What a contrast these two are, and it's fitting that an old proverb uses them to describe the changeable March weather: "In like a lion, out like a lamb," and supposedly, the reverse is true as well. Our weather here on March 1 was not exactly leonine, but it wasn't lamblike either. Today, on March 31, the weather is pleasant, but we are still talking about the blizzard some parts of Kansas experienced last week, with twenty-eight inches of snow in at least one county, and drifts up to six feet. Definitely the lion!
My favorite linking of lion and lamb, though, does not concern the weather. Old Christian hymns and modern worship songs alike honor the Lord Jesus Christ as both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. A strange pairing indeed, for the One who is not unpredictable like March weather, but is "the same yesterday, today, and forever"!
Why is Jesus called a lion? Lions are fierce and mighty, often used as a symbol of royalty. As John received the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he reported, “Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”(Revelation 5:5) This makes reference to the prophecy Jacob gave about the descendants of his son Judah, "Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. (Genesis 49:9, 10) When John looks then, he expects to see a powerful, majestic lion, a king who can overcome all opposing forces. Instead—a lamb.
Why is Jesus called a lamb? There are a great many references in Scripture to lambs, the vast majority referring to those which were killed as sacrificial offerings. Perhaps the most significant one is found in Isaiah 53, where the Savior is said to be like a lamb led to slaughter "for the iniquity of us all." In God's justice, He must exact the penalty for sin about which He warned Adam and Eve—death. In His mercy, He has provided a substitute sacrifice in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus, both Lion and Lamb. We need to see Him as both; to see Him as only one or the other is to have a distorted view. If we see only the Lion-Jesus, we may expect Him quickly to avenge us against our enemies—that is, whoever opposes us personally, politically, or nationally—and take His rightful place as ruler. That is exactly what the first-century Jews wanted, and they failed to recognize their Messiah because He did not "roar." We could even make the mistake of thinking that we can force others to accept the Lion's authority—and by extension, our own special rights.
If we see only the Lamb-Jesus, we may be charmed into thinking that grace and forgiveness and eternal life are ours without question or commitment. We may minimize the seriousness of God's commands, or we might fail to develop a sturdiness of faith that can withstand difficulty.
Love the complete Jesus. Don't try to direct the Lion. Don't try to make a pet of the Lamb.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
I'll Just Die . . .
"I'll just die," she says,
"If he doesn't answer pretty soon."
Lovesick, she checks, re-checks her phone,
Sure she'll perish if he won't reply.
"I'd die for you," he says—
Husband, father, protector, friend.
He's strong and brave, but hoping still
It will never have to come to that.
Do they know anything of love?
Passion tore the Savior's heart.
"I'd rather die," He said,
"Than live without you." And He did.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
"If he doesn't answer pretty soon."
Lovesick, she checks, re-checks her phone,
Sure she'll perish if he won't reply.
"I'd die for you," he says—
Husband, father, protector, friend.
He's strong and brave, but hoping still
It will never have to come to that.
Do they know anything of love?
Passion tore the Savior's heart.
"I'd rather die," He said,
"Than live without you." And He did.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Reunion Is Still On!
A family friend wrote, when he learned of my brother's death, "I'll be in prayer for you as you gather...and sing...and remind each other of the hope of our faith, that The Reunion is still on." Reading that message, I arrived at two conclusions:
The Reunion is still on! Last summer when my siblings were all together except for the brother already deceased, we had such a wonderful time! We did not know, of course, that this would be the last gathering exactly like this. The memories linger with such clarity and pleasure, it is hard to realize that this member of the clan will not be with us next time. How we will miss him! He leaves a great hole in the family structure. But The Reunion is still on—death does not rob us of anything but physical presence. He lives on at a higher level.
The Reunion is still on! We miss those who are already gone—our parents, two brothers now, a baby boy, a niece and her husband. We anticipate the day when all of us will gather where there is no parting, death, or sorrow. The Reunion is still on! .
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
The Reunion is still on! Last summer when my siblings were all together except for the brother already deceased, we had such a wonderful time! We did not know, of course, that this would be the last gathering exactly like this. The memories linger with such clarity and pleasure, it is hard to realize that this member of the clan will not be with us next time. How we will miss him! He leaves a great hole in the family structure. But The Reunion is still on—death does not rob us of anything but physical presence. He lives on at a higher level.
The Reunion is still on! We miss those who are already gone—our parents, two brothers now, a baby boy, a niece and her husband. We anticipate the day when all of us will gather where there is no parting, death, or sorrow. The Reunion is still on! .
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Friday, March 27, 2009
Well, Glory!
Some people I know sigh a lot. When they sit down in a chair, they sigh; when they get up, they sigh. When they sit down to eat, they sigh; when they finish their meal, they sigh. When they are thinking things through, they sigh, and when they've reached a conclusion, they sigh. Other people do or say other things, and they do them so often that their actions become part of their identity for us.
My brother, who only recently passed away, had one of those ingrained, unique habits. "Well, glory!" he would say loudly and often—like this: "Well, GLOW-ree!" I don't remember when he began using that phrase, nor how it originated. But what I think he meant was:
- God is good
- Life is good.
- I'm a contented man
- I'm grateful.
When, on that Saturday afternoon in March, he first stepped onto "the other shore" and viewed eternal things, I imagine his first words might have been, "Well, GLO-RY!"
And more than ever before, he'd have been right.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
My brother, who only recently passed away, had one of those ingrained, unique habits. "Well, glory!" he would say loudly and often—like this: "Well, GLOW-ree!" I don't remember when he began using that phrase, nor how it originated. But what I think he meant was:
- God is good
- Life is good.
- I'm a contented man
- I'm grateful.
When, on that Saturday afternoon in March, he first stepped onto "the other shore" and viewed eternal things, I imagine his first words might have been, "Well, GLO-RY!"
And more than ever before, he'd have been right.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Things Mama Taught Me: "Shame on You"
A great many of the things my mother taught me by precept and example are great lessons for living life well. But she missed it on a few lessons and this is one of them.
I am absolutely convinced that mistakes made in my upbringing were simply that—mistakes, not lack of love. I was raised by my mother and father, with input by teachers and church men and women and various aunts and uncles, in much the same way they were raised by their parents, teachers, and so on. We lived in a culture and in a time period where children and adults alike were controlled to a large extent by being made to feel ashamed. Most of all, we learned that we were shameful creatures before God.
The causes of shame were many, ranging from really bad things that one could not even discuss to just not being "nice," however that was defined in the family. Sometimes the shame came, not from the outside at all but from within, about things for which I was not even responsible—someone else's behavior or circumstances I could not help. I could not please people; some (not my mother) gestured "Shame on you," by pointing at me and rubbing their pointing finger with the index finger of the opposite hand two or three times. (I wonder if this implies, "I am rubbing all this nastiness onto you; none of it belongs to me"?) I could not even please myself, I was so intent on "perfection." How, then, could I expect to please God? Shame on me.
I feel quite sure there are many individuals who, just like me, were shaped by years of quiet shame. We each have a right to our past and can own it without apology. We must refuse to sink into "meta-shame," that is, being ashamed of our shame! But I say to all of us what someone said to me when I was well into my adult years. I admitted my feelings of shame, and I will never forget the words that friend spoke before praying with me. "There is no shame at the Cross."
No shame at the Cross? That's because Jesus was bearing it all. Think about it:
Hauled before religious and civil authorities for six (illegal) trials
Mocked as soldiers pretended He was their king
Unable, in His weakened condition, to carry the cross
Hung for everyone to look at, probably naked
Ridiculed because He refused to do anything to save Himself
Executed like a criminal, with criminals
And finally, feeling abandoned by God.
A verse of Phillip Bliss's hymn, "Man of Sorrows," reads,
"Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame." (Hebrews 12:2) To our own sorrow, we too often endure the shame, disregarding the cross.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
I am absolutely convinced that mistakes made in my upbringing were simply that—mistakes, not lack of love. I was raised by my mother and father, with input by teachers and church men and women and various aunts and uncles, in much the same way they were raised by their parents, teachers, and so on. We lived in a culture and in a time period where children and adults alike were controlled to a large extent by being made to feel ashamed. Most of all, we learned that we were shameful creatures before God.
The causes of shame were many, ranging from really bad things that one could not even discuss to just not being "nice," however that was defined in the family. Sometimes the shame came, not from the outside at all but from within, about things for which I was not even responsible—someone else's behavior or circumstances I could not help. I could not please people; some (not my mother) gestured "Shame on you," by pointing at me and rubbing their pointing finger with the index finger of the opposite hand two or three times. (I wonder if this implies, "I am rubbing all this nastiness onto you; none of it belongs to me"?) I could not even please myself, I was so intent on "perfection." How, then, could I expect to please God? Shame on me.
I feel quite sure there are many individuals who, just like me, were shaped by years of quiet shame. We each have a right to our past and can own it without apology. We must refuse to sink into "meta-shame," that is, being ashamed of our shame! But I say to all of us what someone said to me when I was well into my adult years. I admitted my feelings of shame, and I will never forget the words that friend spoke before praying with me. "There is no shame at the Cross."
No shame at the Cross? That's because Jesus was bearing it all. Think about it:
Hauled before religious and civil authorities for six (illegal) trials
Mocked as soldiers pretended He was their king
Unable, in His weakened condition, to carry the cross
Hung for everyone to look at, probably naked
Ridiculed because He refused to do anything to save Himself
Executed like a criminal, with criminals
And finally, feeling abandoned by God.
A verse of Phillip Bliss's hymn, "Man of Sorrows," reads,
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
"Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame." (Hebrews 12:2) To our own sorrow, we too often endure the shame, disregarding the cross.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
It's (Not) All Good
Bakeries, auto sales lots, and a number of song titles (a few with questionable lyrics) are just some of the things named "It's All Good." The Urban Dictionary lists lots of definitions, but most people interpret the phrase basically to mean "everyone/everything is cool, nothing is bad."
It is, after all, just a slang expression used to indicate one's acceptance of the present situation, but if taken literally, it just doesn't seem true to me! It's not all good. I see some dear friends dealing with enormous loss and grief. I know a man dying slowly with a brain tumor. Another friend's husband has been laid off from his job. I have a problem with calling these things "good."
But there is another truth I hold to tightly. "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) God is working for the good of my friends and loved ones. The circumstances are undeniably bad, but God is still working good into their lives! God is working for my good even while I am in some difficulty! He does not demand that we grin and declare that everything is "cool." He is Truth, and He wants us to face reality. And part of reality is that God is unfailingly present and absolutely faithful to His promise to work for our good.
If that is what you mean when you tell me, "It's all good," then I agree!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
It is, after all, just a slang expression used to indicate one's acceptance of the present situation, but if taken literally, it just doesn't seem true to me! It's not all good. I see some dear friends dealing with enormous loss and grief. I know a man dying slowly with a brain tumor. Another friend's husband has been laid off from his job. I have a problem with calling these things "good."
But there is another truth I hold to tightly. "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) God is working for the good of my friends and loved ones. The circumstances are undeniably bad, but God is still working good into their lives! God is working for my good even while I am in some difficulty! He does not demand that we grin and declare that everything is "cool." He is Truth, and He wants us to face reality. And part of reality is that God is unfailingly present and absolutely faithful to His promise to work for our good.
If that is what you mean when you tell me, "It's all good," then I agree!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
And You Know the Way
For the second time in as many weeks, I have found that computerized directions and maps sometimes don't really know the way. Of course, there is almost always more than one way to get to a destination, so a printed map, local residents, and lucky guesses can also be of real assistance. And even better is being able to follow someone who is going where I want to go.
One of the things Jesus explained to His disciples in the "Upper Room Discourse" on the night of His betrayal was that He was truly going to leave them. They were not to worry about that, however, because they would eventually be with Him there. "Where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:4-9)
Holding the Gospel story in our hands, reading all that Jesus taught, it is easy for us to think that the truth that's clear to us should have been obvious to these followers. They acknowledged—some of them—that Jesus was the Son of God, so why couldn't they see what the plan was? They had preconceived notions about what meant; they could not, even then, get their minds around the idea that He was going to die. When He had first called them, He invited, "Follow Me." He could well have said, "Come along; I know the way." Now that the journey in His physical presence was ending, He told them in similar terms, "I am the way."
Not everyone who proposes to give us spiritual guidance actually knows the way! Some who invite us to follow are not headed in the direction we want to go! We're safe if we follow with pure intent the pathway where He precedes us.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
One of the things Jesus explained to His disciples in the "Upper Room Discourse" on the night of His betrayal was that He was truly going to leave them. They were not to worry about that, however, because they would eventually be with Him there. "Where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:4-9)
Holding the Gospel story in our hands, reading all that Jesus taught, it is easy for us to think that the truth that's clear to us should have been obvious to these followers. They acknowledged—some of them—that Jesus was the Son of God, so why couldn't they see what the plan was? They had preconceived notions about what meant; they could not, even then, get their minds around the idea that He was going to die. When He had first called them, He invited, "Follow Me." He could well have said, "Come along; I know the way." Now that the journey in His physical presence was ending, He told them in similar terms, "I am the way."
Not everyone who proposes to give us spiritual guidance actually knows the way! Some who invite us to follow are not headed in the direction we want to go! We're safe if we follow with pure intent the pathway where He precedes us.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, March 23, 2009
Corrupted Files
For the last six weeks or so, I have had trouble accessing the files created on my computer with a word-processing program. A friend came and applied his considerable expertise to the problem, but as soon as I reported back to him that it was working great and sent a small check for his trouble, things came apart again! A technician I called suggested deleting and then reloading the program, and then if that didn't work, buying the new (read: expensive!) version of that program.
"What causes this?" I asked. "Your program is probably corrupted," he explained. "That just happens." Given the incredibly complex systems that constitute the technology that we use with such ease, that isn't surprising. "Corruption" does not necessarily mean something really, really bad like a destructive virus; it can be nothing more than some little piece of code that got misplaced or failed somehow to do its job, resulting in frustration and anxiety for the computer user (me!)
Our belief system is like that. Many of us carry around a lot of "corrupted files." By that I do not mean wicked thoughts and degenerate behavior, but ideas and attitudes that have led us in unhappy, unproductive ways. What we believe about ourselves, how we view the world around us, the understanding we have of God are all subject to "corruption" by faulty input. If our self-esteem was damaged while we were in the process of forming it early in life, we probably will carry some of that with us unless (and until) we reject that negativity. If we were taught distrust, to suspect that everyone and everything was out to get us, and to look doubtfully on anything that was not specifically Christian, we most likely will live guardedly and with some degree of fear. If we were brought up with the concept of an angry, vengeful, policeman-with-a-billy-club God, we may find it difficult to fathom the immense love of God for us and His fierce desire to draw us into relationship with Himself. We have "corrupted files."
As it turns out, I have been able to retrieve my written work. The process of "renewal" involved deleting some interfering, but unnecessary, programs that were failing to run properly and consequently shutting down access to other vital actions. I'm renewing my mind these days too, letting God transform me into a new person by changing the way I think—getting rid of those old, corrupted files!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
"What causes this?" I asked. "Your program is probably corrupted," he explained. "That just happens." Given the incredibly complex systems that constitute the technology that we use with such ease, that isn't surprising. "Corruption" does not necessarily mean something really, really bad like a destructive virus; it can be nothing more than some little piece of code that got misplaced or failed somehow to do its job, resulting in frustration and anxiety for the computer user (me!)
Our belief system is like that. Many of us carry around a lot of "corrupted files." By that I do not mean wicked thoughts and degenerate behavior, but ideas and attitudes that have led us in unhappy, unproductive ways. What we believe about ourselves, how we view the world around us, the understanding we have of God are all subject to "corruption" by faulty input. If our self-esteem was damaged while we were in the process of forming it early in life, we probably will carry some of that with us unless (and until) we reject that negativity. If we were taught distrust, to suspect that everyone and everything was out to get us, and to look doubtfully on anything that was not specifically Christian, we most likely will live guardedly and with some degree of fear. If we were brought up with the concept of an angry, vengeful, policeman-with-a-billy-club God, we may find it difficult to fathom the immense love of God for us and His fierce desire to draw us into relationship with Himself. We have "corrupted files."
As it turns out, I have been able to retrieve my written work. The process of "renewal" involved deleting some interfering, but unnecessary, programs that were failing to run properly and consequently shutting down access to other vital actions. I'm renewing my mind these days too, letting God transform me into a new person by changing the way I think—getting rid of those old, corrupted files!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Let This Cup Pass
Most of us can remember, probably, having to take a dose or two of unpleasant-tasting medicine during our childhood. Once it was placed in our mouth, there was nothing to do but swallow. A watchful parent would not permit spitting it out, and just refusing to swallow didn't work either, because that parent was there to pinch our nose shut. If we expected ever to breathe again on this earth, we had to swallow the horrid stuff!
Life has, for all of us, some "bitter pills to swallow." There is no escaping difficult circumstances, unfair treatment, or friends who prove to be disloyal. Jesus Himself experienced this, and "a student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master." (Matthew 10:24 NIV) In the Garden of Gethsemane, away from the disciples who were too sleepy to aid their Lord in His hour of greatest need, Jesus prayed alone. "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Returning to the disciples, He urged them again to watch and pray, then a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:39, 42 NKJV)
It was not the physical suffering alone that Jesus faced, but the dreadful weight of being guilty before God as He became sin for us. From the very foundation of the world that God knew would be fallen, redemption was planned. If it was to be made effectual, Jesus must face the Cross. His humanness naturally shrank from the cost. "If it is possible . . ." But no, it was not possible. If the cup of human sin and suffering was to be emptied, He must drink it.
Accept what is or has to be. Embrace the Cross.
Life has, for all of us, some "bitter pills to swallow." There is no escaping difficult circumstances, unfair treatment, or friends who prove to be disloyal. Jesus Himself experienced this, and "a student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master." (Matthew 10:24 NIV) In the Garden of Gethsemane, away from the disciples who were too sleepy to aid their Lord in His hour of greatest need, Jesus prayed alone. "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Returning to the disciples, He urged them again to watch and pray, then a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:39, 42 NKJV)
It was not the physical suffering alone that Jesus faced, but the dreadful weight of being guilty before God as He became sin for us. From the very foundation of the world that God knew would be fallen, redemption was planned. If it was to be made effectual, Jesus must face the Cross. His humanness naturally shrank from the cost. "If it is possible . . ." But no, it was not possible. If the cup of human sin and suffering was to be emptied, He must drink it.
It is no different for us. There is no quick and easy way to get rid of the difficult, unfair, bitter things in life, but to receive them fully.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Friday, March 20, 2009
The First Day of Spring
I am thrilled by the greening of the trees in the last few days. The forsythia I planted last spring as bare twigs is now blooming, to my delight. (The dandelions are up too—not quite as exciting to me!) Spring is really here, even the calendar says so.
In addition to the new growth, one of the marvels to me is this recurring reminder of the faithfulness of God. The rotating seasons speak of His covenant with us. "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (Genesis 8:22) Sometimes we experience unusual—even dangerous—seasonal weather. Even so, God is still watching over this creation of His.
As the sun was setting yesterday, my grandkids reminded me that it was just coming up "in China." Rain is predicted for the next several days, but even if we don't actually see the sun, we know that it is shining somewhere and we can depend on it shining here again. So too with life. The night-time of difficulty and uncertainty or the clouds and rain of sorrow may temporarily hide the sunshine, but it is still there. In the '50s and '60s, Eddy Arnold and Jimmy Dean sang into fame the words of Jessie B Pounds' song (1897), "Somewhere the sun is shining . . . God lives, and all is well." It's true. We can trust Him.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
In addition to the new growth, one of the marvels to me is this recurring reminder of the faithfulness of God. The rotating seasons speak of His covenant with us. "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (Genesis 8:22) Sometimes we experience unusual—even dangerous—seasonal weather. Even so, God is still watching over this creation of His.
As the sun was setting yesterday, my grandkids reminded me that it was just coming up "in China." Rain is predicted for the next several days, but even if we don't actually see the sun, we know that it is shining somewhere and we can depend on it shining here again. So too with life. The night-time of difficulty and uncertainty or the clouds and rain of sorrow may temporarily hide the sunshine, but it is still there. In the '50s and '60s, Eddy Arnold and Jimmy Dean sang into fame the words of Jessie B Pounds' song (1897), "Somewhere the sun is shining . . . God lives, and all is well." It's true. We can trust Him.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, March 19, 2009
How Do They Know?
When I watched the Sandhill cranes in Nebraska and read about their annual migratory stopover along the Platte River, I had to marvel, "How do they know?" How do they know it's time to leave the warm southern areas for a cooler summer climate? How do they know they can stop off in Nebraska and feed on leftover corn? How do they know they need to fuel themselves for continued flight and the nesting period? How do they know when they've had enough?
Some of the behavior may be learned: Young cranes in the family catch on by watching older, experienced ones. But that doesn't explain why they would want, in the first place, to migrate or roost with their feet in the Platte or mate for life. (This assumes that we're sort of "humanizing" them with the qualities of motivation and choice!)
Part of the answer is that these cranes, and many other creatures as well, have an inborn pattern of behavior characteristic of their species. This is "instinct." It is behavior originating below the conscious level, so it is not necessary for the cranes to plan their itinerary as we might map out a trip, deciding in which motels to stay and where to eat our meals. They just know. How do they know? They just do.
There are some things that we humans "just know," too, although we don't probably call it instinct. St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions over fifteen centuries ago, "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." John in his gospel declares, "There was the true Light [Christ Jesus] which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." Or, "which enlightens every person coming into the world." (John 1:9 NASB)
There is a sense within us, put there by God, that there must be something beyond just "me and mine." People may be unaware of that urging within, try to deny it, ignore it, or squelch it, but that is to their own detriment. John continues, "He came to his own people, but they didn't want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves." (1:10-12 MSG) Whether we acknowledge it our not, we yearn to become those true selves. Voltaire, the 18th century French writer and philosopher, said, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." That is how certain the inner knowing is that would lead us beyond ourselves into relationship with the one who is wholly Other.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Read a related article: Just Travelin' Through
Scripture quotation marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible; used by permission of the Lockman Foundation. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Some of the behavior may be learned: Young cranes in the family catch on by watching older, experienced ones. But that doesn't explain why they would want, in the first place, to migrate or roost with their feet in the Platte or mate for life. (This assumes that we're sort of "humanizing" them with the qualities of motivation and choice!)
Part of the answer is that these cranes, and many other creatures as well, have an inborn pattern of behavior characteristic of their species. This is "instinct." It is behavior originating below the conscious level, so it is not necessary for the cranes to plan their itinerary as we might map out a trip, deciding in which motels to stay and where to eat our meals. They just know. How do they know? They just do.
There are some things that we humans "just know," too, although we don't probably call it instinct. St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions over fifteen centuries ago, "Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee." John in his gospel declares, "There was the true Light [Christ Jesus] which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." Or, "which enlightens every person coming into the world." (John 1:9 NASB)
There is a sense within us, put there by God, that there must be something beyond just "me and mine." People may be unaware of that urging within, try to deny it, ignore it, or squelch it, but that is to their own detriment. John continues, "He came to his own people, but they didn't want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves." (1:10-12 MSG) Whether we acknowledge it our not, we yearn to become those true selves. Voltaire, the 18th century French writer and philosopher, said, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." That is how certain the inner knowing is that would lead us beyond ourselves into relationship with the one who is wholly Other.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Read a related article: Just Travelin' Through
Scripture quotation marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible; used by permission of the Lockman Foundation. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Last Laugh
As I mentioned earlier, my family has recently experienced the loss of our brother in death. He was a big man--big physically, big in his heart, big in his laughter and love of life. He was an irrepressible story-teller. There is no deep philosophical meaning or spiritual truth in the following; my brother just loved a good tale, and so I'll share this one!
After the memorial service in a distant city, we were instructed to caravan to the burial grounds a couple of miles away. The car in which I was riding was just a bit delayed in getting away from the mortuary parking lot, so we were near the end of the procession rather than immediately behind the funeral car. As we drove up that street, we found parking at the curb had been marked off with orange cones stenciled "Funeral", and we fell in behind the long line of cars waiting there.
We soon turned off that street and moved away from the busier area. "They must be going around to a back way to avoid the traffic," we decided. Around curves, over hills, into valleys, around more curves--and we found ourselves in the backwoods. "Can this be right?" we began to wonder, but yes, we could still see the hearse leading the long procession.
Finally, after a number of miles, the driver said, "This is just wrong!" and pulled off at a little junction in the roadway. Immediately another family member pulled up beside us in his car. "I just got a call from my sister," he told us. " 'Where are you?' I told her about twenty cars back from the hearse, and she said, 'Oh no, you're not! We're at the cemetery and you're following the wrong procession!"
With the aid of our nephew's GPS, we found our way back--around the curves, over the hills, and through the valleys--to the appointed cemetery where everyone was waiting for us with the grace and good humor one would expect from this man's family.
"Do you want to wait?" the funeral director had asked the family when we failed to show up in the few minutes it would take to drive from the mortuary to the cemetery. "Of course! They're his sisters!" But we still didn't arrive. "How long do you want to wait?" the director asked finally. "Until they get here!"
And so, we decided, our brother had the last laugh. He would have enjoyed that immensely!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Read related articles:
Lord, If You Had Been Here
Different--and Unchanged
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
After the memorial service in a distant city, we were instructed to caravan to the burial grounds a couple of miles away. The car in which I was riding was just a bit delayed in getting away from the mortuary parking lot, so we were near the end of the procession rather than immediately behind the funeral car. As we drove up that street, we found parking at the curb had been marked off with orange cones stenciled "Funeral", and we fell in behind the long line of cars waiting there.
We soon turned off that street and moved away from the busier area. "They must be going around to a back way to avoid the traffic," we decided. Around curves, over hills, into valleys, around more curves--and we found ourselves in the backwoods. "Can this be right?" we began to wonder, but yes, we could still see the hearse leading the long procession.
Finally, after a number of miles, the driver said, "This is just wrong!" and pulled off at a little junction in the roadway. Immediately another family member pulled up beside us in his car. "I just got a call from my sister," he told us. " 'Where are you?' I told her about twenty cars back from the hearse, and she said, 'Oh no, you're not! We're at the cemetery and you're following the wrong procession!"
With the aid of our nephew's GPS, we found our way back--around the curves, over the hills, and through the valleys--to the appointed cemetery where everyone was waiting for us with the grace and good humor one would expect from this man's family.
"Do you want to wait?" the funeral director had asked the family when we failed to show up in the few minutes it would take to drive from the mortuary to the cemetery. "Of course! They're his sisters!" But we still didn't arrive. "How long do you want to wait?" the director asked finally. "Until they get here!"
And so, we decided, our brother had the last laugh. He would have enjoyed that immensely!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Read related articles:
Lord, If You Had Been Here
Different--and Unchanged
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Just Travelin' Through
Several members of my family had the opportunity a few days ago to see one of nature's spectacular displays. In south central Nebraska, hundreds of thousands of migrating Sandhill cranes make their annual layover in an area along the Platte River. For several weeks, they feed on wasted corn in nearby harvested fields, beginning at sunrise to "fuel up" for their long trip north to Canada, Alaska, and even Siberia, where they will nest. At sunset, they return to the shallow, protective river to roost safely through the night. During a six-week period, an estimated half million of these cranes--about 80% of the whole world's population--pass through an 80-mile wide flyway on their spring journey from the warmer southern states and Mexico. Seeing these long-necked, long-legged birds landing or taking flight is an awesome sight, and hearing the constant "bugling" of thousands of their voices is an impressive sound!
As we left the area, I pondered the idea of "just travelin' through," and remembered lines from the old southern Gospel song: "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue . . ." (J. R. Baxter, Jr.) Upon our return, there awaited the sad news of my brother's sudden and unexpected death. He did, indeed, just pass through this world. His sixty-nine years did not seem long enough for those of us who knew and loved him, but they were long enough for him to make significant and lasting contributions to the lives of others, particularly children and young people.
All of us are just traveling through. There is no way to know just when our journey will entail leaving this world to enter what the song calls "Heaven's open door." Remember then: "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
The quote is generally attributed to Stephen Grellet, a prominent Quaker missionary in the 19th century, although some sources credit other authors.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
As we left the area, I pondered the idea of "just travelin' through," and remembered lines from the old southern Gospel song: "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue . . ." (J. R. Baxter, Jr.) Upon our return, there awaited the sad news of my brother's sudden and unexpected death. He did, indeed, just pass through this world. His sixty-nine years did not seem long enough for those of us who knew and loved him, but they were long enough for him to make significant and lasting contributions to the lives of others, particularly children and young people.
All of us are just traveling through. There is no way to know just when our journey will entail leaving this world to enter what the song calls "Heaven's open door." Remember then: "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
The quote is generally attributed to Stephen Grellet, a prominent Quaker missionary in the 19th century, although some sources credit other authors.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, March 16, 2009
Different--and Unchanged
Everything is different now.
The challenges we met, the joys we shared
When side by side, I now must know alone.
The quiet before your footstep at the door
Goes on and on.
Everything is different since you're gone.
And yet--
There is nothing at all that's changed.
You, O Lord, are still the Rock on which I stand secure.
My hope and peace and joy
Are still steadfast in You.
Though everything surrounding me is different now,
Nothing that is eternal changed.
For my family, especially A.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
The challenges we met, the joys we shared
When side by side, I now must know alone.
The quiet before your footstep at the door
Goes on and on.
Everything is different since you're gone.
And yet--
There is nothing at all that's changed.
You, O Lord, are still the Rock on which I stand secure.
My hope and peace and joy
Are still steadfast in You.
Though everything surrounding me is different now,
Nothing that is eternal changed.
For my family, especially A.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Lord, If You Had Been Here . . .
When the beloved brother of Mary and Martha died, Jesus was off in another town. As a matter of fact, He got the news that Lazarus was very ill but delayed two more days before going to the home in Bethany. And by then, it was too late. Lazarus was dead.
Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus would soon arrive, went out to meet Him. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary too went, and even before Jesus had entered the town, fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Jesus explained to Martha on that sad day, "Your brother will be raised up," but those words were small comfort. Resurrection day might be a very long time from now. "Yes," Martha answered, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
"No, you don't have to wait for the End," Jesus explained. "I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all." (John 11:25, 26)
How we wish that having Jesus present would prevent every sorrow for us! I have just experienced the loss of a brother, but Jesus was not away on some other business and I do not grieve as Martha and Mary did, "Lord, if You had just been there, my brother would not have died." Jesus was right there, present as Eternal Life. He is here with me right now, Resurrection and Life.
"Do you believe this?" Jesus asked Martha.
And I answer with her, "Yes, Lord, I believe."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Because of this loss in our family, I will be away from my desk for several days. You will hear from me again in about a week!
Scripture quotation is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus would soon arrive, went out to meet Him. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Mary too went, and even before Jesus had entered the town, fell at His feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Jesus explained to Martha on that sad day, "Your brother will be raised up," but those words were small comfort. Resurrection day might be a very long time from now. "Yes," Martha answered, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
"No, you don't have to wait for the End," Jesus explained. "I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all." (John 11:25, 26)
How we wish that having Jesus present would prevent every sorrow for us! I have just experienced the loss of a brother, but Jesus was not away on some other business and I do not grieve as Martha and Mary did, "Lord, if You had just been there, my brother would not have died." Jesus was right there, present as Eternal Life. He is here with me right now, Resurrection and Life.
"Do you believe this?" Jesus asked Martha.
And I answer with her, "Yes, Lord, I believe."
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Because of this loss in our family, I will be away from my desk for several days. You will hear from me again in about a week!
Scripture quotation is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Saturday, March 7, 2009
When Jesus Cried
Many years ago when my family attended our little country church, all the children sat together on the first couple of rows of pews for "closing exercises" following the Sunday School session. This is when we gave our birthday offering (a penny for each year) and recited a Bible verse we had memorized. Some of the boys--was it always boys? I think so--liked to quote the very shortest passage in the Bible. It is found in John 11:35, "Jesus wept." While they gleefully got by with reciting just a couple of words, those words do express a great truth. Jesus was moved by standing at his friend Lazarus's tomb. We do not know whether the tears were for His own sense of loss, or His sympathy for the grieving family and friends, or His sorrow at recognizing the unbelief of those who were gathered there--perhaps the overwhelming burden of all three. I can imagine the great tears rolling down His cheeks, dripping off His beard as He looked up to heaven and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me."
The Scripture records another time Jesus cried. Riding on a young donkey into the city of Jerusalem, with the crowd joyfully proclaiming Him as the King coming in the name of the Lord, He wept. (See Luke 19:37-44) But the Greek word used this time for weeping, my commentary tells me, did not mean a quiet shedding of tears. Underneath the loud voices of acclaim was the sobbing of a broken-hearted Messiah who knew the people within that city rejected Him as prince of peace and would suffer terrible judgment. We call this the "Triumphal Entry," but only because Jesus' followers were triumphant. It is not hard for me to imagine that, for Jesus, it was more like the "Entry of Lamentation."
The most remarkable reference to Jesus' tears, I think, is Hebrews 5:7. "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." This crying is even stronger: outcries of tumult or grief. Some scholars think this refers to His agony in Gethsemane, but the context leads me to believe the description is broader than that. All during the days of His life, He prayed with loud cries and tears for desperately needy, hopeless people and for His own followers who were weak and uncomprehending. We don't read accounts of those prayers; perhaps it was during those nights alone on the mountain that Jesus did that kind of praying. The writer adds that God could have saved Him from death; God did hear Him pray but still didn't spare Him. On the day Jesus died, His tears must have mingled with blood and sweat until He finally said "It is finished," and gave up His spirit to the Father.
That was the only way to heal and rescue us--broken, lost humanity.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
The Scripture records another time Jesus cried. Riding on a young donkey into the city of Jerusalem, with the crowd joyfully proclaiming Him as the King coming in the name of the Lord, He wept. (See Luke 19:37-44) But the Greek word used this time for weeping, my commentary tells me, did not mean a quiet shedding of tears. Underneath the loud voices of acclaim was the sobbing of a broken-hearted Messiah who knew the people within that city rejected Him as prince of peace and would suffer terrible judgment. We call this the "Triumphal Entry," but only because Jesus' followers were triumphant. It is not hard for me to imagine that, for Jesus, it was more like the "Entry of Lamentation."
The most remarkable reference to Jesus' tears, I think, is Hebrews 5:7. "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." This crying is even stronger: outcries of tumult or grief. Some scholars think this refers to His agony in Gethsemane, but the context leads me to believe the description is broader than that. All during the days of His life, He prayed with loud cries and tears for desperately needy, hopeless people and for His own followers who were weak and uncomprehending. We don't read accounts of those prayers; perhaps it was during those nights alone on the mountain that Jesus did that kind of praying. The writer adds that God could have saved Him from death; God did hear Him pray but still didn't spare Him. On the day Jesus died, His tears must have mingled with blood and sweat until He finally said "It is finished," and gave up His spirit to the Father.
That was the only way to heal and rescue us--broken, lost humanity.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Friday, March 6, 2009
Whining, Complaining, Grumbling and the Like
Young children, I think, may be natural whiners. They learn very early that one easy way to obtain what they’re after is to act pathetic—loudly and long. Some favorite expressions are “Why-y-y?” and “But I wa-a-ant . . .” Unfortunately, some folks never outgrow their need to whine, and we find adults who still expect complaining to get results. (It does indeed get results, but not usually positive.)
Part of growing up is learning to handle minor irritations without saying everything one thinks. Undoubtedly, we all have our pet peeves; one of mine is drivers who speed across the marked spaces of a parking lot, paying little heed to those who are driving carefully in the proper traffic lanes. But muttering about it does not change their inconsiderate behavior, and it certainly doesn’t improve my day. If I don’t dwell on the incident, though, pretty soon it just goes away. A little discipline of the tongue helps turn the mind to more pleasant things.
Not every difficulty, however, can be treated by just ignoring it and waiting for it to disappear. There are, sometimes, genuine stressors that complicate life in consistently harsh ways. Take, for example, the exodus from Egypt by the children of Israel. They were hungry, thirsty, and sick of the journey that seemed to be leading nowhere. So, like the “children” they were, their attitude got all whiney. Over and over, they complained to Moses who was leading the multitude. The first few times, God quickly stepped in and did something miraculous, opening the Red Sea for them to pass through and making the bitter water of Marah safe to drink.
I guess after that they thought that all they needed to do was whine a little and everything would be fine. Moses warned them, “You’re not complaining to me; you’re complaining to God.” But they continued their grumbling until finally God said to Moses and Aaron, "How long is this going to go on, all this grumbling against me by this evil-infested community? I've had my fill of complaints from these grumbling Israelites. Tell them, ‘As I live—God's decree—here's what I'm going to do: Your corpses are going to litter the wilderness—every one of you twenty years and older who was counted in the census, this whole generation of grumblers and grousers. Not one of you will enter the land and make your home there, the firmly and solemnly promised land, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.’ “ (Numbers 14:26-30 The MSG)
It would seem that God doesn’t tolerate whining indefinitely, even when the complaining really seems justifiable. He inspired the Apostle Paul to write very succinctly, “Rejoice evermore,” and “Be ye thankful.” (I Thessalonians 5:16; Colossians 3:15 KJV) You don’t need to do an irritating Pollyanna imitation; just remember that “part of growing up is learning to handle minor irritations without saying everything one thinks,” and keep your attitude adjusted!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture marked The MSG taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture marked KJV is taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Part of growing up is learning to handle minor irritations without saying everything one thinks. Undoubtedly, we all have our pet peeves; one of mine is drivers who speed across the marked spaces of a parking lot, paying little heed to those who are driving carefully in the proper traffic lanes. But muttering about it does not change their inconsiderate behavior, and it certainly doesn’t improve my day. If I don’t dwell on the incident, though, pretty soon it just goes away. A little discipline of the tongue helps turn the mind to more pleasant things.
Not every difficulty, however, can be treated by just ignoring it and waiting for it to disappear. There are, sometimes, genuine stressors that complicate life in consistently harsh ways. Take, for example, the exodus from Egypt by the children of Israel. They were hungry, thirsty, and sick of the journey that seemed to be leading nowhere. So, like the “children” they were, their attitude got all whiney. Over and over, they complained to Moses who was leading the multitude. The first few times, God quickly stepped in and did something miraculous, opening the Red Sea for them to pass through and making the bitter water of Marah safe to drink.
I guess after that they thought that all they needed to do was whine a little and everything would be fine. Moses warned them, “You’re not complaining to me; you’re complaining to God.” But they continued their grumbling until finally God said to Moses and Aaron, "How long is this going to go on, all this grumbling against me by this evil-infested community? I've had my fill of complaints from these grumbling Israelites. Tell them, ‘As I live—God's decree—here's what I'm going to do: Your corpses are going to litter the wilderness—every one of you twenty years and older who was counted in the census, this whole generation of grumblers and grousers. Not one of you will enter the land and make your home there, the firmly and solemnly promised land, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.’ “ (Numbers 14:26-30 The MSG)
It would seem that God doesn’t tolerate whining indefinitely, even when the complaining really seems justifiable. He inspired the Apostle Paul to write very succinctly, “Rejoice evermore,” and “Be ye thankful.” (I Thessalonians 5:16; Colossians 3:15 KJV) You don’t need to do an irritating Pollyanna imitation; just remember that “part of growing up is learning to handle minor irritations without saying everything one thinks,” and keep your attitude adjusted!
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture marked The MSG taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture marked KJV is taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Be Like a Flower
One morning during vacation, I was sitting in a garden for some quiet moments before a busy day of sight-seeing. Seeing roses and other sweet blossoms there, I turned to the Gospel of Matthew to read Jesus words, “Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30) Jesus was telling me too, “Be like a flower—don’t be anxious, have confidence in God, He cares for you.”
I continued to read in the next chapter Jesus’ warning about judging others. “Be like a flower—bloom where I’ve put you, don’t worry about other people, give of yourself even if others don’t do the same.”
Then Jesus talked about plants bearing the fruit (flowers) that were theirs by nature. “Be like a flower—don’t try to be something you are not, I’m waiting to see if what you produce is like Me!”
In the parallel passages of Luke, Jesus taught about giving and loving indiscriminately, friend and “enemy” alike. “Be like a flower—give and love freely, look for your reward to come from Me.” Yes, the Scripture teaches that my gift will be returned to me, “pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into [my] lap,” but that does not necessarily mean my actions will be compensated similarly and by the very person to whom I gave. (See Luke 6:38)
I remember a poem from some long-ago literature class, a selection by Kahil Gibran from “The Prophet.”
I continued to read in the next chapter Jesus’ warning about judging others. “Be like a flower—bloom where I’ve put you, don’t worry about other people, give of yourself even if others don’t do the same.”
Then Jesus talked about plants bearing the fruit (flowers) that were theirs by nature. “Be like a flower—don’t try to be something you are not, I’m waiting to see if what you produce is like Me!”
In the parallel passages of Luke, Jesus taught about giving and loving indiscriminately, friend and “enemy” alike. “Be like a flower—give and love freely, look for your reward to come from Me.” Yes, the Scripture teaches that my gift will be returned to me, “pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into [my] lap,” but that does not necessarily mean my actions will be compensated similarly and by the very person to whom I gave. (See Luke 6:38)
I remember a poem from some long-ago literature class, a selection by Kahil Gibran from “The Prophet.”
Be like a flower!Giving
You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard
for fear you may need them tomorrow?. . .There are those who give little of the much
which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.And there are those who have little and give it all.
These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and
their coffer is never empty.There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is
their baptism.And there are those who give and know not pain in giving,
nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its
fragrance into space.Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from
behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Equal and More Equal
Most of us, as Americans, are familiar with Thomas Jefferson’s statement in the Declaration of Independence, that all men (all people) are created equal and that all are equally entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We also remember Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, describing “a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” We believe, or want to believe, those words, and we expect our government to move swiftly to remove any inequities. But it troubles me that Jefferson and Lincoln did not say merely, "all Americans", but "all people." In reality, there seems to be a system something like that which existed in the satirical novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell. The pigs who controlled the government on the farm proclaimed, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." Not only did our early countrymen face the issue of "equal or more equal," but so does a large percentage of the world's population today. There are many issues: medical care, clean water, education. Let's take just one example: food.
Statistics on world hunger from the World Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN reveal that in 2008, the number of undernourished people in the world rose to 963 million. An estimated thirty-three countries have a critically short food supply. About 65 percent of the underfed live in India, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia. Just a few days ago, the UN Environment Programme released a new report stating that over half the food produced today is lost, wasted, or discarded as a result of inefficiency in the human-managed food chain. “There is evidence within the report,” executive director Achim Steiner noted, “that the world could feed the entire projected population growth alone by becoming more efficient while also ensuring the survival of wild animals, birds and fish on this planet.”
Pope Benedict XVI gave other UN statistics in his Lenten message: The total food surplus of the United States alone could satisfy every empty stomach in Africa; France's leftovers could feed the hungry in Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy's could feed Ethiopia's undernourished. And it's not just the matter of there not being enough to eat; people are starving. Today 25,000 people will die from hunger. A child dies every six seconds of malnutrition or starvation. Is that equal? Or are we just more equal than others?
We can't very well send the vegetables that American kids want to leave on their plates to the starving somewhere else in the world. That old ploy doesn't help. The Pope said further, “[The spiritual practice of] fasting is an aid to open our eyes to the situation in which so many of our brothers and sisters live." And although I do not worship in that particular tradition, I think he may have the right idea.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Sources:http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29930&Cr=food+crisis&Cr1=
http://www.un.org/issues/food/taskforce/pdf/Global_Economic.pdf
http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2009/02/un-statistics-reveal-extent-world-hunger
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Statistics on world hunger from the World Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN reveal that in 2008, the number of undernourished people in the world rose to 963 million. An estimated thirty-three countries have a critically short food supply. About 65 percent of the underfed live in India, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia. Just a few days ago, the UN Environment Programme released a new report stating that over half the food produced today is lost, wasted, or discarded as a result of inefficiency in the human-managed food chain. “There is evidence within the report,” executive director Achim Steiner noted, “that the world could feed the entire projected population growth alone by becoming more efficient while also ensuring the survival of wild animals, birds and fish on this planet.”
Pope Benedict XVI gave other UN statistics in his Lenten message: The total food surplus of the United States alone could satisfy every empty stomach in Africa; France's leftovers could feed the hungry in Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy's could feed Ethiopia's undernourished. And it's not just the matter of there not being enough to eat; people are starving. Today 25,000 people will die from hunger. A child dies every six seconds of malnutrition or starvation. Is that equal? Or are we just more equal than others?
We can't very well send the vegetables that American kids want to leave on their plates to the starving somewhere else in the world. That old ploy doesn't help. The Pope said further, “[The spiritual practice of] fasting is an aid to open our eyes to the situation in which so many of our brothers and sisters live." And although I do not worship in that particular tradition, I think he may have the right idea.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Sources:http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29930&Cr=food+crisis&Cr1=
http://www.un.org/issues/food/taskforce/pdf/Global_Economic.pdf
http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2009/02/un-statistics-reveal-extent-world-hunger
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Things Mama Taught Me: "Pretty Is As Pretty Does"
I was a cute little girl. Yes really, I’m serious! When I look at my baby portrait or the toddler snapshots, I know it’s true! The picture from the photo booth, when I was four or so, shows a little girl with dark eyes and long, dark curls and she’s—pretty! I’m not sure how my mother made those curls, rolling them on rags, maybe? I do remember the painful combing-out process, and her telling me, “It hurts to be beautiful!” (So does that explain corsets and pointy-toed shoes with high heels? Maybe so.)
I don’t think my mother actually put a great deal of emphasis on “pretty” though. For one thing, fluffy dresses and white tights with black patent leather Mary Jane shoes would have been very hard to come by. And there wasn’t really any competition in prettiness! Cotton print dresses and brown oxfords that could be worn to school as well as church were more the norm for the little girls in my rural surroundings. Somewhere along the way, Mama made sure I understood, “Pretty is as pretty does.” She was saying, “Appearance isn’t everything. You are going to be judged by your behavior too. If what you do is pretty, you’re fine. But if what you do isn’t pretty, then you’re not really a very pretty girl after all.”
Jesus gave stern warning to those who only “pose” as pretty. “Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 NASB) He then likens such pretenders to a carpenter who would be so foolish as to build a house without laying a foundation for it. When the floods come, the house—even though it’s pretty—collapses into great ruin. My mother’s simple instruction prepared me for the very grownup truth about hypocrisy.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture marked NASB is from the New American Standard Bible, used by permission of the Lockman Foundation.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
I don’t think my mother actually put a great deal of emphasis on “pretty” though. For one thing, fluffy dresses and white tights with black patent leather Mary Jane shoes would have been very hard to come by. And there wasn’t really any competition in prettiness! Cotton print dresses and brown oxfords that could be worn to school as well as church were more the norm for the little girls in my rural surroundings. Somewhere along the way, Mama made sure I understood, “Pretty is as pretty does.” She was saying, “Appearance isn’t everything. You are going to be judged by your behavior too. If what you do is pretty, you’re fine. But if what you do isn’t pretty, then you’re not really a very pretty girl after all.”
Jesus gave stern warning to those who only “pose” as pretty. “Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 NASB) He then likens such pretenders to a carpenter who would be so foolish as to build a house without laying a foundation for it. When the floods come, the house—even though it’s pretty—collapses into great ruin. My mother’s simple instruction prepared me for the very grownup truth about hypocrisy.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture marked NASB is from the New American Standard Bible, used by permission of the Lockman Foundation.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Monday, March 2, 2009
Job's Suffering and the Church
I do not, of course, have “the answer” to the difficulties and uncertainties that are part of present day life, but I do have a response.
Suffering people have questions. “What have I done wrong, that I should suffer like this? How have I offended God?” God’s people, desperate for answers during times of hardship, have often turned for consolation to the Book of Job. Reading that ancient story, they discover that there may be a hidden drama unfolding on the stage of their own lives. Perhaps once again Satan has confronted God defiantly. “Yes, I’ve seen your servant Frank [or JoAnn or Leslie], blameless and upright. But does Frank fear you for nothing? You have protected him and his household. You have blessed JoAnn and her work. But You just wither those blessings and see if they don’t turn against You!”
God agreed to the testing of Job, and Satan was permitted to touch all that Job held dear, except his own person. In a single catastrophic day, Job lost everything: teams of oxen, donkeys, flocks of sheep, camels, herdsmen, servants, and even his children. Still, Job did not sin by blaming God. Modern Christians, studying this passage about Job, are encouraged to trust God through their own trauma and loss. “I serve the same God. The same devil is my enemy. I will prove myself faithful, even as Job did.”
Not satisfied with Job’s integrity in the face of ruin, Satan again taunted God. “Yes, Job could tolerate the destruction of everything around him. But just touch him in his own flesh, and he will curse you, I know it!” With God’s permission to do anything short of taking Job’s life, Satan struck Job with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. The devastated man did not know that the tragedies of his life were brought about by Satan’s desire to provoke and embarrass and ultimately hinder God. He struggled mightily to understand the reason for his suffering.
We today have the advantage of perspective revealed in Scripture. Simply put, Satan wants desperately to hurt God. In the process, he collides with us. Having knowledge of this does not alleviate human suffering, but our trust in God is strengthened by the written account. From it, we lay hold of the firm conviction that God is fully and lovingly involved with us, even though we do not comprehend the mysteries of His lordship of the whole universe!
In this broader view of God’s governing lies one cause of the problem of Christian suffering. Ours is a tortured world, with all creation groaning and laboring with birth pangs until it finally sees the gloriously liberated people of God (Romans 8:19-23). “All creation”—that means our political leadership, our judicial system, our economics, our educational methods, our health care arrangement, our whole world is aching to be different. We limit our thinking, for the most part, to our own small world of family and friends, our personal health and economy, our place of employment, our church. Too often we notice society’s deplorable ills only to criticize, “It wasn’t like this years ago. How did we get to this place?” Like Job’s false friends, we presume to have answers. “It was this treacherous leader. . . It was that high Court decision. . . It’s the unconscionable media. . . It’s the failure of the schools . . .” And some even say, “It’s the Church’s fault.”
The doom-mongers would have us believe that all the above are true, and that all can be attributed to some vast conspiracy to subjugate the American people. Those who would never be intimidated by bold unrighteousness, the gloomy prophets say, are nevertheless being undermined by an insidious plot whereby eventually all people bow unknowingly to the will of ungodly authority. There is a master mind, they say, behind gratuitous violence on TV, the call to recognize same-sex unions, the legalization of abortion, the education of functionally illiterate students, the rising prices of fuel and food, and everything else that has gone awry!
Yes, unfortunately, there is a Master Mind behind it all. It is not, however, the leagued mind of evil men and women. No human mind could conceive the sorrow that has been unleashed on the world by the evil one whose sole desire is to thwart God’s purpose in His children. Listen as he approaches the throne of God.
The Lord speaks to Satan. “Where have you been?”
“Why, I’ve been going to and fro on the earth, walking back and forth on it.“
“Ah yes! And have you noticed My servants, the Blood-bought Church, that there are no others like them on the earth, blameless, upright, fearing Me and shunning evil?”
“Yes,” Satan replies, “I have noticed. But does that Church of yours fear you for nothing? Haven’t You made a hedge around them and their households and around everything that concerns them? You have blessed the work of their hands, and by honoring You their possessions have increased.” It may be that Satan has a different strategy for the Church in some other parts of the world, but for the prosperous Church in America, he taunts God, “I’d just like to see you stretch out Your hand and touch what these folks own, and they will surely curse You to Your face!”
What if God has given Satan permission to test us in just this way? “Behold, all they have is in your power. But don’t lay a hand on their persons.” Do we truly believe that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”? (Ephesians 6:12)
If the battle could be won just by speeches and banner-carrying and letter-writing and electing God-fearing people to office, it would have been won by now. This is not to say that speeches should not be made, banners carried, letters written, and God-fearing people elected. But the passage noted above continues with the admonition to put on the whole armor of God and then “pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)
Until we have done that, there is not a whole lot to be gained by all the other tactics.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
Suffering people have questions. “What have I done wrong, that I should suffer like this? How have I offended God?” God’s people, desperate for answers during times of hardship, have often turned for consolation to the Book of Job. Reading that ancient story, they discover that there may be a hidden drama unfolding on the stage of their own lives. Perhaps once again Satan has confronted God defiantly. “Yes, I’ve seen your servant Frank [or JoAnn or Leslie], blameless and upright. But does Frank fear you for nothing? You have protected him and his household. You have blessed JoAnn and her work. But You just wither those blessings and see if they don’t turn against You!”
God agreed to the testing of Job, and Satan was permitted to touch all that Job held dear, except his own person. In a single catastrophic day, Job lost everything: teams of oxen, donkeys, flocks of sheep, camels, herdsmen, servants, and even his children. Still, Job did not sin by blaming God. Modern Christians, studying this passage about Job, are encouraged to trust God through their own trauma and loss. “I serve the same God. The same devil is my enemy. I will prove myself faithful, even as Job did.”
Not satisfied with Job’s integrity in the face of ruin, Satan again taunted God. “Yes, Job could tolerate the destruction of everything around him. But just touch him in his own flesh, and he will curse you, I know it!” With God’s permission to do anything short of taking Job’s life, Satan struck Job with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. The devastated man did not know that the tragedies of his life were brought about by Satan’s desire to provoke and embarrass and ultimately hinder God. He struggled mightily to understand the reason for his suffering.
We today have the advantage of perspective revealed in Scripture. Simply put, Satan wants desperately to hurt God. In the process, he collides with us. Having knowledge of this does not alleviate human suffering, but our trust in God is strengthened by the written account. From it, we lay hold of the firm conviction that God is fully and lovingly involved with us, even though we do not comprehend the mysteries of His lordship of the whole universe!
In this broader view of God’s governing lies one cause of the problem of Christian suffering. Ours is a tortured world, with all creation groaning and laboring with birth pangs until it finally sees the gloriously liberated people of God (Romans 8:19-23). “All creation”—that means our political leadership, our judicial system, our economics, our educational methods, our health care arrangement, our whole world is aching to be different. We limit our thinking, for the most part, to our own small world of family and friends, our personal health and economy, our place of employment, our church. Too often we notice society’s deplorable ills only to criticize, “It wasn’t like this years ago. How did we get to this place?” Like Job’s false friends, we presume to have answers. “It was this treacherous leader. . . It was that high Court decision. . . It’s the unconscionable media. . . It’s the failure of the schools . . .” And some even say, “It’s the Church’s fault.”
The doom-mongers would have us believe that all the above are true, and that all can be attributed to some vast conspiracy to subjugate the American people. Those who would never be intimidated by bold unrighteousness, the gloomy prophets say, are nevertheless being undermined by an insidious plot whereby eventually all people bow unknowingly to the will of ungodly authority. There is a master mind, they say, behind gratuitous violence on TV, the call to recognize same-sex unions, the legalization of abortion, the education of functionally illiterate students, the rising prices of fuel and food, and everything else that has gone awry!
Yes, unfortunately, there is a Master Mind behind it all. It is not, however, the leagued mind of evil men and women. No human mind could conceive the sorrow that has been unleashed on the world by the evil one whose sole desire is to thwart God’s purpose in His children. Listen as he approaches the throne of God.
The Lord speaks to Satan. “Where have you been?”
“Why, I’ve been going to and fro on the earth, walking back and forth on it.“
“Ah yes! And have you noticed My servants, the Blood-bought Church, that there are no others like them on the earth, blameless, upright, fearing Me and shunning evil?”
“Yes,” Satan replies, “I have noticed. But does that Church of yours fear you for nothing? Haven’t You made a hedge around them and their households and around everything that concerns them? You have blessed the work of their hands, and by honoring You their possessions have increased.” It may be that Satan has a different strategy for the Church in some other parts of the world, but for the prosperous Church in America, he taunts God, “I’d just like to see you stretch out Your hand and touch what these folks own, and they will surely curse You to Your face!”
What if God has given Satan permission to test us in just this way? “Behold, all they have is in your power. But don’t lay a hand on their persons.” Do we truly believe that “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”? (Ephesians 6:12)
If the battle could be won just by speeches and banner-carrying and letter-writing and electing God-fearing people to office, it would have been won by now. This is not to say that speeches should not be made, banners carried, letters written, and God-fearing people elected. But the passage noted above continues with the admonition to put on the whole armor of God and then “pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)
Until we have done that, there is not a whole lot to be gained by all the other tactics.
MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
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