BLACKBERRIES

Blackberries ripen, full and sweet,

to make for me an August treat.

Their goodness calls me, “Come and dine!”,

so up I climb to make them mine.

Safe underneath the ash and beech,

the berries grow within my reach.

I pluck them quickly for my pail

and eat my fill along the trail.

Blackberries splendid, good and free,

are like the graces given me.

God’s fruit is for the picking ones,

and with it, love and mercy comes.

O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 34:8

BLACKBERRIES

We can reflect on God's goodness when picking blackberries on an August evening, up behind Veery Glade, far away from the world. How true it is that everything from a good God is good!

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. 

Psalm 23:5

Food in Heaven must be grand! Since our loving Creator made us in His image, we must surely enjoy good food forever. And beverage. The table will be set for those whose robes have been washed, whose faith in Jesus Christ, God's very Son, equals knowing He satisfied the penalty of our sin by dying on the cruel cross in our place that we might have His sinless righteousness imputed upon us. This is the transformative power of the Gospel truth. This is my cup running over.

Righteousness not imputed (due to lack of faith) only ends in destruction, in not being at the prepared table, in not having plenty, not even having burnt toast. Hell, the place out of God's presence, offers nothing of goodness, nothing of plenty.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 1:3

This is a description of the blessed man, the one who delights in the law of the LORD, the one who accepts God's Gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son. The picture is: a strong, mature, majestic tree thriving beside rivers of water.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Psalm 37:3

Feed on His faithfulness, like each season following each other. Sustenance comes from the Lord. Even in times of famine, there will be plenty for those who trust the faithfulness of God.

So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground.

Exodus 16:13-14

In Exodus, we remember manna from Heaven and quail supplied to the Israelites. This menu of meat and bread appeared every day for the people who had grumbled about not having enough to eat.

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Isaiah 55:1

Ho! What a wonderful expression in the NKJV! Here, through the prophet Isaiah, God sends out His invite, enthusiastically, to accept His beverages, His provision, His remedy, His salvation! No money required! Jesus paid it all! Trust God, not man.

"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:10-11

So shall My Word be. You can count on our Creator's words when He declares His intent so plainly expressed. You can count on His plan of sure accomplishment. You can count on the thing He makes known will prosper. Love cannot fail. God is love. God cannot fail. He sent His Son, the Living Word, to die for our sins and then to be raised up to return to Him, which He did. 

"They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit."

Isaiah 65:21

"They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God."

Luke 13:29

"Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Mark 14:25

And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

Revelation 21:6

Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"

Revelation 19:9

The Bible is full of promises, prophecies, and declarations. It is God's love letter to us! Taste and see that the Lord is good. We don't know for sure what kind of food will be on the menu in Heaven but I think it will be the BEST! Live a life trusting Jesus to find out.

FOR THE JOY: POEMS REFLECTING ON CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION

In September, I hope to work with a cover designer to create For the Joy's front and back cover. How exciting to get to this point in the process! With this Easter poetry collection to be published in spring 2027, I hope to encourage readers to trust God's infallible and inerrant Word through poetry and illustrations. If you would like to have a part in the launching of For the Joy, please pray that I can effectively fine-tune my poems and painted illustrations to convey the clear message. What a joy it has been for me to reflect on Bible verses and offer my reflections.

FOCUS ON PRAYER

Keep praying for your loved ones to be drawn closer to the Lord. Remember the persistent widow! Pray they would pray. Nothing is better than trusting an Almighty God who loves us so much that He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins. Righteousness is imputed on we who believe Jesus died for our sins, changing our legal standing before a holy God. Righteousness not imputed does not change the legal standing of a sinner before a holy God and condemnation remains.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Taste and see that the Lord is good, now and forever!

And I believe only GREAT food and beverage will be enjoyed by the saved citizens of Heaven.