Like millions of other people, I have some chronic health issues, including rheumatoid arthritis. But that's not what I want to be known for. I don't want to be defined by my health issues. When people think of me, I don't want to be thought of as that woman with chronic health issues.
When people think of me, I want to be known for something else entirely.
Chronic is defined as constant, habitual, recurring, continuing a long time. When that term is applied, this is how I want it to relate to me:
I want to be known for chronic joy.
For chronic gratitude.
For chronic compassion.
For chronic grace.
I want my life [constantly, habitually, recurring, continuing for a long time] to be a reflection of the One who loved me enough to die for me.
"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD......O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together." (Psalm 34:1-3 NASB)
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Thursday, March 22, 2018
Joy Unspeakable
Once again I have a song lyric running through my head. It actually happens to me pretty often, but in this case it's a little baffling. I haven't heard this song for years, and I can't even remember when, if ever, it was actually sung in a church service I was part of. Yet I can't get it out of my head! Joy unspeakable and full of glory, the half has never yet been told.
A couple of mornings ago we were fogged in around here. Literally. Surrounded by fog. By early afternoon the fog had lifted. By midday, all the clouds had lifted and we had beautiful sunshine! Beautiful sunshine, but oh, so cold. What happened to spring? But I digress. The fog was what triggered this song memory. Heavy fog, leading to glorious sunshine.
Life is a lot like that, isn't it? We spend much of our life "in a fog", at least spiritually speaking. Even when we have trusted Jesus early in life, we don't really comprehend all that means. Our understanding grows as we do, in the physical sense, but also in the spiritual sense. And as we grow, the fog begins to lift and we see things more clearly. Continuing to grow in our faith means we see more and more clearly. Now we see things as through a mirror, dimly, as the Apostle Paul described it in 1 Corinthians 13. Eventually we shall see clearly, shall see Jesus face to face. And that will indeed be "joy unspeakable and full of glory"!
But we don't have to wait until then to experience that kind of joy! We can live that kind of joy every day in the here and now. That kind of joy comes when we know that our eternity is secure, but also comes because we live every moment of every day in confident assurance that our God is in control. When we see everything that comes our way as coming from His hand for our good and for His glory. When we live with grateful hearts for all the gifts He gives, both large and small. When we know that we know that we know that we belong to Him. That knowledge, that settled certainty, that no matter what comes my way, I belong to Him.......that brings a life of joy!
Yes, tough times come. I've been right in the middle of some of those tough times over the last few days. And perhaps that's why the old hymn has come to mind. It's a reminder from God not to give up. That He is in control. A reminder not to let the tough times rob my joy! Yet another reminder came to me in my quiet time this morning as I read these words: "[Jesus prayed], But now I am coming to you and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves." (John 17:13 ESV)
Joy unspeakable. Not because of circumstances. Often in spite of circumstances. But isn't that what joy is, really? Joy is not dependent on circumstances. Joy comes from a relationship with Jesus. Joy is not an external thing; it is internal. Happy times, grace gifts, tangible blessings......those are just a bonus! Joy is in the relationship. And it is joy unspeakable and full of glory!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy he caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuiness of your faith - more precious than gold that is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:3-7 ESV, emphasis mine)
And just in case you aren't familiar with the old hymn I mentioned at the outset, here it is. This hymn was written by Barney Warren way back in 1900. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KskwIKSHqzk
A couple of mornings ago we were fogged in around here. Literally. Surrounded by fog. By early afternoon the fog had lifted. By midday, all the clouds had lifted and we had beautiful sunshine! Beautiful sunshine, but oh, so cold. What happened to spring? But I digress. The fog was what triggered this song memory. Heavy fog, leading to glorious sunshine.
Life is a lot like that, isn't it? We spend much of our life "in a fog", at least spiritually speaking. Even when we have trusted Jesus early in life, we don't really comprehend all that means. Our understanding grows as we do, in the physical sense, but also in the spiritual sense. And as we grow, the fog begins to lift and we see things more clearly. Continuing to grow in our faith means we see more and more clearly. Now we see things as through a mirror, dimly, as the Apostle Paul described it in 1 Corinthians 13. Eventually we shall see clearly, shall see Jesus face to face. And that will indeed be "joy unspeakable and full of glory"!
But we don't have to wait until then to experience that kind of joy! We can live that kind of joy every day in the here and now. That kind of joy comes when we know that our eternity is secure, but also comes because we live every moment of every day in confident assurance that our God is in control. When we see everything that comes our way as coming from His hand for our good and for His glory. When we live with grateful hearts for all the gifts He gives, both large and small. When we know that we know that we know that we belong to Him. That knowledge, that settled certainty, that no matter what comes my way, I belong to Him.......that brings a life of joy!
Yes, tough times come. I've been right in the middle of some of those tough times over the last few days. And perhaps that's why the old hymn has come to mind. It's a reminder from God not to give up. That He is in control. A reminder not to let the tough times rob my joy! Yet another reminder came to me in my quiet time this morning as I read these words: "[Jesus prayed], But now I am coming to you and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves." (John 17:13 ESV)
Joy unspeakable. Not because of circumstances. Often in spite of circumstances. But isn't that what joy is, really? Joy is not dependent on circumstances. Joy comes from a relationship with Jesus. Joy is not an external thing; it is internal. Happy times, grace gifts, tangible blessings......those are just a bonus! Joy is in the relationship. And it is joy unspeakable and full of glory!
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy he caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuiness of your faith - more precious than gold that is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:3-7 ESV, emphasis mine)
And just in case you aren't familiar with the old hymn I mentioned at the outset, here it is. This hymn was written by Barney Warren way back in 1900. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KskwIKSHqzk
Monday, March 19, 2018
A Reminder
Some dear friends of ours are in the Holy Land this week. They have shared some of their pictures on social media, and as I look at the pictures, it is almost as though I am there with them. Reliving our experiences in the Holy Land. Remembering places visited. Being reminded of lessons learned. I've written about this often before, and here it is on my mind again today.
This photo below, taken from the Mount of Olives, can put that into context for you. The walled area in the center of the photo is the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock is just out of the photo, to the far right just beyond the trees. The Southern Steps are there in the center, just outside the wall of the Temple Mount, just above a small clump of trees.
On each of our trips to Jerusalem, we have had opportunity to sit on those steps and worship. What precious memories I have of those times. Being in that place, very near where Peter preached on Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-41). Hearing the Word proclaimed to us by our pastor in that same place. Praying there on those steps. Worshiping. Those are favorite memories indeed.
There's an important lesson to be learned from those Southern Steps up to the Temple Mount. You see, the interesting thing to me about these steps is that they are uneven. Some are wide, some are narrow, some are in-between. The result is that there would have been no casual skipping up the steps to worship at the Temple. The nature of the steps requires that the approach be slow and deliberate.
And therein lies the lesson. One we need to remind ourselves of often as we ask ourselves this question: Have we become too casual in our approach to worship?
Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers: "If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet - getting rid of the excessive informality with which we approach God - it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence."
May we - may I - never be too casual in our approach to a holy God!
"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalm 24:4-5 NASB)
"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 6:3 NASB)
This is one of my favorite picture. There we are, Al and I, just walking along with our group, yet completely oblivious to those around us. Strolling along, hand in hand, having a chat. No clue that a friend with a camera was snapping this photo.
This favorite picture was taken in one of my favorite places on earth, Jerusalem. We're just outside the Temple Mount, on the southern side. As we walk through the arches just ahead, and then make a left turn, we arrive at one of my favorite places in that favorite city, the southern steps to the Temple Mount.
This photo below, taken from the Mount of Olives, can put that into context for you. The walled area in the center of the photo is the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock is just out of the photo, to the far right just beyond the trees. The Southern Steps are there in the center, just outside the wall of the Temple Mount, just above a small clump of trees.
On each of our trips to Jerusalem, we have had opportunity to sit on those steps and worship. What precious memories I have of those times. Being in that place, very near where Peter preached on Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-41). Hearing the Word proclaimed to us by our pastor in that same place. Praying there on those steps. Worshiping. Those are favorite memories indeed.
There's an important lesson to be learned from those Southern Steps up to the Temple Mount. You see, the interesting thing to me about these steps is that they are uneven. Some are wide, some are narrow, some are in-between. The result is that there would have been no casual skipping up the steps to worship at the Temple. The nature of the steps requires that the approach be slow and deliberate.
And therein lies the lesson. One we need to remind ourselves of often as we ask ourselves this question: Have we become too casual in our approach to worship?
Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers: "If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet - getting rid of the excessive informality with which we approach God - it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence."
May we - may I - never be too casual in our approach to a holy God!
"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalm 24:4-5 NASB)
"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 6:3 NASB)
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Old Age and Gray Hair
Let's start with a disclaimer. This is not a post about beauty treatments to deal with the effects of aging! This is a post related to a couple of verses from Psalm 71.
"O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come." (Psalm 71:17-18 ESV)
I can still remember when I first became acutely aware of this Psalm. Of course, I had been aware of it for most of my life. I knew there were 150 Psalms, so naturally there would be a Psalm 71. I had read through the Psalms countless times over the course of my life. But in much the same way you ride up and down the same road day after day, and suddenly wonder where did that house come from?, even though it has quite obviously been there for years, I had read this particular Psalm many times, but it had never quite sunk into my consciousness.
A few years before my daddy passed away, he must have had a similar experience. He called one day, so very excited, because he had "discovered" this Psalm. And he said he had found his purpose. That this Psalm would be his theme song for however many years he had left on this earth.
To some, the idea that a man in his mid-80s would suddenly have found a life purpose may seem incongruous. Allow me to explain. For most of his adult life, following his years in the Navy in World War II, my daddy had worked in the post office in our town. That was his career. And in that career, he dealt with people every day......helping them with their mail, but also offering a kind word or a helping hand, to all people, of all ages and all colors and all walks of life. In addition, he was very involved in our church, as a deacon and in many other capacities as well. And he was busy being a very good husband and daddy Then the children were grown up, along came retirement, and life changed a bit. He spent most of his early retirement years being the full-time care giver to my mother. After she passed away, life changed again. This time he was older, less healthy, and wandering what to do with himself.
I can relate. Perhaps you can as well. Life changes once we reach the season where the children are grown but we are not yet "old". Certainly I'm older than I once was, but I'm not yet old enough to be considered "old". I have some gray hair, although not a lot, and what I do have is covered up! I find myself in a season of transition. Those earlier seasons of life spent as a piano teacher and in music ministry are past. Those earlier years of leading a weekly Bible study are past, as are the days of being part of teaching a Sunday School class. My years of parenting young children into their teenage years and on into adulthood are finished. Any my stroke last year has changed my ability to do many of the things I was once a part of. It's a different season. A season which, even though it has its joys, also brings some frustration in wondering what to do now. Where do I fit in? What is my purpose for these years? How can I continue to be useful?
Many of you who are reading this post may be able to relate. As we get older, life changes. Children grow up. The role as parent shifts, perhaps to the role of grandparent. The career that defined you in your younger years no longer defines you, whether due to retirement or to some other circumstance. Life changes. And sometimes those changes are challenging. Often when we reach this season of life, we're wondering where we fit in. What our purpose is now. What we're supposed to be doing. How we can still be useful.
My parents enjoyed daddy's retirement for a few years, until my mother's health declined. Then daddy had a new purpose, as caregiver. He filled that role lovingly and well for nearly ten years, until my mother passed away. After that, in addition to the loneliness he felt without his beloved "Bitsy", he was dealing with another change as well. Wondering what to do now. Where he fit in. What was his purpose.
Eventually daddy's health began to decline. Even so, he was still looking for a purpose. And he found it on the day this Psalm came alive to him.
"I've found my purpose," he said to me with great excitement. "This will be my focus for as long as I have left in this life."
And it was. For the remaining years of his life, with a renewed vigor, he praised God and shared Jesus with anyone who would listen.
May I be as faithful in that endeavor as he was!
"For you, O Lord, are my hope; my trust, O LORD, from my youth.......My praise is continually of you.....You are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.......I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day.......O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come."
(Psalm 71: 5,6b,7-9, 14-15, 17-18 ESV)
"O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come." (Psalm 71:17-18 ESV)
I can still remember when I first became acutely aware of this Psalm. Of course, I had been aware of it for most of my life. I knew there were 150 Psalms, so naturally there would be a Psalm 71. I had read through the Psalms countless times over the course of my life. But in much the same way you ride up and down the same road day after day, and suddenly wonder where did that house come from?, even though it has quite obviously been there for years, I had read this particular Psalm many times, but it had never quite sunk into my consciousness.
A few years before my daddy passed away, he must have had a similar experience. He called one day, so very excited, because he had "discovered" this Psalm. And he said he had found his purpose. That this Psalm would be his theme song for however many years he had left on this earth.
To some, the idea that a man in his mid-80s would suddenly have found a life purpose may seem incongruous. Allow me to explain. For most of his adult life, following his years in the Navy in World War II, my daddy had worked in the post office in our town. That was his career. And in that career, he dealt with people every day......helping them with their mail, but also offering a kind word or a helping hand, to all people, of all ages and all colors and all walks of life. In addition, he was very involved in our church, as a deacon and in many other capacities as well. And he was busy being a very good husband and daddy Then the children were grown up, along came retirement, and life changed a bit. He spent most of his early retirement years being the full-time care giver to my mother. After she passed away, life changed again. This time he was older, less healthy, and wandering what to do with himself.
I can relate. Perhaps you can as well. Life changes once we reach the season where the children are grown but we are not yet "old". Certainly I'm older than I once was, but I'm not yet old enough to be considered "old". I have some gray hair, although not a lot, and what I do have is covered up! I find myself in a season of transition. Those earlier seasons of life spent as a piano teacher and in music ministry are past. Those earlier years of leading a weekly Bible study are past, as are the days of being part of teaching a Sunday School class. My years of parenting young children into their teenage years and on into adulthood are finished. Any my stroke last year has changed my ability to do many of the things I was once a part of. It's a different season. A season which, even though it has its joys, also brings some frustration in wondering what to do now. Where do I fit in? What is my purpose for these years? How can I continue to be useful?
Many of you who are reading this post may be able to relate. As we get older, life changes. Children grow up. The role as parent shifts, perhaps to the role of grandparent. The career that defined you in your younger years no longer defines you, whether due to retirement or to some other circumstance. Life changes. And sometimes those changes are challenging. Often when we reach this season of life, we're wondering where we fit in. What our purpose is now. What we're supposed to be doing. How we can still be useful.
My parents enjoyed daddy's retirement for a few years, until my mother's health declined. Then daddy had a new purpose, as caregiver. He filled that role lovingly and well for nearly ten years, until my mother passed away. After that, in addition to the loneliness he felt without his beloved "Bitsy", he was dealing with another change as well. Wondering what to do now. Where he fit in. What was his purpose.
Eventually daddy's health began to decline. Even so, he was still looking for a purpose. And he found it on the day this Psalm came alive to him.
"I've found my purpose," he said to me with great excitement. "This will be my focus for as long as I have left in this life."
And it was. For the remaining years of his life, with a renewed vigor, he praised God and shared Jesus with anyone who would listen.
May I be as faithful in that endeavor as he was!
"For you, O Lord, are my hope; my trust, O LORD, from my youth.......My praise is continually of you.....You are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.......I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day.......O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come."
(Psalm 71: 5,6b,7-9, 14-15, 17-18 ESV)
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Strong and Courageous
"Be of good courage." (Numbers 13:20 ESV)
My daily Bible reading has me currently in the book of Numbers, and I came across this verse a couple of days ago. It's a familiar verse. Over and over in scripture we have this admonition. Be of good courage. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid.
When I came across Numbers 13:20 this week, it really grabbed my attention. Even though it's a familiar verse, it was almost as though I had never seen it before. And truthfully, when I think about this verse and others like it, Numbers is not the passage of scripture that immediately comes to mind. I more often jump to this passage in the book of Joshua. That's what I did when I read this verse in Numbers, and that's where I have been camped out for the last few days.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 ESV)
The first chapter of Joshua, and the chapters that follow, covers the point in the history of the Hebrew people where they were crossing into the Promised Land. As they were moving forward to claim the land, it was important for them to remember to "be strong and courageous".
This passage from Numbers is closely related. In Numbers, Moses has sent twelve men to explore the Promised Land and then to report back with their findings. And as he sent them out, Moses gave this instruction: Be of good courage. Of the twelve men Moses sent out, only two came back with a good report - Caleb and Joshua. And this is the same Joshua who was chosen, following the death of Moses, to lead the Hebrew people into the promised land. You can get the full story by reading in Numbers and Joshua.
We can learn a lot from these passages of Scripture for our own lives. We may not have been wandering in the wilderness for forty years, as the Israelites did; even so, the challenges we face in our daily living can also be faced with strength and courage. Whether our challenges are financial or relational or health, or they have to do with the work place or with politics or some other circumstance, there are principles in Scripture to guide us. Think for a moment about what we can learn from Joshua.
We need to be people of the Word. The Lord said to Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it." (Joshua 1:8 ESV) We need to take that instruction to heart. If we're going to live as God's people in a world that increasingly is turning its back on Him, we need to know the Word. We need to spend time in the Word. We need to obey the Word. We need to be people of the Word.
We need to be people of prayer. There's an episode in Joshua chapter 9 where Joshua made an alliance with the Gibeonites. This turned out to be a bad alliance; the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelites. How did that happen? Because, according to verse 14 of that chapter, "they did not ask counsel from the LORD." Just like Joshua, we can get ourselves into some trouble when we fail to pray and seek the Lord.
We need to be identified with God. For the Hebrew people, that mark of identification was circumcision. For us today, we identify with God through baptism, through church membership, through the relationships and associations we cultivate, through the choices we make.
We need to be strong and courageous. That was God's instruction to Joshua and the Hebrew people. It's an instruction repeated throughout the book of Joshua. And, in various forms, it's an instruction repeated throughout the Bible......."fear not"!
How do we live this way? How do we live strong and courageous lives? By remembering! Remembering who God is. Remembering what He has done. Remembering His promises.
When the Hebrew people had crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land, they erected 12 memorial stones. These stones served as reminders to the people and to generations to come of what God had done for them.
As we face our challenges in life, whatever they may be - whether illness or job loss or financial strain or some other challenge - we need to remember. We may not have erected physical stones as reminders, but as life's challenges come - and they will - we can look back and remember. Remember God's promises. Remember His provision. Remember all the times and all the ways He has provided. Has there ever been even one time when God didn't provide for you Has there ever been even one time when He didn't care Has there ever been even one time when He forgot about you No Then trust Him!
If we are willing to trust Him with our eternity, can we not also trust Him with our today?
"When your children ask their fathers in time to come, what do these stones mean, you shall let your children know, Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever." (Joshua 4:21-24 ESV)
My daily Bible reading has me currently in the book of Numbers, and I came across this verse a couple of days ago. It's a familiar verse. Over and over in scripture we have this admonition. Be of good courage. Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid.
When I came across Numbers 13:20 this week, it really grabbed my attention. Even though it's a familiar verse, it was almost as though I had never seen it before. And truthfully, when I think about this verse and others like it, Numbers is not the passage of scripture that immediately comes to mind. I more often jump to this passage in the book of Joshua. That's what I did when I read this verse in Numbers, and that's where I have been camped out for the last few days.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 ESV)
The first chapter of Joshua, and the chapters that follow, covers the point in the history of the Hebrew people where they were crossing into the Promised Land. As they were moving forward to claim the land, it was important for them to remember to "be strong and courageous".
This passage from Numbers is closely related. In Numbers, Moses has sent twelve men to explore the Promised Land and then to report back with their findings. And as he sent them out, Moses gave this instruction: Be of good courage. Of the twelve men Moses sent out, only two came back with a good report - Caleb and Joshua. And this is the same Joshua who was chosen, following the death of Moses, to lead the Hebrew people into the promised land. You can get the full story by reading in Numbers and Joshua.
We can learn a lot from these passages of Scripture for our own lives. We may not have been wandering in the wilderness for forty years, as the Israelites did; even so, the challenges we face in our daily living can also be faced with strength and courage. Whether our challenges are financial or relational or health, or they have to do with the work place or with politics or some other circumstance, there are principles in Scripture to guide us. Think for a moment about what we can learn from Joshua.
We need to be people of the Word. The Lord said to Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it." (Joshua 1:8 ESV) We need to take that instruction to heart. If we're going to live as God's people in a world that increasingly is turning its back on Him, we need to know the Word. We need to spend time in the Word. We need to obey the Word. We need to be people of the Word.
We need to be people of prayer. There's an episode in Joshua chapter 9 where Joshua made an alliance with the Gibeonites. This turned out to be a bad alliance; the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelites. How did that happen? Because, according to verse 14 of that chapter, "they did not ask counsel from the LORD." Just like Joshua, we can get ourselves into some trouble when we fail to pray and seek the Lord.
We need to be identified with God. For the Hebrew people, that mark of identification was circumcision. For us today, we identify with God through baptism, through church membership, through the relationships and associations we cultivate, through the choices we make.
We need to be strong and courageous. That was God's instruction to Joshua and the Hebrew people. It's an instruction repeated throughout the book of Joshua. And, in various forms, it's an instruction repeated throughout the Bible......."fear not"!
How do we live this way? How do we live strong and courageous lives? By remembering! Remembering who God is. Remembering what He has done. Remembering His promises.
When the Hebrew people had crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land, they erected 12 memorial stones. These stones served as reminders to the people and to generations to come of what God had done for them.
As we face our challenges in life, whatever they may be - whether illness or job loss or financial strain or some other challenge - we need to remember. We may not have erected physical stones as reminders, but as life's challenges come - and they will - we can look back and remember. Remember God's promises. Remember His provision. Remember all the times and all the ways He has provided. Has there ever been even one time when God didn't provide for you Has there ever been even one time when He didn't care Has there ever been even one time when He forgot about you No Then trust Him!
If we are willing to trust Him with our eternity, can we not also trust Him with our today?
"When your children ask their fathers in time to come, what do these stones mean, you shall let your children know, Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever." (Joshua 4:21-24 ESV)
Monday, March 5, 2018
Happy Birthday!
Today is a special day! Today I am celebrating! On this day, 43 years ago, I became a mother. At 6:17 pm, just 47 minutes after I walked through the doors at Baptist Hospital in Columbia, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Three years later it happened again. Same hospital. Another beautiful baby boy. And once again, doorway to delivery, 47 minutes!
I'm not celebrating because delivery was short. And pretty easy. Although those of you who have been down that road will realize that 47 minutes.....not with one birth, but two.....is pretty unusual and worthy of celebration!
But if you know me well, or if you have been reading this blog for any period of time, then you will realize how special it is. How deserving of celebration. Now, don't misunderstand. All births are deserving of celebration.
But back when this first-born child of ours was only a dream in our hearts, our dreams were shattered when we were told by doctors that we could never have children.
So today, I celebrate! I celebrate that God knows more than any doctor knows. I celebrate that beautiful baby boy who grew up to be a handsome young man On days like this, I travel down memory lane, remembering the cute little toddler. And the sometimes rebellious teenager. Remembering the pride I felt when he joined the Air Force and went off to serve his country. Remembering how hard it was during those years when he was far from home. Nearly bursting with joy over the man he has become as I watch him be the parent.
Today, I'm celebrating Brian. But I'm celebrating so much more. I'm celebrating a faithful and loving Heavenly Father. And I'm celebrating answered prayer.
"For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him."
(1 Samuel 1:27 KJV)
I'm not celebrating because delivery was short. And pretty easy. Although those of you who have been down that road will realize that 47 minutes.....not with one birth, but two.....is pretty unusual and worthy of celebration!
But if you know me well, or if you have been reading this blog for any period of time, then you will realize how special it is. How deserving of celebration. Now, don't misunderstand. All births are deserving of celebration.
But back when this first-born child of ours was only a dream in our hearts, our dreams were shattered when we were told by doctors that we could never have children.
So today, I celebrate! I celebrate that God knows more than any doctor knows. I celebrate that beautiful baby boy who grew up to be a handsome young man On days like this, I travel down memory lane, remembering the cute little toddler. And the sometimes rebellious teenager. Remembering the pride I felt when he joined the Air Force and went off to serve his country. Remembering how hard it was during those years when he was far from home. Nearly bursting with joy over the man he has become as I watch him be the parent.
Today, I'm celebrating Brian. But I'm celebrating so much more. I'm celebrating a faithful and loving Heavenly Father. And I'm celebrating answered prayer.
"For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him."
(1 Samuel 1:27 KJV)
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