TAKE MY HAND

 

Thou wilt show me the path of life:
at Thy right hand there are pleasures
for evermore.
Psalm 6:11

Sometimes when I'm going through a hard time, my mind goes back 50 years to a telephone conversation I had with a dear man. At the time, I was the secretary to our church music pastor. He was writing a book regarding the stories by familiar hymns. As I recall, it was one of the first of it's kind.

My boss asked me to call a man by the name of Thomas Dorsey who resided in the Chicago area. Back then, you could call most anyone, anywhere at anytime with little if any red tape. Mr. Dorsey had written a then very popular hymn and I was asked to get the story. Fortunately, he answered the phone right away and I told him the reason for my call. He had a deep, melodic voice. I already knew he was a very gracious black man.

He relayed to me how he had gone to a distant city to help lead the music in a revival. He had left his wife who was expecting their first baby any day. She encouraged her husband to go ahead that they would be fine. Things weren't fine. Before he could get back home, his wife and baby both died in the birth process. After the funeral, he said he was more at a loss than he could explain or deal with.

Within days, he sat down at the piano, picking out a new tune with one finger. He said the melody just flowed and the words came flooding is mind and heart:

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on...help me stand.
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.

The rest is history. His is a song of comfort and encouragement heard around the world. While in the deepest pit he thought he could ever be in, God took his hand, lifted him from those depths to be used in the lives of millions who needed his song.

Despite our despair or troubled times, we too can reach out, pleading for that gentle hand of our Savior to lift us and comfort us in the hardest of times. His hand is always extended to us no matter our pain. From all of that can come a beauty from ashes that cannot be explained.

Thank You Father, for Your strong hand in our lives. May we learn to hang on tightly, trusting the fact that You do all things well. In Jesus precious name....Amen

ENJOYING THE WORD

Thy words were found, and I did
eat them; and thy word was unto me
the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:
for I am called by thy name, O Lord
God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16

It goes back to college days....It was late afternoon while in my dorm room that a favorite Christian song came on my radio. I knew it was a favorite of another girl down the hall, a dear friend. I walked quickly down to the other end of the hall where my friend resided to let her know her favorite was on the radio.

Usually it was the courtesy to knock before entering another persons room but on this occasion, I did a quick knock and walked in. My friend was laying sideways on her bed on her stomach, arms folded on the bed's edge looking down toward the floor. It was odd enough but I asked her if she was okay. She looked at me with her usual huge, warm smile and let me know she was just having a recreation time...in the Word. I must admit that I was stunned at her comment. I walked around her bed and sure enough, there on the floor beside her bed was her open Bible. She had used the word “recreation” with regard to her Bible reading in that moment.

When I think of anything to do with recreation, I had thought of relaxing, sports, hobbies, and even fun but never with regard to the Word of God. I'm not sure I remembered about that favorite song that day...I was somewhat stunned trying to grasp this new concept my friend seemed to have already come to know. Let me quickly say that I don't know of anyone who ever took the Bible more seriously that my sweet friend. It was nothing frivolous to her. It was sacred and serious to her in every way, but she had a relationship with her Bible I had never known or ever thought about.

In my contacts through the years with ladies either in Sunday school classes or Bible study groups, many have expressed a difficulty in approaches to the Word of God. It would seem that reading or studying it appears for many to be a chore, a have-to activity, almost a bother or even drudgery. Perhaps many of us have felt some of those things in time past, but would never admit it.

Whatever our approach to our Bibles, it must mean we have an intent of hearing from the Lord in our reading. We should never walk away with nothing learned. One can read and read the Bible and come away with nothing. We should always approach the word first by involving the Holy Spirit. Without the leading of the Holy Spirit, all is vain without His personal instruction. Our reading doesn't have to be toilsome and drudgery. We can relax and enjoy our time with the blessed Word. Treat it like a love letter from someone dear to you. The Bible is a love letter to us that is unmatched by any other communications of love from others.

Father, we thank You for putting into our hands, copies of your Word that we know to be Your love letter to us. Thank You for it's correction, guidance and love for us as only You can reveal. Help us to not only read the Word faithfully but to live it. In Jesus name...Amen

 

TRUST AND OBEY

Trust in the LORD with all thine
heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5,6

In high school, I memorized Proverbs 3:5,6. I had memorized a few other verses but never two at a time. That really seemed like a load at the time. Of course, by now, I've come to know that even chapters from the Bible can be memorized. I didn't know, however, through the years how much the two verses from Proverbs would come to mean to me.

Sometime back, in looking over these verses, I noticed something about how they compliment each other. The two verses when blended back each other up in meaning. Please don't kick me out of the faith for doing this but it just spoke to me. Please note the use of the word ALL:

Trust in the LORD with ALL thine heart...(2) in ALL thy ways acknowledge him
and lean not unto thine own understanding...(2) and he shall direct thy paths.\\

Why I did that is because I was taking a long look at the word TRUST. Trust is another one of those words that is hard to define because we seem to know the meaning of trust without a word of explanation. We think of trust as relying on the word and character of another person.

Spiritually speaking, trust is believing in the promises of God in all circumstances. He has proven Himself true and trustworthy in every situation, whether on the sunny days or in dire days of suffering and pain. No, He hasn't given us everything we have asked Him for, but He knows what to grant to us that will build us spiritually.

We have all been betrayed at one time or another and it is always disappointing. It also causes in us a caution with regard to the betrayer. Humanly speaking, it takes a very long time to get past that kind of thing. When it comes to trust, aren't we grateful that our God has never broken a trust with us. We have probably at times be lax in our trust of Him.

The way I have written the verses above, I see in the first line the ALL words. That means there is an expectation on our part if this trust relationship is to be a healthy one on our part. It means our trusting and acknowledging God to the fullest. It also means that when we are intent on “doing our own thing” it makes His direction in our lives difficult.

Bottom line in it all is for us to “trust and obey...for there's no other way.”

Father, You have given us every reason to trust You completely. May we come to know You better and better knowing our trust in You will be increased. We love You for loving us more than we can know and for giving Jesus to die for our unworthy selves. In His love...Amen 

PRIVILEGE OF PRAISE

Praise ye the LORD,
Praise, O ye servants
of the LORD,
praise the name
of the LORD.
Psalm 113:1

In our humanity, when we think of “praise”, it is usually in the context of complimenting someone usually for a job well done or perhaps of a person's personal appearance. The fact is that even in our everyday conversation, we don't use the word “praise” very much at all. Such is not to be the case when it comes to praising our God. I thought of some things that can be a part of praise and that can remind us of the privilege of praise:

PRAY
READ BIBLE
AWARENESS OF SURROUNDINGS
INIQUITY CONFESSED
SONG
EXALTATION

There are more things that can be involved with praise...these are just a few. I've been aware of my surroundings in these days as I've ridden through the mountains observing the beauty of the trees, river and even wildlife. I have found myself praising God for His creation that is to enjoy.

Exaltation is that of holding someone in the highest regard possible. There is really only One worthy of that kind of recognition in our lives and that is our Lord. In this we show our love for God in worship as we express as human beings our admiration of our great God.

Let's be clear...God knows Who and what He is. We can repeat to Him all of His attributes we can name. Praise isn't informing God of who He is. Praise is our coming to know more and more who God is. Our praise should be often, regular and sincere.

Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and for
evermore.
From the rising of the sun unto
the going down of the same, the
LORD'S name is to be praised.
Psalm 113:2,3

We praise You, dear LORD and words don't seem adequate. We know You see our hearts and pray You see our love and adoration for You. In Your precious name...Amen

WORDS MATTER

Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord, my strength and my
redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Not sure in the beginning, where the above words came from as I was new to our church youth group, but caught on quickly that it was a verse from Scripture. At the end of every youth group meeting, before the evening church service, our group stood in a circle, holding hands with heads bowed, and we repeated the above verse in unison.

The verse is a very probing one, almost too probing for a group of kids, but with time and some maturity, even to this day,for me, it's very convicting. Most often, we make excuses for our times of “hoof-in-mouth” disease where we just blurt out anything we feel like saying. These times are often too frequent for any of us to keep track of.

David wrote Psalm 19 which is a precious Psalm to say the least. Here David mentioned two areas of interest....words and thoughts. We have come to know that words and thoughts are very close relatives, each affecting the other. Our words should always lift up, edify another person. We live in a time hearing words of threat, accusation, terror and lies. In these areas, God calls us to be different.

As Christians, we are called to speak just the opposite. In our speaking and meditation, our main goal should always be that we please and glorify our Lord. With Him as our strength and redeemer, we are empowered to do the right thing. Even for we believers, there are times we lose sight of the importance of what we speak or think. We have had feelings hurt by others and we have, as well, said hurtful things to others. Neither is “acceptable.”

One of our calls is to be like Jesus as much humanly as we can. In reading in the Gospels of some of the incidents that faced Him of scorners, doubters difficult situations, He replied to adversaries with a calmness that was a wonder. In every case, He answered those doubters in such a way that left them stunned in silence. This is such an example for us as we deal with difficult people in our lives.

We must realize that what is in the mind will come out, uncensored through the mouth. That's why in Philippians 4:8, Paul listed some things we need to think upon instead of what we read or see in books, newspapers, newscasts and any mind-infecting things. We have more control over our speech and thinking than we can believe because we have the advantage of having the Holy Spirit leading and prompting us. In any circumstances, we would do well to think before we speak...speaking in ways that are helpful and that bring glory to the Lord.

Father, set a guard over my mouth. May I speak with kindness, choosing my words in such a way that will please you. May I filter my speaking through the spirit of Your word. In Jesus' name...Amen. 

WHAT'S NEW

But without faith it is impossible
to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6

For close to 83 years now, I have lived through many New Year holidays. Many of those in the beginning years, I have no recall of anything having to do with the change of a year's date overnight. When grade school age, I remember our church had a New Year's Eve fellowship time. The first part of the celebration was a regular church service. We would then break for a big eating time in the basement. For a long time, that eating time was the highlight for me. After that, we again assembled in the upstairs auditorium and various things were done from year to year as we awaited the strike of the clock at midnight. There was a prayer time at midnight and then we headed for home.

In those days, there were always talks of resolutions. For a long time I didn't know what that meant and really didn't care. I understand that concept more now than then but I still shy away from that word “resolutions.” When I see that word, I think self determination. Its when I determine how I am going to change, how I intend to steer my life, or how I determine I am going to overall do better. It is then I must admit to some definite “I” trouble.

For me, an approaching new year has meant reviewing the old year. I'm well aware of my weaknesses and God has seen me through them, but not of my own doing. As I look to a new year, I know things that need changing in my life, but I can't do that on my own. Without the Lord Jesus in my life, I can't change a thing. There is just so much we can do on our own usually with limited results. Without Jesus, I'm unable to make major changes on my own.

On my part, I do know the one thing that is most needed in my life this year. We've had some Sunday school lessons of late that have mentioned the word “seek.” Jesus stated in His teaching that if I seek, I will find. I know I need to be more of a seeker of the things of God. I need more time in God's Word, not just hearing it but applying it. I need to seek God in prayer and meditation more than ever.

As I've now stepped into 2022, I am promised that God is already going before me, preparing my way through the territory of a new year. I must watch for His footsteps and not veer from the path He is paving for my good and for His glory.

Thank You Father for a new year. We don't know what it will bring in our lives, but we know as we involve You in our every moment, all will be well. Guide and direct us in these days. May we walk in obedience to You and Your will. In Jesus name...Amen|

A HOPEVALE MEMORY

Precious in the sight of the Lord,
is the death of His saints.
Psalm 116:15

Much of my growing years were spent in an American Baptist denomination church. The denomination was very strong on missions and missionary support. Through the years, I noticed the frequent use of the word “Hopevale”. It seemed to be such a key word when it came to missions. I later learned of 12 missionaries living in a very jungle-isolated place during World War II, hoping to avoid being found by Japanese soldiers. They had built shelters and even an area for worship in that place and called it Hopevale. Those dear folks were later found and martyred.

After my sophomore year in college, I went to serve on the student staff at our denominations conference center in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Someone mentioned a trail of interest regarding Hopevale that was up from the center, but as I recall wasn't very accessible. You had to know where you were going even though at the time I wasn't quite sure what I was even looking for.

The trail wound through a dense forest area. Every now and then, there were stopping places along the trail. At each place was a poem posted, each written by Jennie Adams, a martyred nurse. I had recently purchased a hard back New Testament, but didn't have it with me upon that first visit. As I walked that trail and stopped to read each poem, I knew I had to return and copy them. They are written in the back of that very old, beat up book that I still have.

In retrieving that book and checking the back, there they are...poems written in such a simple, but profound fashion. That young woman had no idea when the Japanese soldiers would come. This is just one of those poems.

Living in a lonely forest
War clouds darkening the earth
Stripped of treasures I valued,
Things that once seemed of worth.
Though I'm barefoot in the kitchen
With it's dirt and gravel floor
I'm not poor while I have orchids
Blooming at my kitchen door.

I'm thinking of missionaries today who face danger every day in their ministries across the world. Many can't even say where they are located nor can they make public that they are missionaries and not just computer techs or teachers. They lived on an edge we will never understand and pray we will never have to know in our own lives.

More and more, we're finding that we Christians aren't the most popular in our own country and that sentiment is growing the more we take our stands for Christ. We may never walk barefoot in a dense forest. hiding from those whose aim it is to destroy us. We have a hope beyond any understanding as did the Hopevale twelve that Satan's crowd will never understand.

Dear Father, thank You for the memory of those who have gone before us, bearing Your message in the most difficult of circumstances. May we too be faithful in sharing Your message while there is time. Thank you for Jesus and all He means to us. Amen

I'm thinking of missionaries today who face danger every day in their ministries across the world. Many can't even say where they are located nor can they make public that they are missionaries and not just computer techs or teachers. They lived on an edge we will never understand and pray we will never have to know in our own lives.

More and more, we're finding that we Christians aren't the most popular in our own country and that sentiment is growing the more we take our stands for Christ. We may never walk barefoot in a dense forest. hiding from those whose aim it is to destroy us. We have a hope beyond any understanding as did the Hopevale twelve that Satan's crowd will never understand.

Dear Father, thank You for the memory of those who have gone before us, bearing Your message in the most difficult of circumstances. May we too be faithful in sharing Your message while there is time. Thank you for Jesus and all He means to us. Amen 

GIFT OF GOD

For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Romans 6:23

My sister Kay and I had been hearing from our grandmother for several weeks before Christmas, a tradition from the “old country”. She said that in that country, if children had been bad, they found only a small bunch of switches or twigs under the Christmas tree on that special day. Kay and I pretty much didn't pay attention to the story as it didn't seem to apply to us. I was about to be six at the time and Kay was around four.

On that particular Christmas day, we rose with great anticipation. Standing in the dining room where our “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree standing with lights blinking and where our parents and grandmother stood against a wall. It was obvious as we approached the tree that there were NO presents to be seen. Kay and I stood, holding hands, looking stunned. However, under the tree were two small bunches of twigs wrapped around the center of the bunches with red paper and a bow.

I recall without a word from us, we picked up our sticks and took them to our table and chairs set that sat near the tree. We sat down, opened our twigs and began sorting them out much as we had done with our Lincoln Logs. There were no tears or questions on our part...only silence and the sound of breaking twigs.

My dad suddenly, with a few choice words, not meant to be heard on Christmas day or any other day, announced that the whole thing had gone too far. He left the room and returned with as many presents as he could hold. His last trip produced two shiny tricycles. I can't recall anything being said about that day ever. No one apologized for the stunt nor did we sisters ever bring it up. I must say that we were a little leery when the next Christmas came around. Presents had been purchased, but not presented at the appropriate time. As I recall, the gifts were really good, much of what we had asked for. There was just some special that was no longer there.

God has given us the greatest gift ever. We have the gift of eternal life because of the gift of His Son, despite our sinful state. It's also a gift God doesn't play with. It's ours for the asking and our Father never takes it back. It's for eternity and aren't we glad about that. His Gift far excels anything man can come up with. How can we not praise God for His excellent gift that we won't become bored with, wear out or break. Because of Jesus...every day is Christmas and every day a gift.

Father God, we praise You for Your love and care of us. You never tease us or play with our feelings. You are real with us in every way and we can't thank You enough for Your unspeakable Gift. Thank You Jesus, for being our Savior and Friend....Amen 

WHAT'S IN A NAME

Therefore, the Lord himself shall
give you a sign; Behold a
virgin shall conceive, and bear
a son, and shall call is name
Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

Everything and everyone we know has a name. In nature, trees, flowers, animals, rocks, rivers and the list goes on and on all that have names. Places have names familiar to us. Those names may be attached to countries, home towns, streets or vacation spots. We know many buildings by their familiar names as well as popular monuments.

Human beings have been named since the Garden of Eden. The names of Adam and Eve have been known by all down through the years. Down through time, people with famous names have been known by their deeds which may have registered with either negative or positive responses. There have never been perfect people so although a person may have a stellar reputation, he or she still has flaws in their lives.

In early Bible days, it was the father who named any babies that came into the family. Names almost always held some special meaning, meanings that held hope for what that baby would turn out to be as an adult. Beyond our own given names, when we were born again into God's family, we took the name of Christian. That name we bear should never bring shame to the Father who approved that given name

When outsiders of our faith know you and me to be Christians, they don't hesitate to watch us carefully, often with negative scrutiny. We are still sinners saved by God's grace and who still make our share of mistakes. Our responsibility is to maintain good names for God's glory and good. It behooves us to take seriously the importance of a good testimony.

All of these things about names fade as we, in this holiday season, think about that name above all names that everyday becomes more and more precious. Isaiah in 9:6 says:

For unto us a child is born, unto us
a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and
his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.

Those names only scratch the surface of who Jesus is in our lives. In our relationship with Him, we have come to know so much more about our loving Savior. He is more than a name. He is the Love of our lives.

Father, we thank You today and every day for Jesus and all He has done in for each of us. What a precious gift He is not just on one day, but everyday. Thank You Father and thank You Jesus for all You mean to us...Amen 

THAT CREATIVE TOUCH

In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

So often, in our Bible reading we may put to one side the more familiar passages of Scripture we feel we know well and put those passages on a back shelf of our minds. Genesis 1-3 have always been fascinating to me. They are verses full encouragement as well as seeing the amazing power of God. We read in those chapters that the trinity...God, Son and Spirit...were all involved in the work of creation. Creation or creativity don't mean how we usually use those words. In fact:

CREATION IS THE ACT OF MAKING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING!

So if someone happens to compliment us on our creativity, we may know what they are talking about, but in reality, the use of that word as we use it is very much off track. Through the years, ladies have complimented me being so creative with the “foldies” I have made through the years for Sunday school class members. In truth, I didn't create anything. I went to a craft store, purchased pre-designed paper, ribbon to match and a jar of rubber cement. Those things were already on the shelf, already made. All I had to do was put it all together. Yes, it takes some thought and often use of Scripture, but in it all, creativity wasn't involved.

There's an area of God's creativity for which I'm most thankful. I know I sin, and know any number of times I greatly disappoint God. There are times I just don't measure up to God's expectations of me. It's all my own doing and don't have any ability to mend myself without God's supernatural help. So often my need and what I so desperately need can be found in the following verse:

Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

There are times I so need my Heavenly Father's redo of my heart and spirit. It's almost like He has to start all over with me...creating from the beginning. How ever He chooses to do it, He's the only one that can create a clean heart in me and a bonus with that is the renewal of a right spirit in me. If God can create anything and everything in the beginning, He's more than capable of doing His creative work in my dirty, sinful heart. The cleanliness He brings is such a wonder and He is to be praised.

Thank You Father for loving me despite who and what I am at times. I so love and appreciate You for the work You do in my life. Thank You for Your refreshing tough in my life that can only come from You. Thank You, Jesus, for making all this possible...In Your Name...Amen