When Love Calls

“The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare…A third time the LORD called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” 1 Samuel 3:1-9.

This is the sweetest story and I always love returning to the room where young Samuel first heard and discovered God. This little boy was serving in church at the direction of Eli, a much older leader in the temple. Three times the young boy heard his voice being called and each time he approached Eli in response to the call. Finally, Eli figured out that the voice Samuel was hearing was none other than Holy God. He guided young Samuel with the appropriate response the next time the Lord called Samuel’s name. And once again Samuel heard the calling of his name from the lips of the Lord. He answered the Lord as Eli instructed and his life was never the same. God used that little boy as a powerful instrument for the rest of his life.

I grew up in the church and as a child was involved in many aspects thanks to my parents. I would help serve at meals and clean up afterwards. There would things that my youth group would accomplish in the name of the Lord. But it wasn’t until much later in my life when my church life became more than service and memorization of hymns and Scripture. I remember that a whole new world opened up for me when I would talk to my grandmother about Scripture…about God…about experiencing God. Oh, how I covet those talks from yesteryear and wish she was still here! But through the influence of my parents and the guidance of my grandmother I grew from that little girl serving in a food line to a daughter of a Father who has much work for us to do in this world. Like Samuel, I know that God called me for years before I ever responded. Like Samuel, I didn’t recognize that He was calling because the world was masking His voice. I’m so thankful for those people who taught me how to hear His voice and seek His guidance.

We all have the Lord’s calling on our lives, filled with purpose…pursuit…service to others. If we are not careful, we will not hear His voice above the fray of the flesh and the culture. We must make intentional efforts to seek Him, expect to hear Him and walk out what He reveals to us. His plan is precious, and His power is infinite to accomplish that plan. What better offer does the world have for us than the abundance of what our Father offers? We have all been placed at this time on the kingdom calendar with a purpose of leaving our imprint through our partnership with God. Are we listening?

“The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’” 1 Samuel 3:10

Never Alone

“He changes times and seasons.” Daniel 2:22

As I have written about in the past, my grandmother kept a spiritual journal for over 62 years recording the ‘comings and goings’ of her beautiful life. I don’t keep journals in the same sense, but I do believe that my devotionals are somewhat like her journals. My writings are contemplations of my past experiences, my present circumstances, my search of God's truth and my reconciliation of the whole package. My writings are where the emotional meets the spiritual and many times they wrestle for power. Sometimes the emotional pins me down and declares victory but the win is only temporary. Our lives are strung together with the ebb and flow of experiences that mold us into who we have become. I probably need to warn you that the devotionals for the next week or so might get a little monotonous to read but they are anything but boring to me.

This morning I awake to the final leg of a season that has flowed with innumerable blessings. We leave for Folly in a few hours for 9 days to pack up our lives there. So much of my time spent at our home at Folly has been shared with you in my devotionals. Snapshots of beautiful sunrises to sunsets...analogies coupled with pictures I’ve taken along my walks. Images of shared fellowship of friends and family who shared it all. I’ve loved sharing this part of my life with you. I began thinking this morning of the ebb and flow of my life and how the seasons have certainly changed. The march down the church aisle as it ended the season of being single and flowed into the life of being married. Awaking one morning as a woman who wasn’t a mother, and by the next day flowed into my life as a stay at home mommy with my little ones. Then one day that season ended when my last child went off to college and I flowed into the life of being the mother of adult children. I awoke one morning being the daughter of a dad still on earth only to become a daughter whose dad now resides in heaven. The seasons ebb and the seasons flow and here we are as casualties of them all.

As I look back on the times and seasons that God has ordained for my life, I feel safe and secure, not because it was all happy and fun but because God was faithful through it all. He was always there to help me in the different transitions of life. His arms were always open when I would run to Him in joy… sadness…fear. He always showed a different perspective than I had considered to grow me and to mold me in who He created me to be. Every ebb and flow that has come into my life has been at the direction of the Creator who stays the same. While our seasons may change, God who holds our lives in His hands does not change. I’m grateful for the journey and I’m excited for what new things will flow into my life. No matter what each one of us faces, we won’t face it alone. God has given us every single thing required for every single season and we can take Him at His word.

If you are in a season that is overwhelming, look back over the course of time and see how God has carried you. His track record is perfect and His presence is constant.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” De 31:6.

Repaving the Broken Road

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

We live at the bottom of an asphalt driveway that winds from the road to our home. It began as a gravel drive and for years we had to add more crush on run to the drive. After years of gravel, we decided to have the drive asphalted. Many years have passed, and our drive has broken pieces and cracked surfaces in many places. It has broken to the pressures of the weight of vehicles constantly driving on it.

This morning my Bible Study asked me to consider any experiences I have with broken relationships. It was a request framed by any hurt that has left us ‘wiped out, wounded, and desperately needing the strength to take the next baby step down the road...our broken roads.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p 145. At first, I thought of a situation a few years ago which left me crushed in spirit but drilling down more deeply I knew something different carried that title. My broken road that was paved with broken places was also paved with most of my greatest joys. For me, my broken roads involved my marriage and motherhood and I wouldn’t change a thing. For every year that I was crushed in spirit there have been many more years full of treasures.

Many times, our broken roads have also been the object of most of our greatest blessings. What makes a broken road so crushing is the reality that it is one of the paths that has offered the greatest amount of love and joy. In considering the strength that I have gained from my broken roads the price paid was worth it. I gained the ability to depend solely on God. I learned to see my responsibility in it all, and gain forgiveness. I gained the freedom from pursuing the approval of man. I gained the capacity to show grace where it wasn’t merited. And mostly, I gained trust to leave the consequences in the hands of God. When I have loosened my control over any circumstances where my heart has suffered, God has been faithful to repave the broken pieces. He has smoothed areas that once were jagged. He has made the road a kinder passage with beautiful onramps. He has filled the sinkholes that wrecked my heart.

I’ll bet your broken road is also paved with love at the base. We do not walk our broken roads without the preparation from God. He sees the journey up ahead and equips us for the walk. It’s not easy, but its necessary to gain grit and strength for the next leg of the journey. We must honor those broken roads because without them we wouldn’t have experienced the love that paved the road all the way.

‘I am tired of coping. I am tired of talking about my hurts. I am tired of living broken. I want to be healed. God will be faithful to keep His promises…My soul will be healed, not because of some well-applied coping strategies, but because God is stronger than my brokenness.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p. 147, 148

Come Out of Hiding

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Rev 3:20

This morning in my Bible Study Angela Thomas-Pharr, author of Stronger, was writing about a time when she had isolated herself. She tossed her own experience into the community of the broken. She summed up that ‘Wounded broken people cross their arms, shut their doors, and turn people away. Maybe their angry…or embarrassed…or trying to cover up sin. But I’m pretty sure underneath it all is a wound that has never been healed.’ P. 137.

I immediately remembered a time when I was so broken when one of my children was pursuing darkness. Year after year, I accepted the prayers of many and received overwhelming support and encouragement from friends and family. But at some point, even receiving love became too much work so I chose isolation. I wrote my extended family who had done nothing wrong but fervently prayed, unconditionally loved and continually lifted me. The letter was asking for space instead of fellowship and silence instead of communication. They all obliged my request to be alone in my despair. But one day Mother and Daddy stopped by and knocked on the door. I was so fractured in my experience I remember not wanting to open the door…not wanting to see the concern in their eyes…not wanting to talk about the ‘cancer.’ But gently they kept knocking and with tear-filled eyes I opened the door. With their arms around me the hardness of my heart melted. It felt so good to allow myself to be loved by them. They didn’t bring the solution to my problems, and they didn’t know the words to say to make my situation seem less dire. But what they did was soothe a broken heart when I had asked for distance. What they did was to remind me that God was carrying Kristen and all of us by giving me a framed reminder of the beautiful story of Footprints in the Sand.

God is that Father gently knocking on the door of our heart when we have locked ourselves in. He is the One who won’t leave until He comforts us. ‘One of the things I love about the Lord is that He never stops pursuing. We may close our heart and close our mind and close ourselves off from His love, but He keeps coming after us. He is not deterred by grumpy people or locked doors. His love is stronger than the one who just wants everyone to leave them alone.’ Stronger, p. 137. So, if you are on one side of the door and Christ is gently knocking on the other side, remember that when the disciples had locked their doors, Jesus suddenly appeared in their midst. Nothing can stop the love of God and no one can deter His pursuit of us.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” Psalm 139:7-16

The Perfect Day

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" Luke 1:45

I believe it was about 2 years ago when I began feeling some discontent with going back and forth between Folly Beach and Charlotte. Eight years ago, God blessed us with a townhome, and it has been such a precious time with our family and friends.  Our grandchildren have grown up before our very eyes crabbing…playing in the pool for countless hours.  We have spent time on 7 family vacations there building amazing memories.  We have had extended family and wonderful friends down and the memories go on and on.  It wasn’t until this past January that we felt the blessing was coming to a close, and that it was time to reinvest in Charlotte full time.  We put our townhome on the market in February and began praying for the buyers.  At the same time, we watched our youngest daughter who had experienced a broken heart from a previous boyfriend, begin a new relationship with a wonderful guy and work towards building a life together.  Many of my prayers consisted of both these matters, and that the Lord would answer both of my specific prayers.  Days felt like months and months felt like years.  Then, in a matter of a day, both prayers were answered!  A few weeks ago, our townhome was sold and on the same day our daughter got engaged.

Monday, as I was walking, I had to pull up our security camera to ensure the buyers had gotten into our townhome since we had not closed yet.  They wanted to show their new home to extended family who was in town for Easter.  Seeing them in our home with their extended family excitedly running around was more than my heart could handle.  I sat down on the bench and began to cry, not sad to be leaving but emotional about the memories.  As tears streamed down my face it was as if the Lord came and sat down on the bench with me.  What He revealed was that He could have given us either answered prayer on any day.  But He waited until the same day to answer the prayers to comfort me saying, ‘I know letting go of this will be hard, so I am giving you another answered prayer to grab on to.’  I began crying even harder as I considered just how kind and loving God is, and how He cares about the details of our lives.  So, as we close the door of our townhome for the final time on May 8^th, we will open the door to something exciting and celebratory in Charlotte.  We are so excited to be coming back full time to our family, friends and church.

I’m sure all of you have unanswered prayers that seem like forever in their fulfillment.  For the woman who is waiting on love…for the man who is waiting on employment…for the couple who is trying to save their marriage…don’t lose heart.  God is working and orchestrating the tiniest of details so that the prayers you find yourself lifting to a great God will be ushered in the perfect way and on the perfect day.  God has breathed His heart and mind onto the pages of the Bible which is full of promises.  When the wait gets long and the heart begins to doubt read His promises, review His faithfulness and trust His process.

Our Defining Moments

“So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see…I will not believe.’” John 20:25

I pray that each of you had a fresh experienced in the celebration of the resurrection of sweet Jesus, now to be always known as Christ Jesus. As we reflect on the events following His risen state, we turn our attention to Sunday evening. Scholars agree that Jesus made His presence known to His disciples that night. With the doors locked Jesus appeared among them in His risen state. ‘But we know that Thomas was not present when Jesus made His appearance to this group…Thomas had to wait another eight days for Jesus to appear…’ Answers in Genesis website, The Sequence of Christ’s Post-Resurrection Appearances. When Thomas arrived and heard Jesus had been present it didn’t believe. He demanded proof before he would allow his heart to hope. Afterall, he had not experienced the presence of Jesus as they had.

In July of 2001 my mom and dad rented a beach house for our family vacation. We invited my grandmother and had a houseful of 4 generations. It was a great time but also a bittersweet time because the family was missing one of its members. My daughter was still living in darkness and the separation was so heartbreaking for the entire family. My grandmother approached both Bruce and me telling us that she had been led in Spirit to lead a family prayer on behalf of Kristen. Of course, we immediately said yes, and it was one of the most powerful prayers in our family. Grandmother wrote about it in her journal as being THE DEFINING MOMENT and referred to it throughout her entries that year. But the most interesting thing that I am reminded of this morning as I read about Thomas is that because he didn’t experience the presence of Jesus he didn’t believe. He needed to see proof…he needed to touch the proof…he couldn’t allow his heart to once again experience death. After that prayer, although I was very encouraged and blessed to be a part of it, I didn’t experience Jesus in the same way Grandmother did. She could see answered prayers when there was no proof. She had connected with the Spirit by being in a personal relationship with Him in the years leading up to the family prayer time…I had not. It would be another 3 years of ‘me demanding like Thomas that I see proof of her delivery…touch proof of her delivery…allow my heart to hope again.

But not Grandmother as you can witness in her journal entry below 5 days later when she proclaimed healing for Kristen. Thankfully, Thomas experienced Jesus eight days later and took Him at His word. I experienced Jesus in an intimate way 5 years later and by then Jesus had rescued Kristen. Why do I tell you all of this? It is because I am convinced that until we develop a personal relationship with Christ, we miss out on so many of His appearances in our lives. We miss out on the peace and comfort that He is able to provide during the most difficult times in our lives. Jesus proved everything He needed to prove when He walked out of the grave. When we are able to take Christ at His word, we will begin experiencing healing before it has ever occurred…healing in broken relationships…healing in broken health…healing in broken dreams. And the entries of our lives will be written in the beautiful ink of Defining Moments.

It is Exceedingly Great!

“And very early…they came to the tomb when the sun was risen. And they were saying… ‘Who shall roll away the stone of the door of the tomb? And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back: for it was exceeding great.’ Mark 16:2-4

No doubt the ladies had laid awake all night with tears streaming down their faces. How could they face the day with their hearts completely shattered? How could their loved one…their hope…their dreams be dead? I’m sure they dreaded seeing Jesus’ body which just two days prior was so torn…beaten…and lifeless. But they were determined to anoint Him with spices and honor the One who didn’t deserve this ending. As they walked towards the tomb, I’ll bet the grieving sun was slow to shine through its swollen eyes of losing its Creator. The ladies were worried about how the weak women could possibly push the stone rock from in front of the tomb to anoint Jesus. But as they neared the grave, they were astonished to find the stone had already been moved. They peered in the cold damp tomb, but instead of finding Jesus they discovered two men whose clothes gleamed like lightning. The men’s message was impossible! But they would soon learn that Christ works in the impossibilities of life. The men proclaimed the beautiful truth that we can also proclaim this morning: ‘He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you…’ Luke 24:4.

What hope has been dashed in your life? What dreams seem to be buried and dead? What hopeful outcome are you visiting that seems like the stone is blocking the entrance? When Christ arose and took that first breath the obstacles shattered…the entrance was passable once and for all! Christ Jesus isn’t in the tomb and all our impossibilities became possibilities with Christ at the center. We must remember the things that He has told us just like the angels said to the women on Easter morning.

Jesus said that we will never be forsaken or left alone, and God proved it by resurrecting Him. Jesus said that He was the way, truth and the life and He is the bridge to eternity which is He. Jesus said that our Father will give us anything for which we ask if we truly believe and trust in His will. Jesus promised that with His resurrection He would come back for us and He has fulfilled His promise by taking hold of our sick loved ones. He promised the day anyone in Christ dies they will be with Him that very day in paradise. He confidently stated that in Christ ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, and He has proven over and over again. ALL possibilities…mended marriages…returned prodigals…healed loved ones whether on earth or Heaven…private dreams not yet realized… reconciled relationships.

On this beautiful Easter morning may we all take Christ at His word and celebrate that ALL things are possible because the grave was found empty!

God's Deathblow

‘Love and righteousness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” Psalm 85:10

This morning as I sit here in the dark with the lit computer screen, I stare at my blank document. How can I write on the subject of Good Friday when nothing about the final moments of Jesus or anyone’s life is good? I have two people on my mind this morning as I consider ‘Good Friday.’ Tomorrow is my sister Beth’s birthday and we would have been celebrating her 54th year. My mind drifts back to that last Friday in 2009 when I would last see her on this earth. She laid there disengaged with this world, but I know fully engaged in her new home to be. I sat next to her alone for a while and then when my parents came in, I said my final goodbyes to her and left the room. I think I knew in my heart as I turned the corner to leave the Hospice House that the next time I would see her would be in Heaven. There was nothing good about that Friday and is still difficult to consider that day. But then as I was driving home with tears streaming down my face it became clear that something ‘good’ was getting ready to happen…something beautiful … something eternal…something destined. She was getting ready to experience why we call today ‘Good Friday’ which brings me to the second person Who is on my mind today…Jesus…sweet Jesus…sinless and sacrificial Jesus.

Because God is love and provided a way to atone for our sins our departed loved ones are declared worthy and welcome into Heaven. Because Jesus was faithful and obedient all the way to the cross, we will see their precious faces again. And because Psalm 119:16 says ‘all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be’ I have the assurance that death is not some random act but the perfectly orchestrated vessel for a loving Father to be reunited with His children. It's the promise that they won and death lost. So, as I will skip the suffering that Beth experienced that time leading up to her passage I will skip over the documented suffering of Jesus. To get through today we must trust that the events that led up to Jesus committing His spirit to God were destined and necessary for the Christian’s passage into eternity.

The ‘goodness’ of that Friday is where righteousness and peace met up and kissed each other. ‘It is where God’s demands, his righteousness, coincided with His mercy. We receive divine forgiveness, mercy, and peace because Jesus willingly took our divine punishment...Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. Paradoxically, the day that seemed to be the greatest triumph of evil was actually the deathblow in God’s glorious good plan to redeem the world from bondage.’ Christianity Today website, Father, I Commit My Spirit into Your Hands.

Because it was 'finished' on Good Friday it will be GREAT on Resurrection Sunday!

Our Black Saturday

“Then he appeared to James…” 1 Co 15:7

Today is the Saturday before Easter Sunday and is sometimes referred to as Black Saturday. It is a day that commemorates that Jesus had died but had not yet risen. This day must have been especially hard on James the half-brother of Jesus. James was one who had not been a follower of the teachings of his brother. In fact, he had publicly ridiculed Jesus at one point insinuating that his brother was out of His mind (Mark 3:21). So, for James to face Black Saturday must have been one of the darkest days of his life. To know the manner in which his brother was murdered…to watch their mother suffer terribly…to see His followers shattered and heartbroken. What a Black Saturday it surely was for James. I am sure that James had no idea that the following day, in his deep grief, he would hear his brother’s voice on earth once again.

I remember after Beth died, I had gone to Target to pick up a few things. Our Target has a Starbucks inside the store and as I headed in, I turned around and caught a glimpse of a tiny figure in front of the window. I immediately stopped because the face of that young woman looked identical to Beth. The sunlight beaming in around her made her more of a silhouette but still I could make out her face. She was standing there staring at me with her $24,000,000 smile. I wouldn’t move and she didn’t move, and our eyes just stayed locked. I finally turned around and looked back and she was gone. I’ll never forget that image and I’ve always thought of that moment when reading this verse.

We have the knowledge and the promise that Sunday is coming…that Jesus rose up from the grave…that death was defeated...that He and James were reunited. If we have lost loved ones it just means we are living out our Black Saturday. Just because I have loved ones in Heaven doesn’t mean that death won. It means that it is just not yet Easter Sunday…it’s just not time to be reunited with them. But there will be a day for you and for me when we will open our eyes and our Black Saturday would have turned to our Easter Sunday. We will be reunited with not only our loved ones but the One who made it all possible.

I have comfort and peace walking out my Black Saturday because I know that Sunday is coming!

A Thursday Like No Other

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” John 13:14

Welcome to The Last Supper where our Lord gave us the powerful symbolism of Communion with Him. Let us pull up a chair and quietly witness Maundy Thursday where the Master became the servant and the filthy feet were washed clean by the hands of Jesus. The same hands that would be stretched out within 24 hours or so on a cross to make us clean were making His disciples clean. Can you just imagine the scene? Jesus, one-third of the Trinity who formed the universe with his hands, now kneeled before sinners washing their dusty feet. He scoots on His knees from disciple to disciple and rinses the dust away. He gently wipes the dirt from the feet of John, the one He dearly loves. He approaches Peter, the one who He knows His church will be built upon one day and quietly serves. He moves to the next chair ready to cleanse, but this chair occupies Judas, the one who in a few hours will be responsible for one of the most famous betrayals in history, yet He washes…He rinses…He tenderly dries. By the time the eyes of Jesus and Judas met, both motives were clear, one to harm but the other to love…one to gain while the other would lose.

It is easy to kneel before those we love and wash their feet. It doesn’t take a champion Christian to rinse those dusty sandals of strangers through our acts of kindness. But what about when we find ourselves asked to kneel and wash the feet of those who have wounded and betrayed us? How will we respond when our eyes lock with their eyes requiring our grace and mercy?

Scripture makes it clear and offers no caveats…we are to kneel, wash, rinse and dry just like Jesus. There is no hurt or betrayal greater than that kiss in the garden where the sinless met intense suffering and sacrifice. Our acts of compassion and kindness are not determined upon who is sitting before us. When we truly align our hearts with God, we understand that in all situations it is Christ who sits in that chair before us. We are told in the Bible that what we do for others we do for Christ, the same being true of what we withhold from others.

When Christ finished washing those 24 dusty feet, they were all clean to the same measure, not just 22. This is the example by which we are called to live. I love the remedy that Max Lucado offers, ‘Try shifting your glance away from the one who hurt you, and setting your eyes on the One who saved you…Jesus offers unconditional grace to you; we are to offer unconditional grace; The mercy of Christ preceded our mistakes; our mercy must proceed the mistakes of others.’ Experiencing the Words of Jesus, p. 143.

A Beautiful Thing

Welcome to Holy Wednesday where 2 people awoke with Jesus deeply on their minds and hearts. One was Mary of Bethany who was so excited that she was going to get to spend time with Jesus. She loved Him as a follower, student and worshipper. She glanced over to her side table and saw her very expensive jar of alabaster perfume. What better way to honor Jesus than to pour this over His head at dinner that night at the home of Simon the Leper. No doubt she focused her day around the evening event where she would fellowship with Jesus and show her love and devotion. I am sure she could hardly wait. I can’t imagine spending today getting ready to be in the visible presence of Jesus. I wouldn’t be able to get it off my mind and the minutes would drag until I was with Him.

Across the city a man awoke with Jesus on his mind, but this man had no intention of honoring Jesus. He was plotting to betray his friend instead of honoring Him. We have no evidence that Jesus did anything to this man except choose him…fellowship with him…love him. This man was Judas and he had evil and greed in his heart. How long did he lay there that morning formulating a plan to capitalize off the anger and rage the authorities had towards his ‘friend, mentor and teacher?’ The Bible states that Satan entered Judas that day but make no mistake about it…Satan knew Judas’ heart was fertile ground to plant evil. As Mary was carefully packing up her jar of expensive perfume to anoint Jesus, Judas was determining how much money he wanted to betray Him.

The way we interact with Jesus will depend on the fertility of our heart. Do we have a heart for Jesus, or do we look beyond Him towards our own agenda? Do we honor Jesus with some of our most precious gifts like our time, resources and service? We must ensure we have planted love and devotion for Jesus into our hearts not just at Easter but every day of the year. We cannot give Satan a stronghold in our hearts for he will plant his own seeds of compromise…bitterness…discontent which can lead to selling Jesus out. Oddly enough, these two people interacted that evening in stark contrast that caught the attention of Jesus. We only need to read His response to understand the heart. As Mary poured the expensive perfume over Jesus, Judas sharply criticized the act as being ‘a waste.’ But Jesus had the last word fully understanding the condition of the heart of Judas. ‘Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.’ Matthew 26:8.

We all have an alabaster jar that contains our most precious gifts...our possessions...our dreams...our family. Will we honor Jesus by surrendering everything in our jars fully trusting Him. On this Holy Wednesday and every day, may we all have the heart of Mary and ‘do a beautiful thing to Jesus.’

Not Just a Tuesday

"And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!'" Luke 19:41

This morning as I was drinking my coffee I was mesmerized by the dark sky and the multitude of stars so clearly seen. It is going to be a beautiful day at Siesta Key, so beautiful that if I’m not careful I won’t even think of Jesus today. And yet, over 2000 years ago He woke up thinking of me and thinking of you. The same sun that is rising this morning in Siesta Key is the same sun that rose that morning when men were plotting against Jesus. It was Holy Tuesday and the day when both His deity and power would be challenged and discredited by all of those in authority. They questioned Him throughout the day trying to trick Him so they could imprison Him. Jesus awoke to the reality that Holy Tuesday was the day when conspiracies to trap Him would escalate with the end goal of ridding their city of Him. What crime had Jesus committed in reality? The crime of loving God and loving man made in the image of God so much that He would be murdered for them. While they had His death on their mind, Jesus had their life on His mind. The day grew in intensity and the lack of faith that Israel revealed broke His heart. ‘How painful that Holy Tuesday must have been to cause Jesus to utter His final lament over the city of Jerusalem. Even before His crucifixion, Jesus’ heart would be pierced by Israel’s lack of faith. Their failure to recognize His deity left the people unprepared.’ Jesus’ heartbreak was not because of His future but rather the future of His enemies. Before a drop of blood ever fell from His body, His heart was ripped in two.

It’s so easy to rush pass Holy Week but Jesus deserves more than a rushed resurrection. There was nothing fast or easy about the days leading up to His death. I’m sure that every day seemed like forever and every attack seemed like a betrayal. But some days I’m no different that those people over 2000 years ago. Some days I challenge His power… ‘Can’t you do this? or won’t you do that?’ Some days like those people I don’t recognize when Jesus is trying to be my Savior. Sometimes I accuse Him of taking too much time when really all He is doing is waiting on the perfect time.

I pray that today wherever we are and whatever we are involved in we will think of Jesus since He was thinking of us in the days leading up to the cross.

Christ, our Bridge

He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; 
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows." Isaiah 53:3-4

I remember sitting at the kitchen table with my dad six months before he went to Heaven. I had been wondering what was going through his mind regarding the shortness of time that we were told he most likely had remaining. It was a beautiful talk, one which he shared his love and concern for Mother and the beautiful life that they had shared. He knew the daughters would be there for her, but I think the reassurance was comforting. He shared with me that he certainly wasn’t fighting leaving this world but that he did frequently wonder ‘how it was going to go down.’ He said that he had complete peace with God calling him home, but the anxiety was more about the manner in which he would go. We ended the talk with him speaking from his heart testifying to God’s mercy and faithfulness in whatever way the Lord chose. I will never forget the peace that I felt from him during this conversation. And God was merciful…kind …faithful. As Daddy was surrounded by Mother and the girls the Lord took his hand and peacefully walked him home.

As I sit here remembering that special time, the cross comes to mind. Jesus too was facing the end of his life as He fully understood that He had come to fulfill the prophesies made in the Old Testament. Jesus was walking out His final days this week so many years ago. He was looking towards the cross on earth, not in retrospect from Heaven. Jesus was both fully man and God so I’m certain He understood just how ‘it would go down.’ Unlike Daddy, Jesus would finish His earthly walk in a torturous and horrifying manner. Jesus suffered like no other man so that we wouldn’t have to. While we weren’t even yet born, we were on His mind as He was walking that final week out.

As we go about our week leading up to the empty cross may we consider how Jesus must have felt… fear…anguish…sadness. Being fully man, He experience ever emotion that we have experienced and more. The can’t get over the cross and I don’t ever want to. Easter is my favorite holiday because without it I would never again see my loved ones. Christ is the bridge of hope…the bridge of divide that your loved ones and my loves ones have crossed. So I will consider the struggle that Jesus must have had as the end of earthly life was coming to a close.

A Very Special Time

Well yesterday was a very big day for the Emmons’ family as the baby girl of our family got engaged. The two families were waiting at a location to celebrate the merging of two families into one. Later last night when I had come home, I was looking through all the pictures and decided to send some to our future son-in-law’s mother. This morning when I awoke, I saw a text from her she had sent after I fell asleep. She stated that Robbie’s phone had died after the proposal and before the celebration. He stated to her that he was glad it died because he didn’t want to be disturbed or distracted from his focus with this being a very special time.

This morning as I was in prayer about this being the week leading up to Easter, I remembered Robbie’s words and thought of the cross. I whispered to the Lord that He keep my focus on the cross this week, what was done for me and the beautiful benefit of eternity with God. Like Robbie, I don’t want to be distracted this week because of the importance of what the cross represents. It represents that because I couldn’t atone for my own sin, a humble and sinless man named Jesus stood in my place. He did nothing to deserve what I deserved but He did everything that I couldn’t do for myself. That is grace… that is agape love…that is unfathomable. I want to skip ahead to the empty grave, but I cannot because the empty grave means nothing without the occupied cross. It is the part of the story where a man had to help Jesus carry the cross because of its great weight and the weakness of a beaten Jesus. "The accused would carry the cross beam to the place of crucifixion. Jesus started to carry it, but simply couldn't bear it very far after all the physical trauma He had just gone through. He collapsed. That is when the Romans drafted Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross the rest of the way." Christian Apologetics Research Ministry website. It is the part of the story where some of His best friends scattered. It is the part of the story where suffering was great, but Jesus was committed to die for you and me. It is the part of the story that makes me want to turn my focus to something 'nicer', so I don’t have to consider what He endured. It is the part of the story where evil thought it had been victorious.

This week we will all have a million reasons to become distracted or disturbed but let us keep our focus on what is important even if it hurts to consider it. Let us approach God in deep reverence telling Him that Jesus is worthy of our consideration of His disparaging journey to cross. And let us keep the joy of expectation of the empty grave in the near distance just like we do when considering our loved ones who have also made their journey to crossover into Heaven.

May the God of comfort give us peace this week as we consider what was done for us.

The Cross Speaks Louder

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

When I was a little girl this verse was the first verse I ever learned. I probably didn’t even understand what it meant but it sure seemed important to people that I be able to recite it. I was a little girl wanting to please people, so I memorized it. I grew into a woman whose pursuit was pleasing people which was a full-time job. My emotions were anchored in the approval and opinions of others. The reason I chose this verse today is to counterattack the following question asked in my Bible Study this morning. ‘Have you already lived too many days blown around by the winds of opinion and careless remarks?’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p 128. I cannot begin to express the many years wasted on assigning my value based on the opinion of others. Thinking too little of ourselves is one of the unhealthiest attitudes that will wreck our fellowship with God. When we allow other people to define our value, we have forgotten that we belong to God and He has determined our value. To value is to love and esteem the object of our affection. We are loved and valued so much that Jesus was sent to die instead of us, and He walked it out.

I know without a doubt that my parents have loved me more than anyone else on earth and no one could ever convince me they did not value me. Nor could I ever be convinced that I do not belong to them. And yet, time and again we allow people to redefine our value instead of believing God for who He says we are. We are His…we were chosen…we were worth dying for…we hold an eternal position with Him forever. When we give the power to others to determine our worth, we become less than the person God created. When we live according to our feelings instead of God’s promise of constant love the lies become more believable. As Angela writes, ‘Wrapped up in his lies, I learned how to think too little of myself. The accuser almost had me, except for one thing: I still belonged to God. I was His, but I had forgotten my name and address. My name is Beloved, and my address is Heaven.’ P 129.

I’m so thankful that when we get spiritual amnesia forgetting whose we are and the address that is really home, we can open our Father’s word and be reminded of our value. The cross tells us the real story of love and value. The empty cross speaks louder than any other voice in history. Instead of repeating John 3:16 to please others I repeat it to remind myself of how precious I am in His sight and so are you!

‘But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…’ 1 Peter 2:9

Duty or Delight?

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

A while back I did a Bible Study called Duty or Delight – Knowing Where you Stand with God by Tammie Head.  It was at a point when I felt I needed some honest spiritual assessment.  Honestly, I have found myself over the past few months reverting to duty.  I don’t like duty over delight, who does?  It’s monotonous, boring and predictable.  It is the difference between getting an oil change and getting together for lunch with one of my children.  It is the difference between sitting in traffic to do an errand and sitting in a group of friends reminiscing.  It is the difference between Martha fussing with dishes and Mary communing with Jesus.  It’s funny how God knows our shortcomings and bad habits even before we realize it.  It has become clear that I have had a ‘dutiful’ heart instead of a delightful connection. Over the past few days I have really made an intentional effort to ‘slow my hurry’ in prayer and Bible Study…to not pick up my phone before I pick up my Bible.  God has given me fruit from my imperfect intention of delighting in Him.  He has filled me with a sense of connection and helped me slow my racing thoughts and erased my spiritual ‘check the box’ duties.  I’ve decided to understand that some days it will seem like duty but if I commit to give Jesus the time, He will give me the delight. 

I think it is to our benefit to daily assess our fellowship with God.  ‘Delight is about rediscovering wonder where we previously saw only obligation.  Delight marvels at the mystery and indulges curiosity.  It awakens more desire for God and tempts us toward deeper love for Him.  In short, delight energizes us.’ The Whole Church, Charles Stanley, p. 2.  Once we decide that delight is our pursuit then God will be faithful in aligning our hearts with His.  The desires we use to have will be replaced with the desires that parallel God’s heart.

I’m so grateful that God is faithful in turning our duty back to delight when we turn to Him for deeper fellowship. However, we must be honest in our assessment, intentional in our pursuit and fully engaged in our renewal of heart and mind.

A Chair for All

“Then the king said, ‘Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?’” 2 Sa 9:3

One of the most beautiful stories in the Bible is the friendship between David and Jonathan, son of Saul.   King Saul spent much of his time pursuing David in an effort to kill him because of Saul’s extreme jealousy.  David and Jonathan loved each other and were such close friends.  Years later, once both Saul and Jonathan had died, David as king, sought to find anyone who was related to the family of Saul.  This family had meant so much to him even with all it’s dysfunction and David’s heart was to honor any remaining family.  And so, it was that there was a son of Jonathan who had been crippled in both feet for most of his life.  David wasted no time sending for him and elevating him to share in his wealth and become part of the family.  His name was Mephibosheth and he had been hidden away because of his defect.  David’s invitation to family was beautiful and permanent for the man who had been forgotten.  ‘So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table.  And he was lame in both his feet.’ 2 Sa 9:13.

We too have a King who sought us out to bestow His amazing kindness to you and to me.  His desire is to experience life with us and keep us closely around His table.  We all are crippled in our walk needing the kindness of God to be shown to us.  We also have been in hiding not revealing the wounds of our hearts …the sins of our flesh…the shame of our choices.  But Jesus came not to condemn us but to save us and share His abundant spiritual wealth with us.  Mephibosheth wasn’t healed from his lamed state but was permanently invited to a position of power and family.  He went from a crippled orphan to a celebrated royal in the kingdom.  We are no different in our sinful state for healing will not fully come until we stand before the King face to face on that beautiful day.  But until then because Jesus wears the crown and invites us to the table, we all arrive broken but beautiful…crippled but carried…unworthy but chosen.

May we all extend the kindness of God to others as that kindness has been extended to us.  Chairs never run out at the table of the King!

Renderings

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

When I was a little girl, I always loved putting leaves under a piece of paper. By using a crayon or colored pencil I could duplicate its impression on the paper. It didn’t matter what leaf or color I used, my picture would always be a little different because each leaf was different. There was an art as to how much pressure I could apply before I tore a hole in the paper.

I was considering this same principle as I was thinking about my life and the different opportunities offered to leave an impression on my legacy. Times in the past I placed things under the paper that reflected less than beautiful choices. There were seasons when life was so difficult that it didn’t matter how beautiful I was trying to color, holes would appear ruining the picture. This life certainly offers its hand to rub against our lives as we make choices. What we place in our hearts will be the template for the picture that will emerge when the pressure is applied. When we place Christ at the center of our hearts and allow Him to apply the perfect amount of pressure, our lives will reveal the beautiful picture for which He designed. He will be both impression and impressionist as we walk through every experience. Our images will reflect the things upon which God has placed His hand and become a testimony for others.

We are all uniquely and perfectly created to reflect our own beauty as God develops us into a masterpiece. He knew us before anyone else and He loves us more deeply than any person on earth. When He becomes our life, we become hidden in Him allowing God to reveal our beauty and purpose. I only have to witness the beauty of the sunrises and sunsets to trust the work of the Artist. Many times, some of the most beautiful pictures require the most intentional pressure. Trust in God, trust in the seasons and the renderings of our lives will reflect His beautiful image.

"For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." Col 3:3

Caught in a Net

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

I hear so many people talk about trying to strike a balance in their lives with so many commitments and obligations. Some obligations are self-chosen while others are shoved upon us but either way, they require our attention. My Bible study offered a different perspective this morning that is worthy of mentioning. Angela Thomas-Pharr, author of Stronger, compared the hectic life of a person to the life of Jesus who was constantly pulled in a million different directions. Her view pointed out that striking a balance can imitate a healthy goal but in reality, it is the exact opposite of what Christ did. ‘The ministry of Jesus was full of overwhelming crowds, inconsistent disciples, judgmental, ever-present Pharisees, loneliness and temptation…[but] Jesus lived with a consistent calm and wisdom. His soul was filled with grace and peace, and His daily activities were guided by an unwavering mission,’ p. 106. Our verse above stamped its message on the life of Christ…to seek and save the lost.

We are to be imitators of Christ and guide our daily activities by the prodding of the Holy Spirit. We are going to respond to the loudest noises when really our response should always be grounded in the quiet still voice of Jesus. He is our balance and every effort in which we try will fall short if our mission isn’t the same…to seek those hurting or lost people and share the message of love and grace. I love the image Angela painted of a tightrope walker. ‘When I look at the life of Christ, I realize that I am not called to spend my life as a tightrope walker, tediously trying to keep all things in balance, searching for structure and control. By His goodness, I have been caught in a net called grace…show me a woman who is in over her head, yet responding to life with grace and peace, and I’ll show you a woman who has chosen to live like Christ.’ P 107.

Caught in a net called grace…it means that we have already fallen…it means we are safe and secure… it means that we are being held as we tackle our overwhelming circumstances. As we check off our boxes today accomplishing the crowded obligations may we all take a moment to remember the mission for which we too have been called…to seek and to offer the saving grace of Jesus.

Off the Hook

"For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9

A few years ago, we were watching Malcom in the Middle, a funny show about a family with 3 children. They were sitting around the dinner table and one of the young boys said, ‘I had no expectations and still I was disappointed.’ We thought that was funny and thought how true to life that statement seems on the surface. But when we really examine our lives there are very few times when we don’t have underlying expectations of everyone…everything…every moment. It is through our unmet expectations that relationships crumble…prodigals run…dreams die.

This morning my Bible study gave me a powerful reminder of chasing the ghosts of outcome and allowing unmet expectations to keep us hooked to our bitterness, resentment and grudges. We feel entitled to our feelings when feelings can be some of the biggest liars. We walk around not letting others off the hook with something that occurred. And yet, we forget that on the cross through Christ’s sacrifice He let us off the hook forever. We continue to sin…we continue to hold grudges…we continue to keep others on the hook for some unmet expectation they weren’t even aware. We hold our perspective as to what should have happened as a barrier to what beautiful things can happen. We wear our disappointments on our sleeves and miss out on meaningful fellowship.

Letting someone off the hook means humbling ourselves to see that Jesus did that for us. It means equalizing ourselves at the base of the cross admitting our own flaws and mistakes. It means nailing our entitlement and emotions to the cross and picking up the attitudes of Christ. It takes grace to let others off the hook, the same grace that we have been given. ‘What has been heavy will be gone. What you have received, you will long to give. We give to others what we have been given. By grace, they are off the hook with us. Then we live in the freedom bought by grace, held by grace, and promised because of grace.’ Stronger, Angela Thomas-Pharr, p 105.

The grace received from Christ’s sacrifice is the most powerful 'MET' expectation we will experience on this earth. We were…once and for all…let off the hook.