From his book, The Mind of Jesus, Barclay wrote, “The work in the shop and the life in the family were both parts of the essential education and preparation of Jesus for his task, for through them his full identity with men was established. In the shop he knew the problem and the anxiety of making a living for a household. He knew the problem of dealing with unreasonable people. He learned to see men at their best and at their worst and as they were. In the home he had to solve the universal problem of living together. Jesus did not live a secluded, isolated, protected life, on which the wind was not allowed to blow. He knew the life of the men (and women) whom he had come to save.” (Parathensis and italics mine)
For me, it is comforting to know that Jesus experienced life much as we have. Yet, he still loved us enough to give his life for our salvation.
Alzheimer is a terrible disease. My mother was a victim of this disease. In a very real sense, I lost my Mom before my Mom died. Her memory, personality, smile was gone, but her body was present. After she died, I received a note from the Bishop telling me that she was praying our congregation, my family and me. The interesting is this: she had no idea that Mom had died. Nor was she aware that I received her note on my first day in the office after Mom’s funeral. I’ve always known God’s timing is perfect, but to receive that note when I did was a confirmation.
The sermon this week was on God’s Timing. However, I didn’t experience the sermon in the same manner. It is one thing to look back and see God’s timing or God’s plan. It is a totally different matter to consider God’s plan for me NOW. Yet, I was reminded that God’s plan is “to prosper” and “not to harm” me. I heard again that God’s “plans” includes hope and a future. (Isaiah 29:1 NIV) The challenge I face, and so do you, is where or not we will trust God, listen for God’s instructions and to wait for God to reveal the plan.
James says, “Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.” (James 5:7b-8 Living New Translations)
C. Austin Miles wrote a wonderful chorus I learned as a child. I’ve copied the lyrics below.
Wide, wide as the ocean, high as the Heaven above;
Deep, deep as the deepest sea is my Savior’s love.
I, though so unworthy, still am a child of His care;
For His Word teaches me that His love reaches me everywhere.
People often tell me they don’t like to read the Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures) because they see God as a God of wrath. Isn’t it interesting? Or perhaps I’m a bit naive. I see God’s grace throughout the Old Testament.
In the book of Judges, we read that from time to time one of the tribes of Israel began worshiping the idols of the neighboring countries. Eventually, the tribe became captives and then they’d cry out to God for help. God “raised up” an army from the other Israelite tribes and the offending tribe was rescued. If God was truly a God of wrath, God could have ignored their cries for help. But God did respond. I see God’s graciousness throughout the Old Testament. Are there scriptures I don’t understand? Yes, of course. However, when I see signs of God’s graciousness, I rejoice. I have a suggestion. Next time you read the Old Testament (The Hebrews Scriptures), why not look for God’s graciousness as well?
I continue to be amazed by the miracles of God. I have a terrible memory. Yet, as I prepared a sermon, a chorus I learned years ago suddenly surfaced from the depths of the deteriorating gray matter. Below is that chorus:
No more, No more, He remembers sin no more,
They are pardoned for ever, And he will never
Bring them up against me any more.
I’ll hear no more
Of the evil days of yore;
I’m a pardoned offender,
And God will remember them no more.
It also made me think of the psalmist words in Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
I also found that curious. Why didn’t the psalmist say, as far as the north is from the south. Then I sat down looking (mentally) at a globe. As I began at the north pole going south, when I arrived as the south pole, I was suddenly going north. But no matter when I started going east, I was always going east.
Isn’t God amazing! Isn’t it amazing how God inspired the psalmist with just the right words!
This is nothing profound. Simply some thoughts to share.
Blessings.
It appears that phrase “waiting for the other shoe to drop” has its origins in Great Britain’s apartment houses or flats. When the tenant upstairs went to bed, he/she would drop a shoe and the tenant below would hear it. So the tenant below would “wait for the other shoe to drop.”
May 7, 2009 is the “National Day of Prayer” in the United States of America. It is a day established by the United States Congress and signed into law by then President Harry S. Truman.”
It is not exclusively a “Christian” event. All faiths are encouraged to pray.
I was reminded of the words in 2 Chronicles 7, “When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. . .” (2 Chronicles 7:11-14 NIV)
I believe we take comfort in knowing God will hear our prayers and heal our land. However, all too often we stop at the verse where we learn our sins will be forgiven and our land healed. We fail to continue to read. If we would continue to read, we would hear the other shoe drop. God continued to say, “But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. ” (2 Chronicles 7:19 & 20 New Living Translation)
Have we turned away from God? You be the judge.
The last few posts I’ve entered have been what I call a paradox. On one hand I’ve written about the bleakness of the economic situation. On the other hand, I’ve stated clearly that God is in control even in the bleakest of situations. I still believe that.
Rolling around in my brain and thought processes has been the “parable of the mustard seed.” The scripture says, “When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:14-20)
The parable isn’t about the mustard seed. It is about faith. It isn’t about moving an actual mountain. It is about moving some seemingly impossible barrier. For many of us it is a lack of self-confidence; for others it might be an addiction. What mountain are you facing today?
While being taunted by the great “giant” Goliath, the boy warrior, David, looked up and announced, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” What battle are we facing? Who are we trusting?
As a citizen of the United States of America, as the daughter of a World War 2 veteran, I believe in our military. But I believe more in the God of the Universe. Whatever mountain (barrier) I might be facing, I believe if I trust in God, that mountain (barrier) can be moved. But I also believe I must trust in the Lord’s great power. I know it isn’t by sword or spear. I know it is God who gives the victory. How about you?
The famous author, Anonymous, wrote “He who plants a seed and waits to see believes in God.”
My mother-in-law embroidered the quote on a wall hanging and gave it to my husband, a farmer. How absolutely true it is! There are reasons he is the farmer and not me. First, I never plant a straight row. Secondly, either I plant the seed too deep, not deep enough, or too close together. Thirdly, I get in a hurry and want to see what’s happening NOW! One could correctly say I’m not patient. However, it is important to note the seed has to be planted before it can ever begin its journey from seed to sprout to plant. Same author, Anonymous, also wrote, “The seed cannot sprout upwards without simultaneously sending roots into the ground.”
Humankind has the potential to do great things for humanity. However, often the potential is developed for evil, causing harmed. Occasionally, the potential is developed and great things are accomplished. Thomas Alva Edison, Jonas Salk and Albert Einstein are examples of potential developed for great things. But, too often our potential as individuals is never realized because we fail to plant the seed.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-8, New Living Translation)
If we are going to great things, we need to plant the seed of potential, see that it is watered and let God do the rest
It is a bleak time in America’s history. The economy is in trouble. The automobile industry is on the verge of collapse. Wall Street, stocks and bonds are worth much less NOW than last year. People, who have worked and save for years for their retirement, may need to work longer to make ends meet. The unemployment is higher than it had been for years. We have experience seven years of combat on foreign soil. It is a bleak time in our history.
This past December 2008 and first few days of January 2009 I was in Liberia, West Africa for ten days. Liberia is about the size of Ohio or Tennessee, and had suffered through a fourteen-year civil war. Their economy is much worse than ours. The unemployment rate is 85 percent. While they value an education, a generation of young people had little opportunity to attend school because of the war. As I spent time with the Liberians, I was reminded of words the writer of Lamentations wrote, “I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.” I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:17-23)
Retired United Methodist Bishop, Arthur Kulah, wrote a book entitled Liberia Will Rise Again. As surely as Liberia rising again, as surely as Jesus Christ rose in victory that first Easter, America will survive and God will still be in control.
Years ago the prolific gospel writer, Bill Gaither, penned the words and music to a children’s song entitled I Am a Promise. In his song is the phrase “I am a great big bundle of potentiality.” What potential God has given us!
The challenge we face is the decision to access that potential. We have the tendency to degrade ourselves. Moses said, “Moses answered God, “But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 The Message) and Jeremiah said, “I replied, “I’m not a good speaker, LORD, and I’m too young.” (Jeremiah 1:6 CEV) Yet, when Moses and Jeremiah yielded to God’s call upon their lives, great things were accomplished
God didn’t call us because we are good speakers. God called us because God has given us the potential to do great things for God. God doesn’t call us because we are great musicians or educators or youth leaders. God calls us because God has given us great potential.
What will we do with that potential?
I usually like to have a topic to write about, but there is so much in my brain I don’t know if I could select one topic. I returned home late this afternoon after driving in the rain or a mixture of rain and snow. I attended a writers’ conference in the Quad Cities (Iowa & Illinois). It was an excellent conference. The classes were very good as were the break-out sessions.I guess this is an endorsement. If you are a Christian who enjoys writing, this is the conference for you. It is the Quad Cities Christian Writers Conference.
Some day soon, I’ll try to add to this blog.
Blessings. Rev. Judy
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