The Years of One's Life

So teach us to number our days,
that we may present to You
a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

My friend, Joyce Parker, from Austin, TX had a cute saying on Face book today that says:

“I thought growing old would take longer.”

With being of the years I am at the present time, I got a chuckle out of that quote because without the humor, that quote is something I wish I had thought up first. As brief as it is, it is quite deep in profundity for those of us who have reached our senior years.

Not only are Brian and I retired, but we live in a small community that I would guess to be full of other retirees. There are also many folks in our area who have lived in these mountains for many years. I won't even mention all of the retirees who come here to spend months or who come for vacations often bringing grandchildren. We seem to be surrounded by age. Even the mountains seem to resound with great pride that they are much older than any of us and that is putting it mildly.

I'm just finishing teaching a ladies Bible study on Sunday evenings prior to the evening service. We've had a wonderful and convicting time looking at Peter's life and then on into the two epistles he wrote. Not being as young as I used to be, teaching is more wearying for me than in past years. As much as I love teaching, I must admit to looking forward to the end of this series even though I will miss our delightful group of ladies. The subject came up as to when WE are going to do this again. Upon checking with our assistant pastor that such a subject had come up, I made the comment, “Don't people know that I'm an old lady?” With his dry wit and rather sober look, he replied, “Hmmm, I wonder if God is aware of that.”

In our Bible study, I have encouraged the ladies in the group regarding our maturing process and how easy it is during “golden years” to forsake spiritual maturing. By now, me and many

of my ladies have been in more Bible study groups than we can count. We probably have notebooks from seminars and conferences on closet shelves and on bookcase shelves we have long ago forgotten about. Our heads are full of Bible facts that may have yet to dribble down to heart level. Spiritual maturity doesn't have a certain age attached to it. Knowing the Bible from cover to cover, book by book, fact by fact, doesn't necessarily change lives. The older we become, we can become spiritually lazy, forsaking the continuing growth in Christ that pleases Him.

I have known younger women in their 30's and 40's whose spiritual maturity has often put me to shame. I have seen their enthusiasm for the things of the Lord that results from their avid learning as much about His Word as possible. They then prayerfully apply those things in their every day lives. At the same time, I've also seen Christian women in their 60's and older who go through all of the spiritual routines they should, but have given up serving the Lord or putting the things of God into every day practice. They say, “Let the younger women do it now...I put in my time.” I have found nothing approving in Scripture of that attitude.

Through the years, I have had friends go on to Heaven at young ages. In many cases, I have to say that many of them seemed to cram more into their briefer years than many seem to live out in their golden years. I recently saw a quote from Abraham Lincoln:

“In the end, it's not the years in your life that count,
it's the life in your years.”

Despite our ages, are we living our years to the fullest? Some, while a young mom may not be able to be out and about doing what others do who don't have the ties of home. However, for now, God has a ministry for that young mom. Even women in the middle of a mid-life crisis doesn't have a pass from growing and serving. There are still things to be done for others and for the Lord. I know women who feel put on a shelf right now because of various health situations. Even on that shelf, God is there and still can bring others our way who need to see Jesus in their lives. God never wastes a thing...not a moment or crumb of our lives. No matter the age or situation, our years are to be full of life in Christ.

By the way, my friend Joyce I mentioned in the beginning is one of those ladies who retired after working as a nurse in an Austin hospital for years. If anyone deserved retiring to a rocking chair, she would be one of those people. For her, it was the beginning of serving the Lord as intently as anyone I know. She's been in the church choir for years, works with the International ladies program at her church, been involved in the ladies ministry and is one of those folks that can be called on when needs arise. Even though she's been in the hospital now for some time with a bone infection, Joyce still ministers with her sweet, Godly spirit as she reaches out from a hospital bed through her computer and people contacts where she is. As can be for any of us, God can use us no matter where we are or the conditions we face.

The key for any of us no matter the age is to find our strength in God and His Word. We can rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us and direct us as well to live and learn as we should. Keep in mind that I'm not just talking about busy-ness. Lots of women are busy, but who aren't really living life that benefits themselves or others. The things that count are the things that we do as unto the Lord. For some, those activities may be in the home while for others, serving others in a multitude of other areas are their callings. The key is living to our fullest in relationship with the Lord, growing in Him while serving Him right where He puts us. He will make His plans clear. Meanwhile, we are to serve Him well and thus, live life year by year to its fullest.

One of my prayers from Psalm 71:18 is:

And even when I am old and gray,
O God, do not forsake me, until
I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.

AMEN and AMEN

STEADFAST LOVE

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1 (ESV)

O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good,
for his mercy endureth forever.
Psalm 136:1 (KJV)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 136:1 (NASB)

Praise ye the Lord, because He is good:
for his mercy endureth forever.
Psalm 136:1 (1599 Geneva Bible)

It was a big day in my life. I was a proud first grader. On that day though, I felt ten feet tall because my mother told me I could go to a wedding with her the next Saturday. For some reason, up to that point, I wasn't allowed to go to weddings. I went to friends in the neighborhood proudly proclaiming I was going to a wedding. They all had been to weddings. One very grown up third grade girl said I hadn't been allowed to go probably because the bride and groom kiss each other at the end of the wedding. She thought maybe my mother didn't want me to see that. I was shocked that two people would kiss each other in public but was warned by those girls that it would happen at the wedding. After that encounter, I wasn't even sure I wanted to go but did. Yep, they did it. I covered my eyes but peeked through my fingers to observe the event. To my knowledge, I hadn't seen grownups do that, not even my mom and dad. I thought that would be done in private and not in front of others.

Since that time, I've been to hundreds of weddings, even conducting some wedding rehearsals. I came to learn after a bit of time that the most important part of a wedding wasn't a man and woman kissing each other. That was must meant to seal the important vows a couple would make to each others. The vows may change somewhat through the years and depend on the person officiating the service. For the most part, unless a couple writes their own vows, they say the same thing:

“I take you to be my husband/wife,
To have and to hold from this day forward,
For better or worse
For richer or poorer
In sickness and in health
To love and to cherish
(and obey, for the bride)
Until death do we part.”

Rings are then exchanged with the promise: “With this ring I thee wed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

I don't think there is another day like it in the life of a young man and woman. It's a feeling we wish could be captured for eternity but that wouldn't be very realistic. The strength of promises are meant to last along with a loyalty and firmness of a family foundation.

In preparing for a ladies Bible study, I came across Psalm 136 in my ESV translation and was struck by that term “steadfast love.” Further research told me that “steadfast love” is found in this translation 127 times so that got my attention. I know the term steadfast means “unwavering, constant and firm.” In our society today, steadfast love doesn't seem realistic. Over half of the couples in our country who took those vows before God, family and friends have divorces. Many are on their second, third and even more marriages. Even engaged couples who have come to a parting of ways are often disillusioned by broken hearts. Love had seemed sure but no longer was.

In this fallen world of ours, love isn't going to be what God has intended it to be. Even with two people deeply in love after 50 years of marriage, have had to weather discouraging times with each other. The love between best friends can at times seem faulty and even fail.

Isn't it wonderful to know there is a place and person where pure and perfect love is found. It is unconditional, unfailing and ever constant. In fact, the love God has for us is everlasting and even eternal. Look at those wedding vows again and hear God speak through them to us. How can any human being resist that kind of love and watch care God provides for us. He is our constant in the ups and downs of life, times of illness, when debts come knocking at our door and even in death, we never part from Him. Scripture tells us that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

When we accept that love by accepting Jesus as Savior, our first step of obedience is baptism. In a sense that becomes my wedding ring, saying to the world that I am His and He is mine.

Love in this world may fail us. We will fail at times in our love for others and others for us. Try as we may, the love in this world will be faulty, but God's love will ever be steadfast, a love where we can find rest and security forever.

Thank You Jesus, for loving like no other ever could or would. You gave Your life for me and in that sacrifice You have given me so many blessed promises. You've kept every one while I have so often failed you. Please forgive the inconsistencies in my spiritual walk. In Your precious name...Amen.

Safe Hands

 

...and I give eternal life to them
and they will never perish; and no
one will snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them
to Me, is greater than all, and no
one is able to snatch them out
of the Father's hand.
John 10:28-29
(NASV)

It is interesting and even fun to observe families who come to our area for vacation and how they interact with each other within their own family circles. In many cases, parents have ventured away from home with their teenage children. At first glance, I feel sorry for them, especially if they are observed in certain areas of our national park where cell phones just don't work. There's nothing like a riled up teenager who, for any reason, can't use a cell phone. There are some children, even age 8 and up who want to let the world know that they would rather be home on the couch with their electronics. They aren't used to being in the out of doors any longer than for the time they spend outside waiting on a school bus.

I love watching the young couples with very young children. Boys and girls, especially 4-8 seem fascinated by the wonder of all the park has to offer. They want to wade in every stream, hike every trail and spot any animal that walks. Young children can be seen in strollers and babies in the newest of baby back packs. All parents I've seen seem to be very safety conscious in such a big place where their children are concerned.

When our oldest child, Jennie, was only about three years of age, we came to this place on vacation. We walked on an easy paved trail with Brian holding tight to Jennie's hand. It got to be no matter where we went, Jennie's little hand was in her Daddy's big, safe hand. After a couple of days, Jennie began resisting Brian's taking hold of her hand and this was happening throughout a particular day. It dawned on me to look at Jennie's hand to see if there was a bug bite or some other irritant. The back of her little hand had places of light blue
bruising. Brian had held tightly to her hand for a couple of days and it had become sore. Brian only meant to keep Jennie safe and I'm not sure anyone could have pried her hand from his. I must say that at times in God's hand, I feel a little bruised from circumstances. I know it's probably because I struggle against the firmness of the safety and protection He provides.

Jesus was speaking in Chapter 10 of John regarding His shepherding of us and of His Father's reinforcement of that special care. I am so blessed and encouraged regarding my Heavenly Father's care of me. He doesn't just hold my hand, He holds me IN His hand and not only am I safe from the outside forces of Satan that would do me harm, but nothing or no one can remove me from God's powerful hand. If anything touches my life, it will be because for my good and God's glory, He allows it.

When we accept Jesus as personal Savior, we as much as take up residence in the hand of our Heavenly Father and nothing can change that. When I think of the word “snatch,” I think of someone who is “up to no good.” I think of thieves or criminals of some sort who often take in violent ways what doesn't belong to them. Sounds like the kind of underhanded methods Satan would use to get to us. For criminals, we have police, FBI and the National Guard if necessary to contain or control them. I must admit at times to not feel very secure about today's protection against criminal activity. However, even with all of that, my security doesn't rest with civil authorities. There is no one or nothing that can grab and snatch me from the hand of my Heavenly Father. Jesus is a part of that blessed team and thus I can rest.

We often look to world conditions and entertain feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. That is about all the world has to offer you and me. We can rest in the fact that God is boss, is in charge and is our all in all. All of our times are in His hands. He is loving and determines the path we take in our lives. If He allows pain or suffering in our lives, although we don't understand the process, He still has good and purpose as His intent all the time.

May we renew a deep appreciation within ourselves of God's loving care and security He has for us. May we not resist His care, but allow Him to REALLY be God in our lives. In His hand is the safest place we can be.

Thank You Father, for loving us so much that You want to keep us near to Yourself. Thank You for being in control of our lives and of the paths yu want us to take. In Jesus' precious name...Amen.

Engraved Hands

Behold, I have inscribed you on
the palms of My hands; your walls
are continually before me.
Isaiah 49:16 (NASV)

In the above verse, God was speaking to a concerned people who were about to be taken into captivity. Although this event was inevitable, God wanted His people to have His assurance that they would not be forgotten by Him no matter where they went or in whatever dire circumstances they found themselves. His promise to the people of Jerusalem was so in depth, He promised to engrave them on the palms of His hands. Just seeing the walls of that city so precious to Him would be a reminder of His love for that city and it's people. How this engraving was accomplished, we don't know and don't have to know. God said he had done it and it was done.

All of us have seen things that are engraved. Engraving means to deeply impress into something or to carve into something. If we want to be a little sober, we have all seen grave stones, most of which have engravings of some sort. Such markers used to all be gray in color, but now can be black and light burgundy. They've become more decorative than ever before. However they are done, the engravings are deep enough into the stone to never wear off.

Some couples choose to have certain things engraved into their wedding rings...dates, Bible verses or brief words of endearment. Other types of jewelry may have engravings on them...watches, lockets, baby gifts and wedding items. It's all done to add extra sentiment to the article in honor of an event in people's lives.

There are people in our day, who for their own reasons, choose to have tattoos applied to their skin in various of areas of their bodies. The Bible speaks against it in the Old Testament, but it's almost become a fad. We are told that a tattoo is next to impossible to have removed. It can be done, but usually with great scarring resulting. So in a sense, even the scarring will be a reminder to a person of what was once present.

No matter the items, engravings are meant to inform (send a message), meant to last and meant to remind. As I type, I look at the back of my right hand and see an almost y-shaped scar. I remember the day my hand was injured by the front paw of a very loveable dog. I was making a home visit as casemanager to a foster home. Their big dog greeted me with a stand-up greeting with paws on my shoulders. When reprimanded by the lady of the house, the dog slid down to the floor but in the process, his left front paw tore deep scratches into the back of my right hand. My hand began to protest in red, if you know what I mean. I went to a sink, washed it and then dried it with some pressure with paper towels. The foster mom retrieved the medical gear she was required to keep in the home and doctored my hand. For weeks, the back of my hand was an ugly and sore reminder of what happened that day. As time passed though, when healing had taken place, I still had and have to this day a reminder of that day and of that loveable dog who greeted me with great doggie exuberance.

When I look at the scar on my hand, I think of God's engraving the people and city of Jerusalem on the palms of His hands. He didn't need a reminder of them as He would never forget them as He never forgets us. For God, it was a loving gesture. When the people of Jerusalem were taken into captivity, it could echo in their ears when God said, “Look, I have engraved you on the palm of my hand.” Their captivity was inevitable, but so was the love and presence of God.

Two things cross my mind at this point. Any kind of engraving is permanent. To try to remove such only creates a mess. God has chosen to permanently engrave His people on the palms of His hands. Thus, He considers our relationship with Him to be as permanent as possible. I'm also reminded that such a thing should indicate for me personally that I'm a part of a great relationship with God beyond explaining or understanding.

The main thing we must not forget is that Jesus also bears marks on his hands...scars. His scars are a result of what He did for us on the cross. Jesus doesn't have to be reminded of what He did for us that day. However, those scars should remind us of His love and provision for a wonderful relationship with Him while on this earth as well as the surety of a home in Heaven when at the end of life, when we step out into Eternity. We are a blessed people.

Thank You Father, for loving me so much. You wear me on your hands as a new parent bearing baby pictures for the world to see. You love me so much more than any new parent, close friend or favorite pet. Thank You for being You. I love You so much...In Jesus name...Amen

Celebrate Life!!

Many sacrifices were offered on that
joyous day, for God had given the people
cause for great joy. The women and
children also participated in the celebration,
and the joy of the people of Jerusalem
could be heard far away.
Nehemiah 12:43

God's people certainly had their faults and did their share in disappointing their God of love and of great patience. Despite all of the tribulation and ups/downs of life, the people of Israel certainly knew how to have a party to celebrate God. Why? God had given the people cause for great joy. He has done the very same for you and me as well.

My least desire in writing is to be morbid in any way, but have actually been thinking in a positive, celebratory fashion so hang in with me. When I was in high school, I learned from a conversation my Mother and grandmother were having that folks age 50 and older usually make a habit of reading obituaries in the local newspapers. They often read the obituaries of people they had never known. I found that very strange, but both ladies assured me that when I reached their ages, I would do the same thing. I can't say I have adopted that habit and yet, every now and then, I can't resist taking a peek at our local newspaper's obituary column. We are still new in the area so I very rarely know anyone listed who has died.

On rare occasions, when reading obituaries, I come across one or two that are unbelievably positive and encouraging. Usually with such articles, I see a simple phrase that tells me a lot about the deceased. It might say, “On Tuesday morning, 10:00 at such and such a church, we will CELEBRATE THE LIFE of.......”

“Celebrate the life of...”- - -a phrase used in some obituaries and a good place for it if a person has lived a life that can be celebrated. The article almost always mentions the person, now in Heaven and all he/she did in serving the Lord in church or other places. Perhaps it's my age or life experiences that gives me pause when I see that phrase. What I have wondered about myself or about you who read these words of mine is why must we wait until our funeral for others to celebrate our lives if they would choose to do that.

No matter our stage of life, we all, at times, tend to look back...to remember, reminisce, ponder the past or revisit...whatever we choose to call it. Unfortunately, our nature is to look back at the negatives, mistakes, disappointments and failures. Perhaps we have been through times of great sin or straying from the Lord that brings only thoughts of conviction and letting the Lord down. We can all look back, spending hours chastising ourselves for letting down family, friends and yes, God Himself.

We've almost programmed our minds when recalling past events, to only think in negative terms. I'm wondering if that doesn't reveal a certain amount of ingratitude to God who has been so very good to us through the years, good to us beyond anything we could have ever deserved. There are times I can work myself up into a good crying spell as I think of the times I wasn't the best wife and mom. I've wasted time I could have spent in God's Word. Too often, I spoke ill of other people when I should have simply kept my mouth shut. My list could go on and on...

BUT...

God has been far too good in my life to allow Satan to feed my mind with the negatives I can no longer do anything about....negatives I long ago took to God's throne of grace where they have been placed under the blood of Christ.

SO...

I am choosing to celebrate some things from my life I can rejoice over, not because of any good in me, but because of God's goodness toward me. I will include all of us in these things because of many of these events we share in common.

*Our day of salvation...remember that new-born feeling?
*Receiving my first Bible
*Vacation Bible Schools and past Sunday school teachers/pastors
*Best friends through the years.
*Graduations
*Engagement and wedding
*Children coming into the home
*Job promotion
*Church homes
*Winning folks to Christ
*Special times in the Word of God

*Opportunities of serving the Lord

I could go on and on just as you could as well. I realize that thrown in with the good, there are the ugly things squeezed in between. It is then we make a choice as to what we choose to dwell on. In Philippians 4:8, Paul charged us as to what we should think about and he puts no time restraints on this positive thinking. He says to think things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good report and anything worthy of praise. This refers to our thinking not just in the present but also from our past.

So....what does it mean to celebrate?
Celebrating is openly acknowledging a significant or happy day or event with a party or festive activity.

Can we not celebrate all of those wonderful, positive things God has done in our lives and leave all of the old garbage out of our thinking? Few people agree to attend pity parties. When all we can pull up are negative things in our lives, I believe we are being very ungrateful toward a generous and loving Father. We don't have to throw some kind of party, but we have so much to celebrate because of Him. I'm not ready to send out any invitations to a party, but think for now, I'll go into the kitchen, pour me a fresh diet Coke and just smile awhile.

Father, right now I celebrate You and all you have meant to me through the years. You have forgiven me, blessed and loved me when I least deserved it. I thank You for Jesus and Your Holy Spirit. You are my wonder and my life. I love You. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

Always the Shepherd

My sheep hear my voice, and
I know them, and they follow me.
And I give eternal life to them,
and they will never perish;
and no one will snatch them
out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them
to Me, is greater than all and
no one is able to snatch them
out of the Father's hand.
John 10:27-29

The human voice is a powerful thing. Parents hang on with great hope, listening for their baby's first word. Will she say “Da-da” first or will he utter “Ma-ma” as his first word. In all probability, most babies will come up with “Da-da” first for two reasons. “Da-da” is easier for a baby to say in beginning stages. The second reason is that most mothers coach a baby to say “Da-da.” The spoken word is how God created human beings to communicate. Voices are heard in hundreds of languages. We often enjoy concerts where beautiful singing is enjoyed. We have been orally taught all the way through our education process. Pastors preach to us and Bible teachers instruct us in the things of God's Word. The voice is indeed a miraculous function of the human body.

When problems arise with one's voice, there is a concern. Most of us have had sore throats resulting in laryngitis. I had a dear friend with a beautiful singing voice who had to take a rest from singing because of nodes on her vocal chords. Voices can be lost to throat cancer. We can be grateful that the voice of our Shepherd is never silenced under any circumstances as He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

We become familiar with voices. Any one of my children can call me on the phone. From their first hello, I don't have to wonder which of my children is on the phone. He or she doesn't have to give me their name. I know from years with my children the sound and inflection of each voice. I was often told that, on the phone, my sister Kay and I sounded very much alike. When I visited her home and she asked me at times to answer the phone, her friend on the other end would usually go ahead and begin a conversation until I could notify the friend that I wasn't Kay. Under the usual circumstances, voices we recognize have become familiar through close and ongoing relationships of some kind.

Many years ago, I visited a sheep ranch with some friends. That first morning, looking out a window, the hillside looked solid white as there were hundreds of sheep. We went out and observed the splitting up of the sheep as they were taken out to pasture. There were several individual groups of sheep in the main flock, each with their own shepherd. The shepherd of his flock generally rode in a glorified golf cart with a couple of sheep dogs following. Each shepherd would call to his own flock. Suddenly there would be movement in the huge flock, with sheep separating themselves to follow the departing shepherd. One shepherd began to whistle and after that another began to softly sing a song. Each flock moved right to its shepherd...why? The sheep knew the voice of their shepherd.

Jesus says in the above verse that in our relationship with Him, we hear His voice. That's not going to happen if we aren't in relationship with Him to begin with. There is then instant recognition and with that recognition, we in turn follow Him...no questions asked...followership to the highest degree. If we are anything like real sheep, it means we won't follow any person or theory Satan has to offer. We will respond to and follow only our own personal Shepherd.

The next verse lists the benefits of this relationship with our Shepherd. He promises His sheep eternal life, they will never perish and no one can pluck those sheep out of His hand. Shepherds are very protective. If need be, they will die for the sake of the sheep in His care.
We are sheep that belongs to Jesus' flock. He not only died to provide for us to utmost of protection and care but will do so right into Eternity.

Our Shepherd knows our voice any time we call to Him. It is pitiful though if we fail to recognize His voice when He speaks to our spirits through His Word or just in quiet moments of meditation an prayer. His voice is the only spiritual leadership we hear. There is a world calling out to you and me with it's culture, theories and powerful suggestions. Those voices shouldn't even be recognizable to us. His voice and guidance should be all we heed. Like those sheep on that Colorado hillside who heard a familiar voice bidding them to go to their shepherd, who responded immediately and without hesitation, can we do any less.

We can be grateful that we have the Shepherd we do and that His love is unconditional and ongoing. We also must know that Satan can never remove us from the hand of God...where no one can “snatch us” from His hand and where we find rest.

Thank You Father, for holding me close to Yourself. You have given me eternal life and I'm so grateful for that fact. Help me to stay so close to You that Your voice is immediately recognized in my own spirit. I praise You today for who You are in my life. In Jesus name...Amen

Engraved Hands

Behold, I have inscribed you on
the palms of My hands; your walls
are continually before me.
Isaiah 49:16 (NASV)

In the above verse, God was speaking to to a concerned people who were about to be taken into captivity. Although this event was inevitable, God wanted His people to have His assurance that they would not be forgotten by Him no matter where they went or in whatever dire circumstances they found themselves. His promise to the people of Jerusalem was so in depth, He promised to engrave them on the palms of His hands. Just seeing the walls of that city so precious to Him would be a reminder of His love for that city and it's people.

All of us have seen things that are engraved. Engraving means to deeply impress into something or to carve into something. If we want to be a little sober, we have all seen grave stones, all of which have engravings of some sort. Such markers used to all be gray in color but now can be black and light burgundy. They've become more decorative than before. However they are done, the engravings are deep enough into the stone to never wear off.

Some couples choose to have certain things engraved into their wedding rings...dates, Bible verses or brief words of endearment. Other types of jewelry may have engravings on them...watches, lockets, baby gifts and wedding items.

There are people in our day, who for their own reasons, choose to have tattoos applied to their skin in various of areas of their bodies. The Bible speaks against it in the Old Testament, but it's almost become a fad. We are told that a tattoo is next to impossible to have removed. It can be done, but usually with great scarring resulting. So in a sense, even the scarring will be a reminder to a person of what was once present.

No matter the items, engravings are meant to inform (send a message), meant to last and meant to remind. As I type, I look at the back of my right hand and see an almost y-shaped scar. I remember the day my hand was injured by the front paw of a very loveable dog. I was making a home visit as casemanager to a foster home. Their big dog greeted me with a stand-up greeting with paws on my shoulders. When reprimanded by the lady of the house, the dog slid down to the floor but in the process, his left front paw tore deep scratches into the back of my right hand. My hand began to protest in red, if you know what I mean. I went to a sink, washed it and then dried it with some pressure with paper towels. The foster mom retrieved the medical gear she was required to keep in the home and doctored my hand. For weeks, the back of my hand was an ugly and sore reminder of what happened that day. As time passed though, when healing had taken place, I still had and have to this day a reminder of that day and of that loveable dog who greeted me that day with great doggie exuberance.

When I look at the scar on my hand, I think of God's engraving the people and city of Jerusalem on the palms of His hands. He didn't need a reminder of them as He would never forget them as He never forgets us. For God, it was a loving gesture. Many folks who tattoo their bodies, do so out of wanting a lasting and loving tribute to someone...a parent, spouse or child. When the people of Jerusalem were taken into captivity, it could echo in their ears when God said, “Look, I have engraved you on the palm of my hand.” Their captivity was inevitable, but so was the love and presence of God.

Two things cross my mind at this point. Any kind of engraving or “skin art” are both permanent. To try to remove them only creates a mess. God has chosen to permanently engrave His people on the palms of His hands. Thus, He considers our relationship with Him to be as permanent as possible. I'm also reminded that such a thing should indicate for me personally that I'm a part of a great relationship with God beyond explaining or even at times understanding.

The main thing we must not forget is that Jesus also bears marks on his hands...scars. His scars are a result of what He did for us on the cross. Jesus doesn't have to be reminded of what He did for us that day. However, those scars should remind us of His love and provision for a wonderful relationship with Him while on this earth as well as the surety of a home in Heaven when at the end of life, when we step out into Eternity. We are a blessed people.

Thank You Father, for loving me so much. You wear me on your hands as a new parent bearing baby pictures for the world to see. You love me so much more than any new parent, close friend or favorite pet. Thank You for being You. I love You so much...In Jesus name...Amen

The Folly of Boasting

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise
man boast in his wisdom, let not
the mighty man boast in his might, let
not the rich man boast in his riches,
but let him who boasts boast in this,
that he understands and knows Me,
that I am the Lord who practices
steadfast love, justice, and righteousness
in the earth. For in these things I delight,
declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:23,24 (NASV)

BOASTING: excessive pride and self satisfaction about ones achievements, possessions or abilities and making those things known to anyone who will listen ad nauseum.

When young, even in my teen days, I can't say I ever heard the word “boasting” very much. The word we often used was the word “bragging.” Somehow, “boasting” sounds so pompous. Even back then, there were those in high school and college who didn't hesitate to brag about possessions, family backgrounds, accomplishments of various sorts or even their own good looks. (By the way, attend a high school class reunion and you'll find when it comes to bragging, nothing has changed with the same people.) Much of that came as a result of immaturity, because we all did and said a lot of things in those days that stemmed from the fact that we just hadn't grown up yet.

Probably the bragging I've enjoyed most during the years is when proud grandparents pull out pictures of their grandchildren. I wish I had a dollar for every picture I've looked at and doted on along with friends of children or grandchildren. Most of us have been there. We've also endured the vacation pictures of other folks who had the privilege of going places we only dreamed of. For me, they are usually fun to see.

My first week in a Christian college was an eye-opener in many respects. One of the main reasons for that was that I was in a new environment where there was more emphasis on the things of God than I had ever known. It was (and for all I know, still is) a very caring and friendly place. I loved it from the very beginning. However, I soon learned that there were those beyond the freshman year who didn't hide the fact that they were working very hard to appear to we Freshmen to be the Christian leaders of the campus. As it turned out, some were and some weren't.

We “newbies” were cautioned about one young man, a sophomore, always with a huge Bible under his arm, doing all he could to amass his own group of followers. The main way he won some naïve ones was through his bragging tactics. He didn't hesitate telling people how well he knew the Bible, how far he had come in the Christian life, how he had a high percentage of answers to prayer, etc. Who wouldn't want to be around that person? After all, think of all we could learn being around someone like that. I think the only time in my life when I truly doubted my salvation was after being around that young man for a time. I fortunately felt very led to find other means of spiritual influence in my life. That guy appeared to be a spiritual icon, at least in his own eyes. In the process, some of us felt put down and inferior both of which can cause a certain amount of doubts about things in general.

The people of Jeremiah's day were greatly disturbed when Jeremiah prophesied the coming siege of their city. The people thought they had so much going for them that surely the destruction of their city was impossible...just couldn't happen. They were quick to mention their wisdom, riches, and physical strength that would be a means of defeating any enemy. It's interesting that in our country today, we have the same boastful attitude in thinking our country can't be touched by invasion. We tend to rely on the wisdom of the wise, the money, stocks, etc. of the wealthy, and our military might. We can boast of those things all we want, but God is more powerful than those things as well as over any enemy that would do us harm. Surely we have learned since 9/11 and other terrorist attacks that we are vulnerable. Our country has seen high unemployment, tragic weather events and negative events regarding the economy in general. For the most part, we have lost all bragging rights. We have strayed far from a loving God and He will not take second place in our lives or in our country.

If the people of Jeremiah's day thought the Lord would be impressed with all they had to offer in defense of themselves, He was quick to correct their attitudes. He stated He wanted the people to boast in Him and then God gave them a list. They were to boast in the fact that they understood and knew God. He wanted them to brag on the fact that as the Lord, He exercised loving kindness, judgment and righteousness toward them. God as much as said that if the people were going to boast, then boast in those things that delight Him. God desires the same of us. Lest we feel too secure in everything that surrounds us, we must take heed lest God visit our country as he did those boastful people in those former days.

When all is said and done, you and I have absolutely nothing in this world of which to boast. God wants us to be happy people just as we as parents want our children to be happy. We know though that we won't always be happy people. Events in our lives won't always contribute to feel-good emotions. However, we can find our joy in the fact that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) Every single thing we have been given and own, even the very breath we breathe is from God Himself. Good health, job, precious children, roof over our heads, there is nothing we have that can be separated from His generosity in our lives. We have nothing to boast of when our Heavenly Father has seen to our every need, and often to our many wants and desires. It is all of Him...we cannot boast. The first words from our mouths should be words of praise for God's goodness to us in every facet of our lives.

So God says through Jeremiah that we can boast in our relationship with God and the privilege of knowing Him. We can also boast in God's practice of love, justice and righteousness in our lives. Most bragging focuses on self...how about we do a whole lot of boasting in God, in our Saviour Jesus and in the Holy Spirit who indwells, teaches and leads us every moment of every day.

Dear Father, You are too wonderful to be described. There is no way we can list every goodness You bring into our lives. Above all is Your gift of Jesus who is our Way, Truth and Life. Thank You Holy Spirit for your presence and leadership in our lives. Father, we praise You in these moments for You being Who You are every moment of every day.. In Jesus precious name....Amen

Going A Little Beyond

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the LORD your God is with you wherever
you go.
Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

There's a small bookmark sitting here on the arm of my chair that I have made for the ladies who are in the Bible study I lead on Sunday evenings. I will give them out at our Sunday session, but for today, I sit looking at it. On one side is a lovely mountain picture, while on the back is typed just what you read above...the title and the verse.

In our Bible study we are looking at the life of Peter before we dig into the study of his two epistles. In our study of Jesus' latter days on earth as we are viewing the four Gospels, we are about to go into the garden with Jesus and His disciples. The dynamic there is interesting, and yes, instructive for us.

After Jesus' Passover meal with His group of disciples and with Judas having been dismissed to go finalize his betrayal plans, the group walked to the garden of Gethsemane. Just inside the garden, He asked His disciples to sit down and wait with Him while He went to pray. From that group, He asked Peter, James and John to go further into the garden with Him. By now, the other disciples would not have thought this to be unusual. For some time, that group of three had become Jesus' inner circle with Peter, he probably being Jesus' best earthly friend.

In that moment as that special trio of men sat down, Jesus asked something very simple of them. He wanted them to watch and pray with Him. However, Jesus didn't stay with them. My Bible translation says that then, Jesus went beyond them. Here was one of the most devastating times of Jesus' life. The time had arrived when he would be given over to blood thirsty soldiers. He knew from Eternity that this time would come. The evil of it all became more and more evident as He walked on the earth, growing up and then ministering to the sinful, flesh-and-blood people He had come to die for. Jesus was about to walk beyond the group...alone.

There are times in our lives when we, too, must walk beyond the group, be that group family or friends. When we face very difficult times in our lives, we usually want the company of friends and family. How many of us would go to a hospital for surgery minus any other human being at our side. Little children on their first day of school want their mothers to at least walk them to the door of the school or better yet, to their classrooms. Still, at times, we are asked to go beyond...alone. Even when one has surgery, the waiting room may be filled with lots of friends, but at the last, someone we don't know wheels us into the surgical suite where no one familiar can go. The child going to first day of school, still has to go into that classroom and take a seat with no parent around.

All of us at one time or another will be called upon to “go a little beyond” and to do it completely alone, humanly speaking. When called upon to go through those times, what do we do other than lose sleep or appetite? Such times can cause one to be weepy, become grouchy or even make foolish decisions that will be regretted later. All of those things can be very normal reactions for some, but hopefully not all at once. So, when life calls on us to go beyond and alone, what are some things that will aid us in this process.?

For those of us who are born-again Christians, our initial responses should be spiritual ones. We must realize that although at the time we are without other human contact, Jesus never leaves us. In fact, the Holy Spirit in us feels every breath we breathe or tear we shed. He's as aware of our physical pain or emotional stress even more than we are. It's hard for us to wrap ourselves around the fact that there is Anyone who knows us that intimately, but it's a fact backed by the promises of Scripture.

Scripture will be a comfort to us IF we know anything about it. It's hard to claim promises from anyone, let alone our Heavenly Father if we don't know what they are. Our Bible study group is going to be going into a study of Peter's epistles. Together, the two epistles makes up only 8 chapters. Peter through the Holy Spirit had at least one major purpose in it's writing...that being the preparation for and comfort during suffering. Christians of that day were already in various stages of persecution by the Roman government. Christians had scattered to various parts of the known world. Wherever they were, Peter wrote to them to encourage them in the hardest of times. His words would come to be life preservers for those, who although living in groups, were still walking beyond and alone. So Scripture is a major source of blessing in those “beyond” times.

Prayer is such a powerful thing and yet, we almost ask in an apologetic way for the prayers of others. When a friend is in deep crisis, I've often felt guilty telling the person that I will be praying. At the moment, it seems like so little compared to what the friend is enduring. It seems like there should be so much more to do for that friend. Think about it...I can call on the Greatest Healer with the Greatest power ever known to come to the aid of my friend. As a friend of mine used to say, “That ain't chump change.”

You and I can also learn to practice the presence of God in our lives. How many hours a day do we go without giving God a thought and the fact that He is with us through the thick and thin of life on a 24/7 basis. I love that verse in our beginning from Joshua 1 but I have to wonder about myself at times if I really believe that verse. He is present in the difficult times but also during the everyday comings and goings of our lives. He's interested in everything about your life and mine just as we were with our own children when they were very young.

We must also do all we can to keep spiritual influences flowing in our lives especially with Christian people. We need Godly influence in our activities, the churches we attend, the things we read and the friends we have. We can't have all of these things at all times to be encouragements in our lives, but I'm afraid we don't even think about the importance of trying.

So here I sit with my little bookmark. I have told Bible study ladies in the past that the teacher or preacher of God's Word will often be tested on their own teaching. I hope my little bookmark will be an encouragement for them, but for right now, it's me who is reading the back of mine for personal reasons. Last week I learned I have an eye condition that will probably require injections into my left eye. If done, it will be out of necessity and today's appointment will reveal what's to be done. In my humanity, do I feel somewhat fearful and dismayed....yep! However, I'm reading the rest of the verse that as I “go a little beyond” leaving everyone or everything familiar outside, I know I never go alone for the LORD my God goes with me.

Thank You Father, for Your presence in my life whether it be at home, in a doctor's office or at the grocery store. Your interest in me is beyond expression and I pray I will never take it for granted. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

Love, Practically Speaking

And now abideth faith, hope, and
love, these three; but the greatest
of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:13

With whatever spiritual maturity I have come to, one thing I have learned is that I Corinthians chapter 13 does not stand alone. In fact, it is nestled between two chapters that teach much about spiritual gifts. This chapter is read at a majority of weddings and there is nothing wrong with that. When viewing it through the prism of the spiritual gifts, this precious chapter can take on a much deeper meaning as we read it. The subject was important enough for the Holy Spirit to address it. In our Scripture it stands alone as a chapter and interestingly, as well as it being I Corinthians 13 in our Bibles, it has also been broken down into 13 verses.

Going through several things in an old box today, I came across a folder of articles I wrote about 35 years ago for a ladies magazine. One particular article was stuck between a couple of other articles and know it wasn't published at the time. Some of it may sound dated, but one day, I sat down, probably some time in 1979, and wrote out I Corinthians13 applying it to my life at the time. Can't help but share it with you. You may get a chuckle every now and then and that's okay or you may find yourself being critical. You might even be able to find yourself in some of the wording. Keep in mind, I had very young children at the time, one of which was still not in school.

I CORINTHIANS 13 (to me)

1. Even though I have a good gift of “gab” or can speak before hundreds of ladies, if I don't do so in love, what I've said will echo no longer than the sound of a spoon landing in the sink or two pot lids being banged together.

2. And even though I have a pretty good amount of common sense and a good head on my shoulders and am a fairly understanding person, and have faith in God's ability to work miracles in my life – without love, I'm a big zero.

3. And if I'm generous and give the last piece of meat from my freezer to a widow lady in my church, and though I'd give my life for what is right – without love, I would be doing it all for show.

4. Love suffers through late-night fevers and chicken pox, but comes through with a smile and sweet spirit; love doesn't care about Mrs. Brown's new house, furniture and wardrobe; love doesn't flaunt one's own possessions or abilities, doesn't over-rate her standing in the human race.

5. Love doesn't act in an inappropriate way for the occasion, doesn't seek to push herself into the presidency of the Women's Missionary Society, is rarely offended, and always thinks the best of everyone, giving all the benefit of the doubt.

6. She doesn't enjoy and “chew” on reports of sin and evil among friends and acquaintances, but is thrilled with reports of good – a soul won, a verse memorized, a friend's spiritual growth.

7. Love can take anything, shoulder all belief and hope, and can endure when a husband misunderstands, child errs, or financial disaster hits. Love can take it all in stride.

8. Love's always unfailingly present. Prophecies, language, knowledge and education are only temporary things; they'll ebb and vanish eventually.

9. We can never know all there is to know anyway.

10. But when Jesus comes, then all our wisdom and “smarts” will seem as nothing, for His knowledge is entire and complete.

11. When I was a little girl, I talked baby talk and understood my friends well, but not big people. I figured things out like a little girl. But when I grew up to be a woman, I put my dolls and story books away. I lost interest in mud pies and dressing up in my mother's sheer curtains and high heels.

12. Someday, all will be made very clear to me through the perfect light of God's love and I'll know as much about me then as He knows about me now.

13. So here you have three of the greatest emotions and gifts ever given to us by God – faith, hope and love – but love tops them all! It's the icing on the cake!!!

Thank You Father for being the love of my life. I know I don't have an ounce of love to give anyone except it come from You through me. Give me more love for others and more love for You as well. Thank You Jesus, for personifying love for us all. In Your precious name...Amen!