Looking at the calendar today we can see that it is time for us to turn the page on a new month.  September begins and with it we say good bye to the summer and look ahead  what this month and beyond will hold.  It is funny how a simple act of turning a caledar page has the potential of bringing new hope and fresh encouragement. 

This past week as school started in our area I was driving and got behind a school bus that was making frequents stops that seemed to last longer than normal. As I got closer to the bus with a less obstructive view, I could see why the bus driver was lingering at each stop.  Near the door of the bus as the children prepared to enter, there was a large group of parents who were not only seeing there kids to their first day of school, but wanted to get a picture to commerate the event.  What was neat to see was the mix of joy and concern on the face of each parent.  Each parent wanted to climb on the bus with their child and go with them through their first day just to make sure they would be ok. (Many of us have been there and could feel all the emotion of the moment with them. ) Some parents not only wanted to take the picture of their children getting on the bus but also one last one on the bus as they made child made it to their seat.  This scenario was repeated at each stop until the bus turned and made it's way to the school.  

 My wife has done a similiar ritual as she documented our boys history in photos on each first day of their of their new school year, from kindergarten to college. To look back over the years and see how they have grown and matured brings that sensation of joy of hope and thanks to God for His faithfulness and watchfulness over their lives.

I wonder if God does the same thing that earthly parents do, but on a much larger scale?  The word of God says that He rejoices over us with singing and that His thoughts towards us are innumerable.  Does He take divine snapshots of His kids?  Does He take the time to paste them in a special book and celebrate over us with Joy and Hope?  Does He look back with pride and see us as we have grown? I think He does.  Since our God is the giver of all good things, it makes sense to me that what He put into the lives of parents in the way of love and care,  He posseses in even greater measure.  Our heavenly Father loves us and is proud of His kids, as they take steps of new beginnings and new levels of intimacy with Him.  The Psalmist said that we can never leave God's thoughts or His love.  We are always in the Lord's care and under His watchful heart. We will never fully grasp the Love of God on this earth, and even in Heaven it will take us eternity just to begin to fathom the Father's love for His Children.  I wonder if the Lord will allow us the joy when we get to heaven of looking over our pictures that He has taken over the years.  I for one can't wait, because they will not be pictures of the times we failed or of the times that we missed His best.  The pictures that He will show us are the days we started fresh with Him, our new beginnings and the days we got it right.  The times we brought joy to His heart and the moments when His love for us was connected with our love and obeidence to Him. 

As we start this new month, let's allow God to take new pictures.  Let's turn the page of our old way of doing things and draw closer to God.  This month can be one in which we all bring joy to His heart and recieve fresh hope for what is to come. So lets you and I be ready to take these new steps and look forward to pleasing God in greater ways than ever before.

Smile God is about to take your Picture!