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.