious thing growing near the tallest tree; I saw a plant with broad leaves and the most beautiful red flower I had ever seen. It was large and quite spectacular. I wondered how it had gotten there.

I had never grown such a plant. However, I recognized the leaves as belonging to a certain family of plants, but had no idea how this had been introduced into my garden. Somewhere, at some time, someone had planted a seed in the soil that had been used around the tree we had purchased. We watered the tree and the seed had come to life. Now I was presented with this magnificent gift.

This incident reminded me that we are called to sow seed. Jesus said the seed is the word of God. Some people hear that word, and then, like the seed sown on good soil, accept it and produce a crop. (Mark 4:20)

When we sow our seeds, we don't know how or where they might grow. Neither do we know when or why they might blossom. The apostle Paul put it this way:

My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

Jesus has sent sowers all through the world planting seeds in His garden. Like my beautiful blossom, God makes them grow. Somebody planted you. Somebody cared for you. Now Jesus is looking for you to blossom in His garden.

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

The Lord Has a Will

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0500

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints .... (Ephesians 1:17-18 NRS)

An advertisement recently reminded me how important it is to make a will. The advertisement mentioned some quite dire effects that can happen to a family when a member dies without leaving a legal will.

It seems that legal costs and added taxes could eat into what children would otherwise inherit and any privately expressed wishes could be dismissed. It is so natural for us to wish others to have our treasures but our desires and dreams could be wiped out completely unless we take steps to pass them on. Because we want our lives to count we do not want the significance of them to be lost. We want others to benefit.

Without a will, the dead had no rights and the only way to avoid disappointments and penalties was to make specific, legal arrangements.

The advertisement presenter was compassionate, but with the wisdom of experience and knowledge. I wondered why it is that too many people refuse to listen or are superstitious about such advice. It was a scary thought that if one's plans for others were not clearly defined and set into law, they could be totally ignored.

Even Jesus prepared "a will" right before He died. You can read the whole document in John 17! Please note what He wants you to receive in the following:

revelation — John 17:6

certainty — John 17:8

ownership — John 17:10

safety — John 17:12

joy — John 17:13

protection — John 17:15
sanctification — John 17:17-18

belief — John 17:20

family — John 17:22

unity — John 17:23

a future home — John 17:24

love — John 17:26

It is a rich inheritance, isn't it? It's also an inheritance given by One who was compassionate. He had great wisdom, knowledge, and experience upon which to draw as He made out His will. What's more, every time you pray the prayer in which Jesus "made out his will," you endorse His will when you say, "Your will be done." (Matthew 6:10)

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

The Missing Bible

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0500

I opened the catalogue that is posted to me every few weeks and was mesmerized by the array of different Bibles.

There were Bibles for men, so I could not read them because I am a woman.
There were Bibles for surfers, but I am a strictly land-dwelling species, so I could not read those.
There were Bibles for teen-agers, but they'd jail me for fraud if they caught me reading them because of my age.
There were Bibles for explorers, but I am already way over the hill so I could not read them because of the mountain separating us.
There were Bibles for every group one could name except ... me. I was ostracized by this Bible targeted marketing: didn't fit into a single group. I was totally excluded.

Worst of all, my Bible was missing from their list, and it is not even listed as a collector's item. My Bible speaks to everybody; nobody feels left out. Perhaps it is missing because it is too good to be true.

So could I make a suggestion, please?

Could we just stick to the sinners' Bible? You know, the one we've had all these years. Nobody gets left out of the sinners because "all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard." (Romans 3:23) I am in it, you are in it, men are in it, and teen-agers are in it. In fact, surfers, theologians, students, explorers, and everybody else is in it! Nobody is excluded because sinners are the ones for whom Christ came: "I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough." (Luke 5:32) They are even the ones for whom he died: "God demonstrates his love for us in this: When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ... But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:6-8)

It's the sinners' Bible, because that is who the Bible is for. Jesus didn't come for anyone else or die for anybody else. In this case, one size actually does fit all! The sinners' Bible: I think it is the best Bible of all, don't you?

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute

Reminder in the Storm

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Wed, 25 May 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Lightning flashed across the landscape, lighting up the hills and penetrating the valleys. Thunder roared and rolled, sometimes thumping like a giant hammer on the earth around us. All night and all the next day, nature's anger focused on our vulnerability and threatened our peace of mind. It felt like a time of judgment and nothing we could do or say quieted the storms that raged all around us. In the violent intensity of that storm, I found it very easy to recall the prayers I had learned as a child to ask the Lord to protect me ... "in the name of Jesus."

Just so, a storm several thousand years ago taught a whole nation to ask for protection through someone who would speak for them. As the crashing thunder and piercing lightning of Mt. Sinai terrified the Children of Israel, they begged Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us or we shall die!" (Exodus 20:19 NLT)

And it was here that they learned the greatest lesson of salvation. They learned that they needed someone to speak for them if they were not to be wiped out as sinners in the presence of the holiness of the Lord. They learned that they must have someone to stand between their vulnerability and the perfection of God.

Just as they needed a priest then, we need one now. Nothing has changed. "And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him." (Hebrews 10:21-22a NLT)

Jesus himself is the High Priest in all our storms. "He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:20) He who said, "Let the children come to me ..." has made it easy to recall the prayers we learned as children. We draw near in our storms and hear the voice of the One who speaks to God for us. He brings us grace, mercy, and help in our times of need!

That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. (Hebrews 2:14-16)

Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

Website: Just a Minute