WHAT'S LEFT?

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon

earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt,

and where thieves break through and steal;

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and

where thieves to not break through and steal:

For where your treasure is, there

will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

We met shortly after Brian and I moved here to our Tennessee home. In fact, her house is near enough to my house that I can see her house and she could see mine. She was a recent widow in her 80's, lonely with no family to speak of in her life. She did have a niece she didn't really know well,, but had no close relationship with her. As nice as “Sarah” could be she had a streak of bitterness in her that was quite noticeable even during our first conversation.. She could latch onto the wrong friendships that didn't last long at all because conversations would turn into complaining sessions so people would withdraw from her.

Sarah wasn't interested in spiritual things. I spoke with her often about coming to church with me. She could have been in the ladies class I taught at the time. She told me that her husband didn't need Jesus and so she didn't think she did either. She lived in a lovely home with nice things, but she was a very unhappy person. Any friends she made were quickly worn out by her negative attitude.

A few weeks ago, Sarah died. There was a brief memorial service, nothing religious with only five or six people in attendance as I was told. Her house had been sold and today, with sadness, I can look across the field and see her things out on her front yard and porch...an estate sale. Sarah had a delightful personality when she wasn't in a bitter mood. She had the capability of making friends, but usually chased people away with anger and insults. Sarah had lovely things in her home and now strangers are culling through her things at the estate sale that would be upsetting for her if she could see it going on. I saw the couch I often sat on during our visits...a touch of sadness for me.

The sadness was intensified for me when I stopped by that house at the end of the sale. I asked if I could just look inside at the living room and kitchen. The new owner thought it an odd request, but allowed me to do it. Obviously people had tromped through the house and it would need a good cleaning. I recalled where the couches had been, pictures on the wall and looking at the kitchen I had thought was as nice as I had ever sat in. There was the counter Sarah and I had sat at any number of times, her talking and me mostly listening. The house felt empty and lonely just as I believe Sarah's life was in her final years of life. All of her lovely things are now gone...worth nothing to Sarah anymore..

I'm not trying to speak ill of Sarah. Sarah was friendly and warm upon meeting. Despite living alone, I know Sarah could have had a good, and fulfilling life with Jesus in her life. She was an intelligent lady and could have contributed much in the lives of others, but not without Jesus in her life. She had resources she could have invested in the lives of others, but chose to stay walled up in her lovely house full of lovely things.

Sadder to me are Christians who feel they can manage very fine without Jesus an active part of their lives. Many Christians have enough of Jesus to get them to Heaven but not enough to really keep themselves at their happiest and most peaceful. They may go through daily routines never giving Jesus a thought. Prayer may not be a thing of importance nor the Word of God prevalent in their lives. Some may even feel the regular practice of church attendance and activity aren't all that important for them. When I think of it, those Christians don't have much more going for them in practice than Sarah. She felt like she didn't need Him...many non-practicing Christians live as if they don't need Him either....how sad.

The day will come however, when Jesus will be VERY important to everyone...Christians, non-practicing Christians and the unsaved as well. Time is short. What am I doing to keep in close relationship with my Heavenly Father? What am I doing to show love and concern in the lives of others...Christians and non-Christians alike? If Jesus would return today, would He find my life just full of things that really don't count for anything when I am finally gone to be with Him? Seeing couches on a lady's front yard just don't seem to matter a great deal when all is said and done.

Father, I want my life to count for you. Keep me from complaining and even bitterness. I want to be an influence for You in every way I can as You lead. Help me to not put importance on the things of this world that will only come to nothing in a short time. Thank You for Your love and direction in my life. I love You. In Jesus precious name....Amen

CHALLENGES OF CHANGE

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday
and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

Change is something I have resisted most of my life. I've never liked having to adjust to it, no matter where or what the change may have been...or continues to be, for that fact. Every dictionary I checked for a definition of change basically said the same thing that change is making or becoming different. The definition is pretty simple, but the process certainly isn't.

In a previous presidential election, a major candidate ran on the promise of change

. Everyone knows what change is, but there was no way of knowing at the time what that man meant by change in government. We learned after eight long years, his view of change certainly wasn't our view. If we thought, and often do, that change is good, we have found looking at the devastation and ruin in our country left by him, wasn't what we had in mind.

One of the first major changes that came into my life was leaving my hometown to attend college in the state of Kansas. Little did I realize, it was the beginning of change(s) for the rest of my life. Growing up in my hometown was comfortable. Most folks knew each other. I had teachers in every level of school who had taught both of my parents when they were in school. Ours was a coal mining town. Many guys out of high school went to work in the mines. Some went to college or found jobs at home. I lived in two houses at different times, both comfortable with neighbors I dearly loved. There was a security in those 18 years as far as location and friends.

To this point, I've lived in five states, lived in 11 residences. This has meant church changes as well as selecting new doctors, dentists, grocery stores, and all the rest. For the last 20 years, I've made a habit of learning people's first names only. If I latch onto someone's last name, that's okay. In it all, I'm still not a good adjuster. New folks can't look at me and see what churns inside of me that has to do with change.

Can change be a positive in our lives? I had lunch this week with my NEW Sunday school teacher. She asked me where all we have lived and I told her some of it. Her comment was, “What an interesting life you have lived.” I think I nodded pleasantly. She asked me if I had taught the Bible in all of those places and come to think of it, I pretty much had. On that count, perhaps change has been good for me without thinking back on it all.

Scripture often speaks of change. In the Old Testament, there is a lot of mention of changes of clothes. Priests also had to keep an eye on disease of the skin on people such as leprosy. They would monitor changes in the lesions hoping for positive healing. There were changes of names such as with Daniel and his three friends when taken into captivity. They were basically given pagan names in place of their Hebrew ones. That couldn't have been a welcome change for those young men but there was nothing they could do about it.

Any number of times, we can read in Scripture of changes in the hearts and minds of people. These changes came often after going through very difficult circumstances. If the people had been disobedient to God's law, there were consequences for that, often bringing drastic changes in their lives.

Change, however, isn't always a negative thing. I have known friends with severe physical conditions that have changed for the good, with positive healing taking place. Most of us have at one time or another changed jobs. There were adjustments to be made, but any inconveniences seemed worth it knowing we had a better job with higher pay. Those of us who are parents have watched physical changes in our children as they have grown from babyhood through all the phases of physical change. Those changes, as we look back, came all too quickly as we look now at our children with their own families.

The greatest change any of us can experience is that time when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. I was ten years old and went through this wonderful change in my life while listening to an evangelist in our small church. I didn't know what a lot of the BIG sins of life were like at that age, but knew that sin was sin, even if it was something as big as taking a cookie out of the cookie jar too close to supper. Sin is sin whether that sinner without Christ is ten years old or fifty. But....

Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creature; the old
things are passed away; behold,
new things have come.
II Corinthians 6:17

Changes are going to come....things will become different in any number of ways. They won't all be just positive or just negative. However, we will never be alone no matter the differences. God in His sovereignty has His hand on your life and mine. That is the best security we can have no matter the changes that come our way.

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble
Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth should change
and though the mountains slip
into the heart of the sea.
Psalm 46:1,2

Dear Father, thank You for seeing me through every change in my life. Your guiding hand not only leads in my life but is my comfort and security. Thank You for Jesus Who has made life worth living. In His precious name....Amen

STORIN' UP

How great is Your goodness, which You
have stored up for those who fear You,
Which You have wrought for those who
take refuge in You, before the
sons of men.
Psalm 31:19

As a little girl, I loved the time in the summer when my Mother and younger sister would go to my Grandma Benbrook's house for canning time. My grandma and Mrs. Carlisle next door would get together for “putting up” their garden vegetables along with some fruit off of their fruit trees. Mrs. Carlisle had a deep basement with pretty big windows she could open up. There was a big sink and stove with tables to work at. I couldn't even count the mason jars lined up on some of those tables. One day, they ladies gathered the foods they were going to pre-cook and can the next day. There was just about every kind of vegetable you can think of.

Once it was all finished, both women took their jars full of goodies and placed them on shelves in their cellars. I remember asking my Grandma why she did all of that work and her reply was, “Just storin' up.” Later I learned that the storing process was for winter months or for having food on hand when money was scarce.

My grandparents also had at the side of their house in the yard a mound that looked like a mountain to me. I couldn't play on it because of Grandma's Black-eyed Susan flowers that covered the hill. To the back of it though, almost flat to the back of the hill was a door. Some folks referred to storm cellars and maybe that was one, but my Grandma referred to it as a root cellar. It kept a pretty steady temperature and there she kept 'taters, cabbage, and onions that would keep longer under those conditions than other vegetables. Again I would ask my Grandma why she did that and the answer was always the same, “Just storin' up.”

There's something wise about planning for future days. We never know what problems or concerns await us around any corner. If we haven't gone through difficulties in the past or even in the present day, be sure they await us in the future. There are many ways we prepare for future events. Most of us carry some kind of medical insurance in preparation for medical emergencies. We do the same preparing for auto accidents. We are people who strongly believe in being educated. I can recall when in fourth grade some teachers in my school went to night school at a nearby university to complete their bachelor degrees. At the time they were very capable teachers, but if they were to have a future, they prepared with a degree. Few people can food as did my Grandma, but many still in our day purchase fresh foods to put in their freezers, especially people who live in snow prone areas of our country.

One area of preparation that is often neglected is that of spiritual preparation. I'm careful as I approach this area, for the best preparations spiritually for future days begins now on a day by day basis. It's important for us to stay strong in the Lord on a daily basis. If we don't stay strong now, we will certainly feel the lack of it when hard times come. I haven't memorized nearly the Scripture I ought to, but am grateful for those I know that have been a strengthen and comfort in my life during some very hard times.

We can't store up spiritual strength for future days like my Grandma would can peaches and have them in store some months ahead. Everything we do on a daily basis to keep spiritually strong contributes to our being stronger in coming days. I can't do all of the spiritual dailies though in one day and expect them to last me for weeks to come. Spiritual catch-up is not a concept found in Scripture.

When we expect we can store up spiritually for tough days ahead, we leave out a most important fact. When we go for days ignoring spiritual practice, we are leaving out the fact that God misses us. You see, we don't practice a religion as Christians. Ours is a relationship... the most important relationship we can ever have in life. Our Father wants to be our strength and comfort on a daily basis and He will consistently meet us right where we are...no matter the hour, day or whatever. We must remember that God's joy is our strength for any day or time. Meanwhile, we must stay strong in Jesus by being in the Word, being people of prayer, and being a part of a church where we can be ministered to and minister as well as the lives of others.

 Meanwhile, I want to enjoy the spiritual feast awaiting me on a daily basis...that's the best “storin' up” I can do.

My Father, thank You for providing for my every need, every day under every circumstance. Thank You too for the joy you bring into my life everyday. I know wherever life takes me, You are already there. I love you. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

THE NEW NORMAL

And the Lord, he it is that doth go before
thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail
thee, neither forsake thee:
fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8

In the above verse, Moses was speaking to Joshua. Because disobedience, Moses was not going to be allowed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Moses' right hand man was chosen by God to continue the journey with His people. What had been normal for Joshua up to this point in his life was never again going to be normal. For Joshua, big changes were coming. One important change was going to be the loss of one of the dearest friends on earth to him, Moses. He now wasn't going to be in a subordinate , but he was going to be the “boss.” He would have to lead the people militarily and in every other way. There would be adjustments in his life he never dreamed he would have to face. God spoke to him through Moses to assure him that with all the changes, God would always be the Presence in his life. Joshua would never have to wonder where God was. He had no reason for fear or discouragement as God would be Joshua's success.

The term “new normal” has come to my attention in the last few months. Wish I had learned of it many years ago. It would certainly have explained a lot of things to me as I faced various circumstances. Somehow, we think when our lives seem in an uproar, it would seem things will never be the same again. Well, they won't be the same, so we establish with God's direction, a new normal, a normal in our lives we will live...until the next major change.

I have some friends right now who are leaving their church that has been home for them for years. They know because of some corruptible influences that they must leave and go elsewhere. It seems so unfair and folks are left in a quandary in dealing with their church situation and the seeking of a new church home. Nothing right now feels normal for those for whom the church has been such a major part of their lives. Nothing feels normal right now. I use the term “limbo”...just hanging in mental space for a time. Church changes in our day are not unusual. Many churches are changing drastically and not necessarily for the better. Some situations have all but forced church members to seek churches that are more conservative and even more worshipful.

My family and some friends would attest to the fact that I don't like change in any way. Our family has made several moves. I don't like all the adjustments needed in new places, but they eventually come and a new normal sets in. There are major events in our lives that come to us sometimes through our own doing. There are other events that come almost like a semi truck, slamming into our emotions. These are things of life that occur often with great surprise. For instance, death of a friend or relative leaves a mark on us for some time. Like it or not, we face a new normal where that person will not be alive in our world...only in memory.

What do we know about “new normal?”:

*It will come because of a drastic often emotional changes in our lives.
*A new normal may be rejected or embraced. ''you choose
*Embracing the new norm can lead to a fruitful life.
*The new normal is a provision for healing.
*God stands ready to guide, comfort and be present in one's entire situation.

So how do we arrive at *our new norm when the necessity requires it? Some will try to find their new normal in money, things, drugs, entertainment and all other things that really don't satisfy or heal. Joshua's life at the time of hearing of Moses' not leading anymore and that he was the new leader, Moses, through God's direction gave him the answers for his new norm. Moses was very clear with Joshua some things that would usher him into his new norm:

*God had already gone before Joshua. Remember when we set out to follow the Lord to a certain place or situation, He is already there.
*God is present 24/7. Don't take that in a casual way. It is a rock-bottom truth.
*God won't fail us. He's not in the business of failure. Our God isn't a failure in any sense.
*God won't forsake us. He won't run off and leave us under any circumstances.
*Lastly and very important is a familiar command to not be fearful. Have you noticed how many of the things we fear or worry about, rarely come to pass?

Call it healing or adjustment, but the “new normal” will come to each of us at some time. May we embrace those times. Our Father is totally engaged in the new process that presents itself to us. In this area, much depends on how we view the “is-ness of God”, how we view His reality our lives.

Thank You Father for Your presence in every situation I face. Thank you that as I look ahead, You are already there. You have shown Yourself so present in my life and I thank You for that. Thank you for the “new normal” You have orchestrated in my life. May I be found faithful in every moment You send my way. In Jesus' precious name...Amen