Extreme Makeover

A family with limited means, sacrificing every comfort to meet the needs of a severely disabled child in a sub-standard house suddenly gets a knock on the door….Ty Pennington from ABC TV announces with unbridled enthusiasm that they have been selected to receive an “extreme makeover!” Thousands of volunteers turn out to help in what becomes an amazing community event. In only seven days, a new home is built from the ground up….not only constructed, but designed to meet very specific needs and interests. On the final day, the family is brought back to see their new home, hidden from their view by a large bus. Thousands of voices ring out with “move that bus!” and as the bus rolls away, the grateful recipients are overcome with emotion. I have never been able to watch this show without needing a box of kleenix. But it always leaves me inspired and grateful that, finally, there is something worth watching on TV!

It is wonderful to see a deserving family receive a gift, desperately needed, that is beyond anything they could have dreamed or imagined. They may have been at the end of their rope, so to speak….everyday life a struggle, but with no hope in sight. Then, an unanticipated act of love changed their lives. They experienced an “extreme makeover.” There is something in me….in all of us I think…that longs for renewal. I believe that longing is a God-given attribute. After all, our God is the originator of “extreme makeover!”

The story of man begins with a garden. God, the Master Gardner, planted a garden in Eden. He placed Adam in the garden and told him to “work it and take care of it” (Gen. 2:15). In the middle of the garden were two trees, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were free to eat from any tree in the garden (including the tree of life!) except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disbelieved, disobeyed and sin entered the world, along with the first thorn bush! God gave them a choice….the same choice he gives to us: “…I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses…choose life….the Lord is your life” (Deut. 30:19-20). They chose poorly, as we all have at one time or another. Sin bore it’s ugly fruit… they tried to hide from God, they felt fear and shame for the first time, and when God confronted them, they blamed one another….Adam even blamed God, stating “the woman YOU put here with me…she gave it to me.” Eve was the first to claim, in essence, “the devil made me do it…” (Gen3:13). Their disobedience resulted in separation from God, as they were driven from the garden. But our all-wise, sovereign God already had a plan in place to redeem His beloved creation and restore mankind to relationship with Him.

There was another garden, the garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus was betrayed and arrested. There was another tree, hewn to form a cross. An incomprehensible act of love changed everything. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) “The result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men” (Romans 5:18). Now we are offered the transforming gift of grace. “You were taught…to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new ….to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22-24). “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). God has said to us, in so many places and so many ways, “congratulations….you have been chosen to receive an extreme makeover!”

There is another garden in our future. Revelation 21 and 22 describe a time when God will make everything new. John describes the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven to a new earth. God’s relationship with His creation will be completely restored. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” There will be a river flowing from the throne of God “down the middle of the great street of the city.” And there will be another tree….on each side of the river, the tree of life, bearing life-giving fruit, and leaves for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be a curse on the land (Rev. 21, 22). “He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new!” (Rev. 21:5)

Revelation records that an angel carried John, in vision, to a high mountain to show him the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was a spiritual “Move that bus!” moment….and John saw a city that shone with the very glory of God…its brilliance like a very precious jewel…” There was no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple….the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp…the nations will walk by its light…on no day will its gates ever be shut…” (Rev. 21). As I struggle to wrap my mind around this incredible picture, I am reminded of the song, “I Can Only Imagine.” “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (I. Cor. 2:9). Maybe another way to pray, “your kingdom come” might be….”We’re ready, Lord….move that bus!”

Living Water

The bus was full of college students sharing animated conversation and robust laughter. Excitement and anticipation managed to subdue any weariness from a day of travel following a weekend of hiking and exploring Yosemite National Park. With the soft light of twilight, voices became quieter, more subdued as the bus climbed a steep mountain pass. Reaching the summit and beginning a gradual descent into the valley below, silence enveloped the bus….a silence that was almost reverent. It is a sight I will never forget….a brilliant full moon shining down on Lake Tahoe on a clear, crisp fall evening. The vast lake shimmered with moonbeams, illuminating the night. I was awestruck…this was the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, my freshman year in a Christian college that taught the holy days were relevant for our day. Lake Tahoe was one of several different festival locations, and the closest one for students on the California campus of Ambassador College. I had learned about the Holy Days years before, but this was my first opportunity to participate in a festival celebration. We stayed at Lake Tahoe for the entire seven day festival, attending services every day in Olympic Village with thousands of church members. I was 18 years old, and more than four decades later, it remains a treasured memory….mostly, I remember the feeling of joy…

What a sight it must have been in ancient Jerusalem, when pilgrims came from all over Israel to worship during the fall feasts, each carrying an offering of thankfulness to the Lord. At twilight, the hills around the city must have shimmered with lights of candles and lanterns as far as the eye could see. I could imagine those making the journey for the first time being filled with joy and anticipation. The Feast of Tabernacles was the culmination of the “Feasts of the Lord,” which began with Passover in the spring. It was the most joyful of all the festival celebrations. This feast reminded Israel, “on the one hand, of their dwelling in booths in the wilderness, while on the other hand, it pointed to the final harvest when Israel’s mission should be completed, and all nations gathered unto the Lord” (The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, pp 232-233, by Alfred Edersheim). The service in the temple (referred to as “Sukot”) looked backward in history, reminding the Israelites of their exodus from Egypt, and it looked forward in prophecy, to the fulfillment of the covenant promise given to Abraham of the time when “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3). And to the time when “the survivors from all nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zech 14:16).

One of the most beautiful ceremonies of the ancient Festival of Tabernacles was the libation of water procession each morning. “The water was brought in a golden flask from the fountain of Siloam and poured by the officiating kohen (priest) into the basin near the altar. This was the most joyous of the temple ceremonies…..accompanied by a torchlight procession, dances, singing and chanting by the Levitical choir….it was a symbolic act performed in compliance with the prophetic verse, ‘With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation’ (Is. 12:3)’” (quoted from Jewish Worship, p. 204, by Abraham Millgram). Jesus was observing this festival in Jerusalem when He stood in the temple and gave perhaps the shortest and most encouraging sermon of all time…. “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37).

While I do not believe observing the Feast of Tabernacles is a requirement for Christians today, I cannot help but believe that reflecting on the meaning of these days is of enormous value for Christians. When we pray “Thy kingdom come” we are praying for the fulfillment of these days …when the “earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9) Imagine a time when “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Is. 35). Christ will say, “To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Rev. 21:3-6). This is a thirsty world….Your kingdom come, Lord!

Days of Awe

A little garden beside our house has yielded tomatoes, cucumbers, a variety of peppers, onions, two carrots and a few delightful herbs. I wrote my last blog about the lessons I learned about “preparing the soil” so the seed will take root and bear fruit, inspired by the fact that my previous attempts at gardening had not produced a single vegetable worth picking. Shortly after I wrote that blog, a “volunteer” tomato plant began to grow where we had not prepared the soil….in fact, the area is a four by four plot of gravel. Somehow a seed got dropped there, took root (in the most unlikely place) grew and grew and started to bear fruit. We gave it no special attention, but it soon got ours! The plant is huge now, and continues to provide more cherry tomatoes than we can pick in a day! Analogies about the Kingdom of God came flooding to mind. Jesus used many gardening stories to teach about His coming kingdom. My favorite is the parable of the mustard seed. “Though it is the smallest of all of your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matt. 13:31). God has begun a great work, a world-changing, universe encompassing work, in the smallest way….with you and me.

The Lord’s prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6, verses 9 – 13, is often quoted in our worship services. We pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven….” Isaiah foretells of a time when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9). I have just returned from a weekend at the beach, and I can tell you that the waters cover the sea deeply and completely, as far as the eye can see! But when will this wonderful prophecy be a reality?

We are entering a festival season referred to by Jews as the “days of awe.” God’s kingdom calendar continues to unfold, revealing an awesome and perfect plan, abounding in mercy and grace. This coming Saturday, September 19th, is Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. The trumpet that is blown in synagogues around the world on this day is the shofar, a special trumpet made from the horn of a ram. The story of Abraham and Isaac is recounted during the synagogue service. All are reminded that God provided the sacrifice that spared Isaac’s life. It was a ram caught by his horns in a thorn bush (reminiscent of the crown of thorns, but that’s a different blog!). The shofar is a symbol of deliverance. At the end of the church age, begun at Pentecost two thousand years ago, the trumpet will sound again, announcing deliverance to a desperate world. John records in Revelation 11:15, “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven which said, ‘the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.’” Our Saviour is returning to this earth, fulfilling the promise recorded in Acts 1:11…”This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” Zechariah 14 describes His triumphant return in detail, “On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west….The Lord will be King over the whole earth…” Isaiah 11 gives an incredible preview of deliverance, “they will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah may have more to say about this event than any other book in the Bible. In chapter 2, Isaiah records this amazing prophecy: “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many people will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths…..He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”
The Feast of Trumpets looks to the return of Christ as King of Kings. “How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! He subdued nations…God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of the whole earth…God reigns over the nations…the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.” (Ps 47). This event is so important to God, that Zechariah states He Himself will blow the trumpet…”The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet…..the Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people. They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown” (Zech. 9:14-16). “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God….” I Thess. 4:16. The trumpet call of God….what an awesome sound! And now…it all comes together, old and new testament….”unto us a child is born….and the government will be on His shoulders….of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:6-7). Truly…these are days of awe!

“…we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9).

This summer, I was reminded that some of the biggest joys in life come in some of the smallest ways. For the past two or three years, I have tried to get a vegetable garden going in a little plot beside our house. It has really been a pathetic sight. Sprouts would look healthy and promising, even begin to bear fruit, only to wither and die. This year, I made that little plot more of a priority. Early in the spring, I added natural fertilizer to the soil and worked it in. I even started saving coffee grounds, because I heard they were good for a garden. One afternoon, after a morning of making fish prints with my students (using a real, previously frozen, fish), I buried the colorfully painted fish in my garden. When the seeds were planted, I took care to water them every day. Only someone who gardens can know the joy of seeing little sprouts come up for the first time. I found myself checking on them everyday, as if by watching them I could make them grow faster. Zealously, I removed weeds as they popped up to compete with the fledgling vegetables. Growth was slow at first, and then the plants virtually exploded with fruit. While most of it is still maturing at this stage, we did find the most beautiful cucumber! It was absolutely perfect (in our eyes!), and we started thinking of ways to enjoy it….maybe a cucumber sandwich, or a zingy cucumber salad….or maybe just savor it raw. But as we admired it, a better idea came to mind. Deciding we could honor God with our "firstfruits," we gave it to a neighbor who is a retired pastor, a faithful servant of God for decades. He's probably never been given a cucumber by a neighbor, and it made him smile. Hope he knows....that's not just any cucumber!

God uses the concept of gardening throughout His word. It is fitting that just after His resurrection, the women who went to the tomb mistook Jesus for a gardener. He is, in fact, the Master Gardener. He planted a garden in Eden, unparalled in beauty, where the tree of life grew. God commanded Adam to work the garden and take care of it, and I think He put a little desire to garden in each of us….although it has taken a long time for me to recognize it in myself. Working in the soil, planting flowers or vegetables, makes many Biblical analogies come alive. My experience with our little plot has drawn me to the parable of the four soils in Matthew 13. The farmer went out to sow his seed. Some fell along the path, and the birds ate it. Some fell on rocky places, and sprang up quickly but had no root and died in the heat of the sun. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked the plants. But, thankfully, some fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. I have learned the hard way how important it is to prepare the soil, so that when the seed is planted it can take root and grow. I’ve been thinking about this lesson in regard to ministry and mission work. Surely God is telling us how important it is to "prepare the soil" so that when He plants the seed of His word, it will take root and grow. "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord….” (Hosea 10:12). “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…” (Eph. 3:17). Love is the common denominator, the fertilizer you might say, that allows God’s seed to take root. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10). Love, expressed in good works, helps prepare the soil of hearts for God’s planting to take root. I could sow seeds in that little plot until the “cows come home,” but if I haven’t taken the time to get down on my knees and gently care for that soil, doing what I can to build it up, those seeds will likely never take root or produce lasting fruit.
God's garden is all around us....our children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, strangers. May God give us eyes to see the opportunities around us...we often don't need to look far. Some will have the opportunity to work in God's garden in faraway places...unlikely places, like a prison in Thailand, a remote village in Africa, and an orphanage in Romania. Wherever God puts us, may others see in us good works that will cause them to praise their Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). May He use us to help nurture and prepare the soil of their hearts, by showering God’s love on them. The Master Gardner tells us, “whatever you do for one of the least of these….you do for me….” (Matt. 25:40).

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener….this is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15). What greater joy for anyone than bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom! What greater joy for the Master Gardner than seeing His seed take root and bear fruit, transforming lives! I think I’ll go check on those cucumbers….

Family Bonding

Determined to spend some quality family time together, my daughter, Melissa, her husband, Ray, and their two small children (really small, Sean, two, and Lily Kate, barely one) piled into their van early Sunday morning with nearly all of their household goods (or so it seemed) packed in the back. I should mention that my daughter is seven months pregnant Her husband (who works for Nascar) had arrived home at around 3 am after a Saturday night race, and was operating on very little sleep. Add to that mix the fact that it was raining Sunday morning. But nothing dampened their spirits. Having the next day off, they were determined to give their children some quality family time in the mountains of Tennessee. And although the weather was wet and miserable at home, the forecast was for sunny skies at Cades Cove, the campground destination. Undeterred, they drove through rain for the entire five hour trip. When they arrived at the campground, the rain let up just long enough for Ray to put up the tent. The last stake was barely secure in the ground when a massive thunderstorm rolled in. They huddled together in their little tent. Sean, with eyes big as saucers as the thunder boomed, nestled himself in his dad’s arms, and Lily Kate snuggled close to her mom. At that moment, though exhausted, hungry and wet, Melissa and Ray knew there was no place they’d rather be.
We lived in Iowa for eight years, while our kids were growing up. Usually, every winter, there would be at least one blizzard that would leave us snowed in for three or four days. During those times, we would huddle together in front of the fire, pop some popcorn and watch a movie together (if we still had power!). And, truly, there was no place I’d rather have been. In the summer, thunderstorms would roll in and create a light (and sound!) show that could last for hours….we would sit close together on our front porch swing, marveling at the wonder of it all, and savoring the warmth of family togetherness. With no distractions, no place to go and nothing else we could do, the unexpected joy of just being together would envelop us. Often, it is the unexpected challenges of life that give us these opportunities. The same is true spiritually. So many things can appear threatening in the storms of life. But sometimes, when we set aside the distractions to savor relationship with our Creator, we can find ourselves enveloped with the peaceful presence of God. There is no greater comfort or security than having our Father’s arms wrapped around us …”the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27). There is no place I’d rather be….

The Hole in Our Hearts

“I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23).
My dear friend, Barbara, is living in Thailand for the next several weeks. She is a keen observer and descriptive writer, and I love the images she is sharing as her adventure unfolds. Reading her emails, I’m captivated, as if absorbed in one of those wonderful travel shows on PBS. Some of the most intriguing sights she describes are the temples, which must be everywhere you turn in Bangkok! She writes about “intricate artwork, vivid colors, more buddhas than I could count…” She describes the standing buddha (105 feet tall), the reclining buddha, (150 feet long and covered in gold….this buddha depicts Nirvana, the aim of buddhism), the lucky buddha, and the emerald buddha on the palace grounds, to name a few. Barbara describes shrines that are “everywhere…in the courtyard of the apartment, in Starbucks, on the street corner, in the mall, in the yards of homes, in the park, in the market…” And she notes that the monks are treated with great respect, and given an elevated position in society. She is struck by the contrast of the devout faith that permeates that culture and the casual worship that is characteristic of our society. Barbara wrote “so maybe a difference is the people here are worshipping idols because they are trying to fill the “God hole” in their hearts with a god (imitation, but they don’t know) and people in America are filling their God hole with themselves…” Obviously, all of us have a God hole in our hearts. Paul mentions this God hole in Ephesians 3:19, and expresses his desire that we come to “know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” We all have an empty place that desperately needs to be filled. A study of world religions is a study of cultures trying to fill that hole. I began to wonder what Buddhism was all about, and became intrigued as I studied the topic.
In all that I have read, I know I have just begun to scratch the surface. Buddhism takes many different forms throughout India, China and Southeast Asia. The religion itself is described as “a continuous analytical process of life, not a mere set of ethics and rituals” (Wikipedia encyclopedia, article on Buddhism). Although Buddha is revered as a single supremely gifted person, worshippers recognize the existence of other Buddhas in the distant past and yet to come in the future. The form of Buddhism practiced in Thailand is known as “Theravada.” It’s ultimate theory can be summarized in “four noble truths.” And these can be simply stated as “the problem,” “the cause,” “the solution,” and the “pathway.” The goal of following the tenents of Buddhism is to achieve “nirvana.” Followers may have to be continually reborn until they achieve this goal. Nirvana can be described as “perfect peace of mind that is free from craving, anger, and other afflictive states.” Or, “the state of being free from the state of suffering and the cycle of rebirth” (Wikipedia, Nirvana in Buddhism).
You might say there are four noble truths in Christianity as well: 1)the problem (separation from God because of sin), 2)the cause (lack of belief, leading to rebellion), 3)the solution (the blood of Christ), 4)the pathway (the living Christ). I appreciate the simplicity of Christianity. As I studied Buddhism, my head began to spin. It is a very complex system of beliefs, that varies widely from culture to culture. Paul warns “I fear, lest by any means….your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (KJV, II. Cor. 11:3). He continues his discourse to the Athenians by saying, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else……God did this so that all men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:24-28). We could never impress God with ornate temples and countless shrines. Faithfully observing endless rituals cannot win His favor (Gal. 2:15-16). Nothing we can do will ever fill our God hole. God purposefully made us incomplete, and He is the only One who can make us whole…”For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ…” (Col. 2:9)
I know that worship is never a casual thing for my friend in Thailand. And I cannot help but reflect that amongst all the artistry, gold, precious gems and devout rituals surrounding her in that land, her heart of worship is what God finds beautiful…swadikah
my friend….keep sharing!

“Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue…and dreams that you dare to dream really do come true….” Eva Cassidy’s lilting rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. As I close my eyes and listen, I imagine a beautiful rainbow filling the sky….I think I can even smell the sweet aroma of the earth after a refreshing rain. What is it about the rainbow? Sometimes dazzling…sometimes subtle…always delightful and amazing. Sometimes the appearance of a rainbow will make me reflect on the Biblical account of the first time anyone saw a rainbow. It was preceded by one of the darkest times in the history of man, a time when God grieved.

In Genesis 6: 5-6, we read about God’s broken heart….”The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that He made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain.” Creator God had kneeled on the ground and fashioned man with His own hands, and now His own creation was breaking His heart. But “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 8). We are all familiar with the story. God destroyed the earth with a flood. Only Noah and those with him in the ark remained alive, including birds and beasts and pairs of creatures, representing all of the animal kingdom at that time. When the waters subsided, God told Noah, “Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth” (8:17). “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (9:1). God had been grieved that He had made man…His heart was filled with pain…but His mercy endures forever! He made a covenant with Noah, a covenant for all who would live after him, including you and me. “Thus I establish My covenant with you. Never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:11) (NKJ). “And God said, This is the sign of the covenant….I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant….”(Gen. 9:12-16) (NIV) I grew up thinking this was the time when the rainbow was created. We probably taught our children the same thing. But reading the scripture more thoughtfully, an astounding truth has filled me with awe. God told Noah that He would set His rainbow in the clouds….it was His! It already existed, and it belonged to God! And where was it? Ezekiel 1:26-28 gives a vision of God’s throne…”Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around Him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.” Revelation 4 gives another breathtaking vision of God’s throne, and “a rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne” (Rev. 4:3). A rainbow encircles the very throne of God! Hebrews 4, verse 16 refers to God’s throne as the “throne of grace.” What more perfect sign could God have given to Noah? In the rainbow, God gives us a glimpse of His glorious throne, a picture of mercy that truly reaches to the heavens. And dreams that we dare to dream….more than we could ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20)…really do come true!

Is there anything that stirs our hearts like a good love story? The books and movies I remember best are the ones that revolve around a love story. I’d venture to say there is no great story unless there is a love story within it. Perhaps that’s because the story of our lives is a love story, and the story of God’s plan is the greatest love story imaginable.
I believe the outline of God’s love story is preserved in His holy days. Three seasons of the year, the Israelites were commanded to “appear before the Lord your God at the place He will choose.” These times were The Feast of Unleavened Bread (which began with Passover), the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) and the Feast of Tabernacles. This past Sunday, May 31st, was the day of Pentecost (Pentecost literally means “count fifty.” The day after the Sabbath immediately following the Passover, a single sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest was brought to the priest. The priest waved the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on behalf of the people…an obvious type of Christ being accepted on our behalf as the first of the firstfruits. Seven weeks were counted from the wave sheaf offering to arrive at the feast of Pentecost 50 days later…hence, it is also called the “feast of weeks.”) There is a wonderful love story associated with this holy day.
The book of Ruth is one of the Megilloth (festival scrolls, read on annual holy days). It is read in Jewish synagogues on Pentecost (referred to as Shavout). The events recorded in the book occurred between Passover and Pentecost in the late spring, between the early and late spring harvest. The timing of the book is fascinating. It occurred during the time of the judges, a time when “every man did what was right in his own eyes,” and the result was chaos, violence, disobedience and idolatry (Judges 21:25). So it becomes a story of God’s grace during a dark time in Israel’s history.
As the story unfolds, we learn that, because of famine, Naomi, her husband and two sons move to Moab and her sons marry there. Shortly thereafter, her husband and both sons die, and Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem (1:1-7). Naomi implores her Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to stay in Moab. Orpah agrees, but Ruth adamantly refuses. Her words to Naomi have been used countless times in weddings as a beautiful depiction of steadfast love, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” (1:16-17). I find it a little amusing that, although this is quoted in weddings, it actually depicts the love of a daughter- in- law for her mother- in- law! I have a mother in law I love dearly (Audrey, I hope you are reading this!), but I am often told this is not the norm for our day and age….I doubt it was then either! But her devotion to her mother-in-law led to an unexpected romance, a radical change of circumstance, a prophecy of future redemption, and to Ruth, herself, becoming a part of the lineage of Christ!
Ruth returned to Bethlehem with Naomi and participated in the first-fruit harvest, mainly in the fields of Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s dead husband. Boaz noticed Ruth and learned about her faithfulness to her mother in law. He was impressed. “May the Lord repay you for what you have done…may you be richly rewarded by the Lord…” (2:12). He protected her, allowing her to glean and gather sheaves left behind by the harvesters. Days later, when the barley and wheat harvests were finished, Ruth went to the threshing floor where Boaz was winnowing barley. When he had fallen asleep, she laid down at his feet. I love the account the scripture relates…”in the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet” (3:8). I forgot to mention that Ruth had washed and perfumed herself…and I would love to have some of that fragrance! Boaz’ response to her, after being startled in the middle of the night, was “ The Lord bless you, my daughter…this kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier…” Faithful to the custom of the “kinsman redeemer” (Deut. 25:5), Boaz made sure that the one relative with prior claim to Ruth renounced his claim, and then he made Ruth his wife. Truly a match “made in heaven,” their descendants include King David and Jesus Christ, Himself!
How appropriate that this book would be read on Pentecost. Ruth left everything of her own world, even her religion, to follow Naomi. Though a Gentile, she married an Israelite, embraced a new faith, and became included in the lineage of Christ. God shows us that Gentiles can become spiritual Israelites and take part in the marriage of Christ to His “firstfruits” (the Church). Boaz’ love for Ruth is a type of Christ’s love for the church, and prophetic of the redemptive work of our Saviour/Redeemer. He is the “Husbandman” who provides for and protects his bride. Boaz protected and provided for Ruth, even when she was unaware (2:15-16). Ruth “prepared herself” and laid at Boaz’ feet. The church is making herself ready to become the bride of Christ. Boaz redeemed Ruth, who had nothing and was powerless to change her circumstances. In this book, God reveals His heart. “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 23:9,22). So Israel was commanded to care for the poor and the alien. Without this law, there would be no book of Ruth. God’s provision was not solely for Israel. His intent was to use Israel to bless others. Pentecost, in the New Testament, ushered in the church age, and now His church has the responsibility to express His heart in caring for others. He invites any who are willing to glean in His fields, to become a part of His early harvest, and to discover their Kinsman Redeemer. And the love story continues….

The Master Potter

Recently, our school acquired a kiln. A whole new world of art has opened up for our elementary students, most of whom have physical disabilities. With the patient guidance of our art teacher, our students have plied clay to form pottery bowls and rolled clay into strips to make woven pottery baskets. When the raw clay pieces are finished, the art teacher “fires” them a first time, a process called bisque firing. She brings the fired pieces back to the students to be painted, or “glazed.” This is the part that fascinates me the most. The teacher sets out a number of jars of paint, each labeled with a color name. If they were not labeled, we would have no idea what color the paint was supposed to be. We trust her that the color that looks light green will actually be red, and the light purple will turn out to be yellow. The students delight in painting their artwork, and love to use a lot of different colors. As I assist eager little hands grasping flailing paint brushes, I find myself thinking, “okay, this will be a mess!” The art teacher smiles and tells us “these will be great!” and she carries them away to the kiln to be fired a second time. When she returns with the finished pieces, I am amazed…each piece is unique and utterly beautiful. The more varieties of paint that were used, the more beautiful the finished product turned out to be. Some of the pottery bowls went home for Mothers’ Day, and I am sure there were many delighted mothers.
“O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand”{Isaiah 64:8). What a profound analogy to reflect upon. God is forming each of us into a work of art, unique and beautiful. His hands are perfectly skilled, he does not make mistakes. The paint, or gloss, can be likened to the experiences of our lives. Each experience adds a dimension to who we are and brings us closer to the finished vessel our Potter plans for us to be. In our Christian journey, we are to “make every effort to add to faith, goodness, and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). As we eagerly attempt to pursue these qualities with unskilled hearts, our masterful Potter guides us through each life experience, adding, as it were, another color. We have to trust the Artist, because often circumstances in our lives don’t appear to be what we would expect or hope for. Trials come, refining us like fire, “so that our faith may be proved genuine” (I Peter 1:5-7). Our Potter knows exactly how much heat we need. Without the heat of the kiln, the pottery would remain fragile and plain. When heated at just the right temperature, for just the right amount of time, the pottery becomes a piece of art, a beautiful masterpiece, reflecting the glory of its Maker and given a place of honor in His house. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…” (Jeremiah 18:6). How thankful I am to be in those hands, or this clay would be a mess…

Mother's Day

And I pray that you, being rooted and established (“grounded” KJV) in love, may have power….to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love, that surpasses knowledge…. (Ephesians 3: 17-19). I just enjoyed the best Mother’s Day I can remember. There simply is no sweeter gift than spending the day with family, savoring good conversation, lots of laughter and the adoring attention of beautiful grandchildren. Truly, my cup is running over! The highlight of my day revolved around the planting of a tree. When my daughter, Lisa, was asked what she wanted for Mother’s Day, she said she wanted a dogwood tree for the backyard. My son-in-law delivered a sizable young tree while we were all together this afternoon. Each of the men took a turn to help dig the hole for the root ball, while Lisa mixed the overturned dirt with soil conditioner. Carefully, the tree was positioned in the hole, and the enriched soil was mounded around the root and pressed gently down around it. As we were all standing around admiring the new tree, my daughter suggested we offer a prayer of thanksgiving. Spontaneously, we held hands while she offered a simple prayer of thanks. She thanked God for the tree, for the special day, for all of us being together, and especially for the gift of family. It was a spontaneous moment, but it touched us all and moved some of us to tears. Reflecting on the day as we drove home this evening, I thought about that tree and the life-lessons that are so deeply interwoven into all of creation. A family is very much like a tree. I think of my mother and father in law, who were with us today, as the root of our family. They have set the example as pillars of faith and have helped each of us to become “rooted and grounded” in the love of God. As our lives have become established in the fertile soil of our God, His love has begun to flow in and through each of us, and we have become the branches, always reaching further and higher. It is our relationship with Him that has united, strengthened and enriched our family beyond measure. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener” (John 15:1) I love the picture of God as a gardener….after all, He planted the most beautiful garden imaginable in the garden of Eden. And I don’t think it is insignificant that when Mary first saw Jesus after His resurrection, she mistook Him for the gardener (John 20:15). God is the Master Gardner, and I pray that, as a family, we will bear fruit to His glory…”I am the vine, you are the branches….this is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit…” (John 15:5-8). I am going to love watching that little dogwood tree as it grows….especially on Mother’s Day…

“Don’t remind me!” is often the response we get when we wish someone a “happy birthday.” When we were young, we couldn’t wait to grown up. But as we cross that line considered “middle age” it’s as if every birthday reminds us of our mortality. It’s hard to see the vitality of youth giving way to aches and pains in places we didn’t even know we had places. Phyllis Diller once wrote that her body was falling so fast her gynecologist had to wear a hard hat! One good thing about growing older is the deeper realization that life is a gift, and it is a gift that bestows a great responsibility and wondrous opportunity. Around the first of the year I asked one of my dearest friends if she had a new year’s resolution. I was expecting an answer that revolved around a physical goal, like weight loss or “getting in shape.” Instead, with a look of resolve in her eyes, she responded, “To seek first the kingdom of God.” She added that although some physical goals were still important, they were no longer a priority in her life. I have thought often about what she said, and I have prayed that this would be my daily resolution as well. In praying about it, I have tried to understand the depth of what it means to “seek first the kingdom…”My friend was quoting from Matthew 6:33, where Christ tells his disciples to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (material provision) will be given to you as well.” I am astounded by how many times Christ refers to His kingdom. Matthew 4:23 says “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom….” His parables often centered on the kingdom. He said “this is what the kingdom of God is like…” as He began two parables, one about the growing seed and another about the mustard seed. Even the prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament focus on government….”for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders….of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6-7) Yet, His government is not here yet. Matthew 4, verse 8 states that Satan took Christ “to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me.” Christ conquered the kingdom of darkness on the cross, but He has not yet deposed it’s ruler on this earth. “A day of the Lord is coming…the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west….the Lord will be king over the whole earth…” (Zechariah 14:1-9). Referring to that same period of time, Isaiah prophesies “They will not harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9). No wonder Christ taught his disciples to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). So we are “Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Cor. 5:20) representing His coming kingdom. We are called to be “the salt of the earth…the light of the world,” caring about the things He cares about, being about “our Father’s business”(Luke 2:49, King James version).
And so, to my dear friend, and all of my friends and family in the faith, “I thank my God every time I remember you…in all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel ….being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”…the day of His return, when we will reign with Him as kings and priests (Rev. 1:6). May we all seek that kingdom above all else.

Lord of the Rings is one of my family's favorite movies. The special effects, the scenery, and, especially, the story captivated us. We enjoyed finding subtle meanings in Tolkein’s masterful work, especially because we knew his reputation as a Christian and close friend of C.S. Lewis. I appreciate a good story that leaves me reflecting on life lessons. With all of the technology we have available today, someone should make a movie about the Bible. Okay, that might be too big a task. But I would love a movie about the Holy Days…a movie that would depict the fulfillment of the holy days historically and attempt to depict them prophetically. That would be an epic. Families could sit around the dinner table for hours and discuss the subtle meanings of God’s masterful work. It could be the condensed version of the entire Bible. You could begin in the book of Leviticus…

“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies” (Lev. 23:1) As the chapter continues, God instructs His people, Israel, in the observance of His ordained festivals. The Israelites were already aware of at least two of these feast days because of significant events that had occurred on them, the Sabbath Day and the Passover. The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread were introduced in Exodus 12, when God commanded the Israelites to take the blood of a sacrificed lamb and put it on the sides and tops of their doorframes. The blood would be a sign so that He would “pass over” their houses when He struck down the first born in Egypt. They ate unleavened bread for seven days, as a reminder that they left Egypt in haste, with no time to bake leavened bread. They undoubtedly passed through the Red Sea during the days of unleavened bread, as all of Pharaoh’s soldiers pursued and were covered by the water. A few days later, as they began their sojourn in the desert, God introduced them to manna, referred to as “bread from heaven.” The people were told to gather manna each day, but only enough for that day because it would not last until morning. Some folks paid no attention to Moses and kept part of their manna overnight. The next morning, they awoke to maggots and an awful smell! There was an exception on the sixth day. On that day, they were to gather twice as much as they needed because the seventh day was a day of rest and they could not gather on that day. They were able to save it over until the next morning and it did not have maggots or stink (Exodus 16:5, 21-26). Several chapters before the law was given at Mt. Sinai, God says “bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath…(Ex. 16:29). Go back even further, to the beginning of time as recorded in Genesis chapter 2:2-3…God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.”
I am struck that God refers to these days as “the appointed feasts of the Lord.” They are not called the “feasts of Israel,” or the “feasts of the Jews.” As every festival is explained, God states “this is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” The King James Version puts it even more powerfully…”it shall a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations” (Lev. 23, KJV). It is obvious these holy days are extremely important to God, and that makes them extremely significant for Christians. I believe the holy days weave the Old and New Testaments together in a beautiful tapestry that reflects the glory, power, love and mercy of our God, and that, in them, we are given a picture of God’s kingdom calendar. It makes an inspiring (and fun!) study to find some of the amazing historical events that have occurred on the holy days. The events that took place on the original Passover as God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt are well known and widely understood to have been prophetic. When Christ “our Passover was sacrificed for us” this event became the first holy day to be fulfilled in history. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea during the days of Unleavened Bread, and “were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I. Cor. 10:2). Forty years later, immediately after they entered the promised land under Joshua, “on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover” (Joshua 5:10). The city of Jericho loomed as their first big obstacle. During the seven days of Unleavened Bread that followed, God commanded them to march around the city of Jericho once each day. On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times, the priests sounded trumpets made of rams horns, the Israelites shouted, and the walls of the city collapsed (Joshua 6). These are great stories of God’s powerful deliverance that can inspire us and increase our faith. They teach us that becoming a Christian (coming under the blood of the Lamb, leaving the Egypts of our lives, being buried with Christ in baptism) does not guarantee an easy journey. God will not lead us the easy way. We may end up facing an impassable Red Sea, or a daunting obstacle like the heavily fortified city of Jericho. We need to remember God’s promise to Joshua, “I will never leave you or forsake you…be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:5,9). And this is only the first scene of the movie!

I loved getting my first bread making machine. We would dump in all of the ingredients, set the timer, and wake up to the smell of fresh bread. What could be easier? However, there were a few times when I forgot to add the yeast, and we awakened to a warm brick instead of a warm loaf. Yeast is a fascinating organism that we give little thought to (unless we accidentally leave it out of the bread dough!). Yeast microbes have been used for fermentation and baking for centuries. Researchers believe that they were first used in Ancient Egypt when they were discovered accidentally. They speculate that a combination of flour meal and water was left out longer than usual on a warm day and began to ferment due to naturally occurring yeasts. The resulting light and flavorful bread would have been a nice change from the flat, hard bread they were used to.

During this Passover season, yeast takes on a special significance. According to Leviticus 23:5-6, the Passover meal, on Passover night, was to be eaten with unleavened bread, or bread without yeast. Following the Passover were seven days when only unleavened bread could be eaten. In Corinthians 5:8, referring to the Passover, Paul said “Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (KJV). Leaven was clearly pictured as a representation of sin. Paul corrects the Corinthians for being “puffed up” and he explains that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (I Cor. 5). Interestingly, if allowed to grow unchecked, yeast can cause metabolic changes in food and cause the food to spoil. What a perfect analogy for sin!

Years ago, when our family belonged to a church that rigorously kept the letter of the law, we attempted to rid our homes of all leaven before Passover arrived. I say “attempted” because we never actually achieved it! No matter how hard we tried, leaven would turn up in the least expected places. I remember scrubbing the stove, cleaning out the cupboards and the refrigerator, turning up sofa cushions and lifting carpets to vacuum. We threw out perfectly good food if it contained leavening, or even baking soda (which can become a leavening agent). After days of cleaning, we could partake of the Passover service (actually a communion service) feeling righteous, until, a day or two later, we would find we had forgotten to destroy the vacuum cleaner bag (FULL of our old leaven!). Or we would find ourselves enjoying a doughnut right in the middle of the days of unleavened bread simply because we had forgotten about leavening and had let our guard down. We would usually remember after the first delicious bite, and then have to fight the temptation of “just once won’t matter!” I am so grateful to have had those experiences. Although we have come out from under the burden of legalism, the lessons we learned during that time were priceless. Because of my many failed attempts to get rid of leaven, I have learned that I cannot overcome the power of sin by my own efforts. Yeast occurs naturally in the air, just as sin surrounds us. Our enemy is called “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). It is as if he is leavening the very air around us with sin, so that even we, as Christians, are susceptible to it unless we are partaking continually of the unleavened bread that is Jesus Christ. “The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it and said ‘Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you’…” Passover became the first holy day to be fulfilled in history. “For Christ our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (I Cor. 5:7).

Although I don’t adhere legalistically to the rituals of the Old Covenant, I find such a treasure in them. I understand now that the physical rituals given to the Israelites were actually given “as examples” for us (I Cor. 10:6). We are to “purge out the old leaven (of malice and wickedness) …that we may be a new lump…” (I love the Old King James for these verses!) It’s a process of putting away sin whenever we see it, and it’s harder now because the leaven is not in the cupboard, it’s in the heart. And the only place to get rid of our spiritual leaven is to give it to God, who covers it forever with the blood of His son. “By one sacrifice, He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrew 10:14). I think a piece of unleavened bread would taste pretty good right now…

I love watching the classic movie, Wizard of Oz. A wonderful and imaginative story unfolds as Dorothy and her friends, the scarecrow, the cowardly lion, and the tin man, follow the yellow brick road on a journey to find the emerald city and the “all powerful wizard.” I think just about everyone can relate to the story on some level. Certainly, we are all on a journey (and sometimes we wish that “yellow brick road” was more clearly marked!). And I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t realize I’m in need of brains, a little courage, and a lot more heart! There is one line in the movie, however, that has bothered me since I first watched the movie as a little girl. It occurs in a scene near the end of the movie, when the wizard is attempting to grant the requests of the four travelers. He tells the tin man, who wants a heart, that a “heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” Sorry, Wizard, that just ain’t so! In fact, the One with the biggest heart of all is not loved nearly enough!

I love to take walks this time of year. New blossoms seem to spring to life with each new day. Spring is the season of new beginnings, and it is a season full of hope. It is the season when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. It is the time when we try to comprehend the incomprehensible…that the One who spoke all things into existence, who set the galaxies spinning, and who fashioned man with His own hands, gave His own life on the cross for a world that did not love Him! “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” (I John 3:16) “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (I Jo 3:10). I simply cannot grasp a heart that big. But I’m on a journey toward an emerald city (and sapphire, topaz, amethyst and other precious stones…where gold is so common it is the pavement on the streets! Rev 21) Instead of a yellow brick road, Jesus Christ is the “way, the life and the truth” (John 14:16). He gives me courage (Phil 4:13), he renews my mind (Romans 12:2), and He is working on my heart (Ps 51:10)….a work in progress! Thankfully, my heart will not be judged by what others think of me, but by how much God fills it with Himself, because He is love (I John 4:16).

I am so thankful our God is a God of relationship. He is the originator, designer and example of perfect relationship in Father, Spirit, Son. How amazing that He delights in relationship with us! We are children of the most high God (I. John 3:1)! Christ is our brother, and He calls us His friends (John 15:14-15).

“Friend” is a beautiful word. When it is spoken genuinely, it evokes feelings of mutual comfort, support, affection, respect and trust. Now that I’m entering the seventh decade of my life, I realize that I have had many acquaintances, but my true friends are one of God’s greatest gifts. Recently I received a lovely card from Pam, my best friend from high school. That may not sound significant, but we had lost touch after graduation and had not seen or heard from each other in more than forty years! She had found my name by searching the internet (there are advantages to having an unusual name) and made contact right away. We were both stunned to learn we lived only hours from each other (though more than 1,500 miles from where we went to school!), and that our lives had followed similar paths. We were both teachers, both had married “Bobs,” both had sons named Robby, and both had a grandchild named Addien! Our greatest joy was to discover that we were both committed to God and in love with His word. That commitment was what had bonded us together as friends more than four decades ago. Though we shared classes, worked on the yearbook together, and were members of the same girls’ club, what really drew us together was the faith we shared. We did not attend the same church, we did not agree on everything, but we agreed on the most important thing! One of my favorite songs is by Michael W. Smith, and it is titled “Friends.” I believe the words, “Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them…a friend will not say “never” and the welcome will not end…” Pam and I recently spent an afternoon together, renewing our bond of friendship. As we shared and laughed, the years melted away. I think we both felt like teenagers again for a brief moment. We are committed to staying in touch. I think we will. After all, we share a mutual best friend. His name is Jesus.

“Life is good!” That slogan is on the wheel cover of my little red jeep. When I drive it in the summer, with the top down, it couldn’t be more true! This morning, as I sat sipping coffee on our new screened–in porch (a dream come true!), listening to the birds and a wind chime playing soft tones in the breeze, that was my thought. Life is so good, and it is such a gift. It occurred to me that most of the time I take this gift for granted. Life was given to me freely…and although I had nothing to do with my own existence, I have daily choices about what I am going to do with it. Life consists of choices. Making good ones is not always easy, and the rewards are not always immediate. I find that I can usually tell if I’m about to make a wrong choice by how easy it is to make. I thought of a spiritual analogy. Grace is the free gift of forgiveness that brings us into new life in Christ. Although it is given freely, we have to choose to accept it. And upon accepting it, we are faced with daily choices. The choices are not always easy, but now they take on eternal significance.
The Bible is a chronicle of choices, and though some were good, most were bad. The first bad choice the Bible records was made by Lucifer. He chose to leave his position as one of the covering cherubim (the most exalted angels, covering the very throne of God, Eze 28:11-17, Is 14:12-15) and attempted to overthrow God’s throne. His name was changed to Satan, and scripture records that he fell from heaven. Unfortunately for us, he landed on earth! His appearance in the Garden of Eden is a story familiar to everyone. In the form of a wily serpent, he deceived Eve into disobeying God, and she persuaded Adam to do the same. You might say, man didn’t fall, he was pushed! It’s important to remember that all of this was not a surprise to God. He knew exactly what would happen, because He had a plan of redemption in place before time began (I Pet 1:20, Eph 1:4). God created man with free-will, knowing this very attribute of creation would result in the sacrifice of His son. Deuteronomy 30:19 says that God sets before us choices: life and death, blessings and curses, and He pleads with us to “choose life!” All of the pain and suffering in this world is a result of wrong choices, directly or indirectly. Why does God allow it all? Because He is the perfect parent and He has a perfect plan!
An important part of parenting is giving our children choices. We try to teach them the benefits of making good choices. What joy it gives us when our child makes a wise choice, not out of fear of punishment, but because he or she recognizes that it’s the right thing to do (especially when it’s the hard thing to do!). That’s the stuff of character, and it cannot be mandated, no matter how much we love them!
When God created mankind, His goal was to make us His family (Eph 1:4-6). Angels are immortal, ministering spirits (Heb. 1:7). They are not part of God’s family. We were made to become children of the living God (I John 3:1). An angel rebelled and took a third of the angelic realm with him. God is allowing Satan a limited amount of time to influence mankind (Rev. 12:12) because He wants us to understand the consequences of rebellion against God. I believe God wants us to hate sin as much as He does, so that we will reject it now and never, ever, in all of eternity choose it again. Our Father will not make us love Him. He will not make us obey Him. But when we choose God, Christ is formed in us (Gal. 2:20) and we have the gift of eternal life! Yes, life is good, but a bumper sticker I saw recently says it better, “Life is God.”

Visiting a new church on a road trip with my friend is always a great experience. She has such a heart for worship, that, no matter where she is, when Sunday arrives, she will find a church where she can praise and worship God. This particular Sunday was special because we were visiting her college son, and he agreed to go to church with us (always an answered prayer!) We were so deeply hoping (praying!) that the pastor would deliver a message that would “grab” her son, or, at least, pique his interest. The message was taken from John 17, Jesus’ beautiful and powerful prayer just before He was betrayed by Judas. The pastor was faithful to the word, and spoke fervently about our calling to “give God glory.” But I wondered, as I glanced occasionally at her son, if he was relating to this message in any way. Even as a long-time believer, I wondered if I really “got it.” After all, what does it really mean to “give God glory”? How can we give glory to the All-glorious God?
One night years ago, when I was a college student, I was walking alone back to my dorm on a brilliant moonlit night. Gazing up at that full moon, it suddenly occurred to me how amazing it is that the moon has no light of its own…how is it that it can light up nighttime almost like the day?! The moon is nothing but a ball of dust, covered with craters….not impressive at all when you see it up close through a telescope. But when it reflects the light of the sun, it is beautiful and serves a beautiful purpose! I thought about Romans 1:20, “for since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…” I am certain, that if God gives us eyes to see, we can understand so much about Him….so much about spiritual concepts and about His plan for us…by observing what He has made! I believe that giving God glory is simply being like the moon….reflecting Him!
Jesus said that to see Him was to see the Father, because the Father, living in Him, was doing His work (John 14:9-10). He was a reflection of His father, and that gave God glory! For anyone to see Jesus in us, Jesus must be living in us, doing His work. So what is His work? When Jesus was on this earth, He spent His time healing the sick, relieving suffering, giving comfort, and teaching “the good news of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 4:23-24, Mark 1:14-15). The good news is that His kingdom is coming to this earth! That is why He is coming back (Acts 1:11). “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him…” (Matt. 25:31). Zech 14:4-9 describes the literal return of Christ, and a time when “He will be king over the whole earth.” Acts 3:21 speaks of a time when God is going to “restore everything.” We are called “Christ’s ambassadors" (II. Cor. 5:20), His representatives in a world that does not yet know Him. As His ambassadors, we should be doing His work of relieving suffering, restoring, rebuilding, and taking care of the earth (Gen. 2:15) and, as God gives opportunity, sharing the “good news of the kingdom.” And what good news it is!! “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11: 9). “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7). “He will judge between many peoples and settle disputes for strong nations….they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Micah 4:3). “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12: 3). That’s another way of saying we’ll be reflecting God’s glory!
I love spending time with our grandchildren. What special times, just sitting back and watching them play, and trying to discern who they look most like at that moment, their mom or their dad. But, at any time, there is no mistaking whose child they are. May we reflect God’s image, giving Him glory, so that there’ll be no mistaking whose child we are! That, to me, is what giving God glory is all about.

A few months ago, I injured the nerves in my right hand. I could not straighten my fingers and even simple tasks, such as holding a pen, using a nail clipper, buttoning my shirt or unsnapping a seatbelt, became really challenging. Suddenly, I had a new appreciation for something I had simply taken for granted...the use of my hands. What a marvel of creation is the human hand! I have had the overwhelming experience of holding my own newborn child, and, most recently, my grandchild, in my arms, and feeling the amazing grasp of a tiny hand around my finger. That tiny hand holds such potential! I am reminded that God created us in His image, form and shape...and I think about His hands. God tells us "My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand spread out the heavens" (Is. 48:13). With His hands, He holds us up (Is. 41:9). With His hands, He heals us (Luke 4:40). With His hands, He blesses us (Matt.19:15). He opens His hands, and satisfies the desire of every living thing (Ps 104:28). I believe He knelt on the ground and fashioned man with his own hands. So many times I have prayed that He would hold my hand and help me not to be afraid, according to His promise (Is. 41:13). His hands reveal His love....He has engraved our names on the palm of His hand (Is. 49:15-16)....but, more than that, His hands still bear the scars of nails...(John 20:27) My hand is almost fully recovered, but I'm grateful to have been reminded of God's hands, touching my life in countless ways.