Living by Faith

Living by faith is not some mystical attainment achieved by a few super-spiritual folks who have "God in their pocket." It is a comforting, everyday reality—trusting in a God who cares and is accessible and is still in charge. Others have led the way for us.

"Each one of these people of faith . . .

Abel,
Enoch,
Noah,
Abraham and Sarah,
Isaac, Jacob, and
Joseph,
Moses,
The Israelites,
Rehab of Jericho,
Gideon, Barak, and
Samson,
Jephtha,
David,
Samuel,
The prophets

. . . died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home . . . You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Sometimes we can see a long way off what we are hoping to become. We get little glimpses of the persons we would be if only we did not have this problem or that weakness or some other hurting place in us. If only . . .

And then, sometimes we cannot see at all yet who we will become in God's order of things. Wait! He's saying something to you . . .

Perhaps you have not heard that often enough in your lifetime. Perhaps you have not had the confidence to say it to yourself. Believe that as you walk in faith with God, He is saying it to you!

So then, "Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item . . ." (Hebrews 12:2, 3)

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus! You may enjoy reading "Trophies of Grace" [here].

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

A Disappointed God

It's hard for me to think about God being disappointed, but I believe that He is sometimes. Isn't He big enough to do what He wants and to have what He wants? Of course, He's big enough! But He is not a bully, forcing His way through the world and through our lives. He has chosen to limit Himself to the boundaries of our choice. This does not mean that He is ever taken by surprise; He knows who we are and how we will behave! Nevertheless, He persists in extending His love to all. How painful the rejection of us humans must be!

"For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.' " (Isaiah 57:15 NIV) That is God's desire and plan, to have relationship with us. All went well until Adam and Eve were no longer humble but wanted to be as smart as God. All their descendants, even until the present, have the same inclination.

In Noah's time, the Lord saw the terrible wickedness on the earth and the continually evil thoughts people had. He was grieved that he had placed humans on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain. Through many centuries, He called people to follow Him. In Jeremiah's time, He said through the prophet, “Long ago I broke the yoke that oppressed you and tore away the chains of your slavery, but still you said, ‘I will not serve you.’ On every hill and under every green tree, you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols." (Jeremiah 2:20 NLT)

Jesus came, but "He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him." (John 1:10, 11 NLT) To the Ephesian church, John was told to write, “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. . . You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first." (Revelation 2:2-5 NLT) The apostle Paul warned, "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." (Galatians 5:13, 14 NIV)

No, God does not always get what He wants—not in His ancient people, not in the Church, not in our homes and places of business, not in individual lives.

What can we do so God won't continue to be disappointed?

MaryMartha

Click on the title to read "Failure" or "When Jesus Cried".

Scripture quotations marked NIV are 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 quotations marked NLT 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.

A Strange Juxtaposition

Some of the families in my neighborhood just can't wait to put up lights and ornamentation for Christmas, so they've begun to precede that season with Halloween décor. I was surprised this morning when I drove by a yard with little white skulls outlining the porch and sidewalk—and a cross, probably four feet high, with lights! "What in the world is this?" I wondered.

A make-believe cemetery? But the little skulls were not in rows as you might expect.

A nod to faith? "We don't really believe in all this spooky stuff."

A safe place to trick-or-treat? "You can trust us; we wouldn't hurt you here."

A lesson in contrasts? Big cross, little skulls and big life, little death.

It's not like I can ask, so I'll never know unless they put up some additional signage. But it started me thinking about the role of this celebration in American life. Thankfully, we have moved for the most part past "tricks" to simple "treating," since in my own childhood I heard tales about outhouse tipping, soaping windows, and re-assembling a vehicle on top of some hapless farmer's barn. These pranks had no connection, as far as I know, with treats; they just stemmed from general orneriness.

You may ascribe negative significance to Halloween, observe the Christian traditions of All Saints' Day or Reformation Day, join in the fun of a fall celebration, or just ignore the whole thing. As for me, when I drive by my neighbor's yard with its skulls and the cross, I'm going to think of something like this—"What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word." (Romans 6:5, 6)

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Glomming Onto the Promises

Throughout my Christian life, I have been "standing on the promises." Perhaps you remember the song:

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring.
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
-- And here is how we sang the refrain after each verse:
Standing (on the promises),
Standing (on the promises),
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing (on the promises)
Standing (on the promis—es) [a huge ritard here]
I’m standing on the promises of God.
-- Russell K. Carter, 1886

Standing on the promises means to rely on them, to consider them dependable and certain of fulfillment. Unfortunately, though, some people "glom onto" the promises they find in the Word of God. (According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, glom is a word for grabbing hold of to appropriate for oneself. That, I think, is a fair description of the misuse of Scripture to claim something we want and to try holding God accountable for giving it to us!)

For example, God told Abram (Abraham), "Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants forever." Who could mistake that to mean that for a promise they could stand upon? Likewise, not every fisherperson is going to be successful by snatching Jesus' words spoken to His disciples: “Throw your net out on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get a catch.” The prophet Isaiah was instructed by God to go to King Hezekiah and tell him, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you and add fifteen years to your life." That is hardly a promise that every deathly ill person can seize and claim for himself/herself, yet I have heard of some who have tried to make that work.

A few questions can help us discern whether the statements we read are promises for us today:

-- Have we looked first to the promises that are clearly intended for all who believe them? A case in point, "Come to me," Jesus said to a multitude, "all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest."

-- Was this "promise" given specifically to a person(s) rather than to all God's people? This must be considered with care. Even so, God may wish at times to give us the grace He has extended to others. Was this "promise" given in circumstances similar to my own?

-- Is the "promise" consistent with others also found in the Scriptures? This is especially important.

-- Does the promise have a condition attached? An "if" is implied in "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." An unconditional promise: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

-- The ultimate test: Do time and actual events prove the validity of our claim to a "promise"? Remember of course, that we have to wait for the fulfillment of some promises until we get to heaven!

To be honest, sometimes we want to control God! And we suppose that the way to do this is to glom onto a promise and remind Him that He is obligated to comply! There are thousands of promises; some estimates are between seven and eight thousand! There are so many that are clearly meant for us to believe, that it seems we hardly need to glom onto those that may not be in God's plan for us personally.

MaryMartha

Reconciling

I ran across an interesting book the other day, entitled Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes. This is a retelling of the famous Fox and Grapes fable especially for children, wherein the Fox mightily desires the delectable grapes hanging just out of his reach. He is full of convoluted plans for engaging the other animals in reaching the tantalizing prize. But since he considers himself sly, clever, and smart, he rejects their other more practical suggestions. When all his efforts fail, he goes off in a huff, declaring that he wouldn't dream of eating those lousy, rotten, stinkin' grapes which are probably sour anyway!

The Fox's grand expectations were blindsided by cold reality. His independent thinking was confronted by an inescapable new understanding. He had a choice to make: either change his usual cocky attitude and listen to advice, or rationalize why he no longer was going after the delicious-looking grapes.

People as well as fabled foxes sometimes come to a place in life where we find ourselves saying, "This doesn't make sense. This is not how it's supposed to be," or "I don't see why doesn't this work out for me," or even, "I can't believe this is happening. I thought if I lived for God, He would look out for me." We say this because we cannot "reconcile" two very different views. On one hand, we have our customary attitudes, beliefs, and awareness of our selves. On the other hand are the realities or realizations that make us uncomfortable by being inconsistent with our previously-held view! When we cannot fully give up one in preference to the other but try to hold the contradictory ideas simultaneously, we may feel anxious, guilty, embarrassed, or angry. Like the Fox.

I have learned that I am not going to figure everything out. I will not always get my own way—even when I know good and well it's the right way! Not every new idea—even when it has the ring of real truth—will cause me to say, "Oh, that's right. Now I see!" I will have to give up knowing the reason for some things. I cannot define every decision as a choice between black and white. I will not be able to reconcile every duo of opposing ideas, deciding this one is right and this one is not. So what to do?

I will find peace in knowing that life's inconsistencies are not a problem for God. "He [Christ] was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross." (Colossians 1:18-20)

If you can't figure it out, let it go. If it doesn't go your way, well, maybe next time. If you don't know for sure what you think about a certain situation or issue, maybe you don't need to know yet. If you can't see the reason for something, relax; either you'll see the reason after awhile—or you won't. If you think that all your issues will be clearly black or white, you're missing the shades of gray that add perspective to a picture. And if you try to reconcile everything to yourself, you're really going to be frustrated because you're trying to take over Jesus' job!

MaryMartha

You may want to read: "What Job Learned about Reasons" [here]

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Reindeer on the Roof

For a little while this morning, I thought Santa had come early this year because I could hear his reindeer prancing overhead. But soon I realized it was only the seven workmen who had come to replace my hail-damaged roof. Who knew I had red shingles under the gray ones? It's like peeling an onion as the previous layers of roofing are torn away.

I am just carrying on my regular daily routine, but it's kind of like being in a fishbowl with all these fellows right outside my windows. I could close the drapes and pull the shades down, but I think I'll just ignore them. They are ignoring me and going about the business of getting this job done before it rains again.

I'll bet you don't know how I'm going to find an appropriate Scripture and draw a spiritual lesson from this. You're right. Life is made up of lots of different kinds of things, and this is one of them.

MaryMartha

P.S. I'm only kidding about the reindeer!

God Knows the Way

As I was growing up, I often sang the chorus, "My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow." This refers, I suppose, to the experience of the Israelites spending forty years in desert surroundings after they left Egypt. I've been in some pretty bleak places where I felt lost, even though I actually wasn't: a treeless pasture I hiked through in north Texas, a busy foreign city where I didn't speak the language of the people, a just-barely-marked two-lane highway through a Washington forest, even a cornfield maze in Kansas—but never in a desert. I really dislike not knowing where I am, so I can't help but think how lost those wandering people must have felt. There were no roads at all and no signs, and they could be pretty sure there were no National Park guides or emergency vehicles! Except—

God knew the way! All they had to do was follow. They didn't like that very much at times. In fact, they complained a lot, and disobeyed the leadership God had appointed, and decided it wasn't really God who had delivered them from slavery after all. Still, God faithfully led the younger generation into the land He had promised to Abraham and his descendants.

That old chorus has been a stabilizing thought when I have encountered some "wilderness" experiences in my life. Just as I want to see where I am in my natural surroundings, I really would like to know what lies ahead in my spiritual walk too. That doesn't always happen! I have to rely on God, for He knows the way.

Recounting another part of the exodus, the Psalmist writes, "Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!" (Psalm 77:19) Whether we are looking at trackless desert sand or foamy waters—or our own disappointing circumstance or financial difficulty—God knows the way. It is actually already there; many times we just can't see it!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is 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.

Beautiful Trees

I live in an established neighborhood (read: older section of the city) where the homes are surrounded by mature trees. Huge old elms line the streets and form a golden canopy overhead. [Edit 10-23-09: "Golden Arches," hmm?] Maples are blazing in the park just a block away, and I pause whenever I drive by, just to fill my eyes with the beauty. The trees along our river drive rival those anywhere in the nation; there just aren't as many as in the celebrated tour areas. What a sight!

Wouldn't you think that I would eventually wear out my enthusiasm for the colors of fall leaves? Instead, I find myself more and more awed by the display, as if each October was the first time I'd ever seen it! Although I enjoy temperate weather, I wouldn't trade places with anyone who lives where the seasons do not change much and I could never see a fiery red tree or a brilliant yellow one. If you live where there's even one beautiful tree, enjoy it!

You will want to read "True Colors" (click here) and "Autumn Colors and Others" (here) if you have not already done so.

MaryMartha

Holy Ground

The story of Moses' divine call is an outstanding example of establishing life-direction. (It may be instructive to notice that this ordering experience came after a lengthy period of unimpressive preparation!)

Moses had a royal upbringing in the household of Pharaoh's daughter. He learned all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became powerful in words and deeds. Perhaps he thought, as a young man, that he was now equipped to deliver his Hebrew countrymen from their oppressive slavery, but his first attempt at taking charge ended in disaster. To avoid the inevitable murder charge, he ran away and became a sheepherder in a remote part of the Sinai peninsula. From palace to pasture—he had certainly been demoted. For nearly forty years he tended sheep until one day, while going about his daily work, Moses had a startling experience.

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. "This is amazing," Moses said to himself. "Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it."

When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.

“Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:2-6)

Moses probably saw bushes every day. Maybe just yesterday he had seen this very bush, and there was nothing unusual about it. But in the course of an ordinary day, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in that bush. We would marvel at the sight of a flaming bush that did not burn up, and so did Moses. He went out of his way to see why the bush was not being consumed. But that was missing the whole point. God was appearing to him! He was ready to tell Moses something, but all Moses saw was an unusual sight, indeed, a great sight—a bush on fire that was not being burned up.

When God called to him, Moses responded, "I'm here," but he still didn't see what God wanted him to see. Then God explained to Moses where he was standing. "This is holy ground." Now Moses had not known before that the ground was holy. It was the very same ground he had been on yesterday or last week, and there was nothing special about it then.

And then God told him, "This is who I am—I am the God of your forefathers who proved me: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." With that, Moses began to understand, and he responded as was appropriate—he hid his face—not because he was trying to get away from God, but because he was humbled before Him. At first, Moses objected to the plan God outlined for using him to deliver the children of Israel. God reassured him, "Tell them that I AM has sent me to you." That was the turning point in Moses' life: "Just tell them I AM."

God does not destroy the realm in which we live and work. We still eat and sleep and mow our lawns and drive our cars. We still shop for groceries and talk to our neighbors over the backyard fence. In other words, God does not burn up the bush of our ordinary lives. He simply tries to come to us in this human realm. If we will not get too absorbed in our mundane shepherding chores or too taken up with the spectacular fiery bushes we see, we will recognize Him and His plan for us.

God wants to teach us, "This is already holy ground. This is where I am, and this is where I want you. This is where I am calling you to present me just as I am." Nothing in our attitude or actions makes it holy. Nothing in our response to God makes His presence be there. It just is.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is 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.

I Am But One

The little country church I attended as a child was sparse in decorative effect, but I do remember one blue-and-gold banner on the south wall, three-fourths of the way forward in the rows of hard, straight benches. It said something like this:

I am but ONE,
But I am ONE.
I cannot do EVERYTHING,
But I can do SOMETHING.
What I CAN DO,
God helping me,
I WILL DO.

It would be nice if I could tell you that the motto changed my young life, set me on the road to success, and still guides me. That would not be entirely true. The significance of those words was tucked away somewhere and has only recently come to the surface again. Isn't memory an amazing thing! Now that I am able to appreciate the wisdom of that banner, I am glad someone hung it there to remind me, all these years later, of an important truth: Whatever we do, counts.

One of my nephews, when he was quite young, told his parents, "When I grow up, I want to be a garbage collector." (What little boy doesn't want to go through the trash to see what preciousness he can find?) They did not discourage his ambition, but instead replied, "We need good garbage collectors." He turned out to be extremely well-educated with an important position in some technical career I don't even understand! But if he had been a garbage collector, that would have been important too. Tell me, just who would you miss the most—your supervisor at work if he/she was gone for a day, or the trash man if he skipped your pick-up day?

On a day-to-day basis, we need people who, as their job, throw newspapers, wash dishes, drive school buses, operate Laundromats, change tires, sell the garden produce they've grown and many more. We need street sweepers, tow truck drivers, roofing crews, mail carriers, teachers, attorneys, pastors, librarians, firemen and a host of others. In addition, we need people who will volunteer to stuff envelopes, fill trays at feeding centers, write letters for an elderly person, be a foster grandparent, or teach someone to read. We need people who will pick up trash they didn't drop, hold the door for someone, and smile whenever they get a chance.

Not all of us are going to be rich or famous or powerful; it takes a lot of ordinary people to run the world. Abraham Lincoln said, "God must love the common man, He made so many of them." But even the most ordinary of us can make a valuable contribution if we live out the idea that whatever the something is that we can do, we will do. The Wisdom Writer said, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecclesiastes 9:10) We have to do what we can, while we can.

MaryMartha

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.

Hugs

When I left my workplace yesterday, I was greeted by a couple of young women standing on the sidewalk. Three more people were standing closer to the street. They all held up large signs, "Free Hugs," and called out, "Do you want a hug? They're free!" Striped Hershey's candies? No, real hugs. Umm—well, okay. And I took several—five in all. They explained that it was International Free Hugs Day, and they were there from a local cosmetology school to give out free hugs.

Well, I'm not sure the huggers were right about the date; I found information to the contrary. But their hearts were in the right place. There actually is such an observance, designated by the founder, Australian "Juan Mann" (a pseudonym), as the first Saturday following June 30. Many organizations such as schools or retirement centers, or even whole communities, have their own initiatives set on other dates. Apparently I got in on one!

Virginia Satir, a prominent American psychotherapist and author, was especially noted for what was then (mid-20th century) a novel idea: that clients' "presenting issue," i.e. the surface problem, was seldom the real problem. Instead, how people coped with the issue created the problem. She was extraordinarily sensitive to the nonverbal aspects of communication, and believed if she could help her clients see, hear, and feel more, that their own personal and interpersonal resources would lead them to find the solutions. It's not surprising, then, that we get this famous quote from her: The recommended daily requirement for hugs is: four per day for survival, eight per day for maintenance, and twelve per day for growth.

Consider the benefits: Hugs don't require special equipment, there are no parts to break or batteries to replace, and no periodic tune-ups are required. They are naturally sweet yet non-fattening, are all-natural and preservative-free, and have no artificial ingredients. There are no monthly payments or insurance requirements and they are non-taxable. Hugs are low energy-consuming but have a high-energy yield and are non-polluting!

Of course, there are sensible cautions. One shouldn't indiscriminately crush everyone in an unexpected bear hug. But there are other sizes too. A-frame (upper body) hugs, cheek hugs, sandwich hugs, group hugs. Hugs to ask for if you need one. Hugs you ask if you may give. No appropriate person around? Hug yourself. Hug your pet. Hug a tree.

The Bible doesn't talk about hugs specifically, but hugging wasn't the social norm then and still isn't in many cultures today. Kissing a hand, one or both cheeks, or even air-kissing is for them more acceptable than embracing. The Apostle Paul told the Christians at Rome, Corinth, and Thessalonica to greet one another with "a holy kiss." Peter encouraged "a kiss of love." The point these writers were making is this: greetings that one might normally reserve for family or close friends is appropriate among the family of believers as well. Some families are really hug-gy, some are not. Some church groups are really hug-gy; some are not. When you're among huggers, I encourage you to be a hugger. Or at least a huggee.

MaryMartha

Info about Satir—http://psychotherapynetworker.org/component/finder/search?q=virginia+satir
Satir quote— http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/v/virginia_satir.html

Safe Am I

"Safe am I, safe am I, in the hollow of His hand.
Shelter door, shelter door, in His love forevermore.
No ill can harm me, no foe alarm me,
For He keeps both day and night.
Safe am I, safe am I, in the hollow of His hand."

The second line of that chorus, as you may remember, is not quite right, but that's how I heard it. The actual words? "Sheltered o'er, sheltered o'er." For a long time, in Sunday School and vacation Bible school and youth rallies, I thought we were singing about Jesus, the door to peace and safety, i.e., shelter!

But I wasn't really all that wrong, was I? Jesus declared, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. . . Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. . . I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:1-2, 7, 9 NKJV) He is indeed my shelter door!

"Someone said to Him, 'Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?' And He said to them, 'Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, "Lord, open up to us!" then He will answer and say to you, "I do not know where you are from." ' " (Luke 13:23-25 NASB)

Having entered through the door, what privileges are ours! "Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door." (Psalm 91:9, 10 MSG) "And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise." (Romans 5:2 MSG)

"But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." (Psalm 73:28 NLT) My shelter door!

MaryMartha

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved; marked NASB is from the New American Standard Bible, used by permission of The Lockman Foundation, www.lockman.org ; marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group; 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.

Continual Coverage

A year or so ago, I changed the type of insurance I have under a small life policy I hold. It was set to finish out its term at the certain age I was fast approaching, and then my coverage would end.

But let me tell you about my continual coverage! It's not a policy exactly, but a promise. "Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. [I've been adopted into that family, so it means me too.] I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. [I'm getting there!] I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." (Isaiah 46:3, 4 NLT)

The premiums in this plan are not going to change every few years as I age. The term is not going to come to an end. I don't even have "deductibles"; as a matter of fact, I am getting regular "dividends"!

What security!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is 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.

If It Was Good Enough for Paul . . .

"If it was good enough for Jesus and the Apostle Paul, it's good enough for me."

We use that bit of humor sometimes to refer to someone who clings to the King James Version of the Bible as if that English translation were the one people read in New Testament times. But I have found a good use for the expression.

Reading some of the revisionist interpretations of the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea, one finds all sorts of explanations. Those who take a low view of the Scripture say that if indeed an exodus took place, it had to be through a shallow body of water. The term "Red Sea" could have been applied in general to any of the several smaller lakes in the vicinity; they may actually have been connected at one time. The people were able to wade across, or perhaps extra-dry conditions dried up the marshy edges and they could simply make their way on relatively solid ground. No Divine intervention needed!

Or, some others say, "sea" may refer to wet, marshy areas, not bodies of water as we now think of seas. Again, God's help was unnecessary! Or they crossed on an ice bridge! (That theory at least acknowledges that God was probably involved.)

Of course, one must consider that there was sufficient water that after all the million or so Israelites had crossed, the soldiers who pursued with horses and chariots perished when the waters returned to the sea bed. Shallow crossing indeed!

But the account as it stands was good enough for Paul (or whoever wrote to the Hebrews). "It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned." (Hebrews 11:29) And before the Apostle's time, the psalmist wrote, "Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. Even so, he saved them—to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power. He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert. (Psalm 106:7-9) And again he wrote, "Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever, but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:13-15)

So there you have it. If Moses' account was good enough for David and Paul to refer to as fact, it's good enough for me!

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.

MaryMartha

The Church Is Christ's Body

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the earth, yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now." St Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582

From childhood, I have heard this quote by the famous Carmelite nun, whose writings are full of deep spiritual insights as well as practical common sense. But to me, the idea that I was responsible for "being Jesus" to the world around me was a scary thought! With my exaggerated sense of obligation, it seemed like just too much.

I agree with Teresa that I am a personal representative of Christ. The Apostle Paul himself wrote, "So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!' " (II Corinthians 5:20) But my overwhelming sense of duty was relieved when I realized that I am not by myself in this. It is not up to me alone, but to the whole Church.

"God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:22, 23) The Church is Christ's body. His hands, His feet, His eyes are given expression through many believers, not just me. While I want to take my full share of responsibility to bless and do good, it is not the fearsome "oughtness" I once thought it was. All those who share my allegiance to Christ as the head, share my participation in being His body.

MaryMartha

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.

Harvest Time

Farmers in Kansas harvested wheat and other grains a few months ago, and now are beginning to bring in corn, soybeans, milo and other fall crops. As expected, they are garnering a yield of the same sort they planted; that is, if they sowed wheat, the return is wheat, if corn was seeded, corn is harvested. It has been so ever since God planted a garden in Eden. "Then God said, 'Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.' And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:11, 12 NLT)

Isn't it interesting that people depend on nature to reproduce itself in reliable fashion, but are slow to accept the corresponding spiritual truth? "Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds!" (Galatians 6:7, 8 MSG) I talked to an acquaintance recently who was distressed by some hardships he was experiencing. He had planted a dishonest, maybe even illegal action, and now was miffed because a superior had discovered the deed and there was unpleasant and inconvenient retribution. Weeds. What could he expect?

On the other hand, the Galatians verses give great encouragement also. "But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit." (vs. 8, 9) Although the good spiritual harvest may not come at the season we would like or expect, it will come.

No drought or excessive rain, hail, disease, bugs or worms, invasive grasses, or any other damaging element can prevent the spiritual crop from coming in. "No one makes a fool of God!" Whether it will be weeds or real life depends on what we plant, day after day.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NLT is 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. Scripture marked MSG is taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

God Is the Ruler Yet

I was about middle-school age when I learned that our national and state governments are comprised of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. I came eventually to understand that, although the men and women who served in these positions are worthy of respect, they are elected from among the citizens. They are, therefore, just like the rest of us, not always good, wise and fair. (A pity, that.)

This is no cause for despair, however, because "there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." (Romans 13:1) We can be sure that He is still in charge! In fact, our great God Himself holds all these offices: "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us." (Isaiah 33:22)

As judge, God is taking care of His people. Yes, sometimes correction or even punishment is involved, but His purpose is to produce good in us. "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27) And you know how we get rid of stains and wrinkles, of course. Washing and ironing. Heat and pressure, right? That explains some of the difficult things we experience, doesn't it!

As lawgiver, He has established one on which all the others depend. Jesus said, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12) We have His very clear teaching about what constitutes the law: loving God with all our being is first and greatest commandment, "And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:27-40) We might suppose that all of this was new with Jesus, but that is not the case. It is as old as the commandments from Mt. Sinai, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19:18)

As king, He rules with unmixed love. What more is there to say? Even the most benevolent dictator is apt to favor some parts of society, while other leaders would spread (mis)information about their goodness in order to secure a following. Not God. Love is embedded in His very nature, and He cannot behave in any other way.

"This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet."
     Maltbie D. Babcock, 1858-1901

MaryMartha

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.

Conversation

I have a great idea!

What if we made laws for public discourse similar to our traffic laws? I stopped at several stop signs today, and did not proceed until no one else was on the road right at that corner. I also obeyed the red and green traffic lights that informed me when to stop and go. The other day at a four-way stop, each of the drivers waited with evident courtesy and caution until it was his/her turn. Now wouldn't it be unique among talkers if we were so observant of the conventions of polite conversation?

I am frustrated with people who are determined to out-talk others by their volume, their scary attitude, or their sheer wordiness. I would rather not be there at all than try to listen to them, even if they are not talking directly to me. (I have my personal list of grievous offenders, both individuals and groups, and you probably do as well.) They are not so much interested in conversation, an interchange of ideas and words, as they are in making their opinion absolute.

"There's nothing better than being wise, knowing how to interpret the meaning of life. Wisdom puts light in the eyes, and gives gentleness to words and manners." (Ecclesiastes 8:1)

"Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out." (Colossians 4:6)

"The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs—he starts out talking nonsense and ends up spouting insanity and evil." (Ecclesiastes 10:12)

Oh, about my great idea—I guess there already are some rules.

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

God's Little Creatures

I planted some special lily bulbs today (read: expensive), and since attack squirrels decimated earlier plantings, I installed squirrel wire on top of the freshly-dug earth. (Oh. Maybe you would call it chicken wire, or to be more precise, poultry netting.) I hope to keep the little creatures away from the juicy bulbs that make such a fine snack for them. Sometimes the squirrels hide them instead of eating them, and then I am surprised by the new location when the flowers appear.

When my daughter was very young, I taught her to respect and care for animals as "God's little creatures." She learned well, for when I had to trap mice or poison invading ants, she objected to destroying God's little creatures. "They must stay in the right place," I told her, "or they have to pay the price." It hardly seems necessary to kill the squirrels, and I'm not sure how I would go about that anyway, without killing the neighborhood cats as well.

For a long time I fed the squirrels in my yard—until they became a nuisance. I fed the birds too but decided reluctantly to stop that as well, because it's difficult to feed birds without feeding squirrels. They are amazingly clever at stealing birdseed from the feeders! It only made sense to quit inviting the wildlife, since the squirrels are a pest to my gardening neighbor as well. (Some of her bulbs disappeared and then re-appeared in my yard.) So I've resorted to "squirrel wire" over my planting, and we'll see if that works.

As an added benefit, I had to buy such a long roll that I can share with at least six neighbors as remuneration for any stolen bulbs, if they'd like!

MaryMartha

Little Is Much

Two funerals held in our city today drew my attention. One was for a sheriff's deputy who died after being shot during his response to a call for aid. About two thousand people, including the governor and attorney general and a large number of law enforcement officials from the region, attended the memorial service held for him. So many cars were in the procession to the cemetery that sections of some of the main thoroughfares through the city were closed, and traffic was directed to alternate routes. Hundreds of officers and members of a motorcycle honor guard stood with flags at the burial site. A gun salute, "Taps," bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace," and a helicopter flying overhead honored the young man in a way befitting an officer who gave his life in the line of duty, especially since he was a loving husband and father.

The second service was attended by only a few dozen people. "Nellie was God's biggest earth-bound angel," the presiding pastor said, and wept openly as she shared the many ways this Christian woman had shared her life and her love with others. It was a very simple service, with nothing to make it outstanding except the one we were remembering and honoring. The community paid little attention—but God took note.

Little is much if God is in it;
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There's a crown and you can win it,
If you'll go in Jesus' name.
    Kittie L. Suffield (1924?)

MaryMartha