Edifices Of Stone

Today I ventured into two cemeteries that were local to me. Of late I have found such a fascination and beauty in the old carved stones and statuary there. I especially love the carved angels that can be found in the older sections. The artists’ handiwork during the 1800’s was just breath taking. Today stones are laser cut and worked a small bit by hand but the older carvings that grace the rolling hillsides of the historic sections are unmatched. 

As I drove through the winding lanes it was very somber to say the least but as I continued down lane after lane I found myself compelled to take photos of the beauty of the art there. These carvings were very sizeable as well. Oh, some were two foot high but most were towering over their place and stood at least 10 feet high and more. 

It was very thought provoking to imagine a 10 foot statue being commissioned and placed to mark where someones life was laid to rest. Beautiful memorials carved out of timeless stone to mark that life and stand watch through the years over them. 

As I slowly drove on through the memorials I began to imagine what it would look like on the day Jesus returned. As quiet and sobering a place as it was today, the pictures that played in my mind of that day were a bit unsettling. 

”For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

I imagined that very moment, if I was a witness to it, to be amazing and awesome unlike anything I've  ever imagined or Hollywood has tried to portray. The dead that are in Christ will come up out of their graves and be changed.  Can you even imagine standing there to be a witness to that? Well, not for long right! Because it would just be a blink and I'd be right behind them. 

Think of it though, their spirits would meet with their new bodies and they'd be raised to perfection and glory. That moment would be one of profound worship standing there on Holy Ground. That gloomy, sad and somber place would suddenly become a glorious piece of Holy Ground where one of Gods greatest miracles will unfold. From those quiet rolling hills will come resurrected, glorified and well memorialized believers I might add, that will be snatched up and taken to their glorious reward in heaven. It was as if the edifices of stone we're poised, waiting and whispering, ”soon, soon our watch will be over”. 

The beauty of the statues, the beauty of that moment in time, the beauty of His great love for us is unmatched. 

If you get the chance, go, go stroll through those hallowed places and admire the handiwork of the carvers and makers but particularly, if you don't do anything else, make sure you'll be a heaven bound traveller when the clouds roll back and King Jesus calls us home. The beauty of that trip will far surpass a trip down the angel guarded lanes of the Memorial Gardens you can be sure of that!

Tight Fisted

The oddest memory flooded my mind today as I was doing my quiet time. It was a visual of my daughter in her high chair in my kitchen some 40 something years ago. It made me smile because I think God reminded me of it to simply illustrate what I was studying. He's good at that you know. She was in her high chair and was a bit fussy and I was preparing dinner for everyone at the same time. I was making her a bottle because it was growing close to her bedtime. I did possibly the ”unspeakable” in some mothers’ eyes. The thing was that it was simply out of desire for a little contentment and peace from the crying. So, I gave her a little jelly smeared on a crustless piece of bread until I could juggle the rest of my duties. Well, it was magic! The crying ceased, there was a happy baby and I could finish prepping her bottle. Well, once the bottle was ready and dinner put on simmer I went to take the jelly bread from her little fists and she wasn't having it! Have you ever tried prying yummy food from a tight fisted baby? Not so easy. The battle ensued the war was waged but in the end I won! Yay! 

Here's the thought. . . . If she would have just let go easily of the thing that she was holding onto, the thing that she thought was the best thing in the world, well then she could have more readily had exactly what was needed to give her peace and eventual rest. 

Today I was reading in Luke 14:26 and it read, ”If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”. What! I read on and what Jesus was saying was that you can't hold onto things, things you think are more or of most importance and still follow him fully. It also says in I John 2:15-17 ”Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

This world does hold everything that would try to seat itself ahead of God or become of more importance than He is on the throne of our hearts. And ”yes” that would include our families and even ourselves. You see that is a very very hard pill to swallow or wrestle out of our fists because we hold onto those things most tightly. It's our family that we count most dear and when push comes to shove for most, we would even take a bullet for them because they are of such importance. But what Jesus is saying to us seems to be quite the opposite doesn't it? But let me say with assuredness that what he's saying isn't hopeless at all but instead very very hope filled.  You see, he wants ALL of us and if we hold ”tight fisted” onto things or people while trying to serve God then that just doesn't work!

You see, if my daughter had not given up the jelly sandwich in her little fists then she couldn't have held the bottle of warm milk which had everything she needed to sustain her and bring her to that place of peace and rest. We’ve all probably heard the term ”Let Go And Let God” but never truly saw the depth of it. It says also in Philippians 3:8,  ”Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”. Paul spoke truth here in saying that it's all rubbish (the things we hold on to). Nothing, I repeat nothing can have place in our lives higher than God. You see, those family members, those things, those possessions they all being to Him anyway and he cares for them. We must let go of holding so tightly to them because we are afraid of losing them or think that we are the only proper caretakers of them. Who's a better caregiver than the one who cares for all? It is put to us then, choose to hold onto our jelly sandwiches and be tight fisted or let go and open our hands so that he can add things back to us that are good and nourishing and hold all we need to sustain us and bring us peace and life! Deuteronomy 30 says, ”See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.”  So, open those hands and choose life!

Chosen To Wait

Have you ever been part of a large crowd in a banquet hall or possibly a wedding and the table numbers were being called in an order so that you could get your food. Ok, so then maybe you know that feeling of being the last table called as your stomach rumbles and your patience level plummets. Or maybe it's sitting in the DMV and your number seems to be ”305” and they're calling out ”99”. Your ability to be patient and hold on is tested beyond belief. Whatever the situation I think we all have moments when we have had to learn to wait. So, what if you are supposed to wait? What if you aren't first? What if the plan calls for you to be number ”305” in the plan of the day? And here's a really funny scenario for you. . . . . what if you were number ”5,000”’who sat on the far away hill on the day Jesus and his disciples fed the 5,000? Hmmmmm, What would you have looked like that day? 

Would there be a dry patch of earth at your feet from all the impatient pacing around while you waited?  Would you have fallen asleep and missed the message and the meal because of weariness in waiting? I'd like to believe I would have sat and listened and hung on Jesus’ every word until the bonus of lunch came my way but truthfully, probably not. Do you ever wonder if there was grumbling In the crowd on that far away hill as they all waited for the meal? Would there have been people saying ”when are we going to eat?” like the people in the banquet hall waiting for their table to be called? 

But here's a thought for you, ”What if you were ’chosen to wait’ ”?That's right, ’chosen’! Ridiculous thought right! Maybe not. 

Here’s another, maybe impatience has put us in the same place as the person on the far away hill, the person that was there because they actually had a need for something that they weren't readily recognizing. They didn't see that what they.needed was healing. Maybe they were ”chosen to wait”! You know Jesus himself said, ”many are called but few are chosen!” (sorry my pinach for the ridiculous gets in the way sometimes ) 

Well, what if we were chosen to wait because Jesus needed to perfect something in us that was lacking? Here's the really beautiful part though. It's 2 fold! In II Corinthians Jesus said, ” my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness”. So, while Jesus is perfecting something in us, He is being glorified and it's because of our weaknesses that his power is made perfect and he is glorified. Just chew on that for a minute! It either tastes good and nourishes you or you still need to wait for the revelation of that. Whatever it looks like,  I believe that there is a time that it will come to you and maybe the longer the wait the greater the revelation. 

The greatest and deepest need that you and I have in our weakness should not necessarily come in the form of quick relief or a quick fix. It's not necessarily being given number ”99” by some kind soul when number ”98” is being called. Perhaps the greatest and deepest need is for us to be number ”305” or that person on the far away hill. It's doing something in us! It's producing something beautiful that will not only bring healing to us but power and glory to Him. 

So, if your frustration in the waiting is causing you to squirm, grumble or exhibit tendencies of a entitled princess just know this. . . . know that when the things that we need that give us sustenance (bread & fish) are being passed out, that Jesus can see you in your far away place and He knows all too well what you have need of. You were most likely chosen to be number 5,000 on that far away hill for a reason. You were most likely ’chosen to wait’!

Insight insert: Calling on those of you out there who may be encouragers. Before you run headlong into situations that call for your encouraging heart to rush in and rescue, take a moment. Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance on how to proceed. We encouragers tend to lead with our hearts at times which can prove a bit reckless if temperance isn't applied. Pray and ask the Lord if the situation calls for ”waiting” because God is trying to do a work in that persons heart. In the waiting we can also learn to be better listeners and glorifying God all the more. 😊

Scripture:  Romans 5:3-5

”More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

 

A Scrim Life

If you’ve ever been to a theatrical production or have ever seen “shadow dancing” Then you will possibly understand what “scrim” fabric is all about. Scrim is a fabric much like gauze that allows us to see shadows or the outlined images without exposing exact detail. It’s a beautiful fabric used in the theater quite a lot to project the images of scenery, vague shadows of people or background scenes. When backlit it becomes quite magical.

Recently a friend sent me an image of a tree that I loved very much. It very much took my breath away. I have an extraordinary love for trees and she knew that so she sent the picture that you see above. It is quite magnificently backlit by the sun, which in turn reveals all of its glorious features. Every branch, every limb, every leaf, every inch was revealed as the sun shone through its boughs. Quite noticeably as the sun was the backlight for the wondrous display of this tree, the sun itself was presenting a glorious show. You could see it’s centermost bright spot and it’s rays extending like arms surrounding every branch. It was as if the suns extended arms were enfolding the tree in an embrace and at the same time giving applause and gratitude for its performance. I know I know, my thoughts are quite dramatic here but it does evoke all sorts of wonder and awe if you keep looking at it. My thoughts though, however theatrical they may be, take me right to the thought of my own life. You see, I believe when we allow the light of the Word of God and the illumination of the Truth of that Word by the Holy Spirit to shine through us then our lives will become like this tree. We will be like the scrim fabric in a way, an instrument to display his glory. When we allow Him to back light our lives, every detail of who He has made us to be will be spot lighted. Every gifting, every trait he’s given us, every creative talent, every piece of fruit or things we’ve produced in our lifetimes will be showcased. Every detail of our lives will be illuminated and the light of the Word that shines from us will be a glory and an honor to his great name. It is a dramatic but a most glorious production of sorts. Our own tree or the story of our life illuminated puts on a magnificent reveal here so that we are His wonderful creation displayed.   It says in John 8:12.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

His promise to us is that if we follow after Him and live for him that we will forever be illuminated by His light, His love, His discernment and understanding, His care, His provision and His presence. All of that and more! 

We will be displayed for His honor and glory for all to see. What a beautiful picture of how he loves us. We can’t live in darkness and display who He is but we must be that wonderful and magical fabric like ”scrim”, and showcase Him! A beautiful life taking center stage in a story entitled ”The Gospel”. 

Fill The Need: Water & Seed

I was sitting out on my patio this morning and I asked the Lord to show me something to imprint me that I could possibly write about. Well he hears me before I speak! All was quiet for a while as I drank my coffee and then the friendly little chipmunk that graces my patio each morning stuck his little head up over the edge of the step and was staring at me. Well I began to talk to him

as I always do but he disappeared as quickly as he had come. “Ok”

I said. Then, 30 seconds later his head popped up again and he looked at me and again he disappeared. This little ritual went on for about 5 minutes before it occurred to me that he wanted something. The lightbulb came on finally and I knew immediately that it was the birdseed that I usually sprinkled in the same spot each morning. I put it there so that I could watch him eat. His glaring at me was my signal to get up and get him some seed. As I rose from my cozy spot with coffee in hand to fetch the seed

I noticed that my Celosia flower was drooping  badly from lack of water. The phrase “Water and Seed, Fill the Need” came to me. I stood there and chuckled because God had indeed seen this whole little scene before it happened and that was my “imprint” for this writing. 

You see that little chipmunk had become dependent on my giving him seed and now he expected it so that he could add to his winters stash. My flower was of course in need of water because it was potted and positioned to not get the rain. So, they indeed needed what I had to give them. You see, there are always those outside of our own little worlds that have needs and whether you know it or not you may be the one who can fill their need. Whether it be financial because God has given you an abundance or to be a physical presence in someone’s life because they are lonely. Whatever that may look like, you have something to fill someone’s need or to seed into someone’s life. God is ultimately the provider of all things but He indeed uses people. He uses us all the time. So, if you see a need take time to ask God how you can be a part in helping to fill that need. If you see someone struggling with situations of this thing called life then ask God also what kind of seed you can sow into others to encourage and help them along in their journey. We all need seed to grow and we all need water to flourish. So, water and seed and fill the need. Like my little chipmunk, those in need will be glad you did when the winters of adversity come beating hard on their doors. It may be just the thing to “imprint” their lives in order that they too can water and seed. 

Insight insert: Today I challenge you to look around you, look at the needs that are knowingly present in your circle of family and friends. Ask God what seed you have to offer and/or how the water of kindness or encouragement or friendship might be applied as well in someone’s situation. Truth is, we all have something we can give. 

Scripture: I Corinthians 3:7

“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

Luke 6:38

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Harvest Hands

As I was reading the scriptures this morning I landed in the book of Matthew, specifically chapters 7, 8 & 9.  I found it very interesting to note that Jesus at this point in the writing had been all over the place touching peoples’ lives and healing the sick. These chapters contain the healing of the blind men, the woman with the issue of blood that touched the hem of his garment, the calming of the storm and at the end of chapter 8, he drove the demons out of two mad men and sent them to dwell in a nearby herd of pigs. Well, the pigs ran over a cliff and were subsequently drowned in the sea. 

Here’s the part that made me pause though. It said, starting in verse 28 that when Jesus arrived on the shore and got out of the boat that he was met by two madmen (demon filled) coming out of the cemetery area. It states that these demon filled men had terrorized the area for so long that no one from the town considered it safe to even walk down that stretch of road anymore. So, the freedom to go wherever they wanted was cut short by the demons that occupied these men. The townspeople were limited and held captive to their town area and could not enter the land of the demoniac men for fear of their safety. That’s pretty clear to me. So the story goes that Jesus moved on the behalf of the men and set them free by sending the demons fleeing into the pigs who in turn died in the sea. Now, here’s the strange part, or maybe not! When the townspeople found out what had happened you would have thought they would have run from their houses to see and to thank Jesus for giving them back their freedom to go down that road once more and also for giving freedom back to the men who were probably residents of their town at one time. But. . . . . . . . Wait for it.. . .. .. . . .the people came down that road but they came in the form of an angry mob. They wanted Jesus to go away and never come back. And do you know why? They were angry about the drowned pigs! Yes, you heard it right. Something that was insignificant and didn’t matter a lick in the whole scheme of what had just happened. They were thinking about themselves and maybe their pocketbooks or their bellies or who knows what else. And here’s a note for you to study if you want to take it that far. . . . . .the townspeople may very well have been Jews and by Jewish custom/law, they were not permitted to keep swine! Hmmmmm But truth be known they were merely acting like the rest of the world and doing what they desired over what God desired them to do. We can see a very clear picture here of worldly mentality versus Godly mentality. 

Have you ever done what you thought was the Godly thing, acting as Jesus would have, and instead of being met with thankfulness and kindness filled with gratitude you were met with anger and harsh words of ingratitude? Well, I’m here to tell you that it does happen and if you take a long look at the situation you would probably see that the bad reaction was rooted somehow in selfish and entitled feelings. Worldly reactions with empty and self centered undertones. It happens. It happened to Jesus so it will most likely happen to us at some point in our lives. Chapter 9 then begins “. . . . Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus’ hometown”. He left! There was obviously nothing he was going to do to change the hearts and minds of an angry mob at that point so he went on about the Fathers business somewhere else. 

We can’t change ungrateful or self centered hearts. Only God can do that. Don’t stay where you are not wanted or stand and get beat up and persecuted. There are far too many others out there who need what we have to give them in Christ. 

Later on in chapter 9 it says that Jesus continued touching and healing those in need. He was still of course criticized by the Pharisees. It says in verse 36 in the Message that “when He looked out over the crowds His heart broke”.  He then said how huge the harvest was and told his disciples “on your knees and pray for harvest hands”. That’s what I’m doing today, that’s my prayer focus. “Lord, send HARVEST HANDS and make me a better worker, one that doesn’t faint in the midst of the heat that the world brings”. 

Insight Insert: In order to bring in a harvest you must first

be willing to get your hands dirty. It isn't going to always be easy

but it will always be rewarding. I challenge you to call someone

this week that you know has been struggling or that you know 

needs your loving hands to get down in the trenches with them 

and help them out. I don't know what that looks like for each of you

but it could mean getting your hands a little dirty or doing something that isn't so very pleasant. Be willing to do what Jesus did for those men but also be ready to be met with resistance possibly. It might be tough but I'm here to tell you that the beautiful harvest won't come if you don't get your hands a little dirty. Trust me, it will be worth it if you endure. 

Scripture: John 4:35. ” Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest”

Matthew 24:13 “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” 

What Does It Matter Anyway

As I was having a conversation with someone on the phone very recently they asked me how old my children were now. I just laughed, because you see, my children are well into adulthood with children of their own. I told the person, ”Im not sure because math has never been my favorite subject”. She thought I was joking and couldn't quite believe that I just couldn't spout their ages off as if they were 6, 10 & 12 again. My oldest (now 46) was born in 1973 I told her and my second child in 1976 and the third in 1982. Now I know that doing the math isn't terribly hard but with all the years behind me I guess I just thought that knowing their exact age didn't really matter anyway. Besides, nobody can actually tell you the exact age of Jesus when he died so what does age really matter for? It was said that he was approx 33 years old when he died but they aren't really sure. I guess my point here is that sometimes we put too much emphasis on the details and not enough on the ”main thing”. 

Now, if you were to ask me about the details of each of my children's’ lives then I could have spoken all day. I would have told you how proud I am of each one, where they are at present in their dwelling places, or how many children do they have or are they married or single. The things that matter the most to me are the things about them that I choose to recall the most. Age, well age is just a number and like I said before, I don't particularly like to do math. What I do like to do is ”mark” in my memory all of the highlights that life has had to offer. That would include the good and the bad. The good is easy but the bad moments are just as important for me because they also contribute to shaping who we become, how we’ve overcome and the strengths it has built in us as it developed our character. It all matters. 

When I think of Jesus for example, I recall his amazing birth on that glorious night. I see the maturity from a young boy in the temple speaking. I recount the eyes of a blind man opened and sight comes. There is the beautiful story of 5 thousand people having a meal because he multiplied a little boys lunch so they could eat. Then, not to ever be forgotten, the account of his death on a cross. It's hard sometimes to tell of the horrific way that he died but it matters. It matters to recall the bad part because it was actually the ”main thing” that mattered about his life. Without recalling the bad then we would tend to forget just how wonderful and miraculous the good truly was. When asked how old he was in the big scheme of his life it just doesn't seem to matter that much. Generally the age, somewhere in his mid thirties, seems to pale in importance in the glory that was his life! 

So, find the things about life that truly do matter and recall them always. Remember the good, the bad and all the in between moments that have happened to define the landscape of the portrait. How old it is seems a bit unimportant on the gallery walls of life when the big picture is the painting and the story that it illustrates. That will be the thing that captures your memories and even takes your breath when the spotlight illuminates it for all to see.

How old are my children? . . . . . Does it matter anyway?

Insight insert: Take a moment here to think about the life of someone you know. That person doesn't have to be a family member but maybe just an acquaintance. Recall all that you can about them, the good and the bad parts. Then take another few moments to pray for them. Pray that God will use the good parts of their life to enrich them and pray that he will take the bad parts and build in them priceless character traits that will also enrich them.

Scripture: Romans 12:2

”Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”