Hear, My Son, Your Father’s Instruction

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Happy Birthday Dad! Seventy years young today!

Proverbs 1:7-9 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. ⁸ Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, ⁹ for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

Grouse hunting with my dad and son (many years ago) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, near the town of Ralph.

Being raised learning to love the outdoors was a true blessing and something I have carried with me throughout the years. Hunting and fishing with dad are some of my fondest memories from childhood. But the greatest blessing of all was having parents who brought me up in the knowledge and fear of the Lord!

Fathers, the single most important thing you can do for your children is to raise them knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Read to them from the Bible. Teach them to bring everything to God in prayer. Set the example by being the spiritual leader of your family as God intended. Do not shirk that responsibility. Listen to Paul’s advice from Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

And children, as the fifth commandment, in Exodus 20:12, says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” This commandment, unlike the others actually carries with it a specific promise for being obedient. Not that we deserve a reward for obedience, nor are the other commandments are any less important; but, this is the only one that makes such a promise, making it noteworthy. Even Paul highlights this distinction in Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), ³ “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Thank you for all you have done for me throughout my life Dad! May God bless and keep you today and always!

Love,
Todd

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Rising Very Early

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Mark 1:35 – And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Early morning, “blue hour” photograph, waiting for the sun to rise over the lake. Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio.

If you are into outdoor photography or have read any books or articles on the subject, you have probably encountered the term “golden hour,” and possibly “blue hour.” Simply stated, the golden hour refers to the warm, glowing quality of light in the hours just after sunrise and just before sunset which make for much better photography than the harsher light of mid-day. The “blue hour,” while perhaps not quite as well known a term, refers to the periods just before sunrise and just after sunset, where the cooler blue tones tend to be more dominant, which are also better times for photography than mid-day.

I enjoy photographing sunrises and sunsets for a couple of reasons. First, there is simply the sheer beauty of it all. From pale pastels of pink, violet, and blue, to bold reds, yellows, and oranges and just about everything in between, the colors change continuously over the course of a single sunrise or sunset, transforming even an ordinary landscape into a spectacular sight; God’s majesty and artistry are so clearly on display. The second reason is the peace and quiet I find at these times of day, but particularly at sunrise. Except for the avid fishermen or hunters, depending on the time of year, there are not too many people up and out before the sun. Even the most dedicated hikers usually don’t hit the trail until at least a little while after sunrise. And, of course, the picnickers rarely show up until near lunchtime.

I do not often have the opportunity to get out early in the morning to do sunrise photography, it is only a hobby after all, but I still enjoy this time of day and find it to be the best time for me to go to the Lord in prayer and spend some quality time in his word. It is a time of solitude, before all the busyness and business of life come blasting in, a time when the house is quiet and my thoughts are still uncluttered by the cares and concerns of the day.

As this single verse from the Gospel of Mark tells us, Jesus also took time away early in the morning to go to his Father in prayer. I don’t think there is much speculation involved in saying that he probably chose this time of day intentionally, and for many of the same reasons, the peace and quiet, the lack of interruptions, and a clear mind after a good night’s sleep. Christ in his humanity, and despite his divinity and perfection, still needed to get away, he still needed time alone to converse with his Father. So we, in our fallen and sinful state, surely need these times far more than Christ did!

Early mornings may not be best for everyone, whether due to inclination or situation; however, I would urge you to follow the example of our Lord and Savior, himself, and find a time and place that you can get away and go to our Heavenly Father in prayer, to study your Bible and reflect on what he is telling you through his word. Whether it is a few minutes or an hour alone with the Lord each day, taking time away from the noise and clutter of everyday life will benefit your walk with Christ more than you can imagine.

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The King of the Ages

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

1 Timothy 1:17 – To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gray’s Arch towers like a king’s castle over the valley below. Red River Gorge, Slade, Kentucky.

Gray’s Arch in the Red River Gorge has stood for many thousands of years, and may stand a thousand more. In comparison to our span of existence in this world, this wonder of stone is enduring. Many generations have lived and died in the time that this arch has stood, and if the Lord wills, many more will come and go before it one day crumbles to the ground.

While we can marvel at the beauty and timelessness of such a magnificent formation, let us always remember whose magnificent creation this is; let us always remember in whose image we are created. “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

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The Very Stones Would Cry Out

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Todd D. Nystrom

Luke 19:37-40 – As he was drawing near–already on the way down the Mount of Olives–the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹ And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Fallen leaves on a moss covered stone. Caesar Creek Gorge State Nature Preserve, Oregonia, Ohio.

As a hiker and aspiring photographer I am always looking for new and exciting locations with magnificent scenery. Of course, time and distance limit the opportunities to travel to such places. But, I often find that some of the most beautiful things in God’s creation are the little things right there in front of us, like a mossy, leaf-covered rock in a stream or the little patch of spring wildflowers beside the trail.

God is present in all of his creation. And, as we read in today’s passage, even if someone were to try silencing the voices of those proclaiming the glory of God, be it a government, or religious leaders like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, “the very stones would cry out.”

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