Why Me?

This morning I was listening to a Christmas song that pictured Mary, the mother of Jesus, as gentle and humble. I'm sure this was true, as it was of many other young Jewish girls of that time. I wondered, then what was special about Mary that God chose her to bear the Savior of the world?

Perhaps that is the point. As far as we know, Mary was an ordinary young woman, very much like many other girls; she was not chosen on the basis of being special. The shepherds too, were ordinary, or perhaps even a bit below ordinary. What a wonderful thing it is that God chose to clothe His Son in ordinary human flesh, born into an ordinary family—although under quite unusual circumstances. Then His gift to humanity was announced to less-than-ordinary people—although in a remarkable way. Any of these people who were just ordinary might have wondered, “Why me? I'm not special.” This part of Christmas is a mystery, but it is a wonder and a delight

Sometimes I wonder myself. “Why me? Why did I hear the Gospel as a child and receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior? Why have I been privileged to understand the beauty and holiness of the Christmas message? Why do I have shelter and food and clothing? Why me, when so much of the world is without?” This part of my life is a mystery, but I am filled with wonder and gratitude.

MaryMartha

God's Finest Creation

Edit 4/21/10: Having seen the billboard again, I realize that it states "God's Finest Creation . . . " instead of "Greatest" and have edited this entry accordingingly.

I saw a large billboard the other day, installed by our state pro-life organization. It pictured a happy, adorable child, and the message was, "God's finest creation—a baby!"

Babies really are miracles. With all the things that can possibly go wrong, it's a miracle that healthy babies are born every day! With all the perils of childhood, it's another miracle that they grow into adults who can then perpetuate the race!

But I don't think they are absolutely God's finest creation. (Please don't accuse me of being anti-baby—I love 'em!) But God doesn't have to make a separate creation of each of the new babies, little Adam's and Eve's made from clay or ribs. Human beings, like the rest of God's bio-creation, have reproduction as part of the Divine plan, and they are capable of "bringing forth according to [their] kind." Life itself is certainly a gift of God, but it does not take special action on His part to begin its formation, in fact, it often happens quite unintentionally!


The greater creation, I think, begins with the second birth. For each "baby Christian" born into the kingdom of God, it is a miracle of being re-created. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (II Corinthians 5:17 NIV) No amount of hoping and planning results in the new birth, and neither are people accidentally brought into the Kingdom. "They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God." (John 1:13 NLT) It's a miracle of love and grace—God's finest creation!


MaryMartha


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 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.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Bargaining with God

Although it's possible to find instances in the Bible where people successfully "bargained" with God, unless we're very sure of right standing with Him, it's not really a good idea. Pharaoh of Egypt demonstrates this.

Moses and Aaron appeared before the ruler to inform him that God wanted His people to travel a three-day journey into the wilderness to hold a festival in His honor. "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go."

Pharaoh adamantly refused, even when the men demonstrated their authority by turning Aaron's staff into a serpent and causing the water in the Nile and everywhere else to become blood. But the king's magicians were able to conjure up both these signs, and he was implacable. The two called up frogs from the Nile to swarm the land—even in the ovens and kneading bowls and beds. Ugh! The magicians were able to bring up the frogs too, except there's no record that they could control the creatures and herd them back into the river! When Moses cried out to the Lord, though, the frogs all died and created a terrible stench! Was Pharaoh now persuaded? No way.

Next, gnats (or lice?) infested the entire land, covering animals and people alike. Ugh! The magicians couldn't create living things and had to declare, "This is the finger of God!" Their confession did not move Pharaoh however; he was as hard-hearted and hard-headed as before.

The two men warned Pharaoh of the next disaster to come: flies filling the houses of the Egyptians and covering the ground. Ugh! But this time, a distinction was made. Miraculously there were no flies where the people of God lived. They were spared, while the whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the swarms of flies. At this, Pharaoh relented and
4 began to bargain.

“All right! Go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God,” he said.
4 “But do it here in this land.” But Moses insisted that wouldn't work. The Egyptians detested the sacrifices to God and might stone the people as they worshipped. "We must take a three-day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, just as he has commanded us.”

Pharaoh offered his second bargaining chip. “All right, go ahead,” Pharaoh replied. “I will let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God.
4 But don’t go too far away. Now hurry and pray for me.” But no sooner were the flies gone than the king became stubborn again.

It took a deadly disease attacking the Egyptian livestock, festering boils breaking out on people and animals alike, and devastating hail that destroyed the ripening crops and the trees in the land to convince Pharaoh that he had sinned. However, once the disease abated, the boils dried up, and the hail and thunder stopped, he refused again to let the people go.

Locusts descended on the land, devouring whatever was left of plants and trees. One could not even see the ground, the swarm was so great. They overran the palaces and all the homes in Egypt. Ugh! “All right, go and worship the Lord your God. But who exactly will be going with you?”

Moses told him, “We will all go—young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the Lord.”

Pharaoh retorted, “The Lord will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.
4 Never! Only the men may go and worship the Lord, since that is what you requested.” And he threw them out of the palace. As soon as the locusts were gone, he again refused his permission to leave.

Darkness came over the land, darkness so thick that you could feel it, and people scarcely moved for three days because it was impossible to see. Finally Pharaoh called for the men, “Go and worship the Lord,” he said.
4 “But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.”

Moses told him that all the livestock must go also—not a hoof left behind—and furthermore, the ruler must provide additional animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord! Pharaoh was enraged. He yelled at Moses, "Get out of here! I’m warning you: never let me see your face again or you're dead!”

Pharaoh was out of chances. The death angel visited every Egyptian family from the palace to the prison, taking the life of every firstborn son. Even the first in the barns and sheep pens died. During the night Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron once more. “Get out!” he ordered. “Leave my people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone.

4 Go, but bless me as you leave.”

You know the disastrous end of Pharaoh, his troops, his horses and chariots—all drowned in the Red Sea. He thought he would pursue the Israelites and make them return to slavery. He changed his mind one last time to his own destruction. He had bargained with God once too many times.

But we would not be so foolish--

Would we?

MaryMartha

The story of the Exodus is found in the book of Exodus, chapters 7-14. I have used some verses from the New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/pictures

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

Bread of Heaven

"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.' . . . When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, 'What is it?' for they did not know what it was.

"Moses said to them, 'It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: "Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer [about two liters] for each person you have in your tent." ' The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed. . . The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." (Exodus 16:4, 15-18, 31)

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:2, 3)

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Psalm 119:103

Manna,
The Father's gift,
Delights the hung'ring soul.
Discover fresh from Him each day
Your bread.

Search deep!
Old truths conceal
The new. Search on! Once fed,
The soul has only deeper need
For Him! --MM

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.

A Miracle or a Workable Plan

A co-worker arrived on the job one morning, years ago, and told us that he had stopped to talk with a man whom he saw every day sitting on the steps of an apartment building. It had become obvious that the fellow was waiting for something or someone, and finally my curious friend decided to find out what he was expecting.

The answer was very simple—to the waiting person—but it left my co-worker speechless. The man needed money, and he believed God was going to send Ed McMahon and the American Family Publishers crew to award him the sweepstakes prize. We laughed a little at that misguided faith, but actually it was more sad than humorous. The chance of winning a major prize in such a contest is less than one in fifty million. How many of those millions do you suppose are thinking that this is the miracle they've been praying for? The chances are good that the winner of multiple millions of dollars will thank God; winners often give a nod to Him. But think of how many others will not get the "miracle" they wanted, and if they really expected it to happen, they may be a little miffed at God.

Miracles do happen. It is very clear to me that only Divine intervention could produce the outcome we experience in some of our human affairs. We see grace and good far exceeding anything we could create, and we see catastrophe averted that we ourselves were unable to prevent. But I have found that it is helpful to be open to every kind of possibility, not the supernatural alone, and to pray, "God, please give me a miracle or a workable plan." During many months, I pleaded in this way regarding a financial need that was reaching critical proportions. I did not have a startling, all-at-once answer, but slowly an idea began to develop in my mind. I pursued it and found there was a reasonable hope of success—in other words, a workable plan. And now, much later, I know that it was indeed God's way of answering. Just because the solution God had in mind required extra effort on my part does not mean it was any less an answer to prayer than winning the sweepstakes prize.

Answers don't come in the same way for everyone. Maybe the man sitting on the apartment steps will some day win an amazing amount of money. Or maybe there will be a job he can do or community resources he can find. If we depend on God, He will give us the miracle we need—or a workable plan.

Daily Bread

When Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, the example He gave them included these words: "Give us this day our daily bread." Well-fed Americans probably have less understanding of this part of the prayer than many people in other parts of the world. The poorly nourished are fully aware of the meaning of daily bread since they seldom have on hand more than is needed for one day, if not for only a single meal. Praying this prayer, they literally rely on God to provide what is needed for their next meal.

By contrast, major grocery chains here vie for our patronage with 24/7 business hours, doubled coupons, and two-for-one specials. Convenience stores located every few blocks not only provide ready access to necessary items, but also promote a wide array of goods that entice one to purchase "extra's." I am very aware that there are also Americans who are truly hungry, but the average person, even if shopping on a limited budget, can still buy what is needed for the next meal or even several meals. Because this is so relatively easy, we may slide over our Lord's teaching about daily provision.

Remember the little widow of Zarephath? It was a time of terrible famine in Israel, and she had no source of provision. She was not living on Social Security, after all, or drawing her deceased husband's railroad pension. All that stood between her and starvation was the one little pancake she was going to make for her son and herself--and then they would die. The prophet Elijah, finding her gathering sticks for the fire, asked her, "Would you bring a little water for me to drink?" As the woman turned away to fill his request, he called after her, "Oh, and bring me, please, a bit of bread also."

"Sir, I don't have any bread--only a handful of flour is left in the bin and a little oil in the bottom of the jug. I am going to make one last meal for myself and my son, and when that is gone, we will die."

"Don't be afraid," Elijah told her. "Go ahead and cook your 'last meal.' But first, bake a little loaf of bread for me out of what you have. Afterward, there will still be enough food for you and your son."

Incredibly, the woman risked the flour and oil, and even her life, on the word of God spoken by the prophet. "There will always be flour in the bin and oil in the jug until the famine has ended." She did as Elijah said, and all three of them ate for many days from that handful of flour and the few drops of oil . Did God fill up the flour barrel and the oil jug so that the widow had an abundant supply? No, every time she dipped into the barrel, there was just enough. When she went back the next time, there was just enough. Whenever she poured oil from the jug, there was just enough, and when she needed oil again, there was just enough.

When we ask God for our daily bread--and by extension, all our needs for the day--we acknowledge that we are relying on Him to care for us. We never get so "spiritual" that these physical needs are of no consequence to us, and therefore also to Him. Just because they are part of the natural realm does not mean their consideration is foreign to faith. We choose to see through eyes of faith, and we choose to see Him as our source.

Sometimes we are impatient with the "dailiness" of God's provision. How about He just gives me half a million dollars, and then I won't keep asking Him every day for what I need? Most of us are okay with depending on God if we can see that we have everything we need for the present--and then some! And yes, sometimes God does work that way; for example, when Jesus fed the crowd of ten or fifteen thousand, He gave more than enough and the disciples aferwards picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. But if we are praying honestly, "Give us this day our daily bread," we are committing ourselves to receiving His supply on an as-needed basis.

MaryMartha

"I Want to See"

A blind beggar was sitting beside the road that led into Jericho when Jesus came walking by. The man could hear the noise of the crowd going past. "What's happening?" he asked someone. "Jesus, the man from Nazareth, is coming this way!" they answered excitedly.

With that, the blind man began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

“Be quiet!” the people at the front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Of course, Jesus heard the commotion. He stopped. "Bring that fellow over to me," He directed. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

An audience with Jesus! The Miracle-Worker is asking him what he wants! Perhaps, "Jesus, make someone give me the coins that will buy what I need for this week."

Or, "Jesus, make the man at the marketplace be generous toward me. He could help me if only he would."

"Jesus, make someone clear this roadside where I sit. Every day I stumble."

"Jesus, make my family accept me. Make people be kind. Make people listen to me."

No, none of these. The blind man was wise enough, brave enough, to tell Jesus what he really needed. "Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” So then Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. (from Luke 18:35-43)

Perhaps sometimes we too come to God with a litany of what others should be made to do! It's better to get to the point: "Lord, I want to see! Change me!"

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Walls of Water

When reading the Exodus story again, I paused to consider how scary it must have been for those who walked on the path God had created by dividing the waters of the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:21, 22) When the Israelites left Egypt, they were pursued by Pharaoh's chariots, and the people were trapped between the enemy and the uncrossable sea. At God's command, Moses stretched out his rod over the sea, but if I am reading the account correctly, a useable path did not immediately appear—sorry about that, Charlton Heston. ("Moses" in Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 film, The Ten Commandments). The Scripture says God caused a strong east wind to blow all night. Either that caused the water to heap into walls on not one, but two, sides—an impossibility without Divine intervention—or Moses' action divided the sea and then the wind held back the waves and dried the seabed. Either scenario is truly miraculous.

There is significance for us in the way God got His people across the sea. He did not transport them during the night so that when they awakened, they suddenly found themselves on the opposite shore. He did not enable them to walk on top of the water either. He did not remove the sea, nor did He dispose of the enemy. He made a way through—and He will do the same for us.

"My Child, the wind which you feared for its power to harm,
I have chosen to use as the strength of My arm,
And while your soul suffers the darkness of night,
I'm dividing the waters to the left and the right.
At last when the light dawns and once more you see,
You will find an escape made for you there by Me.
Though the host of the enemy is still close at hand,
You can walk through your Red Sea upon the dry land.

"I've made only a pathway, not a calm, placid sea
For I want you to walk in reliance on Me.
I will use all your trials and heartaches today
To guide you and keep you in My chosen way.
There'll be wind, there'll be billows that foam and toss high,
But the waves cannot touch you for I am still nigh.
You will walk upon dry land in the midst of the sea
And the great walls of water will press you to Me."

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Fear of Being Well

Not all of Jesus' miracles were received with gladness. An account in three of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—relates an incident where a wonderful healing took place, and the response was great fear.

Jesus and his disciples came by boat across the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gerasenes. There they were met by a madman, a victim of demons who so tormented him that he lived naked and homeless in the cemetery among the tombs. He was so wild that no one could restrain him; he had been tied up many times, but he broke the ropes and snapped the chains. Night and day he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and slashing himself with sharp stones.

When the man saw Jesus, still a long way off, he ran and bowed before Him as if to worship. But then he screamed and the evil spirits within bellowed, "Why are you interfering with me, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, don't torture me!"

"Tell me your name," Jesus commanded the spirit presence, and it answered, "Mob. I am a rioting mob," but then as Jesus began to order them to come out, they pleaded not to be totally banished. A large herd of pigs—2000 of them—were rooting and feeding on a nearby hill. "Send us into the swine," they begged desperately. Jesus gave His permission, and the whole herd of crazed pigs plunged wildly down the steep hillside and into the lake where they all drowned.

Those who were tending the pigs were scared to death. They fled to the nearby town, spreading the news as they went. A crowd gathered around Jesus and saw there with Him the man who had been delivered from the demon mob. He was wearing decent clothes and making sense when he spoke. It was a miracle! And the crowd's response? They were all afraid and demanded that Jesus go away and leave them alone.

Why were people afraid in the face of a miraculous healing? True, they had lost their pigs. "If Jesus stays here, performing more of these miracles, it's hard telling how many of us will lose our livelihood. Let's run Him off!"

The social structure is upset. "This is too much change, way too fast. We don't understand it at all. It's just scary."

And if there's no wild man in the community to whom can we feel superior? "You think I'm crazy? No, that guy out in the cemetery is crazy."

Having finished just this one mission on the far side of the lake, Jesus started to get back into the boat. The delivered man begged to go along, but Jesus told him, "No, go home to your own people. Tell them your story, how the Master had mercy on you." He did just that, witnessing throughout the whole area of the amazing thing Jesus had done for him. By proclaiming his testimony, the delivered man avoided the tragedy of a return to the caves.

Once a person has grown accustomed to the darkness of his/her emotional self-destruction, ruinous habits, or antisocial behavior, the light may seem too much to bear. It is not at all unusual for those who are celebrating wellness to creep back into the familiarity of the "cave" where they have lived for a long time. Being free and responsible and happy is just too great a change. It's scary! He/she was not happier or healthier in the cave, but it is dear and familiar, and sometimes there is the temptation to find "safety" in that well-known place.

Jesus said, "If the Son sets you free, you are truly free." (John 8:36) But one has to accept that freedom and not fear being well.

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

The Making of a Miracle

We use the word "miracle" a lot, and it can mean many things. A miracle cleaning solution implies that it does a great job. A miracle weight loss program promises you can expect results if you follow the rules. The other day I saw a business sign that invited, "Do you need a miracle? Let us help you." The goods and services offered there were intended to change my life, I'm sure! But in a life of personal faith, miracle means "an extraordinary event manifesting Divine intervention in human affairs." But not just any old human affairs, my own, if you will.

There are some things that simply are not going to happen without that Divine intervention. But that does not mean we have no part at all in the process. (You do know that many miracles are a process?) Many of the miracles Jesus performed during His earthly ministry were life-and-death matters. People were suffering, dying, or even already dead. But His very first miracle, at the Cana wedding, was not of that crucial sort. The groom's family simply ran out of wine. Mary observed this social disaster and said to her Son, "They have no wine." His answer was something like, "Am I supposed to do something about this?" Nevertheless, Mary turned to the servants nearby and told them, "Do whatever He tells you to do."

And they did. Against all reason, they filled six great twenty- or thirty-gallon waterpots with water, and then began to pour it out into the serving vessels. Lo! It had become wine. It was a miracle!

There are several amazing things about this miracle in addition to the obvious water-into-wine one. First, the stage was set for a miracle when the servants were ready to obey whatever Jesus said. We foolishly ask God to intervene in our lives and then refuse to take the action that His Spirit prompts. For example, I have known homes where the "breadwinner" refuses to go to work, claiming, "God will provide for us; the Bible says 'the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.' " Another might say, "God's angels have charge over me to keep me from harm," but he/she drives recklessly, does not buckle up, and may add to both of those an animated phone conversation. We cannot execute a miracle, speak one into existence, or engineer a command performance. What we can do is cooperate with God's intent, setting the stage for Him to work.

The second surprising thing is that Jesus did not consider it a waste of Divine energy to perform the miracle that salvaged a happy occasion and a man's reputation as a good host. How did we ever come by our ideas that God is against good times and that He is not concerned about our personal well-being? This miracle reveals His nature to be very different from that.

And the third wonderful thing: When the master of ceremonies tasted the excellent new wine, he called the bridegroom over and said to him, "The hosts I've known always serve the finest wine first, and then when everyone has had plenty to drink, he brings out the cheaper stuff. But you saved the best until now!” The Scripture explains, "He didn't know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew." When God reaches into our situation and changes it, some people may look at us and say, "How lucky!" But we ourselves know that, by our obedience, we have been involved in the smallest way. We can enjoy a special secret delight in what God has accomplished by the making of a miracle!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

I Will Rescue You

A friend was telling me about the circumstances in her life which had been pressing her to feel frantic. She had pleaded desperately with God, “Please help me or I won’t make it.” And in her heart He answered quietly, “I rescued Ruth [a woman in a dreadful situation] and I love you just as much. I can rescue you too—and I will.”

Much of the Bible is about rescue. God rescued Noah from the flood and Lot from the firestorm of Sodom. He rescued baby Moses hidden in a basket-boat, and Daniel when he was thrown to the hungry lions. The Christmas message itself is about rescue; “And she [Mary] will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NLT)

Rescue does not always come in just the way we are expecting it. Several versions of the following story make this point. A fellow was trapped in his house by the rapid floodwaters that swirled through what had been his front yard. A Red Cross rowboat came by, and the workers urged him to get into their boat, but he refused, saying, “The Lord will rescue me.” Before long the water was up to the window sills, and a motor boat came by. The worried occupants called, “Sir, you’ve got to leave; the water is still rising rapidly. “No, no,” he answered, “The Lord will save me.”

The rain continued to pour down and the water continued to rise. After awhile, it pushed the fellow up and outside onto the roof where he perched precariously. A helicopter hovered overhead and the team lowered a rope. “Grab the rope and we’ll pull you to safety,” the loud speaker squawked. “No,” he shouted back, “The Lord will save me.”

Soon the rising water swept over the roof, and the fellow was carried away and drowned. He arrived at Heaven’s throne perplexed and angry—and very wet. "Why," he shouted at God, "didn’t you save me?"

"Give me a break," sighed the Lord God Almighty. "I sent two boats and a helicopter. What were you waiting for?"

Rescue does not always come in dramatic ways. As a matter of fact, it is most likely to arrive through unspectacular means. God will probably not provide miraculous transport if there are boats and helicopters handy. He will probably not commission a team of rescue workers to come to your aid while there is something you can do yourself. Rather than throw up your hands and declare your situation hopeless, you can look around for what He has already given or is sending your way. He is, after all, in the rescue business.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

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.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

What Three Young Men Learned about Freedom

Daniel and three other young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were among the Hebrew people who were deported from their homeland around 605 B.C. We remember Daniel by his given name, but we know the others best by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. A number of young Jewish men, including even nobles and royal descendants, were selected for a special program of preparation to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace. All were healthy, good-looking, and intelligent. Daniel and his companions, probably all mere teenagers, decided from the beginning that they would remain faithful to their God even though they were captives. Eventually, they were above all the others in their physical fitness, their knowledge of the culture, and their wisdom and understanding. After Daniel was enabled by the Lord to interpret a dream for the king, the four young were appointed to high positions in the realm.

King Nebuchadnezzar was a man of monstrous ego. He had a golden image erected, ninety feet tall, and ordered “everybody who was anybody” to come to its dedication. When all were gathered, a herald announced, “As soon as you hear the musical instruments playing, you must bow down and worship the image that the King has set up. Anyone who does not kneel and worship will be thrown into a blazing fiery furnace."

The band began to play and all the people bowed down—almost all the people. Daniel’s three young friends did not. (Apparently Daniel was elsewhere in the province when this occurred.) Some Babylonian fortunetellers stepped up—perhaps those who had not been able to understand the King’s dream—and reported to the King that three young Jews, the very men he had placed in high positions,were ignoring his command. The King flew into a rage and ordered them to be brought to him. “If you do not obey,” he warned them, “you will be immediately thrown into the roaring furnace. Then who is the god who can rescue you?”

The group answered, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18 *) This made the king so angry that he had the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. He ordered some of his stoutest soldiers to tie up the young men, turbans and all, and throw them into the furnace. The soldiers themselves died from the intense heat, and the three young men, securely tied, fell down into the flames.

Not the end of the story! To his amazement, the King saw not three but four men, loose and walking about in the fire. “And the form of the fourth,” he said “is like the Son of God!” When the young men were pulled out of the furnace, their hair was not singed, their clothes were not scorched, and there was not even the smell of smoke upon them. They were completely free, and were given positions of even greater importance!

But the freedom of these three young men did not actually start when they were released. It began earlier when they declared, “Our God is able . . . He will . . . And even if He doesn’t . . .” It takes some faith to say that God is able to rescue us from a desperate situation. It takes greater faith to declare that we believe He will. It takes abandonment to faith to say, “But even if He doesn’t, I will go on trusting and obeying Him.”

Peace and freedom come when we begin to trust God with our lives. Our freedom and confidence increase as we develop a “history” with Him, and we have experienced His reliability. Our freedom is unassailable when we are able to declare, “If He doesn’t answer the way I would like or even if it seems He doesn’t answer at all, He knows best, and I refuse to stop trusting Him!” I am reminded of our childish retort when someone tried to lord it over us, “You’re not the boss of me!” Although we might not say exactly that, our determination must equally clear-cut. “You’re not big enough to make me stop loving and serving God!” That is a powerful freedom!

What if God had not intervened on behalf of the three young men? What if we ourselves face threats and persecution and even death? Well, the Apostle Paul says we’re better off out of our bodies and in God’s presence. That defines for us the ultimate freedom.

MaryMartha
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*Read the whole story in the Book of Daniel, chapters 1-3. It will be worth your time!

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.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Don't Be Surprised

There are many surprises in the Christian life, for God is infinitely creative in His relationship with us! There are some things, however, that take us by surprise that really shouldn’t if we are careful readers of the Word.

— Don’t be surprised on the insistence that one must be “born again.” A co-worker of mine has a new baby daughter. He is not at all reluctant to tell us that Bridget was born yesterday morning because that’s how she arrived here to participate in human life—she was born. Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus, a respected Jewish teacher, that if he wanted to participate in the Kingdom of God, he needed to be born a second time. Both kingdoms, the earthly one and the heavenly one, are entered by birth. Jesus told him, “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ “ (John 3:6, 7 NLT)

We were meant for the heavenly Kingdom; that was God’s plan all along, so don’t be surprised! Believing that to be true is as natural an expectation as telling an airliner sitting on the runway, “Don’t be surprised that I am expecting you to take off and fly. You were made to fly!”

— Don’t be surprised that Jesus is both Savior and Judge. The Jewish rulers were in an uproar because the Lord had healed a crippled man on the Sabbath. He took this opportunity to declare very openly His connection to the Father. He explained that in “an hour that is coming—and now is—” those who are dead in their sins receive life by hearing (believing) Him. He could give life because He was the Son of God; He was one with God. He also claimed that authority to judge had been given to Him. He could judge because he was the Son of Man; He was one of us. “Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” (John 5:25-29 NLT)

— Don’t be surprised at God’s interventions. One afternoon Peter and John went up to the temple to the three o’clock prayer meeting. They were stopped by a crippled beggar who wanted alms, and the disciples gave Him what they had—the life of Jesus Christ! The man got up and went into the temple with them, leaping and praising God. When all the people saw the man whom they knew had been lame from his birth, they were amazed. Peter, seeing that he now had an audience, addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this.” (Acts 3:12, 13 NLT)

— Don’t be surprised at your difficulties. “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (I Peter 4:12, 13) Sometimes it is very difficult to wait for the glory, whether at the end of the particular trial or the end of life itself. “Hold on, my child, joy comes in the morning; weeping only lasts for the night. Hold on, my child, joy comes in the morning; the darkest hour means dawn is just in sight.” (Reader, do you know the author?)

— Don’t be surprised when not everyone accepts you. I often hear people lament the restraint or ridicule that Christians face in their workplaces, schools, or communities. Such mild opposition does not even merit the label “persecution” when every day Christians in some parts of the world are losing their lives for the faith. As the writer to the Hebrews cautioned, “In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves.” (Hebrews 12:4 MSG) Some Christians are angry at those who oppose them, even murderous in their hearts, but “we must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.” (I John 3:12, 13 MSG)

So . . . Don’t be too surprised. You’ve been warned!

MaryMartha
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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. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Clouds

When the children of Israel left Egypt under Moses’ leadership, God demonstrated His presence with them in a tangible way. “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (Exodus 13:21, 22)

Before long, however, the people were trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s pursuing army. While they huddled fearfully in their camp, “the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.” (Exodus 14:19, 20) When morning came, God instructed Moses to stretch out his hand over the Sea. The Lord caused a strong east wind to roll back the water, and the people crossed safely on dry land. Of course, that pathway enabled the enemy to cross, as well, but Moses held out his hand again, returning the Sea to its former depth, and every one of Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen were destroyed. The opening of the Red Sea was a huge miracle, but consider too that most unusual cloud: covering one camp in darkness and flooding the other with light.

Have you ever considered that what seems like difficulty to you—a cloud, so to speak—could actually be your protection and provision?

The God of the Israelites sent a cloud
To serve as a guard in the night.
Old Pharaoh’s host saw just the dark cloud,
But the children of God, a light.

The cloud that today is shading your path
Is there for God sees it’s fit.
Despair or deliverance will all depend
On how you are looking at it.

Looking on it from the viewpoint of one
Whose heart has been taught to see Him,
The cloud will reveal Him, burst forth into Light—
But if you rebel, your eyes dim.

This cloud in your way, then, spells life and peace
Or confusion and doubt—for you see,
You alone can be the one to decide
On which side of the cloud you will be.

Are you dwelling where Israel’s faith abounds
Or in Egypt’s rebelling sin?
The cloud being darkness or light to you
Depends on which camp you are in. –MM

MaryMartha
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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

Faith That Doesn't Walk on Water

The Apostle Peter is widely acclaimed for being the disciple to speak up, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water.” I’m not saying that I would have stepped out of the boat, but still I think the story deserves another reading.

The Gospels tell us that after a long day of teaching the crowds, including the miracle of feeding about five thousand families, Jesus went up on the mountainside to pray. The disciples got into a boat and began to row to the other side of the lake. About halfway across, three and a half miles or so from shore, a powerful wind came up, the waves grew threatening, and soon the crew knew they were in trouble. It was very late, between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m., it was very dark, and they were very alone. Just when they were about to give up hope, they saw someone—or something—coming toward them. He—it—seemed to be walking on the water. Impossible! “It’s a ghost!” they cried in terror, now more afraid of the approaching phantom than of drowning.

“Take courage! It is I,” the shadowy figure called. “Don’t be afraid.”

Is it -- ? Could it really be the Lord?

Peter, always ready to speak, called back. “Lord, if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water.” And Jesus--because that’s who it really was—told him to come. Peter stepped out of the boat, and sure enough, he too was able to walk on the waves. Never mind that he grew fearful and began to sink, and Jesus had to rescue him. At least he got out of the boat! And so we laud his faith and his outstanding tremendous courage.

But look again at what Peter said, at the question it implied. If. If it’s You . . .

How often we wait for some kind of miraculous proof before we venture our whole-hearted faith in the Lord. If Peter’s faith was as spectacular as we tend to think, why did Jesus mildly rebuke him, saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Did Jesus really expect Peter to become a water-walker and was disappointed because the disciple didn’t have enough faith to do it successfully? I don’t think so. I think He wanted Peter and all the rest of the disciples to believe He was just who He said He was. No “ifs.”

The next time you’re in a storm, don’t wonder, “Lord, if You’re really here . . .” You don’t have to walk on water to prove Jesus is with you. He is here. Don’t be afraid.

That’s faith.

MaryMartha

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