Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, September 20, 2025

Within the last couple of weeks I’ve noticed this large trailer parked in front of one of our neighborhood homes. On my after-breakfast walk, I approach it from the rear, and can therefore admire this workstation.

I can’t say for sure what kind of project this trailer’s owner has been hired to do. But I did see a large stack of new planks beside the house. These have now disappeared, so evidently this workman is building a new deck back there.

But every time I’ve walked past this open trailer, I’ve thought, Whoa. If I needed a project done, this worker is the one I would hire. I mean, if the owner was indeed the one who set this trailer up, it’s obvious he or she knows exactly what shelving is needed. See how the two power drills are carefully mounted against the cabinet wall at the upper right? The trailer’s interior is dark, so it’s hard to see all the details, but it seems that everything this worker would need is positioned so it’s easy to get to. Impressive. I can imagine that he or she is rarely or never caught off guard or embarrassed.

The apostle Paul, who always kept an eye out for ways to illustrate spiritual truth, used an analogy like this when he spoke to Timothy about being a careful Bible interpreter. “Be diligent,” the apostle said, “to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

One Bible topic it’s very helpful to learn about is Bible promises. Why not take a few minutes to add these important tools to your spiritual work trailer? Here’s the link:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/help-bible-promises

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, September 19, 2025

A couple of weeks ago, on a post-breakfast walk around our housing development, I discovered that one of those large storage-pod containers was parked squarely on someone’s driveway. At one of its lower corners was this challenge: “Scan me.”

I didn’t scan it, mainly because the name of the company was right there on the side of the pod, and I didn’t need such a pod for myself. Also, I don’t exactly know where my scanning app is on my phone at this point – I use it so seldom.

But there was something charming in this challenge. It seemed to be saying, “No surprises here! I’ll be transparent if you take the trouble to check me out!”

And that is exactly what human beings are encouraged to take part in with their Creator. It goes both ways.

For example, King David opened his heart and begged God to “scan” him:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23 – 24 NKJV)

And many times in the Bible, God challenges us to study His own words and ways so that we can satisfy ourselves about His love and justice. Satan, speaking through a serpentine ventriloquist dummy, lied about God during his conversation with Eve in Genesis 3. Ever since, God has been on trial. (In fact, there’s an entire theological topic about this, called “Theodicy,” which seek to discover whether the Almighty is consistently righteous.)

You see, rather than responding to Satan’s lies with obstinate cover-ups, God has opened His heart. Though He could have instructed the Bible’s 40 or so authors to report only positive events, happenings which made Him look good, God allows the full truth of the complex cosmic conflict to be revealed. None of the Bible people we name our kids after had lives free of sinless acts. God recorded history truthfully, and in many an agonized passage in the prophets, He tried to reason with His rebellious children.

A good place to contemplate the character of God is to read the verses about Him in the link just below.

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/god

Photo ©2025 by Amber Jurgensen
Commentary ©2025 by Russell Jurgensen

This baby bunny seemed out of place in the coils of a water hose, so my wife carried it to a thick grassy spot where it could hide. She made sure it had water and she kept an eye on it for a while. Over the next few days, we spotted it hopping around in different places.

Being soft and cute may not seem like a defense against predators out there. But it reminds me about the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes. Here is one verse.

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth
Matthew 5:5

It seems to go against our worldly instinct. But like this bunny, people who are gracious and mild can get along successfully even when there are dangers around. This bunny was highly alert and was ready to move when we came around. So it seems people can be gentle and alert, also.

Photo and Commentary (c)2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, September 17, 2025

There’s something deeply calming about lush green grass. Maybe it’s because green symbolizes life and vitality, while dry, brown grass feels like the absence of it. Whatever the reason, I find great joy in the imagery of this beautiful hillside.

This particular hillside lies just off the shore of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. In the first image, you can see a charming village nestled into the slope—several homes, a few barns, and an abundance of trees and grass stretching in every direction. The second image reveals more of the terrain: it’s a fairly steep incline, and the only creatures I can imagine truly benefiting from such a slope are sure-footed cows. I didn’t capture any in the photos, but they were definitely nearby.

When I first saw this scene, my mind immediately jumped to the cost of my summer water bill—since I have to water my lawn two to three times a week just to keep it alive. But here? This lush hillside thrives naturally, nourished by rainfall and mountain snowmelt. No expensive irrigation, no effort—just nature doing its thing.

Whether I’m looking at the wide-angle image filled with homes or the close-up of a solitary barn nestled in nature’s green carpet, one question comes to mind: What surrounds us?

Do we choose to surround ourselves with things that are vibrant, life-giving, and beautiful? Or—often without realizing it—do we allow ourselves to be encircled by what’s dry, fading, or unhealthy? I truly hope it’s the former.

This quarter in our Sabbath School class, we’ve been diving deeper into the life of Moses. Naturally, that means we’re also learning more about the journey of the children of Israel.

In our most recent lesson, we explored the awe-inspiring moment when God descended from Heaven, allowing His people to see and hear His presence. He surrounded them with His glory—an overwhelming display of divine love and majesty. But was that enough for them? Were they content with the lush, living landscape of God’s love that enveloped them at Mount Sinai? Sadly, no. They believed they needed more—something shiny, something tangible. That object, though dazzling to the eye, was lifeless and hollow. It stood in stark contrast to the vibrant, nourishing presence of God right before them.

It’s a powerful reminder — not only does God surround us with exactly what we need, but when we invite Him in through prayer, He also protects that space — keeping it pure, peaceful, and untouched by anything that doesn’t belong. So, all we need to do is ask.

Pray now that God will surround you with His presence and shield your life with His love – creating an oasis of and providing you with the green grass all around.

Photo ©2009 and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Maybe you’re not one of those who stops and takes pictures of road-kill you find along the highway, but this particular encounter held special interest to me. Before taking a trip to Australia I had read that that country held 21 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world. Since I was going to be searching for birds in some out-of-the-way places, this created some concern as to what I might encounter that might cause me problems. Of the 170 species of snakes native to Australia, around 100 of these are venomous. So, the idea of hiking through tall grass and fallen palm leaves caused me some apprehension.

It was in another part of the country I came across this Mulga, also known as the King Brown Snake, as well as Pilbara Cobra, a highly venomous snake. Reading about it later, I found that its poison is not as potent as some of Australia’s other dangerous snakes, but that it holds the world record for delivering the largest amount of venom in one bite. To make matters worse, they are known to hang onto their victim, chewing the flesh which allows them to deliver up to 150 mg of their toxic venom! And this predator can grow up to 11 feet in length. Fearful!

So, why was I willing to venture into habitat that could make me vulnerable to such creatures? The answer was simple: I followed behind someone who knew the area and its creatures well, someone who was aware that it was too cool for the snakes to be out that time of day, someone who would break that path before me. It was this same kind of encouragement Deborah gave to Barak when she stated: “…Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand; is not the Lord gone out before thee?…” (Judges 4:14 KJV) The CEV phrases it this way: “In fact, the Lord has already gone on ahead to fight for you.” What assurance it is to know we have someone who has already gone before us.

Photo ©2009 and Commentary ©2025 by Chuck Davis
Monday, September 15, 2025

Last week’s Photo Parable featured my Mother’s favorite wildflower (the Tiger Lily). This week I am sharing another flower, the Avalanche Lily.

These flowers (Erythronium montanum) appear soon after the spring snowmelt. A carpet of these beautiful white blossoms can blanket an entire mountain meadow. This covering on steep hillsides led to their common name. I like to think that Jesus had flowers like these in mind when he spoke about the lilies of the field.

“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30 KJV).

By faith, we will have a robe of righteousness. Imagine an avalanche of gleaming white robes. What a picture that will be.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, September 14, 2025

I found this fault on the neighborhood trail we walk twice a day. At least that’s what I’m calling it. You might call it a crack in the dirt, but that doesn’t sound as poetic – plus, I’m from earthquake country, so it makes me think of a fault.

I remember feeling three earthquakes that hit the headlines while I was growing up in Juneau, Alaska. The largest one, on the evening of March 27, 1964, registered 9.2 and lasted a very long four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. I didn’t know until I checked on its size and duration that it’s the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America.

What I do know is that it was Good Friday and my father’s birthday, and the vase of daffodils we bought to celebrate him started dancing around on the dining room table, while the light above swung back and forth. We were far from the epicenter, but kept anxious vigil through the night until we heard from relatives who lived much closer to it.

Geologists calculated that six hundred miles of fault ruptured and moved up to sixty feet, releasing about 500 years of stress buildup.

So I am wary of faults.

I am wary of faultfinding, too, especially if the finder is pointing the finger at me. Have you ever had the accusation hurled at you, “It’s all your fault!” Not pleasant. Faultfinding can cause stress buildup and ruptured relationships!

And yes, this reminds me of Jesus.

Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”—who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:13-25 NKJV)

And so the faultless, sinless Son of God staggered and crawled up the hill to Calvary and literally laid down His life for us, choosing to die so we could choose to live.

That is why Paul can assure us:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1 – 2)

He finds no fault in us!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love . . . to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3 – 4,6)

We are accepted and blessed and without blame before Him!

And just like Jesus, we are His beloved.

Praise be to the One who loved us first!