Daily Picture

Stephanie Hawkins
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On Monday through to Saturday, I link an image to a theme in the Bible, with a podcast lasting about 10 minutes, which I hope brings hope and strength to anyone listening.

  1. 2h ago

    The Wonderful and Loving Father

    Today's message is on the fatherhood of God. Many of us are familiar with what is known as Jesus's Parable of the Prodigal Son, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 15:11-31. This is a title given by man to help us identify the parable but actually it could be given any number of names and, for the purposes of this message today, I shall call it The Wonderful and Loving Father. The youngest son of two sons wanted his inheritance early, which was tantamount to wishing his father dead so he could receive it there and then. His father gave it to him and he squandered the lot on wild living in a far off land. In subsequent great hunger and desperation he decided to return to his father ask him to take him on as one of his servants, as at least they were well fed. V.20b "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son'." The father then arranges for his servants to dress him as befitting a precious son and to prepare a great celebratory feast. The older son is angry not to have this done for him. Verse 28b and 31 : So his father pleaded with him. ..."My son, the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found' ". God wants to say to each and everyone of us who has chosen to be with Him, regardless of our past record of being faithful to Him or not, "You are always with me, and everything I have is yours". Are you aware of that for yourself?

  2. 1d ago

    Invisible thread

    Today I was reminded of invisible thread, encouraging me to reflect on God's unseen work in our lives, connecting all our circumstances and other people's lives with us. Apostle Paul reminds us to "...walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7) and there is the much quoted Old Testament verse, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). If you can access Corrie Ten Boom's The Tapestry poem, it provides a beautiful description of God weaving His majestic and loving will through our lives with all the ups and downs we experience. We only see our lives like the messy underside of a piece of embroidery but God is creating a beautiful front image. God knows what He is doing. Let us trust Him.

  3. 3d ago

    What are we thinking?

    Today I am thinking about thinking! Neuroscience tells us that our thoughts trigger off responses in our brain's neurons with electrical/chemical processes taking place. If the same thoughts (whether positive or negative) are repeated, a neural pathway is created so it becomes a viscious circle of being increasingly easy to repeat those same thoughts. We thus strengthen or weaken neural pathways by repeating or abandoning particular thoughts. We can benefit or otherwise with the brain's neuroplasticity, that is, our brain's ability to change and reorganise its connections for learning, memory and mindsets. The bible acknowledges this ability to reinforce positive neural pathways when we are advised to "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2), fixing your thoughts on what is true and honourable, and right, and pure and lovely, and admirable (see Philippians 4:8). Proverbs 23:7 warns us that what we think affects who we are and become: "For as he thinketh in his heart so is he". We can be deliberate and decisive in what we let our minds dwell on: "Taking every thought captive to obey Christ". Let us be positive thinkers

  4. 4d ago

    Unique colourful arrays

    Today, whilst praying I saw both a flower iris and the iris of the eye. Both have many colours and patterns. In Greek mythology Iris was the personification and messenger of the rainbow, seen as the bridge between heaven and earth. The iris of our eye controls the size of our pupils to let in light. Jesus said, "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light" (Matthew 6:22). As well as our fingerprints and thumbprint being unique, our iris patterns are distinctly different and unique, which is why iris recognition can be used for biometric ID. What a wonderful reminder that we are all unique. King David declared that God created our inmost being (see Psalm 139:13-14) and apostle Paul further described God's deliberate creation of each of us, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"(Ephesians 2:10). We each have our own unique part to play in this world. "Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else but each one should carry their own load" (Galatians 6:4-5). This relates to our personal responsibilities. We are created for a unique purpose.

  5. 5d ago

    Giving

    Since yesterday's message on offering our lives as a beautiful sacrificial incense, I have been reflecting further on the following verse: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver."(2 Corinthians 9:7). Acts 20:35 tells us that, "It is more blessed to give than to receive". God's Kingdom is full of giving people so everyone is receiving and giving. We sometimes need to be cautious and discerning on what, when, where and why we are giving. When we sense we should say no, then we are to look at our heart to ensure we are right with the Lord. Sometimes we are indeed to say no, for instance, if we are not ultimately helping the receiver. Sometimes people tell us to do something which God has supposedly told them to tell us to do; we need to receive confirmation from God to us personally. "Test everything, and hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Check our hearts in our giving and withholding. Ask God to guide us so we give wisely and with love.

  6. 6d ago

    Smoke signals

    Today I saw smoke signals which involve the use of damp grass or leaves covered and uncovered systematically to give short puffs or long columns of smoke. The signals need to be seen and interpreted before the smoke signals literally disappear into thin air. Smoke signals are still used by military forces with coloured smoke in rescue operations to indicate, 'Help', 'We are here', 'Everything is safe now' etc. This reminds me that, often, people give out distress signals, wittingly or unwittingly, so let's be alert to others' needs and cries for attention or help. Also, smoke signals can remind us of smoke offerings to God. In the Old Testament God commanded the burning of incense as an offering of worship to Him. King David, in Psalm 141:2, says: "May my prayer be set before you like incense; ...". The authentic ingredients, such as of frankincense and myrrh, were very expensive so they were a literal sacrifice of wealth. In a non literal sense we can equate the sacrifice of expensive incense burning to the sacrifice of our time and wealth in what God asks us to do with our lives for others. Let's look out for others' "smoke signals" for help and be prepared to offer our lives as a living sacrifice on God's behalf.

  7. Sep 8

    International frog sounds!

    Today a frog has come to my mind's eye and, in a funny sense, I have thought of the different sounds that different countries attribute to a frog. The English say "ribbit ribbit" and "croak". Meanwhile, I have read of many others, such as French coâ coâ , German quak quak, Japanese kero kero, Korean gaegul gaegul etc. As we get older we find ourselves unable to pronounce certain sounds made in other languages. This has caused me to reflect on the limitations we have in understanding another person because we have not experienced their past. Despite lack of understanding and experience of another, let us show sympathy, patience and love to all. There are many bible verses reminding us of this, one being: "Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble" (1 Peter 3:8).

  8. Sep 7

    Marble with veins

    Today I saw some white marble with swirling black veins running through it. These veins are impurities of clay, iron oxides, graphites or suchlike, and yet, many of us find this marble beautiful. Similarly, God looks at each of us, His unique creations, as beautiful, with all our impurities. "We are God's handiwork." (Ephesians 2:10). "Since you are precious and honoured in my sight and because I love you" (Isaiah 43:4).

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About

On Monday through to Saturday, I link an image to a theme in the Bible, with a podcast lasting about 10 minutes, which I hope brings hope and strength to anyone listening.

Information

  • Creator
    Stephanie Hawkins
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Stephanie Hawkins
  • Show Website
    Daily Picture