From Stones to Curtains

“‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” John 11:21.

How these words haunt the very chambers of our believing hearts. Though a few thousand years have passed, the hearts of believers grapple to process when the miracle doesn’t come…when time seems to be up…when the dream or loved one has passed…when we realize God chose something different. I believe the greater the faith the harder the fall sometimes. Martha said in her great faith, ‘But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask’ (John 11:22). We secretly whisper the same in our hearts. We are confident in His ability to intervene so it’s a tough pill to swallow when He doesn’t. It is tempting to doubt His love and heart when we have complete confidence in His ability. 

Jesus understands our pain when our prayer goes unanswered. His prayer pleading for God to intervene wasn't God's plan for Jesus. Heaven was silent until the sky went dark... the veil was ripped from top to bottom...the earth shook...the stone at the entrance rolled back like someone had pulled the curtain back for an unexpected grand performance. And Christ has been performing ever since!

Sometimes in life when a stone is placed over the opening of hope we must allow our hearts to grieve. We must believe that whatever seems dead in our lives God potentially is doing something new. In Christ, nothing is really ever dead…it’s just different. When our loved ones die on earth they become more alive than they have ever been. When a dream must be laid to rest God will resurrect a new one. When work winds down God is orchestrating something great winding up. Jesus met Martha at the opening of the tomb with the stone firmly in place. He asked her roll away the stone. I love the King James Version of her response in John 11:39. “Lord…he stinketh.”

It stinks when something has died in our lives whether it is our hope, our health, our jobs, our relationships, and the list goes on and on. But, Christ wants to meet us at our tombs and show us that we can remove the stone…that we can witness life again…with Him we can expect healing in places where we have previously grieved. Martha’s story didn’t end at the grave and neither should ours. We must believe that ‘even now God will…’ and it is a matter of time before His perfect plan is revealed. I saw a wonderful plaque on the wall at a restaurant with different definitions of ‘believe’. My favorite word on the picture was 'to conclude.' To determine that there is nothing more to say…we confess our belief…we walk it out…we trust wholly in Him.

Ordinarily Extraordinary

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13

This past Saturday I had the privilege to be part of a celebration of life ceremony for a family member of one of my best friends. Over the years I had known this sweet woman but had never really gotten to know her. My friend’s husband spoke at the service and described a life truly hidden in Christ. Through tears he painted a picture for me with brushstrokes of constant love, abundant grace, inspiring faith, and unquenchable joy in the Lord. He invited us to imagine that perhaps there might be a Faith Hall of Fame in eternity. This woman lived a humble life and was triumphant in running her spiritual race. It turns out that who she was in public was the same person she was in private when no one was looking. I began wondering what we have to do to live up to the victory on earth she had experienced. Suddenly Acts 4:13 tapped me on the shoulder and whispered the answer to me this morning…all of our victories on earth will be the direct overflow from the time we have spent with Jesus. 'They were blown away because the awesome presence of the Holy Spirit rested on these two uneducated fisherman who were just ordinary guys who happened to hang out with Jesus! They knew the power of Jesus had spilled over to and upon them to make them so knowledgeable and bold.' 21 Days of Deeper Prayer, Jim Maxim, p. 10.

Every single person has the invitation and authority to enter into fellowship with God our Father, Christ our Savior, and the Spirit our Indweller. When we are alone, we enter into a fellowship of 4. There are no interruptions, there is no fighting for center stage, and our longing for this beautiful fellowship with the Trinity falls short of Their longing for us. I realize that my friend’s loved one would have been so worth getting to know better. When we surround ourselves with people who have surrounded themselves with the beautiful Trinity, we have the opportunity to move from common men and women to bold followers in Christ. Through our intimacy with Him we will be given the spiritual keys to a mind well-focused, a life well-lived, and a heart well-loved.

So, here is to my friend’s loved one who is now spending time with Jesus face to face instead of dreaming of seeing Him. I’m sure her portrait is hanging in Heaven’s Hall of Faith.

Behold the New!

“How much more will your heavenly Father give…to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:13

Over the past little while two of my best friends have been in the trenches as well as their families, caregiving for their loved ones. It’s been a challenging month for them at best, but being a spectator instead of participant I was able to watch how God was moving, preparing, and comforting both the loved ones and their caregivers. Our group held an ongoing prayer meeting for each family with big expectations and numerous requests. Through the weeks the prayers shifted to align with where we felt the Lord’s will was leading. Yesterday, the world became just a bit dimmer but Heaven became brighter by two lives. It made me reflect on my own loved ones who have planted gardens of their own in Heaven. It made me consider the sadness in my own heart with their absence. But then as I was reading my passage this morning this small verse tumbled off the page into my heart like diamonds spilling from a velvet bag.

Our loved ones are experiencing face to face ‘how much more.’ They no longer see things in part, but they see the fullness of God, not by faith but by true sight. The heavenly descriptions written in ink are being lived out in reality with their sight, smell, hearing, touching, and tasting.. How much more they are experiencing God’s light…the warmth on their faces…the beauty of God’s surroundings. What a question to ask our grieving hearts this morning! The Bible is clear of our transitioning loved ones. How much more we ask? Revelation 22 tells us a fraction of 'how much more.'

More than our polluted waters, they are splashing in ‘a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God.’ More than our sinful world, they are living out from under the curse of the evil one, sin and sickness. More than the beautiful paintings of the greatest artist, they are seeing the actual face of God. They will never reach for another lamp to turn on or a switch to flip, for ‘There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light.’ How much more they are reigning with God than they even reigned in our families.

When grief strikes the heart whether it’s been a day or a decade, Revelation invites us to peek into the place where our loved ones now reside and read for ourselves ‘how much more’ our heavenly Father is giving them. My grandmother had a beautiful image of how she saw my granddaddy after he died. She told me that when she thinks of him she pictures that he just got up from one side of the table and went and sat down on the other side next to Jesus. 'How much more!'

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away… ‘Behold, I make all things new.’” Revelation 21:3-4

Pulling Up Nets

“They went out and got in the boat, and that night they caught nothing. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Children, have you any food?’ ‘No.’ And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Simon Peter went up and dragged the net…full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three.” John 21:3-6, 11

Back in 1989 like many of you we experienced Hurricane Hugo. We live in the middle of 6 acres and back then our land was thick with trees. I remember sitting in our loft in the middle of the night listening to the wind and the snapping of trees. It was like being blindfolded around a fire hearing the loud crackling of the logs as the fire burned them. Snaps, cracks and wind in the dark of the night inflamed my imagination. I couldn’t wait until the sun rose so I could see the effects of the storm. As the earth lent its light to me that morning, I could see nothing but a long, curved driveway with huge trees laying across it. I wrapped up and began climbing over each tree counting them as I worked my way up to the main road…63 trees were down on my driveway. Someone asked me once, 'Why did you count them?' I never could give an answer but I knew at the time it was important to me.

I truly believe that every single word in the Bible is not only factual but God-breathed…God-inspired...God-given through the stories of many faithful followers. I have read the account of ‘Breakfast with Jesus’ many times but this morning was struck with a small and seemingly unimportant fact. John noted that the number of fish they dragged behind the boat and onto shore was 153. For John to know this he must have taken the time to count them which at first seemed odd to me. But then, God lifted this memory to my mind and I remember that a few people (probably more) thought it weird that I had counted the trees. I have a theory on why John might have taken the time to count the fish… he fully understood from Whom the fish had come and with each count was an acknowledgement of its blessing. He counted each fish as they were pulled from the net as individual blessings before he did anything else.

It is so easy to count the things that are going wrong…to question the lack in our lives instead of the fullness…to multiply our efforts instead of waiting on God's. So many times, we pull up nets that are empty and become tired…frustrated…impatient. But Jesus will always guide us into abundance if we will remain steadfast…watchful…hopeful. Make sure that you count your blessings when you pull up your net.

Moving Day

 "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth." Colossians 3:2-3

With so much sickness, evil, destruction, and death taking center stage in our world I was drawn to ‘set my heart’ on things above me instead of ‘setting my eyes’ on the things around me. I decided that I would buy a book on Heaven mainly because there are several people whom I love who have loved ones with very serious medical issues. Since we have no control over these things, we do have control over what we fill our minds and hearts with. I just started a monster book which when delivered I immediately was intimidated by its thickness. But encouragement and knowledge are frequently found walking the halls of the imagination of inspired authors. Especially, when those authors have painstakingly based their imagination of Scripture.

Grant me a detour onto the off-ramp of my own experience when I was a child of 12 years old. We were the third family who built a home on an expansive tract of land right outside of town. Our mailbox was a mile from our home on the main highway and many days my sister and I would walk to check the mail. One day we left the road and went deep into the woods where we came upon an old dilapidated house. The siding was covered in black and peppered with holes. Half of the front porch was sunken and the screen door was stuck half way open. The steps to get on the porch were loose and rotten at best. Once we went inside it was dark, cold, covered with webs, bugs, and debris all over the floor. There was an eerie echo when we talked as if the emptiness was crying out to us. I didn’t realize the beauty of our own home until we walked out of that cabin and into our warm and wonderful home. And that is the point of my detour…

Those who are struggling with sickness, deterioration of the body, and diminishing health are like the old cabin. Our bodies were never meant to carry us further than earth. God placed within each of us a beautiful hourglass where the sands divinely move from the fullness of earth to the final home of Heaven. When that last single piece of sand finds its way through the neck of the bottle it is like ‘leaving the cabin and walking into that familiar and glorious home built just for us.’

“If you’re a Christian suffering with great pains and losses, Jesus says, ‘Be of good cheer’ (John 16:33, NKJV). The new house is nearly ready for you. Moving day is coming. The dark winter is about to be magically transformed into spring. One day soon you will be home – for the first time. Until then, I encourage you to meditate on the Bible’s truth about Heaven. May your imagination soar and your heart rejoice.”Heaven, Randy Alcorn, p. 22.

Unfinished

“But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

Back in November we went to Morganton with some friends to enjoy a cool fall day. It is a cute little town, a town I had never really visited other than for a funeral. We found the cutest little pottery studio with the potters also running the retail side of the studio. Shelf upon shelf displayed so many uniquely made pieces. Each was its own work of art and no two pieces were alike. I enjoyed leisurely strolling through the shop, gentle examining many of the items with all of their individual markings. As I walked past a large table, there were 11 clay colored mugs sitting on newspapers spread out. Don’t ask me why because I have absolutely no earthly idea why I did what I did. I reached for the handle of one of the mugs and picked it up. As I did the body of the mug separated from the handle and it flew across the shop finding its way to the floor with a thump! The clay mug was only in its shaped form…soft instead of hard…molded instead of fired. With huge brown eyes and a dropped chin, I began profusely apologizing to the potter. He was incredibly gracious laughing at what I did. He picked it up and threw it in a bucket with lumps of clay. I still to this day wonder why I assumed the unfinished piece of art was ready to be handled?

That is what we are…unfinished pieces of art who will only take shape and purpose in the hands of God. He sees our flaws and makes them beautiful…He sees our weaknesses and makes them strong. He paints our discolored hearts with beautiful individual strokes of color and meaning. There are seasons when we feel like we have been mishandled…dropped…thrown into a bucket for shaping another time. There are times when we are reckless with those around us forgetting that maybe they have yet to be molded or refined by the fire. There are times when we feel as if we are broken in need of mending on the Potter’s wheel. Whatever times we experience there will never be a situation from which God cannot bring forth beauty.

‘Seek Him with your whole being even if you’re in a thousand pieces, and He will sweep you up in His unseen arms, equip you, grow you, develop you, and show you where to set your foot next.’ Quest, Beth Moore, p. 171 

When Walking Sticks Aren't Enough

 “He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud.  He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip.” Psalm 40:2 

 

Yesterday was a very interesting day to say the least.  Bruce is overseeing a project for our homeowner’s association.  We share a private lake with 12 other families and the owners voted to put a walking path around the lake.  Our side of the lake has not really been a problem because the land is somewhat level.  But last week Bruce and his friend began working on the other side of the lake on steep terrain that had not been disturbed in decades.  I decided to go with Bruce to the other side of the lake and see the progress they had made.  It was too muddy to walk in the cleared area so we walked above the new path.  I was thankful that I had brought my walking stick with me because I surely needed it to balance my footing.  When we got to the end of the cleared area, he asked me if I wanted to stay there or go with him further around the lake to see the future path that will be cleared as soon as the mud dries out.  I decided to go with him and had no idea what would happen next.  The further we went around the lake, the steeper the bank became with a drastic drop into the lake.  To make matters worse I had worn little plastic boots that had a slick bottom.  The leaves that we were navigating through were soaked and slick.  Bruce went ahead of me and cut pricker branches out of the way so I wouldn’t walk into them.  Afterall, my head was constantly down scanning the ground for hidden roots under the slick leaves.  

 

As the bank got steeper, I became very concerned and anxious.  He began clearing the leaves from the ground in front of me so I could push against solid ground.  We had another half of the lake to go.  Some of the times I had to extend my walking stick so he could grab one end while he held onto a tree and pulled me towards him.  I tried not to look at the water because it defined just how steep the land was.  At one point, I was clinging to a moss-covered root but I couldn’t get my footing because my boots kept slipping.  Bruce put his back to the lake and planted his boot on the ground and told me to use his foot like the base of a tree and push against it.  I don’t know what kept him from falling in the lake but it worked.  

 

Every time he could feel me getting weak or frightened, he would tell me that where we were was the worst part and things would soon get better.  He told me that no less than 3 different times but oddly enough it did comfort me.  He had me look beyond the steep area to the level ground up ahead.  Little by little, we inched our way around the lake and I’ve never been so happy to stand up on solid ground. 

 

This morning while I was praying with thanks that God helped us get around the lake without injury, I was overcome with the love Bruce had shown me.  He went before me cutting branches that would have pierced my skin. He swept the leaves out of my path to better secure my footing.  He encouraged me all the way around the lake having me focus on the level ground up ahead.  He used his own balance and footing for me to push off from when I had no footing of my own.  And then it occurred to me in a flood of emotions…yesterday was a spiritual snapshot of what God does for me and for you every single day.  You see, Bruce had already walked around the lake once before without me.  He knew what we would face around each turn (although he couldn’t have predicted how slippery the leaves were).  As much tenderness and patience that he had for me, it is fractional compared to the love, protection and guidance God has for each of us.  

 

I know the world feels like steep banks and wet leaves, but God has already been ‘around our lake.’  He knows every detail of where we will plant our feet and guides us through it.  We must trust Him and ‘hold out our walking stick.’  We must look for His firm footing when we are losing ours.  We must keep our eyes on the Lord who goes before us and the hope we have in following Him to the other side.  God couldn’t have shown me His love better than showing it to me through Bruce!  

 

Whatever you are experiencing and wherever you are going, please have hope that God is reaching out His hand and securing your step at every turn.  Where you are going He has already been.  

 

Bookends of Truth

“He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them…He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:21-22

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.” Romans 13:1.

If you aren’t waking up this morning with a heavy heart and mind for our country you either are living out a crisis of your own, or haven’t plugged in from yesterday’s news cycle and/or social media. Today we need the biblical reality and instruction of the above Scripture to lower the national temperature more than ever. These verses are bookends of truth that we either believe or deny. We cannot pick and choose verses based on our preferences. I don’t remember at what point we became a country of parties who think we know better than God. God has been both establishing and sustaining leadership at every level since the beginning of time. I don’t know at what point our country built an idol called government that we began worshipping. But this I know…Christ has already done the work for every human on earth and only in Him do we find unity…real unity.

‘Unity does not come from us, it is given to us by God when we become Christians, and it is simply our task to maintain it in the Spirit. The phrase unity of the Spirit is just a way of saying that we are all one in the Spirit.’ Jason Soroski, Christianity Today. When we pray for unity it means we are asking God to impart that which we cannot acquire on our own. When we pray for unity it begins with my heart and your heart. Unity will never come from a man or a woman in power because they are only as good as their preferences. Our preferences must always be anchored in God's. We must examine our own heart first for any division before we ‘pray for the nation.’ We must recognize when we have a divided mind and heart such as who we voted for and our opinion of whether it was fair or not. We must surrender our sense of entitlement, our insatiable and ravenous appetite for social media and newscasts. All we need is found in our homes…in our prayer closets…in the Word…in fellowship with the Body of Christ…in the beauty of creation. When did we become a people of hysteria when we could choose to unplug and walk in the peace God intended? When did we become duped that all the knowledge that we need is being attained through those who have the power of what is reported and what is not? Whether it is broadcasted by the news or posted on social media...it is all opinions not rooted in factual knowledge.

We ask for peace yet we watch the chaos…we ask for prayer yet we spend more time posting …we ask for justice yet there is only one Judge. We have a new president and time is up for the past president. God has given us through His great mercy another day of life…another opportunity to see the good and to enjoy the freedom we have. What will we do with it today...tomorrow? God didn’t have to assign us this day. Will we worship at the altar of man’s knowledge or will we unplug and trust God for every part of our life?

“Dear Father, first and foremost forgive me for being part of the division instead of the unity. Forgive me for losing sight that only you can see the heart of man, and the truth of what is being done in the dark. Forgive my short-sightedness and judgment towards people, situations and circumstances. Thank you for being greater and more faithful than any president or person in power. Thank you that you have the power to unite my heart and the hearts of others igniting a wildfire of hope, humility and unity across the nation. I ask for a spirit of unity, acceptance and discovery of the wonderful possibilities that You have for our future. You have planned great and wonderful things for our country because You love us and want the best for us. But I know that if I don’t give You my best that Your best might be delayed. So, help me Lord to chase after the things You have assigned for me in this moment of time. Now, I pray for our leaders…I pray for our out-going President Trump and our incoming President Biden. You have assigned their times and I will trust You for all things. In your all-powerful, all-knowing name, and all-loving name, Amen! 

ELM - Innumerable Blessings

“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon…and God said, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’ ‘Give to your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.’ ‘I have given you a wise and understanding heart…And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor’” 1 Kings 3:5, 9, 12-13.

This short story has so many implications for our fellowship with God. Solomon did not seek favor and blessings from God but was approached and invited by God to seek his desire. Can you even imagine God appearing to you in a dream asking exactly what it is you want Him to do on your behalf? Without delay Solomon asked for God to help him understand how to deal with His people with fairness and justice. He desired for God to help him comprehend everything that was good and recognize all that was evil.

Solomon’s request displayed the heart he had for others who loved God and the desire to know how to interact with them. He could have asked God for any personal thing, person, or outcome, etc. His request certainly pleased God who immediately granted his petition for an understanding heart and discernment to lead His people. As if that weren’t enough God went above and beyond his request granting him unprecedented riches and honor. Solomon could have had riches and honor just by asking for that in the original request but what he asked for was so much more about God’s priority and desire.

I know all about God giving me more than I originally asked for. I asked for my daughter to walk away from her life of substance abuse which He did, but He additionally gave her amazing influence in the lives of others who were suffering and a powerful testimony. I asked for the Lord to heal my marriage a few decades ago which He did, but then He solidified our marriage by pulling us closer to Him. Me and my sisters asked God to comfort and protect our mom after our dad died.. For 8 years God was her companion…her anchor…her protector. But 3 years ago He went above and beyond anything we asked when He brought Ben into her life and they now enjoy a wonderful marriage. I always tell people that Ben is the answer to prayer we didn't even know to ask for.

These small verses swing on huge doors which opens up all kinds of understanding for us in the spiritual world. First and foremost, God loves us and WANTS to bless each of us. God speaks to us in ways He knows we will hear Him. God listens to every word we tell Him and answers prayers for our benefit and His plan to be administered to our lives. But one of the most beautiful things that our Father does is giving us so much more than what we ask or even can imagine in our mind. His love for us is infinite, and His blessings for us are innumerable.

Job Lived...

“Now the LORD blessed the latter days…more than his beginnings…After this, Job lived…” Job 42:12, 16

Job records one of the longest dialogs with God since the beginning of time. Job was a man who was described as one who sought righteousness and followed the commandments of God. His reverence for God and his resistance toward sin were a few things uncommon to most men of his time. And yet with all those blessings He had been given, God brought forth a season of adversity like he had never known before.

If you have never read all the adversity that Job experienced it is well worth the read. If any of us experienced even one of these it would be enough to unravel us. No doubt that Job took His questions directly to the One with the answers but what he received was quite different than what he anticipated. God in His great sovereignty knew that the only way to help Job understand his limited view of God was to reveal his ignorance on God’s limitless power.

In times of our greatest suffering and our most confusing moments we, too will question God. ‘Where are You? Why are You silent? When will You act? Why are You letting this happen? What have I done? Don't You love me?’ There are terrible things that happen to us on earth that shake our very foundation and threaten our faith. We go to God for answers, or worse we distance ourselves from Him. Just like with Job, many times God will require that we understand His will for our lives or the lives of those we love over our own will. Just like with Job, our questions to God are sometimes replaced with God’s questions to us. ‘Do you trust Me? Do you believe I act from a place of love or rather from a place of anger? Will you surrender your idea of the outcome over My wisdom in this situation?’ God included this example of living in the tension of what we want and what He assigns to our lives. He expects our questions to Him but He also expects our answers when He questions our attitudes and actions.

With the certainty of adversity in our lives, we also have the certainly of God’s faith to carry us through anything we face. The two beautiful words that the end of Job promises are the same two words that we can anchor our circumstances to… ‘Job lived…’. God didn’t have to include these words but He did. Job lived through losing all his material belongings. Job lived through the death of 99% of his family. Job lived through the judgment of his closest friends. He lived through traumatic medical issues. And he didn’t just live through them but he was blessed exponentially after He surrendered His own will for His life to the only One who had the power to give Him life. I too have lived through divorce…sinful living…marital uncertainty...a prodigal child…death of a parent… death of a sister…times without work…time with very little faith. But just like Job, I can honestly say that the blessings in my later life have been even greater than in my earlier life. ‘ I even can see that those loved ones who now reside in Heaven still live. They live in greater blessing than this world has ever given them. I lived through their deaths and will one day live with them in eternal Life!

'He was a man greatly tested by God and even more greatly blessed by God.’ Kristi Walker, Christianity.com [and so are we!]