Prisoners for Christ .
Ephesians 3:1-13

1. For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles -- 2. assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3. how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4. When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5. which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6. that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given me by the working of his power. 8. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9. and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10. that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 11. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12. in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. 13. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Paul doesn’t mind being imprisoned—except that is does physically limit his ability to minister in person. But he writes some powerful, compelling letters from prison – and I am sure he recognizes that his imprisonment is part of God’s plan for him. Paul is aware of the tremendous responsibility he has to preach the truth of the risen Christ! And he accepts that part of that responsibility includes imprisonment. In fact, his physical imprisonment allows him to be a flesh and blood image of the spiritual imprisonment to which he so often refers. It’s easy to make that comparison when we have such a concrete example.

Paul is awed and ever-grateful that God has gifted him, a sinner and one undeserving of such a task, with the divine revelation, the wisdom, the words and ability to preach the message of salvation! He understands that God uses “such as him” so that we won’t say we’re not equipped to be teachers of the truth to the unsaved. We have no excuse, because God chooses whom he wants, and uses whom he deems suitable.

I think Paul is telling us to see ourselves through God’s eyes. If we rely on our own reflection, our own self-image, our own perception of our limitations and short-comings, we’ll miss out. Not only on our own salvation, but on God’s wonderful, indescribable, blessed plan for us and our lives! That would be the ultimate tragedy. God made us exactly as He wanted us to be. He sent His Son to show us that as human beings, all we need to do to access Christ’s heart is to ask. And the Holy Spirit, already in-dwelt, will propel, energize, and sustain us. Even if we are prisoners of this world and all it holds dear—we can rejoice in the promise of eternal life!

I hope you spend your day, rejoicing in the chains of this world, knowing that God has given you the power, the fortitude and the will to overcome them—and to fulfill His purpose and plan for your life.

Mary
  ¶ 5:40 AM

  God’s Sovereign Plan and Purpose .
Ephesians 1:3-14

3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4. even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. 5. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6. to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8. which he lavished upon us. 9. For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ 10. as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11. In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will, 12. we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. 13. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14. which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

These verses are on the one hand so familiar, and yet, this morning I see them as if for the first time! These words are so very powerful! Jews used the word “bless” to express both God’s kindness to us and our thanks or praise to Him. The notes in my bible on verse 3 are longer than verses 3-14 combined! Paul has hit on some exciting, hopeful, mystical truths and he is unable to contain himself – or his message – divinely revealed and spiritually propelled!

Paul first points out Christ’s unique relationship with God. Then he goes on to explain that by gathering the Gentiles and Jews into one body of Christ, God triumphantly displays his “manifold wisdom” to the “rulers and authorities” in the "heavenly realm” It is clear that Paul envisions not only the exaltation of Christ at the end of time, but the exaltation of Christians, in union with Christ. We have already received the blessings of faith in Jesus. At the end of time, all things will be revealed, all questions answered, all mysteries solved, and all of us who believe will dwell forever in “the heavenly realm” with God the Father, with His beloved Son and they will be united in heaven and on earth with the Holy Spirit. God becomes one entity – and we become one with Him.

How then, do we wait? How can we possibly wait? I long for my inheritance as a child of God! We cannot deny God’s purpose and plan though. We cannot speed up His timing, which is perfect. We can rejoice with each other that we have heard the Good News, and that we believe. And we should be so filled with joy and gratitude that, like Paul, we are unable to contain ourselves! Preach the Good News – God in heaven has ordained us as his beloved children—Jesus Christ has carried out God’s divine plan—and the Holy Spirit empowers, enables, and emboldens us to share the truth with the whole world!

Paul spent many years imprisoned—either under house arrest, in prison—chained, certainly beaten and battered. It made no difference to him, because I think he felt closer to Jesus—shared in a small way the suffering that Jesus endured for us—freely and out of perfect love and in perfect obedience to God’s perfect plan, in order to fulfill His perfect purpose.

We were created in God’s image and likeness. We are all destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.

I hope you spend your day, bursting with joy and awe at God’s perfect plan, and expressing your gratitude to Jesus Christ by preaching the Good News to everyone you meet.

Mary


  ¶ 7:34 AM

  Spiritual Gifts .
1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2. You know that when you were heathen, you were led astray to dumb idols, however you may have been moved. 3. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. 4. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5. and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6. and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. 7. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9. to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10. to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Spiritual Gifts are so easily misunderstood! I guess because they are so difficult to grasp and seem so mystical and obscure. The only real mystery, though, is that God loves us enough and loves all of mankind enough, to endow each us with “special abilities” that He intends us to use in service of and for others. My Bible Reader’s Companion offers this brief background to allow us to frame these verses in the intended context:

In the ancient world ecstatic utterance was viewed as a sign of possession by the gods. Epilepsy was a “divine disease” and the mutterings of drugged priestesses . . . were assumed to convey messages from the gods. Paul refers to this in noting that when pagans and ignorant, “You were influenced and led astray by dumb idols.”

By Paul’s time, these beliefs were carried over to Christianity and spiritual giftedness. So Paul wanted to set the record straight for the Corinthians. There is no one gift that is “better” than another—so no person is “more gifted” than another. In the body of Christ (the church—and the larger community in which we live) every gift is of equal importance! God never empowers one with the gift of speaking in tongues (not epileptic speech, but true language of a divine nature!) without providing one with the gift of interpretation. This gift is highlighted the most often in this example, because it is most obvious that without an interpreter, the gift does not serve the community! It’s the same with every spiritual gift – and various names have been given to them, various lists have been developed, various tools and instruments have been developed to direct us to what our spiritual gift is (or gifts are). But the bottom line is this: it doesn’t matter what we call it. It doesn’t matter how we categorize it, or how “man” instructs us to use these divine gifts from God. What matters is that the Holy Spirit empowers us in a unique and meaningful way to serve God – as only we can!

To discover our giftedness, we only need to serve – God will provide the opportunities, Jesus sets the example of our service and the Holy Spirit guides and directs us to the type and nature of Christian, loving, devoted service that gives US the most fulfillment and satisfaction. To me, that is the mystery: the Triune God works intimately in our lives and within us to provide for every need of mankind—and in our obedience, we find our own fulfillment. All that is required of us is a willing obedience and trust that we will “know” when we’ve hit upon our giftedness.

God is so good! God is so wise! It is unimaginable that He planned this world! It is unfathomable that He loves us enough to create within us the ability to meet the needs of others—and through the act of service, find fulfillment within ourselves. It is just incomprehensible! How can one doubt the existence of God? How can one doubt His love for us? How can one deny that we are created in His image and likeness? How else could serving another end up providing us with what we need ourselves?

I hope you spend your day in loving service to others—and find from that service the peace, joy and satisfaction of knowing that God designed you exactly as He saw fit—and loves you just the way you are.

Mary


  ¶ 7:31 AM

  Trust in the Lord and Do Good .
Psalm 37 (selected verses)

1. Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers! 2. For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. 4. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6. He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday. 7. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over him who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 11. But the meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity. 17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the Lord upholds the righteous. 18. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide for ever; 19. they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance. 22. for those blessed by the Lord shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 23. The steps of a man are from the Lord, and he establishes him in whose way he delights; 24. though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord is the stay of his hand. 25. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging bread. 26. He is ever giving liberally and lending, and his children become a blessing. 27. Depart from evil, and do good; so shall you abide for ever. 28. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. The righteous shall be preserved for ever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29. The righteous shall possess the land, and dwell upon it for ever. 30. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. 32. The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. 33. The Lord will not abandon him to his power, or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 34. Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked. 35. I have seen a wicked man overbearing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon. 36. Again I passed by, and, lo, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. 37. Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the man of peace. 38. But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off. 39. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. 40. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

I didn’t leave out the “missing” verses because I didn’t like them, only because the psalm is quite long for my purposes! Verse 8 tells us to refrain from anger. This anger is what many would call “righteous indignation” of which I have been informed I am “guilty!” But my notes in The Bible Reader’s Companion, point out that the anger is clearly directed at the right thing (evil of the wrong-doers), but that it is clearly linked with “fretting.” This is “a smoldering anger, a hostile resentment that we nurture and in time dominates our attitude toward wrongdoers.” Guilty as charged!!

“This is the anger we must release, to replace with a perspective shaped by a quiet trust in God.” Okay. I get it. But how do we do that? Trust in the Lord. Do good. Enjoy our blessings. Delight in the Lord. Commit our way to the Lord. Trust in Him. Be still before God. Wait patiently for Him. Individually, these are difficult and challenging! Taken in whole, we realize that this attitude of trusting God, not only with our present, but with our future, takes lots and lots of practice!

Psalm 37 assures us over and over that trusting God and consciously and deliberately choosing the path of love will ensure our future in heaven. So we need to not worry about how the evil doers are flourishing! They may seem to have everything you don’t – and they may seem to have perfect lives, and they may seem to be blessed far more than you in every way—but don’t be fooled! The promises God makes will stand long after the evil doers fall. Our reward is far greater than diamonds or gold. Our hope will never falter. Our future is secure!

The “missing” verses this morning talk about the wrong doers, the evil ones. I need to focus of how to re-direct my righteous indignation, so I read the whole psalm through, but then picked out what I need to do, what I need to read, what I need to put in to practice. And then I need to let God deal with “the others.”

God always manages to “hit me where I live” when I listen for his direction! I didn’t even realize I needed this instruction this morning – but now I recognize that God is lovingly chastising me for my attitude, and “re-directing” me toward the path of good and truth. I like being on that path—even though it may seem that others flourish! I know that God is with me every step of the way, and gently putting His hand on my shoulder and turning me toward Him.

I hope you spend your day taking delight in the Lord, waiting patiently for Him, and rejoicing that the righteous will be preserved forever.

Mary

  ¶ 7:34 AM

  Doing What is Good .
Titus 2:11-15. 3:1-11

11. For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, 12. training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, 13. awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. 15. Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, 2. to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men. 3. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another; 4. but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5. he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, 6. which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7. so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. 8. The saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. 9. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. 10. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11. knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

From my notes it is apparent that Titus was a strong leader in the Christian communities to which Paul sent him. In chapter 2, Paul has detailed what is to be taught to various groups in terms of behavior and attitude.

The heart of the matter is that behavior that is correct and proper is not enough. Our attitude in behaving correctly is more important. Because people see how we act – and our attitude and use that as their basis for how Christians conduct their lives. It’s a big responsibility to live as an example to others. And not just at church – but especially “in the world!”

It’s so much easier to behave as a “good Christian” at church, surrounded by others who at least operate from the same starting point we do. It’s much more challenging to be a light and an example to those who don’t share our faith. It’s not enough to be a “good church member.” We must be “good” members of society at large—good neighbors, willing servants, informed voters, dedicated parents, obedient children—setting ourselves apart from those who are corrupt, sinful, evil, unsaved. Though we must continue to pray for them and continue to be an example to them. And we must seize any opportunity to preach the Good News to them.

It may not make us popular. It may not make us rich. But the only recognition and reward for which we should be striving is that of eternal life in heaven. After all, we didn’t earn that promise! It was given to us. No questions asked; no holds barred! How can we live any other way than in gratitude and awe and obedience?!

Once we are saved, everything changes! Life is never the same again! It is one hundred times harder; yet one hundred times easier. Because once we are saved, we have no doubt what is the right and good and noble thing to do in every situation. The only challenge is to do what is right and good and noble—and rely upon God to give us the wisdom and courage to lived like we’re saved!

I hope you spend your day mending fences within your church and seeking out those who have not heard the truth in your larger community; doing what is good and right and noble.

Mary
  ¶ 7:14 AM

  Apostles of Christ .
1 Corinthians 4:1-7

1. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2. Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. 4. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God. 6. I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7. For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?

2 Corinthians 13:3-9,11-14

3. since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful in you. 4. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we are weak in him, but in dealing with you we shall live with him by the power of God. 5. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6. I hope you will find out that we have not failed. 7. But we pray God that you may not do wrong -- not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. What we pray for is your improvement. 11. Finally, brethren, farewell. Mend your ways, heed my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13. All the saints greet you. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Paul has been away from the Corinthians for quite a while. He’s received reports that things are in pretty bad shape! Some of the folks in Corinth are claiming to have more authority than others—including the apostles. Some are claiming to have more knowledge and wisdom than others, and are holding Paul, Timothy and some within their community in contempt. Paul urges his beloved Corinthians to stop and think about how they’re acting. He reminds them that the gift of God’s grace and the knowledge of the risen Christ are gifts—not earned but freely given. For that reason, we are not to think too highly of ourselves. Instead we are to examine ourselves in terms of how we are using our gifts. And we are to love each other as family members—all of us children of God

If we forget the source of our abilities, we become cocky and arrogant. Paul reminds us that Jesus is the only one who deserves praise and recognition—he died in weakness, but rose through the power of God. If that is the source of Jesus’ power, which we claim to believe, then why are we bragging about ourselves? Even Jesus attributed His power to God! Are we above or better than Jesus?

Paul’s tone is one of frustration, disappointment, but with underlying love and urgency that the Corinthians get back on track. He doesn’t want them to miss out on the blessings available the those who are saved! He urges them to reconcile themselves to each other, submit to one another, and live lives acceptable to God, based on the example of Jesus Christ.

Tall orders! Paul knows and acknowledges that we will never be perfect! He doesn’t expect that and assures us that God knows we will never be perfect. But He does expect us to be good apostles of Christ, as Paul and the others are. We are to preach the Good News. If we do that as the focus of our lives, we won’t have time to focus on ourselves and how great we are! If we invest all our time and energy and expend all our giftedness on behalf of our brothers and sisters, we won’t have time to worry about the things of this world! We will be preparing for heaven—and bringing as many others along with us as we can possibly convert.

Like I said, tall orders! But if we look in the mirror of God’s love, and pray for the humility, strength and courage to live as true apostles of Christ, we will be rich indeed, “and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

I hope you spend your day figuring out how to be a good apostle of Christ—and then have the humility, strength and courage to live as one who is saved!

Mary


  ¶ 7:20 AM

  Struggling with Sin .
Romans 7:14-8:4

14. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17. So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 18. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22. For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23. but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Rom 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4. in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

This is one of those scriptures that, when you hear it read at church, you scratch your head and think , “What?” And I have done that many times! I think though, that what Paul is saying that we are all, and have always been—beginning with Adam—sinful by nature. I believe that Satan and his band of fallen angels battle for our souls mightily. They use every opportunity to invade our minds and our hearts – and most frightening of all – our souls. They sit in wait—ever watchful for an opportunity to seize upon us! When we’re tired; when we’re overwhelmed; when we’re thinking about how great we are for the recognition we just received at work; when we give $5 to a homeless man on the corner and think we’re pretty holy. He waits for the tiniest bit of human frailty to be exhibited—and then he pounces!

Paul is pointing out that “the law” of man has been corrupted by our sinful human nature. I think he’s trying to re-frame that contention, though. The ways of the world aren’t intended to be counter to God’s law. But man has corrupted them. And by observing and acknowledging this corruption – not only in our fellow man, but in ourselves – we can begin to turn away from and to fight against the sin that is within us—and that exists and runs rampant in the world. I’ve probably confused things even more! Bottom line: We are all sinners. God’s grace allows us to be saved from our sins. But there is a cost for our salvation: deny the law of man; become like Christ. Sin will always be with us, and within us. We cannot fight against sin on our own steam. We need God and His perfect Son to help us, to arm us, to fortify us against the ways of this sinful world.

And therein lies our hope! All is not lost! Though watching the evening news may make you think so. Though driving down the street and witnessing how other drivers on the road act; and working with people who are not saved; and living next door to people who don’t know the truth; and grocery shopping and banking and rooming next door to an unsaved family on your vacation may make you think you are the only one who gets it. Don’t get discouraged! You are not the only one. You are not alone. God is with us. And He always wins. He is stronger and more powerful than all the forces of evil!

That is cause for rejoicing! In our humility and our shame we offer up our imperfections to God. Through His Son we are forgiven—and are then commissioned to declare the Good News to others. The Holy Spirit gives the power, courage, wisdom, inspiration—whatever we need to carry out our commission! The triune God created us. He loves us more than we can ever imagine. A creator who loves us that much will never leave us alone. He just can’t do it! He dotes on us and loves us way too much to allow us to stray too far from Him. He will let us wander off; but He waits for us to return. And he doesn’t chastise us, or yell at us. He opens His arms and welcomes us back. For that we are ever humbled and grateful. For that reason we cannot stop declaring the Good News!

I hope today you will share the Good News of our salvation and redemption through God’s grace, the sacrifice of His beloved Son, and the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Mary

  ¶ 7:27 AM

  The Time of God’s Favor .
2 Corinthians 6:1-13

1. Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4. but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5. beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; 6. by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, 7. truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8. in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9. as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10. as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11. Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. 12. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13. In return -- I speak as to children -- widen your hearts also.

When God offers us His grace, he really offers us a renewal, a new life; but He doesn’t force us to accept His grace—he allows us to accept it in our own time. We shouldn’t wait too long, though because we don’t know when Christ will come again—it could be today! But once we do accept it, we shouldn’t waste it! During Christ’s lifetime and after, many “false prophets” lived among the people. They worked hard to discredit the apostles and their message of God’s saving grace. Paul has received word that the people in Corinth are being influenced by these prophets. They are working hard to discredit Paul and the others.

But Paul reminds the Corinthians they have commended themselves to these people who they love—they have offered their love to them, and hold a tender place in their hearts for them. When we have received God’s grace, we must love everyone—even our enemies; even those who don’t love us back—for whatever reason that might be. We are to endure afflictions, hardships, beatings, hunger, and in spite of all of those we are to live in purity, kindness and genuine love.

We are to continue to speak the truth of the Good News! And we are to endure and ignore what others say about us—because God’s grace is all we need! One by one, Paul counters the accusations made against him by these false prophets who are self-serving and seek notoriety and respect from the people—by discrediting others, rather than living by the example of Paul and apostles.

Now is the time for love! The day of the second coming is near! Don’t wait until tomorrow. Don’t let your own hurt and pride prevent you from loving everyone—unbelievers, those who have wronged you, hurt you, lied about you, turned away from you, denied you, ignored you. Love them. Just as Christ loved us—and died for us—a terrible, painfully agonizing death—even while we were still sinners.

Love one another. Even when love is not returned. Love. Widen your heart.

I hope you spend your day seeking God’s favor—loving one another and widening your hearts.

Mary
  ¶ 7:20 AM

  A Man Attested to by God .

Acts 2:16-24

16. but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17. `And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18. yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19. And I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20. the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day. 21. And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' 22. "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know -- 23. this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Luke 24:36-53

36. As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. 37. But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? 39. See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." 40. 41. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42. They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43. and he took it and ate before them. 44. Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46. and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47. and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48. You are witnesses of these things. 49. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high." 50. Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. 52. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53. and were continually in the temple blessing God.

I began in Luke this morning. As I read Chapter 24, I imagined myself on the road to Emmaus, then in the upper room where the disciples stayed after the crucifixion. I filled up with excitement and felt the awe and wonder and unspeakable joy of that band of men who had given up everything in their lives to follow Jesus! And now He is in their midst!

Many of my bible notes refer to Old Testament prophets—of course, these chapters document that scripture is being fulfilled! But I gained a new perspective about the Holy Spirit! The Old Testament prophets were empowered and in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit! That’s how they had the revelations about the future coming of Christ! Now I know that many would say, “Well it took you long enough to figure that out!” But I’m very excited! The Holy Spirit has always been a part of God, so it makes sense that God would be manifested in that way – I see the Holy Spirit as the most mysterious of the three persons of God.

But because of the fulfilled scripture, because of Jesus’ obedience even unto death, because of the resurrection, we all now have access to the Holy Spirit. God’s full power—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are more powerful than any earthly king, ruler, want, desire, sin! God is triune! He exists in body, mind and soul! The Holy Spirit revealing the truth to one man is miraculous—and the force of the power of the Holy Spirit made it impossible for those prophets not to believe and that aspect of God “opened their minds” so they would understand! It’s just so amazing! I’m rambling! I can’t find words this morning to describe and explain what is running through my mind! The triune God! He imparts the on us the ability to understand even those speaking a different language. He reveals the future to a king long past. He rises from the dead! He waits for us in heaven!

Because of the Holy Spirit joining God the Father and Jesus, the world is turned on its ear! What makes sense to man is foolish to God! We are compelled to see the world through different eyes—salvation eyes! We are unable to live as those without signs and wonders and visions imparted to them! We cannot stop speaking about the glorious, unimaginable and unspeakably wonderful gift of grace!

"These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46. and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47. and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48. You are witnesses of these things. 49. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high."

I hope today that the Holy Spirit opens your mind to understand the scriptures in a new way, and that you are clothed with power from on high.

Mary
  ¶ 7:23 AM

  Where Does My Help Come From? .
Psalm 119:169-176

169. Let my cry come before thee, O Lord; give me understanding according to thy word! 170. Let my supplication come before thee; deliver me according to thy word. 171. My lips will pour forth praise that thou dost teach me thy statutes. 172. My tongue will sing of thy word, for all thy commandments are right. 173. Let thy hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen thy precepts. 174. I long for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy law is my delight. 175. Let me live, that I may praise thee, and let thy ordinances help me. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.

Psalm 121

1. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come? 2. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3. He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber. 4. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. 7. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.

A humble and contrite heart – another psalm talks about that being the “perfect sacrifice.” Even though we try to live blameless lives, we always fall short. Even though we pray and study and consciously try to be a light for the world, sometimes we grow tired of fighting the good fight; we weary of not being heard or understood; we long for rest and comfort from our daily struggles. That’s the tone I feel of these verses of Psalm 119.

First and foremost we must confess our inability to survive on our own. We must admit to ourselves and especially to God that without Him our lives are too hard; without Him it’s just not possible to find our way. Without God we sin. But we are ever comforted by the fact that God already knows this and welcomes us back into loving arms when we acknowledge our weakness.

After confession, then comes a re-commitment to God’s word. After we acknowledge our faults, we try to make amends and seek out a source of strength and wisdom to help us. There is only one source that never fails to sustain us! The “internal” conversation in Psalm 121 reminds me of self-talk I have sometimes! I need God. I remind myself that I can rely on Him to meet my every need. I can trust Him to help me and sustain me and comfort me.

Some days, all we need to know is that “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.” I am ever grateful and thankful that this is true. I need a God that reliable and that all-seeing and that loving—not just today but every day of my life.

I hope you spend your day fortified and comforted that the Lord is your keeper, the same Lord who made the heavens and the earth.

Mary
  ¶ 7:20 AM

  His Love Endures Forever .
Psalm 136

1. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever.
2. O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures for ever.
3. O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
4. to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
5. to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
6. to him who spread out the earth upon the waters, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
7. to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
8. the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
9. the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
10. to him who smote the first-born of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
11. and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
12. with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
13. to him who divided the Red Sea in sunder, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
14. and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
15. but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures for ever; 16. to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
17. to him who smote great kings, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
18. and slew famous kings, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
19. Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
20. and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
21. and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
22. a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures for ever.
23. It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
24. and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
25. he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures for ever.
26. O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures for ever.

At first read, I thought why on earth would every other line say, “for his steadfast love endures for ever.”? Of course it is impossible to praise and honor God too much! But still! Then as I read the notes I found out that this was probably recited by a song leader and a chorus, or a song leader and the congregation, with the congregation repeating the chorus after each acclamation by the leader. I can almost envision a band of men, robes blowing in the desert wind, sun beating down on them, getting more and more animated as they recite the chorus that acknowledges God’s power and might!

This psalm does more than declare and affirm God’s steadfast and eternal love for man! It expresses his intention, from before time began to create a world, and a history for us to bring us to the present day. That’s an enduring love! He was thinking of us as he spoke the first word to bring light into the world. He was thinking of us when he created the Garden of Eden. And He has thought of us every minute of every day since! He is present and active in our world and in our lives.

I know there has long been an argument about creationism vs. evolution. But I contend that it doesn’t matter which is accurate—and besides, we’ll probably never know which is the case in our life time! God probably likes it that way—one of his divine truths we won’t know until we get to heaven! But I do believe Adam was the first living creature into which God placed a soul—which is what makes us “in his image and likeness.” And that is what is important. God loves us enough to be involved; to plan every aspect of our world; to breathe life into us and place us on a planet uniquely and perfectly planned and designed to sustain our physical beings.

That is an enduring love. And more! God is with us in the day-to-day, as well. He is with us as we go about our daily lives—even at work, even at the mall, even at the grocery store. Even at soccer or baseball practice or piano lessons. Even on the bus or in the middle of a traffic jam. He chooses to be intimately and perpetually involved with us. We only need, as this ancient congregation did, to acknowledge Him and recognize that He is with us. That He acts in our world, and even in our daily lives.

God’s two most significant, important and loving works—creation and redemption! His steadfast love does, indeed, endure for ever!

I hope you spend your day comforted and thankful that God’s steadfast love will get you through whatever you are facing in your life today—and will endure into eternity.

Mary
  ¶ 7:25 AM

  True Fasting .
Isaiah 58:1-9

1. "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. 3. `Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. 4. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. 5. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? 6. "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8. Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am.

Matthew 25:34-40

34. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35. for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37. Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38. And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39. And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' 40. And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'

Scholars estimate that Isaiah was written around 700 B.C. The verses from Matthew demonstrate that still after all that time, people just didn’t “get it!” And still, after 2000 more years, we struggle not only to understand what God expects, but to live the life He described to the ancients throughout Isaiah!

It’s kind of like the Faith and Works argument. Neither have value without the other. Fasting is fine, acceptable, although apparently was not commanded or required. It was practiced for several reasons throughout the ages. But Isaiah and Jesus both warn that fasting for the sake of others observing your piety is not only ineffective, it’s worse than consciously sinning!

It’s not enough to go to church on Sunday and then spend the rest of your week self-involved, and thinking only of your own needs and desires. We must go out into the world and spread our faith. During Lent an e-mail/prayer circulates that I really love. It talks about instead of depriving ourselves of a favorite food or a favorite activity, to fast from selfishness, from envy, from pride, from gossip, from all the thoughts and actions that separate us from God.

During a Nominations and Personnel committee meeting the other night our chairperson suggested that we use a theme of “Add something to your life” during Lent next year. That is a perfect theme to use for our campaign to recruit volunteers for the many ministries of our church. It’s a new and exciting way to look at that season!

That is what Isaiah and Jesus both instructed us to do. Don’t spend time “spinning your wheels” trying to get involved in as many things as possible, don’t bother observing the religious traditions and practices of your faith, don’t look around and see who is noticing how much you do. Spend your time doing out of gratitude. Out of faith. Out of obedience. Out of an inability to keep the Good News to yourself!

The message is timeless. Do good. Be Jesus to everyone you meet. Don’t worry about what the world thinks or says about you! There is only one judge who you need to convince! And He knows not only what is in your mind and heart, but what is in your soul. And He rejoices every time you choose to please Him instead of the world.

I hope you spend your day pleasing God, choosing His ways and His commands so that you may be found blameless when Jesus comes again in all His glory.

Mary
  ¶ 7:24 AM

  Blessed Assurance .
1 Chronicles 28:9

And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.

Psalm 131

1. O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a child quieted at its mother's breast; like a child that is quieted is my soul. 3. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.

Heb 10:22

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Acts 17:24-28

24. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, 25. nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. 26. And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, 27. that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, 28. for `In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your poets have said, `For we are indeed his offspring.'

“In him we live and move and have our being.” “But I have calmed and quieted my soul.” Blessed assurance. We can rest in Him. We don’t need to fret and worry. We don’t need to read some deeply philosophical work by some scholar to find that kind of assurance. We don’t need to struggle with trying to figure out “the meaning of life.” We don’t need to wonder if we’ve done enough to get into heaven. We have a blessed assurance.

God made the world. Then He made us. Then He sent Jesus. That’s quite a plan! I think a God who can work all that out is perfectly and completely capable of managing my destiny. These scripture make me feel so good. Like an afternoon nap at the beach. Like a hot bubble bath. Like a lazy afternoon on the couch with a good book. But more. When I read these verses I am comforted that “everything is going to be okay.”

Since God is in charge, I can take some time off! Since He has a plan, already in place and thought of long, long ago, I don’t need to fret! He’s got it! And that’s reason to be not only comforted, but grateful! He made the stars and the oceans and me. I think he can handle the minutia in my daily existence!

Blessed assurance. That’s what we can feel when we just turn it over to God. He’s got it! He can manage it! He’s in charge, so we don’t have to be. He’s done all this for us – and then He promises us eternal life with Him! So let go. Relax. He’s in charge. Take some time off and turn it all over to God. He’s made us a promise that allows us to have blessed assurance.

I hope you spend your day relaxing into His loving arms and enjoying the blessed assurance that only Christians have!

Mary


  ¶ 7:50 AM

  Gods of Babylon .
Isaiah 46

1. Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols are on beasts and cattle; these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary beasts. 2. They stoop, they bow down together, they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. 3. "Hearken to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from your birth, carried from the womb; 4. even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. 5. "To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? 6. Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! 7. They lift it upon their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble. 8. "Remember this and consider, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 9. remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10. declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, `My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' 11. calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. 12. "Hearken to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from deliverance: 13. I bring near my deliverance, it is not far off, and my salvation will not tarry; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory."

Bel was the chief deity of the Babylonians, and Nebo was his son, the god of writing and learning. God points out through Isaiah that these two great gods, with all their attributed power and might, were unable to sustain the Babylonians. Instead they shared in their struggles—and, in fact, end up becoming a burden, since they must be transported from place to place. They must accompany their worshippers into exile!

Our God, on the other hand, has borne us from our birth – and thought of us and planned for us even before our conception! He carries us through the struggles in our lives. Other gods share in the struggle, and end up adding to it. They get in the way and become a burden. The prophets throughout the ages have shared their divinely inspired messages about the future God plans for His people. And without exception, they have been fulfilled. How many times must God make the same point? Say the same thing? Deliver the same warning? Extend His hand of mercy and love? Fortunately, no matter how many times we fail to understand, He has one more word, one more warning, offers us one more chance to “get it.”

Our God is not forged out of gold or silver. Our God makes it very easy to worship Him! Christ even assured us “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” That’s because God does all the hard work! He thought of us, created us, sustains us throughout our lives, and then will take us to heaven to live with Him in eternity! All we need to do is trust in Him! All we are required to do is to accept that He is the one true, living God.

So let us give up our idols—large and small—and turn to the living God, who offers us the unimaginable, unbelievable, unmerited gift of His grace! No other god in our lives offers that to us! No other god could ever sustain and carry us as the one true God does! All other gods require much from us – this God only requires our acceptance of His gift!

I hope you spend your day turning away from the false gods in your life, hearkening to the one true God who sustains us through all generations.

Mary
  ¶ 7:18 AM

  So Much for My “To Do” List! .
Psalm 104

1. Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, thou art very great! Thou art clothed with honor and majesty, 2. who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent, 3. who hast laid the beams of thy chambers on the waters, who makest the clouds thy chariot, who ridest on the wings of the wind, 4. who makest the winds thy messengers, fire and flame thy ministers. 5. Thou didst set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be shaken. 6. Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7. At thy rebuke they fled; at the sound of thy thunder they took to flight. 8. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place which thou didst appoint for them. 9. Thou didst set a bound which they should not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10. Thou makest springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, 11. they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst. 12. By them the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. 13. From thy lofty abode thou waterest the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy work. 14. Thou dost cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, 15. and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted. 17. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. 18. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the badgers. 19. Thou hast made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. 20. Thou makest darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth. 21. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. 22. When the sun rises, they get them away and lie down in their dens. 23. Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy creatures. 25. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, which teems with things innumerable, living things both small and great. 26. There go the ships, and Leviathan which thou didst form to sport in it. 27. These all look to thee, to give them their food in due season. 28. When thou givest to them, they gather it up; when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good things. 29. When thou hidest thy face, they are dismayed; when thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30. When thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the ground. 31. May the glory of the Lord endure for ever, may the Lord rejoice in his works, 32. who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! 33. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 34. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. 35. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

My first instinct was to only include part of this somewhat lengthy psalm this morning. But then I was unable to eliminate one verse, because it is so beautiful! I encourage you to read the psalm in its entirety, I assure you, you’ll share the sentiment I expressed in the title of today’s devotion!

My summer had originally been filled up with travel for work – lots of travel! To the point where I had to make a week by week list of where I was to be and what I was supposed to be doing in each location! Our company is going through an accreditation process with a voluntary accrediting agency and as a result we discovered a training void! That’s where I come in! But late last week we realized that all of that "crucial" training needed to be put on hold so we can prepare “evidence of compliance!” Don’t get hung up on the weird terminology – suffice it to say that “extremely urgent” training need has been replaced by an “extremely urgent” project to compile this documentation. The good news in all of this – and the short version!! – is that I won’t be traveling throughout the state this summer! (We’ll probably be discussing that in the fall, when I’m making up for all the training I won’t have done this summer!)

Anyway . . . A million things were whirling through my mind this morning as my feet hit the floor! Because, as you know, I’m sure, when you start one project, it leads to another, and then another! And I had gotten myself quite worked up by the time I got my coffee and settled in my chair in the living room! Really – a million things! Then I opened directly to Psalm 104. Wow! Reading this really makes my puny, “extremely urgent” to do list items seem pretty inconsequential! I was immediately breathless – not at my lengthy and exhausting to do list – but at how easy God makes it all look!

He created the world! I think He can handle my extremely urgent tasks today! He perfectly planned every element of the earth and the sky and of life itself! I think I’m gong to be able to survive my project – and the ensuing projects as a result of this project! It is really hard to throw a pity party for myself when I reflect on all that God has done for me! For me. And for you. He created a world perfectly suited to sustain human life – and every other kind of life essential to sustain our existence! He breathed it all into being. And then he placed us upon this planet! Because no matter how beautiful, how glorious, how wondrous anything is, it’s always better when you have someone to enjoy it with!

So, I took a few minutes off to reflect on how God has my life in His hands. And I was deeply gratified and relieved! In the big scheme of things, all my worries and my extremely important job duties are pretty puny! Not that I won’t hit the ground running when I get to work this morning, but I will certainly pause to “just breathe” throughout the day, recalling the beautiful words of this psalm!

I hope you spend your day looking around God’s world, thanking Him for the perfection He created just for you!

Mary
  ¶ 7:17 AM

  The Meaning of Life .
Ecclesiastes 9:1-5

1. But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate man does not know. Everything before them is vanity, 2. since one fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good man, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4. But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5. For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost.

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

19. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law -- though not being myself under the law -- that I might win those under the law. 21. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win those outside the law. 22. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; 27. but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

In the first scripture passage, things are sounding pretty hopeless, aren’t they? I read in my notes that Ecclesiastes means “preacher.” Some believe that King Solomon may have written this book, but others disagree because the tone and style are so different from anything else in the bible. And this book almost seems out of place, as if placed within the pages of the bible by accident. But upon further reflection, we see one of the purposes these chapters serve.

This writer has examined himself and his fellow man. He is deeply disappointed and distressed at our human limitations. We all sin. We all possess the capacity for evil. And he believes we all share a common fate, because within his own human limitations and understanding he cannot envision that any other truth exists. He passes no judgment on whether or not life after physical death occurs, but it would seem that he’s not very hopeful that’s the case—and even it were, why would one want to live over a life of emptiness, searching without finding, seeking without enlightenment, or struggle without reward? Reliving that would be like a hell!

Fast forward several hundred years. Christ has risen. The rules of the game have changed! We now understand the meaning and purpose of our lives! We have more than hope, we have a responsibility and a commission. Our lives take on new meaning and we become new creatures with a promise of eternal life when our physical bodies have expired. What a difference in our outlook!

This writing could really be entitled, “Before and After.” Or “To Have and to Have Not.” We are saved! And it is so sad to meet people who are not. They are so hopeless and seem to live without a direction, without joy—I don’t mean happiness—I mean joy at this great gift of life – not life here and now, but in heaven! Reading Ecclesiastes gives us a window into the minds and hearts of the unsaved. It helps us understand them and allows us to figure out how to better help them hear the Good News. Each of the pronouncements of how meaningless life is can be countered with the difference Christ makes in and to our lives. Life apart from God is meaningless! It is hopeless because man on his own cannot find meaning in his life. If we look around, we see a world full of unsaved people, who long ago gave up on themselves and their fellow man. Our task, our responsibility, is to turn their misguided view on its ear!

Life apart from God is meaningless. That's because God created us to be a part of Him. That’s why without Him, we find no meaning! It’s that simple. God created us for Himself. What an honor and a privilege! What a reason to get out of bed in the morning! What a way to make it through the day! What would otherwise be drudgery, becomes a blessing and a joy! We were made for God! Our purpose is to worship Him by how we live our lives! Rick Warren, in “The Purpose-Driven Life” begins his book with this sentence: “It’s not about you.”

I thank God that is the case!

I hope you spend your day rejoicing in the truth that God created you to be with Him and to be in your life and in your heart, mind and soul. And that you find meaning and purpose through that truth.

Mary
  ¶ 7:16 AM

  Come to the Table .
Genesis 12:2-3

2. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves."

Ephesians 3:7-13

7. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given me by the working of his power. 8. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9. and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10. that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 11. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12. in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. 13. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Way back in Genesis, God told Abraham how he envisioned “it” working! All of us, each and every person on this earth, is part of a family. Now that term doesn’t necessarily offer joy, hope, or a generally positive feeling for some folks. I work in foster care, and I’ve heard and read about some pretty horrific behaviors within families, and there are other varying degrees of “dysfunction” for every family! But the family God wants us to build is HIS family. He is the head of the family, the perfect, flawless, unerring father, transcending any earthly father. The family is all of mankind, inclusive of the Iraqi’s, the neighbor next door with the dog that barks relentlessly until 11 pm every single night and the people in homeless shelters, and the garbage collector, and the teachers and police officers. You get my point. Everyone. All-inclusive.

Being a member of God’s family affords us certain remarkable privileges. Not earned. Awarded. For absolutely no reason except that He loves us that much. He lavishes us with the greatest gift imaginable. It can’t be purchased, so your father doesn’t need to be Donald Trump. It can’t be earned, so your father doesn’t need to work two jobs to buy it for you. It can’t be taken away, so you don’t need to put bars on the windows and two dead-bolt locks on the door. God’s grace is freely available to all who wish to receive it! It is truly unimaginable. It transcends the love a parent has for a child—and believe me I am crazy about my kids!

The church offers us this big family—I have 4 siblings – that was a big family, even back in the 50’s and 60’s when we were born! We always had somebody to play with, fight with, talk to, hug, cry with, tell our secrets to, and we never felt alone. The pluses far outweighed any negatives that may come to mind! It was wonderful. And our extended family is spread out all over the country from coast to coast. Pretty remarkable to think of a legacy like that! But our legacy as Christians is bigger than that. And it carries much more responsibility.

God wants us to bring everyone into His family. He wants us to show everyone that while we are not perfect, not even perfectly gifted, perfectly loving, perfectly kind, perfectly generous, perfectly good and strong and wise and without sin, we are all a family. And that is a wonderful thing. The church Paul refers to here isn’t a building – this book – Ephesians talks about the Jews and the Gentiles being united as one family—sharing together God’s grace, revealed through Jesus Christ and made manifold by the Holy Spirit. I’m rambling this morning! I’ve just reached a deeper understanding of this concept, and it’s quite exciting—and honestly, daunting.

You may think you’re not up to the task of spreading the good news. You may think God would never use you in such an important way. But guess what?! He already is! Every person in your life is a member of God’s family! The challenge is to let them know they are welcome at the table. Paul was a flawed human being. But God used him to change the course of history, just like he used Abraham. God uses each of us, with our flaws, to demonstrate that He can do anything—everything—even with such as us. That is a remarkable, comforting, daunting truth! God uses such as me, and such as you, and gives us an unbelievably difficult, yet joyful, exciting, and rewarding job—to let Him use us.

Rambling, rambling, rambling. . . Sometimes I just get carried away at the goodness of God! There are not words to express my gratitude to Him, nor to explain the depth and breadth, and height of His love for us. We are His family. Welcome to the table of eternal life.

I hope you spend your day rejoicing in the easy burden and light yoke of living as Jesus did—inviting everyone he met to His father’s table.

Mary
  ¶ 7:22 AM

  God’s Perfect Creations .
Psalm 8

1. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted 2. by the mouth of babes and infants, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3. When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; 4. what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him? 5. Yet thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor. 6. Thou hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet, 7. all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8. the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea. 9. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!

Ephesians 1:16-23

16. I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18. having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19. and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20. which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21. far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; 22. and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23. which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all.

God must love us so very much! Why else would he create such beauty in nature for us to enjoy? Why would he place the stars in the night sky for us to see?! Have you looked up at the sky on a clear crisp winter night? The sky is magnificent! It is inconceivable that a God with that kind of power would deem to share His creations with us—and more—give us dominion over them. That means we have a responsibility to care for God’s creations – not just each other but this whole world He gave us – the only one in the universe (that we know about as of this moment) perfectly suited to support life.

What is God thinking? He has the power to raise Jesus from the dead! He threw open his arms and scattered the stars across the sky! And yet He loves us enough—puny, weak, sinful man—to give it all to us! It is inconceivable! But it is not without responsibility! Because God has given us everything we need to live – physically and spiritually – we have a duty to protect His world. We are responsible for not destroying His creation, perfectly thought of and put in place exactly as He intended – for His intended purpose. The Rain Forests, the oceans, the air, the land, and even our own bodies.

And God is more beautiful, more exquisite, more amazing than any single thing He has created – and even more so than the world in total! Christ was a representative of God’s love and his resurrection a demonstration of God’s power. We are to also be God’s representatives. We are to live and Christ lived, and to die as He died – in perfect obedience, with the certainty that when His work on earth was done, he would be reunited with God. We have that same hope and promise! And we must assume our responsibility as God’s caretakers and representatives on earth! We do so out of a sense of responsibility, but mostly out of gratitude that such a great and mighty God would even be mindful of man!

I hope you spend your day responsibly, caring for all of God’s creations –and especially for His most precious work of art – you!

Mary  ¶ 7:15 AM

  Life in God’s righteousness .
Psalm 119:32-40

32. I will run in the way of thy commandments when thou enlargest my understanding! 33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I will keep it to the end. 34. Give me understanding, that I may keep thy law and observe it with my whole heart. 35. Lead me in the path of thy commandments, for I delight in it. 36. Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to gain! 37. Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; and give me life in thy ways. 38. Confirm to thy servant thy promise, which is for those who fear thee. 39. Turn away the reproach which I dread; for thy ordinances are good. 40. Behold, I long for thy precepts; in thy righteousness give me life!

This psalmist sounds as if he’s in distress. We don’t know if he’s in physical danger, suffering from an illness, or other ailment or if it is spiritual in nature. I tend to think he’s struggling spiritually. I envision that his life is going along, pretty much same thing every day. It’s not a bad life, but it’s not that great, either. Not exactly boring, but not much new often enters into the daily grind. He seems to be struggling with that. He seems to sense that “something’s missing.”

We get so caught up in the day-in, day-out of our lives! We run to work, then to doctor appointments, kids’ sports, church meetings, or community activities, PTA and neighborhood association, or . . . we sit in front of the tv each night, trying to drown out the “nothingness” of our lives. And like I said, it’s not a bad life; it’s just not that great!

So this psalmist asks God to enlighten him. Give him a deeper, more personal understanding of what God intends for him. What should I be doing, Lord, to give my life more meaning? How can I get out of this rut I’m in? How can I grow closer to you? How can I stop focusing on myself and my own selfish desires and start really living?

It’s not easy to break out of the habits that have become our lives! We must be deliberate. We must recognize the emptiness—or at least the lack of fulfillment in our current existence. We need to recognize, as our psalmist does, that God is the only source of meaning for our lives. His laws, His Word, His way. No other. Read the bible, study the scripture, take a class at church – let go of some of the activities that don’t really contribute to the quality of your life. I have found that as I let go of some things—even things I “enjoy,” God brings me opportunities to do other things that are of greater importance and intrinsic value. Actually, I guess the opportunities were always there, but I just wasn’t available to recognize them or to take advantage of them.

So we need to stop and take an inventory of our lives. Really think about the value and the meaning of each activity and determine if participating in them is worth the time and energy expended. Or perhaps we’re doing nothing. And we need to decide to get back into life. Join the world – but not without arming ourselves with God’s word! Pick one thing, make one small change, and then another!

God wants to use us. If we’re too busy, or too distracted, or too “tuned out,” we’ll never hear Him. We’ll miss out on His plan for our joy and our peace and for meaning and purpose. Is there one thing you can let go of today? Is there one thing you can start doing that will draw you closer to God’s promise for salvation?

I hope you spend your day taking inventory of your life, asking God for direction and guidance on how He wants you to spend your time and energy.

Mary
  ¶ 7:23 AM

  A Perfect Peace Micah 3:9-4:13

9. Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and pervert all equity, 10. who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong. 11. Its heads give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for hire, its prophets divine for money; yet they lean upon the Lord and say, "Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No evil shall come upon us." 12. Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height. Mic 4:1. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, 2. and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; 4. but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. 5. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. 6. In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted; 7. and the lame I will make the remnant; and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and for evermore. 8. And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. 9. Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pangs have seized you like a woman in travail? 10. Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you shall go forth from the city and dwell in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued, there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. 11. Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, "Let her be profaned, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion." 12. But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. 13. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron and your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples, and shall devote their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

Beat their swords into plowshares. That sounds like an impossible hope and expectation, doesn't it?! Especially considering the state of the world right now. I know that the magnitude of the battles being fought in countries all over the world don't necessarily compare to those in WWII, but there are many, many of a smaller scale being waged every single day.

We only hear and read about the "important" ones. I'm getting a bit political here -- I've sworn I would never advance my own political agenda on this website, and I have gone so far as to designate a couple of trusted advisors to let me know if and when I cross that line. . . So, I'll let you know tomorrow if they tell me it has occurred! This is not about political parties, or idealogical agendas. This scripture talks about perfect peace.

What does that look like? What does it sound like? Feel like? How would our lives be lived in that perfect peace? I have always believed that if the U.S. announced one day that we will no longer go to war--against anyone--for any reason--that the world would be dumbfounded. And people tell me that's ridiculous, because we would be annhiliated by other countries with powerful weapons, ruled by rulers with a hunger for power, and a greedy desire to possess not only us and all we have, but everyone and everything on this earth.

I'm sorry. I still think it could and should happen. I believe we will be protected by God's supernatural power and love. And guess what, nothing on this earth belongs to us, or to any other person or country. It all belongs to God. And He expects us to take care of it, and to take care of each other.

So just imagine, for just one second, what the headlines would look like tomorrow morning if the U.S. announced to the U.N. General Assembly that we will no longer wage war. Can you imagine it? Can you imagine a world where all the wealth and resources were distributed equitably. Where no children went to bed hungry -- and we stopped blaming their parents for being poor. Where no homeless people died of exposure -- and we stopped blaming them for their mental incapacity. Where no person had to steal or kill or lie or cheat -- because everything they needed was available and shared by all. And when that all comes to be there will still be enough and a hundred times more than enough for everyone to have everything they need.

I choose to believe it's possible. And I know that makes me an idealist -- maybe you even think I'm crazy, or at least naive. But I choose to believe it anyway. And I do so because God has declared that it can be so. And He never lies. He never breaks His promises. He never goes back on His word.

He love us and He loves this world He created for us. We owe it to Him to at least imagine that the whole world would beat their swords into plowshares in gratitude.

I hope you spend your day imagining a perfect peace, working toward the kingdom where the word of the Lord from Jerusalem is spread throughout the world.

Mary  ¶ 8:19 AM

  The Vineyard .
Isaiah 5:1-2

1. Let me sing for my beloved a love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 2. He digged it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

Psalm 80

1. Psalm. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou who leadest Joseph like a flock! Thou who art enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth 2. before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh! Stir up thy might, and come to save us! 3. Restore us, O God; let thy face shine, that we may be saved! 4. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry with thy people's prayers? 5. Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure. 6. Thou dost make us the scorn of our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves. 7. Restore us, O God of hosts; let thy face shine, that we may be saved! 8. Thou didst bring a vine out of Egypt; thou didst drive out the nations and plant it. 9. Thou didst clear the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. 10. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches; 11. it sent out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the River. 12. Why then hast thou broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? 13. The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. 14. Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, 15. the stock which thy right hand planted. 16. They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance! 17. But let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, the son of man whom thou hast made strong for thyself! 18. Then we will never turn back from thee; give us life, and we will call on thy name! 19. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! let thy face shine, that we may be saved!

John 15:1-2

1. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.


In the first two passages, the vine refers to Israel. In John, of course, Christ refers to Himself. In Psalm 80, Asaph, a Levite, and one of the leader’s of David’s choir, questions God on why He has withdrawn His favor from the people of Israel. He recalls how lovingly God has cared for and protected His chosen people in the past. He “reminds” God of how much He lovingly stoops down from heaven to be involved in the unfolding history of the people. Further, he sees into a bright future with a Savior, long-promised, and yet to be revealed.

Isaiah understands that even with all of God’s loving direction, correction, and promises, man is not capable of living without sinning. Asaph admits to himself and to God that he personally, and mankind, generally, will forever fall short without God’s help. But is Asaph accepting responsibility for Israel’s (and his own) sins? Or is there an air of “Why did you let us stray so far from you?” When we stray from God, we feel forsaken. We go through the motions of living, but the farther we stray, and the longer we wait to turn back to God, the more uneasy and insecure we feel.

When we are separated from God we feel vulnerable, unprotected. We look around and realize we are like little children lost in the woods. And it feels terrible. I think Isaiah understands that it isn’t God who moves away—who withdraws from man. It is rather man seeking his own greatness, his own wisdom, his own power. We remain like children, thinking we are invincible on our own – but we are really only like toddlers—able to take a few uncertain, unsteady steps, but ever reaching for a table or a sofa, or the open arms of a bigger, stronger, loving parent to keep us on our feet.

We are God’s chosen people. He loves us and is always, always available for us. Even when we stray; even when we defy Him and try to stand our own. He knew that we could never flourish on our own power, so He sent His Son—the true vine who lovingly taught us that God never abandons us. And when we turn away from Him, he waits for us to return; and He lovingly stretches out His arms and rejoices. Like parents who clap their hands every time their baby does something “incredible,” God is filled with joy when we run back to Him.

So when we feel ill-at-ease in this world, when we feel alone and adrift in the stormy seas of life, it is not because God has abandoned us. It is because we have forgotten upon whom and what we should be relying for direction in our lives. Jesus is the only way to spiritual peace, and to eternal life. When we turn our lives over to Him, we find strength and courage and peace and comfort. When we ask God for help, He scoops us up before we hit the floor!

I hope you spend your day running to God, confident that He will never let you drift so far that you can’t find your way back to Him.

Mary
  ¶ 7:11 AM