Our Rear Guard

“Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple…and His mother said to Him… ‘why have you treated us like this? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.’” Luke 2:46, 48

Very little is written about the childhood of Jesus but it is no coincidence that God included this snapshot in time for us to consider. Anyone who has ever been responsible for a child for a day or a lifetime knows the frightening reality of that child wandering away. This happened several times to me when my children were young and that moment in time seemed like an eternity until I laid my eyes on their little frame again. While traveling home from Jerusalem Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was in one of the groups traveling with them. It wasn’t until late in the first day’s journey that they discovered that they had left Jesus behind. They were frantic and immediately turned and headed back to find Jesus. The first thing Mary said to the boy Jesus may be the first thing we have said in our own adversity to the Savior Jesus… ‘Why has this happened to us and where have You been? We couldn’t find You and we have been so upset at your absence!’

How many times has anxiety riddled our frames as we search for Jesus in our circumstances? We think He is with us but then we feel as if He has chosen to remain behind. We frantically pray for His presence scouring the horizon trying to see Him… hear Him…find Him. We need not look in any other direction than to God to find Jesus. Jesus is seated at God’s right and He lovingly and faithfully whispers interceding messages to our Father on our behalf. He fully understands our pain because nothing we have experienced is uncommon to Jesus.

This morning as I thought about young Jesus’s response to His mom, I realized that what He was saying to her is the same message He whispers to us. ‘Why are you worried? I’m right here and through faith you can be confident of that. I’m all about doing God’s business in the temple of your heart. Together we can weather this storm …together we can heal your heart…together we will see that all things are possible through God.' If we are anxiously searching for Jesus we only need to be still and know that He is with us, around us and within us to guide and to guard every aspect of our lives.

"But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." Isaiah 52:12

Life Between the Rocking Chairs

 The older I get the more I discover that everything I do and everything I am is both given to me and grown in me by God and His beautiful plan of transformation. We spend years amassing ‘things’…years building our image…behavior that bolsters our status, while God spends years silently breaking our desire for those things. As my sister Benay said at lunch one day, ‘That God is a sneaky one!’ This morning as I was rocking on my glider spending time in prayer, I got an overwhelming sensation of gratitude for being born into a Christian family. Just like that I was back in the nursery as a teenager rocking babies at First ARP Church in Lancaster, SC.

I have always loved rocking and the peace it brings me no matter what my circumstances present. As I rocked this morning, memories flooded my heart with times that I remember rocking. As a 7-year-old I remember rocking in my grandmother’s hot metal glider on her side porch. I was eating an apple and a hornet stung my lip, and Holdie immediately put ice on the swelling and comforted me. I remember as a teenager I went to our church camp and worked as a waitress for half the summer. Many days were spent in the rocking chairs on the porch of the grand hotel overlooking the mountains dreaming about my future. Many years later as a young mother I spent hours (and years) rocking my babies through infancy, tummy aches, fevers and joy…lots of joy. As an adult, I remember days of gliding on the front porch with my sisters, my dad and my mom dissecting whatever was happening in our family. Eight years of rocking while my daughter was walking through her drug addiction. I rocked grand-babies at their birth as well as in Beth’s room at Hospice right before her death. Almost a decade ago, my precious father-in-law lived with us during his last year of Alzheimer’s. Each night we would sit on my glider sharing stories of his childhood (since that was all he could remember), as we awaited Bruce’s return from work.

Then it occurred to me of how much life has been lived between the rocking chairs. More times than not rocking has been a source of great joy but occasionally it involved such pain and despair. Many days of rocking were accompanied with soaked cheeks and swollen eyes. And that is when the reality struck me this morning…as I was rocking during all of those heartbreaking times, God was rocking me. Not once did He leave me…Not once was I not comforted…Not once did I have to face the next day alone.

There is great joy and comfort in accessing our lives behind us when facing our lives before us. I don’t have to fear what circumstances I will face in the future because I will never rock alone.

Nestling Jesus

“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment…” 1 Peter 2:2

With strings of Christmas lights going dark, wrapping paper bagged up awaiting the trash truck, and my Pandora music once again playing regular music, I find myself reflecting on Mary’s first few days after the birth of her baby. She would have also been putting things away when she returned to Nazareth. She would have been sore …exhausted by caring for Jesus’ every need…weary from the journey home. But we are given a more intimate picture this morning, of the new mommy with her new baby. Beth Moore, author of Jesus, The One and Only Bible study paints a beautiful picture of Mary in those early days. ‘Now the incarnate Christ is only a few days old. Picture Him with me. The infant Christ. Tiny. Deep olive skin. Ebony eyes. Soft, fuzzy hair, probably black as pitch. Fitting in one of Mary’s small, young arms. No doubt she rubbed his soft, little head with her cheek, just as every mother nestles an infant,’ p. 33.

I am doing this Bible study for probably the 3rd time over the past 13 years. When things seem to get ‘familiar’ in my studies I like going back to a time when I first ‘nestled Jesus.’ It was 2006 and although I had known Jesus my whole life thanks to my parents and grandparents I hadn’t really delved into His life and gotten to know Him. This Bible study introduced me to the life of Christ from fetus to infant…from Baby to Savior. It’s been a while since I have imagined Jesus as a baby, and cradled Him in my heart all over again. Just like Jesus made a young woman into a new mommy, Jesus has taken me from an outsider looking in to a family member inviting all. However, it’s worth considering whether I still cradle Jesus with the same intensity of Mary? Do I wrap my arms around His truths completely when no one is looking? Am I reminded when I look at the Word that Jesus was made into flesh and that flesh is the Word?

Just as God assigned Mary her role with Jesus, God has assigned each of us a role walking beside Jesus. He calls us into relationship with Him first and servitude with Him second. Jesus grows in our lives when we grow into His. May each of us discover the spiritual growth from infancy to maturity and walk in the footsteps of Jesus. And as we grow may the same be said of us as was written about the childhood of Jesus.

“And the Child grew, and become strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.” Luke 2:40

The Spirit of Christmas Present

 "He [she] was conscious of a thousand odors floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares, long, long forgotten." A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens.

This morning as I sat in my kitchen nook rocking in my glider by the light of the Christmas tree, I began considering that I have celebrated Christmas down in that area for more years than what I have left before me. My heart and my mind grabbed hands as companions and led me into my own Christmas Carol story. In thinking back to Christmases past I see a snapshot of a little blonde-haired and brown-eyed girl sneaking down the stairs and seeing the illuminating light of our Christmas tree shooting through the louvre doors of our living room. Would they creak if I pushed on them alerting my parents that I was doing the unthinkable? (Not waiting on the family before I saw the wonder of Christmas and what Santa brought us.). My heart racing…my eyes squinting through the crack of where the doors met. In seeing that snapshot in time my heart is joyful remembering that within part of my story lives those precious moments where the greatest gifts weren’t under the tree but within those walls.

I look down again towards my tree and consider the 35 Christmases celebrated in that room and again I am humbled. Some years had baby highchairs around the Christmas table, while others years had booster seats. Some years our little children had to wait on us to arise, while others years we had to awaken our teens to begin the day. The eyes of my heart picture my sister Beth, sitting at the table the last year of her life, with Daddy reading the Christmas story to four generations a year and a half before he died. I found myself smiling among the tears and I’m thankful that the sadness of empty chairs translates into the love of full hearts.

My mind races to our present Christmas and what a year that surrounds it! Christmas looks a bit different this year…significantly smaller…assuredly quieter. Part of our immediately family will not be able to join us but thanks to the virtual world we will still open gifts together. I realize that all of these past Christmases have woven a beautiful tapestry of God’s blessings throughout my life.

With all the joys that I have received in the past and all the joys that I presently have this Christmas I sit humbled and grateful that each experience happy or sad has been a part of a wonderful Christmas Carol of my own. And as I bid farewell on Friday to the ghost of Christmas Present, I look forward to visiting with the Spirit of Christmas Future. I can fully trust Him up ahead because of where He has brought me.

It is because of the joy and love from those in our Christmas Past that we can find joy in our Christmas Present. They were with us for the days that God assigned them and we will one day be with them again forever! That is a Christmas Present that is both guaranteed and eternal.

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens.

Even A Child...

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us…And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people…” Romans 8:26-27.

Yesterday was a weird day for me and I’m just going to be honest. I woke up feeling grouchy, a bit lonely, restless and in need of encouragement. Nothing bad has happened but you no doubt have experienced one of these days…that emotional itch that just can’t be scratched…the spiritual sneeze that never comes…the laughter that should be easy this time of year. I began praying only by the light of my Christmas tree and strangely enough I heard a prayer leave my mouth that I have never said before, much less thought. It was like the Spirit expressed my deepest desire in a prayer to God. I heard myself say, ‘Lord, it takes faith to believe I can hear You when I can’t hear a thing. It takes faith to believe I can see You though I can’t. But Father, even a child needs to hear their parent every now and then. Even a toddler needs to see the movement of their dad.’ I concluded my prayers and jumped in the shower to get ready for church. I felt a little better and was thankful that I attend a church that is open during this unsettling time.

Once I was settled in my seat with my mask securely in place, I felt an overwhelming Presence come over me. It was the collision of love, peace and joy that made tears stream down my face. As the worship leader readied us for a Bible verse, before he told us which verse, I heard ‘John 3:16’ in my head. A few seconds later that verse thundered through the microphone. ‘For God so loved the world [ME and YOU!], that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not die but have everlasting life.’ Suddenly, I realized that God was bringing me back home to the starting point…a Father’s love…a love that saves… a love that sacrifices…a love that has no end. The rest of the service was filled with God encouraging me and showing me ways that He is moving in my life. As I went to church preparing to peek into the manger to see the Baby, God was preparing me to see Him. This little daughter heard her Father say ‘I love you so,’ and she saw Him move in ways never to be forgotten.

He is your Father too and no matter what you are experiencing don’t ever forget how much He loves you. He threw off His heavenly robe, set aside His crown, stepped down into a fallen world, wrapped Himself in flesh and calls you His very own. There is no greater love than the love God has for us. All we have to do is peek into the manger to be reminded. 

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19 

Comings & Goings

 “And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is…of the LORD, who…delivered our households.’” Exodus 12:26-27. “When your children ask their fathers, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know…the LORD your God dried up the waters…until we had crossed over.’” Joshua 4:21-24

One of the greatest resource God has given us are those writers and researchers who set aside their own lives, and through blood, sweat and tears bring us Bible Studies to better understand how it relates to our lives. It is so easy to read the Bible in a vacuum of individual stories. But when these scholars weave the thread of God’s faithfulness through every story, we witness the Person instead of the events as in my Bible Study this morning. In both of our passages this morning, they reflect the two different movements of God. In Exodus, God delivered His children from something, wherein the movement of God in Joshua was delivering His children into something greater. Out of evil and captivity and into favor and freedom.

We all have stories to tell about the faithful movements of God across the years that we have lived. Just like the Israelites, God delivered me from a life of stagnant faith and into a life of a living relationship with Him. Like the Israelites, God delivered me from despair over my prodigal daughter into a life of gratitude and praise for her redeemed life. Like the Israelites God delivered me from secret spending into a life of marital reconciliation and forgiveness. ‘When God delivers you out of something, He’s not finished. He has something good and profitable He wants to deliver you to. You’re where God wants you for now and your life is bearing fruit. Difficulties still abound, of course, but the spiritual ground God has given you is fertile. You sow the seeds of His Word – sometimes with joy, sometimes with tears, but always with faith.’ The Quest, Beth Moore, p. 138.

Where are you? Are you waiting to be delivered from something or are you waiting for the movement of God to deliver you into something? For the person with a medical issue, God is moving towards healing you through His will. For the unemployed, God has delivered you from something and will carry you over into something better. For all of us, we are waiting on God to deliver us from Covid and other difficulties into a life full of health, gatherings, celebrations and beautiful new beginnings. So, don’t forget to tell your ‘from and into’ stories every chance you can about the faithful movements of God.

ELM - Daylight is Breaking

“Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day… ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’ But he said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me!’ ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’ And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.’ And He blessed him there.” Genesis 32:24-29

This story has always been shrouded in mystery for me. The depth of its meaning when I previously considered it was that when we submit our will to God, we will receive His blessings. This after praying for God to open up the Scriptures to a better understanding, He was indeed faithful to my prayer. What I had failed to connect to the other times of study was Jacob’s sinful character from a few decades before. Prior to this wrestling match with a messenger from God, Jacob’s name was associated with being a liar, an opportunist, a deceiver and a thief. He deceived his blind father by pretending he was his older brother Esau in order to receive the older brother’s birthright. As if that wasn’t enough, Jacob masqueraded as Esau in an effort to receive his dad’s ultimate blessing which ushered in everything representing a family’s wealth. After the sinful plot was successful, Jacob was on the run for his life. He had stolen a blessing that never belonged to him. A few decades blew off the calendar before this encounter with a stranger. Scripture documents that they wrestled until the ‘breaking of day.’ Jacob was relentless in his request which was to receive a blessing from God’s messenger. As the scroll unrolled this morning in my mind, I have a new understanding of its meaning. The blessing Jacob previously sought from his dad was from the flesh, but the blessing he so desperately wanted from God was a blessing from the Spirit. And boy did he receive it! The blessing was a name change from Jacob to Israel.

I know all about wanting a name change when I consider my life in retrospect. My past seasons represented sins that labeled me a liar…a deceiver…a manipulator. My poor choices affected others and left them with feelings of rejection, insecurity and disillusionment. But God will only allow our past sins to define us for so long. He sometimes must resurrect past circumstances to free us from the names we call ourselves. At some point, we all have a ‘breaking of day’ experience where God completely restores us…forgives us…blesses us by calling us redeemed. The wrestling comes when we can’t forgive ourselves, and the blessing is ours when we believe God for His true forgiveness from our past.

‘In Hebrew, the spelling for wrestle (abaq) and the spelling for embrace (habaq) differ by one letter…Mystery is inherent in a long journey with God. When you’re tempted to turn away from Him over unanswered questions [or past sins], turn toward Him instead and struggle honestly. Wrestling with God can be its own form of intimacy. It’s face-to-face and hands on. And remember, if you’ll hang on long enough, the blessing with come and that wrestling match will turn into embrace.’ The Quest, Beth Moore, 133.

Daylight is breaking…and just like that our wrestling turns into our embrace.

A Lamb Among Many

“And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power…” Mark 6:7

I never really considered the different friendships that evolved within the 12 disciples. I always saw them and a unit with Jesus as their teacher. But this morning, there is a fresh snapshot to an old picture. I guess I considered Jesus and the disciples more of a classroom setting, with the followers sitting in desks raising their hands to speak. As I peek into the window of the gathering, I guess I have always pictured Jesus standing up front directing the conversation. But today I am blessed digging more deeply into the group who seemed to always be hanging out. When Jesus sent out the disciples, did they get a say in who they would be partnered with? Did He put the pairs together with those who got along the best? Jesus fully understood the dynamics within the little group but He modeled one of the greatest blessings He intended us to follow even today…companionship…fellowship…community.

I only have to look at my little group to understand the fruit that is ripened through relationships and friends. We have all been given the gift of intimacy with others, some in our past and some who have been the steady beat of our heart throughout our lives. Our circle of family and friends are not just happenstance, rather a calculated gathering by God for our benefit. Some relationships are given to us as pure blessings, while others are given to us to help develop areas of growth we lack. Just like the disciples probably experienced, relationships offer a full array of emotions like pure joy and happiness. But they can also offer the complex hidden feelings of insecurity, jealousy and longing for approval. But Jesus taught the disciples the important part of the any group or relationship…keeping Christ at the center.

I’m so fortunate to be a part of the ‘gathering of misfits’ to whom God has assigned me. We are far from perfect but we all love each other and more importantly love Christ with all our hearts. We laugh together, we cry together and we pray together. Sometimes ‘these two’ gather, while other times ‘those two’ gather but we are always together in spirit. I read something this morning that describes the treasure that is ours in the friends or family with whom God has assigned us. I pray that each of you has someone who comes to mind when you read this, and if no one does pray to God that He will provide you with the fellowship of companionship.

‘Isolation is not God’s way. We are the body of Christ and must somehow reattach to each other in this life. When times are tough and you’re about to give up, your [people] tell you to keep going. When you feel unwelcomed and unsuccessful, somebody’s next to you shaking the same dust off his road-weary feet. When you don’t have a dime, you still have a friend. When you don’t have the faith to get back on the path, someone can help you up with a handful of hers. A fellow believer who can make you laugh helps you bear your seasons of tears. You are not meant to pasture as one lone lamb.’ The Quest, Beth Moore, p. 116.

Whether it is your spouse, your parents, your siblings, your friends or your children they are all precious gifts from God. I cannot imagine my life without any one of them being by my side.

Lead Us Not

“Therefore, you should pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13

Have you ever become so acquainted with a song that you find yourself singing the words without even thinking about them? It is your brain in auto-pilot mode not requiring any cognitive attention. It is simply an automatic and subconscious response from a past familiar event. This morning in my Bible Study, the Lord’s Prayer was the biggest part of my concentration. It is a prayer that most of us have known as long as we can remember. I was determined to allow God to breath fresh life into the teachings of prayer from Jesus to His disciples. I began writing my version of the prayer line by line as Jesus instructed in Matthew. The thoughts that I came up with are that we are to call on God and recognize His holiness and purity. We are to acknowledge that we are citizens of another kingdom instead of the kingdom we have built on earth. We are to commit our will to Him and to embrace His will for our lives. We are to fully know that He governs over all things, in all places, and at all times. We must ask for His daily provisions, both physical and spiritually since everything comes from Him. We must repent of the sinful things in our heart, our words, our actions, and our attitudes. We must borrow mercy from God to apply that same mercy to those who have hurt us.

When I got to the line asking for God not to lead us into temptation, I knew I had been stumped. God cannot contradict Himself, and as James 1:13 states, ‘God will not tempt us.’ So, after a little googling from my trusted Bible Tool website, I discovered that this prayer request was more of a plea to God to protect us and guide us around circumstances that might lure us into ungodly action. In essence, an acknowledgement that evil will find us, but God has the power to set boundaries around it or minimize it. I wonder if Jesus was remembering those 40 days in the desert? He entered the desert strong in the Lord after His baptism, but as days turned into weeks, He became tired, thirsty and hungry. No doubt He had plenty of time to pray and took advantage of that. But then while He was the hungriest, evil entered the wilderness and tempted Him in several ways. I wonder if this was when He formed this part of the prayer. The devil offered things that the flesh would have wanted, but God honored Jesus’ plea of being guided around the temptation. God replaced that temptation with His words from the Bible as Jesus’ response to evil.

I love that God can breathe fresh breath into any stale thought when it comes to His Word. When the temptation of sin has found us, we are to ask God to deliver us from it, or to not allow it to overtake us. And when we feel weak, we must examine everything around us looking for God’s merciful escape. And when we ask for all these things Jesus asked for, thus ends the beautiful words with the final blessing. 'For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.' 'And while we remember this prayer, while we keep repeating it, our life is opened towards the kingdom, is filled with power, shines with glory, in the face of which darkness, hatred, and evil lie powerless.' Our Father by Fr. Alexander Schmemann broadcast.

Raising our Voice

“John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’” John 1:35-38

I just LOVE the nickname the Bible gives John the Baptist which defines his very life…FORERUNNER for Christ. John was created with the sole purpose of announcing the coming of a Savior. He walked in the world but was not of the world, except to have his life point to the life of Jesus. His message was so powerful in regards to the coming Messiah that John drew his own bevy of followers. As a matter of fact, the first two disciples whom Jesus called (both Andrew and Simon) were followers of John. They had heard all the stories of Jesus and had become very acquainted with the message. But all of the stories John had shared must have failed in comparison as soon as Jesus turned and looked directly at them as they followed. They finally had personally met the One whom they had heard so much about. From then on, the disciples had first-hand intimacy with Jesus instead of second-hand stories.

I know what that feels like to finally ‘meet Jesus’ after hearing so much about Him. From the time of my first memory I knew that my parents and grandparents knew Jesus. They took me to church and I was infiltrated with stories of who Jesus was, and the life He lived while on earth. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know that Jesus was Savior for the world. My grandparents and parents were forerunners just like John, never allowing me to forget who Jesus was and what He did for me. I followed the message second-hand just like Andrew and Simon Peter but then one day, Jesus turned towards me and became my first-hand experience with a first-hand God. I’ve never been the same since Christ turned towards me, and have felt the call ever since to be a ‘forerunner to Christ,’ testifying to everything He has done…everything He is doing even today…and all He will do tomorrow and forever!

As believers, we probably all have memories of those precious forerunners to Christ…grandparents, parents, Sunday School teachers and pastors. As we have been given the good news, much is required in sharing it. I’m so grateful that John the Baptist showed us the way of speaking out about Jesus…being unapologetic for our loyalty to Jesus…and pointing the way to where others can find Jesus through our own lives.

We cannot be shy or passive about the message of love…of mercy…of sacrifice…of hope…of peace. Our message about Christ demands our courage just like the cross demanded His. May we all have forerunner hearts and forerunner voices as we anticipate the arrival of Baby Jesus.

Dancing with Hope

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance..." Ephesians 1:18

As we continue following Hope around this week, we see her make so many stops along the way. Where is she going? Who will she see? She glances to the right to discover a lonely woman enduring the holidays. She stops and speaks a kind word with a smile, reminding the lonely woman that the world still possesses kindness. She walks a little further and overhears the cry of a man who lost his dad, and she places her hand on his shoulder giving him the momentary compassion that he needs. She continues her way towards a gathering, resolute in where she is going. We see her open the door for another as they make their way in, a momentary acknowledgment for a person who feels invisible. Once she is inside, she is delighted by her beautiful surroundings. The lights are low, the music is playing and the chairs are full of disheartened people sitting against the wall. Hope is the most popular person at the dance, and she has all the time in the world for her partners. One by one we see her extend her hand for a dance, some taking her up on her invitation and others waving her off. Hope is bold…she is courageous…she is relentless…she won’t go away unless she is pushed away multiple times.

We all have troubling things on our mind and anxieties in our heart. It is so easy to discount hope when we are distracted by our circumstances. But Hope always has her hand held out, always trying to help us see that better days are ahead. I love that Hope doesn’t wait for an invitation, but instead she is that little burst of energy that demands to be heard and seen. She helps us look beyond our horizon and shows us the mystery of what can possibly be. She whispers things to our hearts that we need to hear, and for the moment we are left better than how she found us.

Why on earth would we ever hold hands with fear, dance with despair, or fellowship with misery when we could choose to hold on to the inspirational hands of Hope? Hope beckons us to act boldly today on the good she believes we will see tomorrow.

As we turn our faces to Week 2 of Advent we search for where Peace hangs out. I’m looking forward to resting and leaning into her during these busy times.

A Dollar for Christ

 "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” Matthew 25:44

A few years ago, I read how a woman handled the increasing homelessness in her city. She loaded up on bottled waters and packs of crackers that she could share with those who on any given day stood at stop lights hoping for help. I copied her for a while but had run out of both items and never replenished them until last weekend. It felt good to have those items available in my car. Yesterday was a cold but beautiful day so I decided to go shopping and do a few errands. I had a nice morning listening to music in the car, shopping for a few Christmas gifts, and even bought a few treats for myself. As I approached a stoplight where I knew someone would be asking for help, I opened the bottled waters and packs of crackers and stopped at the red-light. I rolled down my window, smiled and extended him a water and a pack of crackers. His eyes turned from emptiness to anger as he realized he wasn’t getting what he expected. He raised his voice saying, ‘Don’t you even have $1 so I can go to McDonald’s and get a sandwich?’ I told him that this was what I had for him and was just trying to help. He turned and walked away leaving me dumbfounded. The light turned green, I pulled the water and crackers back in, rolled up my window and drove off. I began questioning if I had done something wrong but quickly became distracted and didn’t think about it much more until this morning.

The Lord gave me a precious gift that hurt so bad! He gave me the view from the man’s perspective. What I saw from the driver’s side was an ungrateful person who was angry, but his view that became visible in my prayers this morning was much different. As he saw my car stop at the light and my window roll down, there must have been temporary HOPE for that moment. It was cold and he might be able to get some coffee… his stomach perhaps growling and maybe even a sandwich too. But then, his hope was replaced with reality. As I looked out to him, I saw a man with very little but as he looked in at me, he saw full shopping bags and felt the warmth of my car cascading out of the window. He heard the Christmas songs playing, maybe a reminder of kinder times for him. I don’t know what the answer is to interacting with those who live on the fringes of society, but I have walked with God long enough to know when He wants more from me. A dollar to me is something different than a dollar to them. A dollar to them could be nourishment…a dollar to them could be what warms their bones on a blustery and cold day…a dollar to them could be what gives them HOPE even if only for a brief moment.

I guess with all of these words I can only say that while we cannot and should not judge those less fortunate, we should open a place in our heart where the Spirit can give us a tender nudge. Maybe a quiet whisper that reminds us that when we share a dollar with others, we ‘share a dollar with Christ.’

"Dear Lord, give us a generous heart to share, a humble spirit not to judge, and the discernment we need when help is required. In your love for all, Amen!"

Hope is not hope until we give it away!

The Ribbon of Hope

 “…and this hope does not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” Romans 5:5

Like many of you, Thanksgiving probably looked a lot different this year. Oh sure…we tried to make the best of it as people who could have easily lost sight of reasons to be thankful in 2020. Bruce and I made the decision to host only our immediate family this year instead of hosting our usual gaggle of 32 people which boasts 4 generations. Thanksgiving was sort of quiet…different…tame. It didn’t come in with a roar of the front door dinging every 5 minutes and people talking over each other trying to get a story heard. The countertops had areas where nothing sat since there was only food prepared for 9 people. Bruce wasn’t chasing the toddlers around the house creating shrills and screams like usual. Last of all, we weren’t trying to corral 32 people to capture one shot. And just as quietly as Thanksgiving arrived, it departed with the same lack of fanfare. But at the end of the day, my heart had the same response as every other year…deep gratitude for what was...was it...what will be.

Gratitude is the kindling for HOPE. Gratitude stacks relational ‘firewood’ in a design that positions itself to boost the flickers into flame. Even the glowing embers remind our hearts that while gathering is our joy, the number of those gathered isn’t the point. The point is that God has brought people into our lives as blessings apart from circumstances. Just because Daddy and Beth are no longer around our little campfire doesn’t make my gratitude any less. If anything, it boosts my gratitude with HOPE for the ultimate Thanksgiving and Christmas one day in heaven. When we use gratitude as an accelerant, we have HOPE as we picture the future fires of fellowship in 2021.

My girls came over yesterday and helped me and Bruce put up our Christmas tree. Last night, I was reminded that Christmas will be the same small group this year that we just experienced. And strangely my heart was warmed with a glimpse of Christmases past and confident HOPE that they will return next year. Because around our Christmas tree, precious memories are awakened in my thoughts of years past. Our tree is the constant Christmas reminder that God has brought loved ones into our lives and allowed us to watch their pilgrimage home. Our tree has watched little ones grow and older people age. It has been surrounded by teenagers who have now become parents and parents who have now become grandparents. Memories are our ornaments that decorate our tree, and HOPE is the ribbon that drapes itself across its branches. We have so much to be grateful for across the landscape of our lives and these awesome memories provide HOPE like no other gift.

Diaries of Hope

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man…in this way death spread to all people…But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many.” Romans 5:12, 15

I cannot believe it is December, and it couldn’t have come quickly enough! What a year and I’m sure you have the same sentiments. December always snugly wraps me in a garment of sweet memories. Memories of being a wide-eyed little girl anticipating Santa Clause. I can still remember my first diary, my little personal ‘hope chest’ with a key to protect its secret contents. My entries for December always included what I ‘hoped’ I would get for Christmas… a new bike…a new doll…a new pair of shoes. I would ‘hope’ that my stocking would have lots of candy including peppermint sticks…new pencils (yes, I was weird!) …and various other treats. I would hope I had been good enough…sweet enough…thoughtful enough. All these ‘hopes’ were points of preferences…wishes…longings with no guarantee of receiving. But with HOPE being our companion during the first week of Advent, we stand firm on HOPE that delivers more than preferences and wishes. Our HOPE stands on the guarantee of the cross and the empty grave.

Through Adam we became past sinners, but through Christ we became future saints because our grace and God’s mercy wasn’t based on anything humanity did, but everything Christ Jesus did for us. He obeyed God and walked out a surrendered life of hardship, scorn, torture and even death. While sin entered our world by one act of mankind, mercy entered our lives through one sacrifice of an unblemished Lamb.

We remember this morning that HOPE is not some wish written in our heart’s diary as a child would write, but HOPE is a truth from God’s unbreakable promise. We have HOPE that no sin is too great for God’s mercy to cover, and no threat is too formidable to separate us from the love of God. So, on this first day of December we record on the pages of our heart the HOPE we have in one Savior's act of ultimate obedience and sacrifice. That is the guaranteed HOPE that is our companion on our journey home.

Shadows of Hope

 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light…finding out what is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t participate in the fruitless works…” Ephesians 5:8-11

One of the most deceitful attempts that Satan uses to distract and discourage us is lulling us asleep spiritually. He knows the less time we spend walking near Jesus the more we will look like the world. He offers alternative views of who we are which contradict who God says we are. He guilts us into believing we can never really be free from past sins, even though God ‘remembers our sins no more’ once we have a repentant heart. His brushstrokes paint darkness over the canvases of our lives when we don’t protect our hearts. No wonder we sometimes walk around with our shoulders hung low with an unsatisfied heart. We have forgotten that we are children of the Light and have become scared to death of our circumstances surrounding us. We imagine so many things that never come to past. We walk as children who don’t believe God is really in complete control of everything we imagine…COVID-19…our government…our health…our relationships. Why on earth do we as children of Light need to be reminded? Because we live in a world where the enemy has been given certain licenses to roam…to steal our peace…to kill our joy…to distract our minds...to convince us God really isn’t as powerful as He says He is. Our fear is our proof that we have taken the bait!

Once we accepted Jesus, we were born into Light and we must remain diligent in our position in Christ. We are God's children with the ability to walk out anything we face if we distance ourselves from our dark and discouraging thoughts. ‘Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Ephesians 5:14. He is the Light we are encouraged to imitate, not the attitudes of our world.

So, during our first week of Advent as we claim HOPE, we remind ourselves that walking with Christ gives us all that we need. Because of this privilege in Christ, we have HOPE that when we walk as children of God, we discover what pleases Him through prayer and His Word. We have HOPE that He will keep us from participating in fruitless things that distract us and dim our light. We have HOPE that by distancing ourselves from the world and all its empty threats, we can feel complete confidence in the One who tells the stars where to shine and the waves where to crash.

Because of HOPE, we can trust God to adjust our conduct, conversation and character and shine our light onto a dark landscape. Hope is a shadow cast by God's Light!

The Heart of Advent

 "As followers of Christ, we are a people living between two advents: the coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem and His future triumphant return as the King of kings. Since the fourth century, believers across the globe have observed Advent to remember Jesus’s birth and anticipate His return." Advent 2020 – Jesus Christ is Born, She Reads Truth, p.16

The other day I received a text from one of my precious friends telling me that she had left something for me on my porch. I was so touched when I discovered that she had bought me this Bible Study for the next 4 weeks wanting us to celebrate Advent together. What better way to lead up to celebrating Jesus as a little baby than remembering what He did for us as Savior. As believer’s we have the Word to read about the First Advent, that season of Jesus’s life when He came to fulfill the Old Testament prophesies and promises. He was the answer to the prayers of several generations who were anticipating the promised Messiah.

As believer’s we have the Christ-given authority to anticipate the Second Advent, the promised return of Jesus. One day in the future He will return, ushering in the fullness of His kingdom. ‘On that future day, every tear will be wiped away; there will be no more pain, grief, or death. All things will be made new, all that is wrong will be made right, and the eternal dwelling place of God will be with His people.’ p. 16

And that is our HOPE which is the first candle we light today in celebration leading up to peering into the manger to get a first glimpse at baby Jesus in December. Take some time this week and celebrate the things you are hopeful for in 2021. For me,

Because of HOPE:

I have a guaranteed room in Heaven walking with Jesus.

I will see my departed loved ones again one day and never be without them ever again.

I will experience God’s fulfilled promise of a deep desire hidden in my heart.

I will walk in joy apart from any challenging circumstances in 2021.

Welcome to the first week of Advent where HOPE will take center stage in the story of our lives.

All Things Multiplied

 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature…” 2 Peter 1:2-4

As my preacher likes to state, the Bible is not a book but rather a library containing 66 books written in different formats…poetry…history...songs…biographies to name a few. This morning as I read the above passage written by Peter, I found my mind reading over most of these words instead of being the recipient of them. However, these words are too beautiful to not break down what it means for you and me as God's children.

As I read the word ‘partaker’ I was struck with yesterday’s Thanksgiving meal. The word partake means to participate in…join in…be a part of…to share along with. I sat at the table with my precious family and enjoyed culinary item after item until I was stuffed! In the same way, I love this image of feasting on and participating in God’s divine nature until we are full. Sometimes when a passage of Scripture seems to be above my head, I will write it making it first person and in a style I can better understand. With the fresh Thanksgiving meal on my mind from yesterday, and the fresh application of today’s Word I decided to write my own expression into a prayer from our passage.

Dear Father, You have given to me through Your divine power all the things that pertain to my life and my pursuit of godliness. I don’t join in through my own virtue and glory but only through knowing You and the ways You have called me. The precious promises that You have uniquely given me are tucked in my heart. They are indeed wonderful and undeserving by my own deeds or words. They exceed anything You have ever promised me and through Your divine power You allow me to partake…to receive…to participate as You assign and will for my life. Through your multiplied grace and peace, I am blessed beyond imagination. Amen.

Being a partaker of the divine means peeking into heaven while we are still on earth. Being a partaker of the divine means filling up on the promises and privileges from God. Being a partaker means joining in on the spiritual things instead of the worldly things. I’m so grateful that Peter reminds us of our position in Christ. One of our greatest Thanksgiving blessings!

The God Who Sees

 “Now the Angel of the LORD found her…in the wilderness…And He said, ‘Hagar...where have you come from, and where are you going?’” Genesis 16:7

This morning we are introduced to a young woman named Hagar, who was the personal servant to Sarai, the wife of Abram. We witness through Scripture her sobbing in the wilderness after fleeing from home with her life turned upside down. Previously, one day as she went about her normal duties the decision of one selfish impatient woman disrupted her life on every level…her work…her health…her home. Sarai, her master was barren and had grown impatient with God answering her prayers of pregnancy. She demanded that her husband Abram marry Hagar and impregnate her so that Sarai could be a mother. Once she was pregnant, she despised Sarai for the decision that had changed her life. These circumstances are where she has come from and the story picks up where the heart of the Lord looked down and saw her misery. The Angel of the LORD appeared beside her and began a tender dialogue with her. He asked, ‘where have you come from, and where are you going?’ With swollen eyes and a tear-streaked face she answered His question. This is a story that has played out a million times since the beginning of time.

This morning I wonder the same about your story with God… ‘where have you come from, and where are you going?’ To the spouse who came from a happy marriage to the life of being single again…where are you going? To the person who came from a healthy body to the life of medical concerns…where are you going? To the couple who raised their baby in church to the reality that their teenager is living in darkness…where are you going? To the employee who came from a good job to discover that the job has been eliminated…where are you going? The list of ‘comings and goings’ are dizzying at best and terrifying at worse. The answer as believers is that we are going straight into the arms of Jesus with everything we face!

In an instant our lives can change but God never does for ‘He is…and was…and is the One to come!’ (Rev 1:8). He is the One who saw Hagar at her loneliest moment and He is the One who sees you. He reminds us from where we have come and to where He has taken us in past troubles. He already knows the answer to what He asks of us, but He asks so we can remind ourselves of His unshakeable faithfulness. He reminds us that He is greater than any circumstance that lies before us. He comforts our fears and brings peace out of situations that scare us to death. He is our anchor is every storm, and He walks beside us in all our comings and goings.

Just like you, I may not know where I’m going in my future but I know where I’ve been and Who has been with me every step of the way…the God of Hagar, the God of my parents and grandparents, and the God of every moment.

Next time you consider where it is you are heading, have confidence and thank God that He has already arrived there before you.

Swinging at Air

“Why are you afraid?” Matthew 8:26

When I was a little girl, I was always intimidated by a Pinata and usually shrunk back allowing others to take a swing at birthday parties. But on a few occasions a well-intended mother of a friend would insist that I take a turn. It always seemed a bit scary to me as a child to be blindfolded, and dependent upon another person to guide my steps to the unknown. If the blindfold wasn’t enough, I was to take a big stick and begin wildly swinging at air in the small hope I would land a devastating blow causing an explosion of candy. On the far chance that I was successful, by the time I removed the blindfold the other children were on the floor clamoring for the candy.

Sometimes I feel like that little girl blindfolded and swinging at air when there is a threat up ahead…If I make contact with the unknown what in the world will the fall-out be? What about you? Are you swinging at something fearful that has not even come to pass? We are all blindfolded when it comes to our future so what will our response be? Will we swing the stick of fear at whatever is dangling before us? Will the explosion be chaos instead of ‘candy?’ Focusing on fear will always diminish our hope for victory over the unknown. ‘Fear is the consummate robber…Faith is not as easy to come by as fear, but it is colossally easier to live with.’ The Quest, Beth Moore, p. 34.

God did not give us a spirit to fear things; fear comes from the flesh. God gave His Spirit because of His love for us to convince us we are held. His Spirit provides us with power, courage to walk through our fears, and vision to guide us. He gives us self-discipline to take our thoughts captive and replace them with full belief that we are okay and everything will be okay. Whatever threatens us we must swing at it with our eyes wide open, using the Word of God as our staff. His yield is beautiful and bountiful if we really believe that God is good and He is in total control.

Our Eastern View

“And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’” John 1:46

I’ve never thought of this question until today and how rich it is in application for you and for me. Nathanael’s question was in response to Philip, his friend who was encouraging him to meet Jesus. Philip believed Jesus was the coming Messiah based on the prophesies of past prophets. Clearly, Nathanael’s opinion of Nazarenes was negative and judgmental leaving a bad taste in his mouth. This question is hauntingly similar to thoughts that I have had during some of my most challenging seasons. I have had the same distaste in my mouth when considering outcomes from life’s problems beckoning the same question…, ‘Can anything good come from ________?’

Sometimes the very thing that we dislike will be the very thing that God uses to deliver us. The phone rings, the text is delivered, the medical test comes back and our mind and heart sound the battle cry, ‘Can anything good come from this? This situation stinks!’ Suddenly, our doubt replaces our hope…our fear screams over the whisper of our faith…our expectations are replaced with exceptions. We must remember that the same ‘good’ that came out of Nazareth for the disciples is the same ‘good’ Who comes out of Heaven for us…Christ Jesus! He has been coming out for us since our first breath and our first heartbeat. He is the answer to every single question in all our quandaries.

When we begin asking the question of ‘What on earth could possibly be good about our situation’ we only need to look at our past seasons. The same Jesus who came out of Nazareth is the same Jesus who came to us in our hurting. He is the same Jesus who walked us through our failures to the other side. He is the same Jesus who stays with us when we walk away. There is spiritual good to be found in every season which is an overflow of our experiences when we walk them out with God.

He will turn everything we face into the ability to face everything!