Finding Myself on Good Friday

People used to say that they needed to find themselves? Is that still a thing?

We may not use that phrase anymore but at some point in your life I am sure that you needed a little space and a bit of quiet to discover who you are. I know I went through a painful time of this in my teenage and young adult years. As I grew, I learned what things drew me, what things excited me and what things I needed to stay away from. I had spiritual growth spurt I my 30’s when I became a Christian. Learning who you are in Christ can be a gut-wrenching experience until you are able to catch a glimpse of that grace God has promised us.

The difficult thing about Good Friday is that it is a day that clears the air and shows us the stark outline of our frail humanity and sometimes darkened hearts and that is a painful thing to see. But I now longer need to search for who I am. I do not need to find myself. I know exactly who I am.

I am a sinner. I know the deeds that I have done in the past and what I have done even today. I am alarmingly aware of what I am capable of without the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the protection of my Savior.

We try to minimize our sins saying things like, “It wasn’t that bad” or “I’m basically a good person”. But that is not the problem. God is perfect, Heaven is a perfect place and we can take great comfort in that. I want the Creator of the universe to be perfect and want His home where I hope to spend eternity to be perfect. The problem is that perfection doesn’t allow for any sin. Therefore, any sin – even the smallest act of selfishness or pride – is a sin that separates us from God. We cannot enjoy His presence or the benefits of His grace and mercy if we have separated ourselves from Him. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, meaning that there must be a sacrifice for God to forgive our sin. But God loves us too much to allow us to pay that horrific price. Being sinful creatures, we are not capable of a perfect sacrifice anyway. We are told back in Genesis 3 that since that first sinful act of Adam and Eve, God had already put His plan in motion to deal with the problem of our sin. Knowing that we cannot offer anything worthy of the perfect atonement that is needed to forgive our sin, God sent His own Son for this task. Jesus, fully God and fully human, is the only One capable of a perfect sinless life and therefore was able to become the perfect sacrifice. God cannot lower His standard of perfection so He sent His own Son to be what we cannot be. In this way, the One who is perfect makes allowance for my imperfections.

On Good Friday, Christians around the world mourn the sacrifice that He made for our sins. On this day 2,000 years ago, He gave his life to pay that awful price so that we can know forgiveness, mercy and grace today and into eternity. He gave everything and only asks for two things in return.

Love God ….and love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39

And I fail at it. Oh, I can give it a good try but to consistently follow this command is so hard. I try but never quite reach that high bar that He set for us.

Now here’s the truly amazing part

It doesn’t matter. In His eyes, it doesn’t matter that I will consistently fail. It doesn’t matter that for every good deed I do, there will be 2 bad deeds, thoughts or desires. He only sees Love because God is love. At the heart of His very nature and motivating His every move is His deep love for us, His creation.

He willingly gave it all knowing that I would struggle to give Him even the slightest piece of my heart. He paid a steep price for my transgressions, knowing that I would sin again and again. He wants me to be with Him forever even though my earthbound mind cannot fully comprehend His view of eternity.

At the Good Friday service last night, we were told to allow ourselves to mourn. This is a proper reaction when you hear the crucifixion story. You should be moved to deep sorrow when you begin to realize just what He did that incredible day. And then, after mourning you will be able to celebrate more fully the joy that the Resurrection brings. We can feel gratitude of a depth we would never experience unless we allow ourselves to mourn both His death and our own part in the crucifixion. We can begin to understand just how difficult it was for Jesus but “He set his face like a flint” (Isaiah 50:7)  for Jerusalem because of a love far beyond our capabilities. A love that we can never full comprehend yet draws us into His embrace and motivates us learn to live within His perfect love.

Remember Good Friday for what He did for you, celebrate Easter Sunday for the love and life that He freely gives you.

Building Trust

Our last family pet died a few years ago. Lately I’ve been feeling that it was time to adopt another fur baby. I called around to see if there were any kittens available but wasn’t having much luck. Then I got a call from my vet. They had several cats all around one year old that had been living outdoors being fed by an elderly gentleman in the next town. When he died, the neighbors complained to the local animal control that these cats were roaming wild. The cats were rounded up and taken the vetrienarian’s office to be put up for adoption. I stopped in to see the cats not knowing what to expect. I wanted a cute kitten who would curl up in my lap and fall asleep only to wake and want to play. Adopting an adult feral cat is a very different story.

When I first met Mirabel, I fell in love. She was a petite calico with golden eyes and a sweet personality but very scared and skittish. I knew it would take time for her to come around but my husband and I were willing to give it a try.

For the first month she was in the house, we never saw her. She lived under a couch in the living room and refused to come out. At night, when the house was quiet and we were asleep, she would eat and use her litter box but otherwise stayed hidden.

After that first month we noticed that she would sneak thru the living room on her way to her food dish. If we made eye contact, she would run. At least, we could catch a glimpse of her. Patiently we waited for her to come around. By the second month, she was walking thru the room in front of us and started to play with the little toys that we had scattered around. She still didn’t like to make eye contact and certainly wouldn’t tolerate any human touch. Each evening I would tempt her with treats trying to get her interact with me. She was definitely interested and slowly but surely, she began to creep closer to me as I held out the treat. Only If I put the treat down and withdrew my hand, would she come forward to eat. Several weeks went by and she came closer and closer but still no contact.

Then our daughter and her fiancé came to visit with their dog for four days. Mirabel spent that time hiding in the basement. We had moved her litterbox there already so she was very comfortable but I  know she missed our evening treats together. When our daughter and fiancé left and took their sweet dog with them, Mirabel came back and this time was actually sniffing my hand. The next evening, she laid her head in my hand and I was able to scratch behind her ears. She wasn’t purring yet, but closes her eyes and seems to enjoy the touch.

The next day we left for an eight day road trip through New England and Canada that we had planned months earlier. Our son stayed home and cared for Mirabel. He said that she wouldn’t come near him but did eat twice a day and used the litter box daily.

When we returned home, Mirabel wouldn’t come near me for two days. I knew she was traumatized by the dog and then having us disappear for a week. I was heartbroken that she apparently didn’t trust me anymore. On our third night home, she cautiously came towards me as I was sitting on the couch. She saw the treat in my hand but wasn’t having any of it. It took another hour before she would come close enough to take the treat that I had left on the floor. After several hours she let me scratch her neck and played with her mouse toy at my feet. Success! I still can’t pick her up but we have established a bond.

So why the long rambling story about a feral cat learning about her new home? Because it reminded me of a favorite Bible verse. Mirabel’s gradual acceptance of us gave me a bit of insight into my own relationship with God. We are not born into God’s family. We are adopted. A friend of mine had adopted a child as an infant. From the moment that baby came home from the hospital with them, they were a family. They told the child at a young age that he was adopted but that didn’t change the family dynamics. Their son knew he belonged. It can be a rocky transition for an older child. I have other friends who have fostered with the goal of adoption. These children are dropped off with their clothing in a plastic bag and nothing else but painful memories that they are trying to process. They are not sure where they belong and it will take time to develop trust and finally love between the child/teen and foster/adoptive parent. We come to Christ in much the same state, beat up by the trials we have endured and not inclined to trust this God who offers what sounds too good to be true. Even those who accept Christ as a child have to grow into that adoption and will struggle with the doubts and fears that come with that growth. Only through the Holy Spirit can God begin the transformation of our souls to prepare us for our eternal destination. And it will take time, a lifetime of time. Our God is so patient, waiting for us to come to Him asking for forgiveness and inviting Him to begin the restorative work that only God can do for us. He stands at the door and knocks waiting for that invitation.

As I waited for Mirabel to come to me, I thought of how I have pulled away from God when I didn’t like unpleasant circumstances. That fragile bud of trust that was opening in my heart would often snap shut when hurt, pain or fear swept over me. At such times I repeat this verse to myself.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
    Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18

I remember stumbling across this verse a while ago and being struck by the thought that God longs to show me kindness. I thought that I was doing a great job in my Christian walk but verses like this help me to see that I am still learning how to live in this newfound trust. And the promise of that last verse. It says that as we learn to trust God’s timing in our lives, God blesses us!

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!

I share this today as a part of my own journey and hope you find it encouraging too. We spend our earthly time learning to trust that those everlasting arms really can catch us. Adoption is not an easy process but a child can learn to trust when a parent uses love and patience to build a family.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!

1 John 3:1

Choose Gratefulness

Sometimes you can read the same verses over and over again and miss the obvious. Other times you read it through once and something will jump out at you that you may have never noticed before.

I am reading thru the book of John and have been reveling in the stories of Jesus’ miracles, healings and teachings. Today, I am reading about the feeding of the five thousand followed by walking on water and then teaching on the bread of life- that’s a lot to pack in! But that’s when I noticed what I hadn’t seen before. Scripture records that Jesus gives thanks before the miracle and that must be an important detail because it is mentioned not once, but twice in the passage.

To recap the story, after the miraculous feeding of the crowd in Chapter 6, Jesus “withdraws” to escape the well-meaning people who are about to crown Him king. Funny really, they are still thinking in earthly terms of naming a king of Israel when they had just been served lunch by the King of Kings. We miss so much that God is doing because we get stuck in a wrong way of thinking. We miss the bigger picture of God’s love. We tend to throw away grace and mercy disregarding it as weakness rather than the strength it is. Jesus leaves the crowd with full bellies but empty hands as He escapes into solitude on a mountain as He often did when He wanted to pray. The disciples take a boat and go ahead to Capernaum, sailing at night. Another miracle is performed as He walks out onto the water towards them. The next day, the people who had enjoyed the unexpected feast, realize that Jesus is gone and head out to find him.

We are told that the people are still in the area where they had eaten the bread the day before. Scripture doesn’t tell us that Jesus performed a miracle. It only says that the people were “in the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. In verse 23 the people are said to be in the place where they had eaten after Jesus prayed. Two very short, very easy to miss verses that describe a miracle with the words “gave/given thanks”.

And maybe that is the miracle we miss- God’s response to grateful hearts. When we are able to give God all that we have with gratefulness, trusting that God will do whatever is needed to be done in our lives, only then will we be able to step outside of our own neediness and into the bigger picture that God is painting.

Think bigger!

It’s amazing, really. The disciples, along with the boy that Andrew found, give all they have to Jesus. Jesus takes all they give and through a simple act of prayer, blesses all the people present. Thankfulness before the miracle. Makes me examine my own prayer habits. Do I thank God, trusting Him to take care of me each day before the day has even begun? Do I pray with requests but no expectations? Do I live in grateful anticipation of what I know God can do? Yes, this is hard to do. In verse 26, Jesus chastises the people looking for him. He says that they have not come because of the miracle they witnessed. They came for the very simple reason that they had full bellies the day before but are now hungry again. Jesus uses the opportunity to teach the crowds that He offers so much more- the bread of life, a food that endures to eternal life. This will be a constant theme in both His public teaching to the crowds but also to His disciples for the next three years. Think bigger! Don’t limit God to your box of needs. Think much bigger!

And for our part, it starts with grateful prayer. Perhaps that is the real lesson of the Feeding of the 5,000. Start each day with grateful prayer, expecting Him to move in a miraculous way. Even Jonah, in the belly of that crazy fish, prayed gratefully before God rescued him. Granted, Jonah was still disobedient but he had one thing right. He thanked God first and then watched God roll up His sleeves and get to work.

This will take some rethinking on my part. I am not a morning person and struggle to start my day in prayer. Honestly, I am so much better with evening prayers! But if this is the example that Jesus sets and I claim to follow Him, then it’s pretty obvious what is needed.

Grateful prayers, grateful hearts and grateful expectations today and everyday.

Turning Junk into Art – Pt 3, A Christmas story

The Story of Rahab

My Christmas readings for this year are a bit different. I am reading the stories of the women who are listed among the names in the genealogy of Christ in the first chapter of Matthew. As we wrap up the second week of Advent, this is a good time to stop and reflect on the second candle lit which represents Hope. Hebrews 6:9 says “We have this hope for an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Our next lady lived in a very insecure time when her city was being attacked by foreign invaders. She makes a risky decision to side with the invaders against her own people because she has heard that they have a powerful God who gives them hope during uncertain times. She trusts that this God will also offer her hope for her future little realizing that God will bring Hope for the entire world through the birth line of her future baby.

 Read the story of Rahab in Joshua 2:1-21.

Last week we looked at the story of Tamar which took place 500 years earlier. Israel has now endured 400 years of slavery and 40 years of desert wandering. They are finally ready to reenter their ancestral lands and reclaim them from the people groups who have settled here while the Hebrews were enslaved. The first city-state that the Israelites must battle is Jericho, a powerful city close to the Jordan River. Joshua sends out two spies to check out Jericho’s defenses. They encounter a woman named Rahab who is a prostitute who runs an inn inside the city’s outer wall.

She has heard the stories of this powerful God who has defeated the great Egyptian Pharaoh. She is very knowledgeable about the Hebrew people and their God and she has decided that she would rather serve this God than risk disobeying him. She is rewarded for this decision by not only marrying into Hebrew society but her great -great-etc – grandson David will become one of the most powerful kings of Israel and an ancestor of Jesus Christ just as God had foretold Abraham so many years before. Hebrew tradition says that her husband Salmon was one of the spies whose life she saved before the battle.

 Who is Rahab? She is a sinner, a foreigner who chooses to follow God. You may also say she is a shrewd business woman, brave, loyal, not afraid to stand against her own society, she makes up her own mind on things. Bottom line – though her lifestyle may have been questionable before, when she makes up her mind to follow God, she follows thru abandoning her business for an uncertain future with the Israeli victors.

She is no saint. There must be a lot of junk in her life but we see that God doesn’t hold her repentant past against her. This should be reassuring for all of us. Her story – both sinful and beautiful – is told in the Scriptures and she too is used by God to continue the bloodline that will carry the most important promise of all -Messiah! Her junk becomes God’s artistry.

God’s Artistry in us

A prayer for troubles times

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9-11

My Bible study group was discussing the first chapter of Philippians. In verse 10, Paul prays for his friends in Philippi that they be “pure and blameless”. I have often blown by this verse because it is uncomfortable to read. Paul often talks of mankind’s sinfulness so I wondered how he could ask God to make them pure and blameless. Or is he asking the people at Philippi to lead their lives in a pure and blameless way? Talk about pressure! But as we looked at the original Greek wording, we saw that Paul’s meaning was actually quite different and most appropriate for today’s world.

The word pure can be translated as sincere or authentic. It would have been used in Paul’s day to refer to pottery without any cracks. If it was cracked, a merchant would cover the crack with wax so that the crack was hidden unless the vessel was held up to the sun. “Pure” actually means to be “tested by the sun’s rays” letting the sunlight uncover any flaws in the pottery. Paul is asking that they not cover up their flaws but be authentic and sincere, owning up to their failings. God already knows that we are not “perfect” and our honesty will only give God greater glory which is the whole goal of the Christian life as stated in verse 11. In the context of Paul’s prayer, he is asking the Philippians to be authentic in their dealing with each other and with the society they live and work in. He is encouraging them to be honest in their relationships so as to honor God even while living in a pagan culture.

Likewise, when Paul prays that they be blameless, he doesn’t mean that they should never make a mistake. The word translates to without blemish, not leading to sin but also meaning not to stumble and that is the meaning Paul is going for. He is asking the church in Philippi not to stumble or be led into sin.

Now this prayer becomes something powerful for a church that is probably something of a curiosity in its pagan hometown. Paul is asking for the Holy Spirit to keep these early Christians honest in their love – love of each other, love of their neighbors and love of God. He also asks for God to empower them in ways that would enable them to live a Christ-like life and not stumble into sin.

I am thinking of this today when the newsfeed on my social media is filled with hate-speak on both sides of the political fence and we know it will only get worse as we head into a presidential election and its aftermath. I pray the same prayer for my brothers and sisters- that we remain authentically loving in how we interact with the world around us and be blameless, not stumbling on the many bumps in the road ahead.

Now, we know that God has a purpose for all our flaws and imperfections. In fact, the Bible often reminds us that even our flaws are orchestrated by a loving God whose goal is to reconcile this straying world to Himself. He will use our flaws and our failures for His glory in ways that will not only strengthen us but point the way for others who may be lost or confused.

And then I had another thought – I remembered a picture I had seen a while ago about a Japanese art form called Kintsugi that further develops this idea of being authentic. Kuntsugi is the ancient art of repairing broken pottery with gold understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken. What a unique perspective this is and it gives a picture of what God is does for us. Our scars are more beautiful when filled with gold from God’s own hand as He heals our hurts and tears.

God’s artistry in us may not be what we want it to be. It may not include a cute nose, a strong jawline or a winning personality. His artwork is more beautiful than our frail eyes can see. We may be tempted to cover over what we deem as ugly in ourselves, but don’t. Don’t hide what God has done and is doing in your life. It will be inspiring to someone else. It will encourage someone who has stumbled. It will give hope to whoever is listening.

Poppies and Parables

Looks magnificent, doesn’t it?

The first few years that we lived in our house we were thrilled to see these poppies bloom and multiply each year on the side of our house along the driveway. I never planted them. They seeded themselves and returned each spring in vibrant color. I would see them growing along the side of my neighbor’s house and we believe that the easterly breezes would blow the seeds towards us where they would settle along a protected corner of the house, landing in the fertile soil of my little flower bed by the side porch door. My neighbors were not gardeners and probably didn’t even realize that the poppies were growing on the eastern side of their home. They never tended to them or tried to enrich the soil in anyway. Within a few years, their wild poppies died out but the seeds that had found their way into my gardens flourished. Soon we were the only house on the street with such beautiful poppies. That is, until a few years ago. The poppies started to die out and 2 years ago we only had a few spindly plants left. My husband believes that the grass fertilizer that he had spread near there may have killed them. He carefully cleaned the weeds out and build up the soil to give the malnourished poppies a chance to grow. Last year we had a few more poppies and now this year, there are even more blooming.

Seeds need good soil, sunlight and nutrients to grow. They need a farmer who is willing to care for them and protect them from encroaching weeds, drought or cold nights. They may sprout up quickly from a lucky breeze but that is no guarantee that they will bloom and thrive.

As an amateur gardener, I have always been partial to the stories that Jesus told about farming. In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) Jesus drew a comparison to a seed growing in fertile soil with the Word of God finding a place and growing in a person’s heart.  In Jesus’ parable, the seed that was planted on hard soil was quickly snatched away. It never stood a chance. Some seed fell on rocky soil and wasn’t able to establish roots. It started to grow but soon withered and died. Seed planted among the weeds also died, unable to compete with the larger thorns. Only the seed that fell onto good soil sprouted and grew.

 

I try to look honestly at my own heart. When I see an attitude of self-centeredness rearing its head, I know that my heart is becoming like that hard or rocky soil. God’s love will not grow within such a heart. When I manage to give priority to everything but God, I am allowing weeds and thorns to cover the good soil that God had cultivated over the years. I’ve found that the things that threaten my growth are not always easy to see. Weeds creep in when least expected and distractions can cause us to lose our focus on a daily basis. Since we live in a world in which evil prowls like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), we must be constantly alert to any weakening of our relationship with God. We must pay attention to the strength and vigor of our prayer life. Look for joy in unexpected places and realize that God is speaking to you in that moment. Ask God to show you how to help others rather than helping yourself. In this way, we cherish and nuture the seeds of the kingdom of Heaven that God has planted inside a believer’s heart.

May we grow and bloom like vibrant poppies as we entrust our lives to the Master Gardener who watches over us more diligently than I do my own gardens. May He who controls the rain and the winds and sunshine, give us only what we need in each season of our lives. May the God of all the universe continue to choose our lowly stable of a heart to be His residence and may I dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

This is my prayer.

See You On The Other Side- hopefully soon!

It’s been rainy and chilly for over a week as we slide into Week 6 of Covid-19 quarantine. Truth be told, I have no idea of what week it is but #6 sounds about right. Mental stability is questionable due to a prolonged lack of sunshine and fresh air so I probably should not be trying to write but let’s live dangerously.

I was at my local CVS the other day to pick up some vitamin supplements – a necessity- and blush – just thought I needed something new. I approached the check out counter.

my husband and I preparing for a grocery trip.

One of the perks of the pharmacy having their own drive up window is that the store itself is very quiet. There was no line to wait on. Just walk right up to the appropriate six foot distance and place your items on the table that separates you and the cashier. She ignored the vitamins and reached for the blush. “Such a pretty shade!” she exclaimed. “Not that I can see what this will look like on you but I think it will compliment your skin nicely.” I laughed and returned. “Not that anyone will see it with this mask on.” We talked about the new lipstick that she had found and was currently wearing. She couldn’t lower her mask and I couldn’t see it but for those few brief moments, things seemed almost normal. We were talking about things that don’t amount to a hill of beans in the grand scheme of life and it felt great. Can anyone relate?

I’m tired of disinfecting light switches. I am sick of red and raw hands that no amount of lotion is helping. I am so bored walking around my block day after day. The neighbor’s dogs don’t bark anymore when I walk by. I don’t think they even notice.

I realize that there are many that have been living with enforced isolation due to chronic health conditions for a long time now. This has certainly deepened my understanding and hopefully, my compassion for others. And when we are finally on the other side of this quarantine, I hope that I remember these thoughts and act accordingly.

On a positive note, I love how society has slowed down and allowed us to connect on different levels. On my town FB page, I see people offering to trade puzzles and books. Others are sharing supplies of yeast and other baking ingredients. One friend gave us a loaf of the most delicious cinnamon bread which I have been enjoying with my breakfast all week. My husband even agreed to cut my hair – with my coaching – and we are still on speaking terms. I draw the line at doing the color at home, though. Messy, smelly and is tough on your arms if your hair is long. Definitely looking forward to some salon pampering when restrictions are lifted.

There are good things happening all around us. You just need to adjust where you choose to focus. Think about how you can be a part of something good and then get off the couch and do it. (that last part is for me, but if it applies to you too – go for it!)

 

See you on the other (quarantine) side!

 

 

 

Quarantine Time Can Be a Good Thing

As an introvert, I am finding it surprisingly easy to quarantine. I am home with my husband and son and we try to stay out of each other’s way. I am able to do my grocery shopping once a week and have a nice big backyard with some simple gardens and bird feeders set up. I enjoy trying my hand at nature photography. I am able to work from home. My church has set up a Zoom account for our small groups, Bible studies and Youth group to use. In my household, we are all working and so far, healthy. Even though the days are starting to melt together and I am getting far too attached to my bathrobe and slippers, it’s actually been going quite well.

Not that I don’t get lonely and miss my friends and co-workers. I would love to go out to dinner with the gang or just an impromptu trip to the store with suiting up with gloves and masks and trying to make it up and down the aisles without actually talking to anyone. But I’ve also been noticing some very subtle signs that God is showing me. Reminders that He is watching over us all.

For example- I always have a few paperbacks that I would pick up and save for vacation. Since we will not be able to go anywhere this summer and I find myself with time on my hands now, I started to read one. It was a very predictable, somewhat corny fictional novel. Certainly not winning any awards, yet, written with a gentleness that I found so comforting. As I wrap up my work day, which can be rather depressing these days, I’ve been curling up to read for a bit. This story was very sweet and the characters so likable that I found myself getting caught up in what, under any other circumstances, would have been a boring read for me. And I realized that I needed that sweet, predictable story to counteract the gloominess of the Covid-19 news that I am surrounded by.

Another example – lately my work has been very busy and I am working more hours than I would like. I was looking forward to afternoon walks and sitting on the deck with said book but the weather has not been cooperative. Way too chilly, windy and rainy for outdoor time to be enjoyable. So I have been able to keep working without resenting the time I am kept indoors.

I know that these are not particularly exciting examples of God’s love for us. It would be a lot more fun if I had some crazy, miraculous story to share. But this is it and for me, it is more than enough. I share these things to say that I am finding God in every detail of my day and it is wonderfully comforting during these stressful times. I know that He has always been there, but right now, I am in need of these reminders. As life has slowed down, I am becoming more and more aware of His hands in the moments of my everyday life. Unfortunately, as fears creep in – so do doubts. I don’t need to hear the latest death counts or how many people have tested positive. I know that numbers are frighteningly high. I need to know that my Savior is right here with me during this quarantine. I need to be reminded that the eyes that are on the sparrow are on me too. And God has obliged my fears and doubts by showing me His control of even the mundane details of my days. Like which book to pick on an overcrowded bookshelf.

Thank you, Lord, that when we are scared, you are watching us and orchestrating those tiny details that we don’t even notice. Thank you that You are our strong tower in times of weakness, the wing underneath which we can shelter, the Father who protects His children. I am fearful and feeling weak, in need of protection more than ever these days. Yet You are not disappointed in me. In fact, You have gone to great lengths to show me that You are right here for me and always will be. I ask protection over our brave frontline heroes and all those who have had their lives turned upside down with this pandemic. I ask for healing for those who are suffering and comfort for those who are mourning. But most of all, I ask for You,

Your presence,

Your love and grace over our world.

Thank you El Shaddai

Good Friday Thoughts

Imagine that you are a contemporary of Jesus. You are 12 years old. You and your extended family are making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. As the Passover ends and the family prepares to return home, no one notices that Jesus is not with his family. Maybe they assume that he is playing with you but you haven’t seen him all day and assume that he is with his parents. The next day his parents return to the city and find him in the temple. When they ask him what he is doing, he answers:

 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 

 Luke 2:49

None of you understood his words, but Jesus knew exactly what he was saying. A more literal translation would be that he must “be about his Father’s things”. And that meant a plan of salvation for the world. But you didn’t know that then.

But Jesus- even at the tender age of 12 – knew and grew up into that plan anyway.

Imagine that you are one of those traveling with Jesus through the Judean countryside. You listen intently to his stories and sometimes they make sense to you. Then he says something like this and you hope you are not understanding it correctly.

 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.  He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him;  they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

 Luke 18:31-33

Jesus knew what was awaiting Him and still He pressed on.

Jesus has called you together for a Passover dinner, but this one is not like any of the Passovers that you have celebrated before. You might not even notice when Jesus says to Judas:

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

John 13:27

Jesus knew what Judas would do, yet He sent him anyway.

 

Imagine if you will, that you are in the court of Pilate and witness this exchange between the two men.

 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

John 18:37-38

Jesus is the truth but Pilate wasn’t listening, so Jesus let the trial play out, knowing the conclusion to come.

The soldiers led Jesus away. You’ve heard the stories of what soldiers do to condemned prisoners.

They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,  and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.

Matthew 27:28-29

Did anyone remember the mention of thorns for the Scriptures. In Genesis 3, they are a sign of sinfulness and the curse that God has put upon the world. Now Jesus wears the sins of the world as a crown.

Jesus knew the price of our sins – He will pay it anyway.

And then, the cross. You are among the crowds and hear His words. At that moment, it all comes together in your mind and you realize what has just happened.

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:30

Even the guards watching said, “Surely he was the Son of God”.

 

Jesus knew the road ahead and walked it anyway. He did it for you and me and all humanity. He followed the plan laid out long for Golgotha, long before Pilate’s court, long before a sleepy town of Bethlehem played host to a King in a stable. Jesus knew all along what we can only glimpse at and He did it anyway. His job now finished, He voluntarily surrenders Himself to it. His choice, His work, His life breathed out for us.

Remember what He did. Know who He is. Honor Him as your King. Love Him as your Saviour.

 

 

Beauty Within

Within every tragedy, lies great beauty

Seriously, have you noticed how everyone, from large corporations to small children are stepping up to help during the COVID-19 pandemic? From a country that only a few weeks before was divided over deep political lines, we are now working together for a common goal. I have seen heart-warming stories of factories being refitted to produce ventilators and PPE (personal protection equipment). Crafters are making fabric face masks to donate to local hospitals and craft stores are starting to donate the supplies. Truckers and grocery store workers are putting in long hours and exposing themselves to potential infections to ensure that goods are available. NBA players have put down their basketballs and picked up their pens to write checks for the arena workers now unemployed. Musicians, actors and writers are going on line to entertain those of us stuck at home during this time of quarantine. Distilleries are making hand sanitizer. I saw that stores like Home Depot were donating masks and gyms that have been forced to close are donating antiseptic wipes to hospitals. Even kids, can help out. A recent “ChalkTheWalk” campaign had kids writing and drawing inspirational messages on their sidewalks to cheer those out walking in their neighborhood. Adults responded by placing Teddy bears in their windows so that parents can take their kids on a neighborhood “bear hunt”. They get exercise, fresh air and the challenge of counting how many bears they can find in their neighbor’s windows.

Mr. Roger’s once said that his mother told him to look for the helpers in a bad situation. They are always there. We are seeing that played out today in so many ways as everyday people step up with creative ways to serve and encourage each other. Just this morning, I saw a Facebook post in my town inviting everyone to step outside at 7pm and make some noise – clap, cheer, ring a bell – to show appreciation for those brave souls on the front lines – health care workers, police, EMT, fire, grocery and restaurant workers, truckers and so many more who are keeping us going.

I wish it was always like this but sadly, the human heart can be a dark place.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

Jeremiah 17:9

We need only look at the paper goods aisle in the local grocery store to see the depths we can sink to. Stores now have to place ration amounts on paper goods. Registers are keyed to only ring up one paper good item per order at my local store.

If we hold the Bible to be true – and I do – then how can we explain the outpouring of love that we are currently experiencing?

I love the chorus of the song “Grace tells another story” by Mercy Me.

“We’ve been told that the heart is just too far gone to save,

But Grace tells us another story”

And that is the answer – not my graciousness, though. Notice the word grace is spelled with a capital G. It is God’s grace that saves us from ourselves. God always offers a second chance, and a third and a fourth…

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”

2 Corinthians 12:9

The human race is capable of great love and compassion because we have been made in the image of a loving and compassionate God. Unfortunately, it usually takes a tragedy of some type to bring out the best in us. Though we may be weak and fallible, God’s grace is always available and His love is unending. He is waiting for us to turn to Him. The key is to stay turned to Him even after this crisis passes. Don’t forget the prayers you pray this month when you are back at work and school as this time of quarantine ends. We will come out of this stronger and hopefully kinder than before. The only true tragedy would be if we forget everything that we are learning over the next few weeks. Fortunately, He is a God of second chances and only asks for our love in return.