Lenten Meditation: a Word of Abandonment

Abandoned!  Left on the “doorstep of Life”…but with no Rescuer in sight!

What happens next in the unfolding drama of the crucifixion of our Lord is incomprehensible!

It’s an abandonment so profoundly mysterious that it boggles the mind…but ravishes the believing heart! Let’s watch it unfold…

It is noon.

By this time, Jesus has already forgiven His executioners as they cruelly hammered Him to the Cross…as they, careless for His pain, roughly lifted and dropped His Cross into the ground…Father, forgive them.

By this time, He lovingly has received the confession and cry of a repentant thief with a word of hope…Today you will be with me in Paradise.

And by now, He has tenderly cared for His suffering mama by entrusting her to His beloved disciple and friend…Behold your son…behold your mother.

Three hours of agony are yet to come…as if enough suffering hasn’t already been Hiscup. This agony will be beyond understanding and description!  But this is the crux of theFather’s cup that Jesus has chosen to drink…and drink it He must…to the full!

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.
At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.
One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink.
But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” 
Matthew 27:45-49 NLT

Strangely silent, God the Father abandons Jesus, God’s Son…for three hours.

This is the same Father who validated Him at His baptism with the words:

This is my beloved Son in whom I’m well-pleased. Matthew 3:17 ESV

…the same Father who declared Him superior to Moses and Elijah at theTransfiguration:

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them;
and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” John 17:5 ESV

…and the same Abba who responded to Jesus’ prayer just days before His crucifixion:

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?
But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
…Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” John 12:27-32 ESV

But now nothing but darkness!  What kind of rift could be happening?

Whatever it is, it’s so mysteriously real that we hear the very human God-Man ask the question we all ask when we face the “unanswerables” of life…WHY?

Theologians* down through the centuries have basically scratched their theological heads, trying to understand and explain this mystery of mysteries.

But it’s the pages of Scripture that give us the answer to Jesus’ WHY?

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
the sins of us all.
Is 53:4-6 NLT

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2Cor5:21 ESV

God turned His back on His Son so He wouldn’t have to turn His back on us…

Because the wages of sin is death…spiritual as well as physical;
because death means separation…separation from God (spiritual death) as well asseparation of the soul from the body (physical death);
Jesus our Brother underwent spiritual death as well as physical death to be our sinless Sin-Bearer, our Perfect Substitute.

Jesus the God-Man was spiritually separated from a Holy God in order to take our place…and bring us to God.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit… 1 Peter 3:18 NIV

And WHY?

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us,
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
1John 3:16

Prayer:

“We twist in anguish at Your cry …”My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”  God forsaking God, this is a mystery beyond understanding.  A forsaking that was meant for us, but wretched alienation and blackness experienced by You.
Because of that tormented howl, the barrier that kept us from God tears in two.  And we who have insulted and mocked You, denied You and crucified You, we fall on our knees and whisper Good Friday truth: “Surely this man was the Son of God.”
Ann Voskamp, Trail to the Tree

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Something to Think About:

Have you ever been forsaken by someone you love?  Jesus understands…He was no stranger to abandonment.
He was abandoned by His nation, His people, His “so-called disciples, His brothers, Judas, Peter…and in reality, us as well.

He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care. Is 53:3 NLT

Have you ever felt abandoned by God?  Jesus was!  And this has been the experience of devout believers through the ages.  (See Dark Night of the Soul)
Of course, we will never experience it to the extent of the Son of God.  But we know that because He has gone through it before us, He understands and comes to our aid even when the Heavens may seem like brass…silent and dark.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT

Have you asked the WHY? question…without getting a reply?  Read what our Mysterious God says:

The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. Deut 29:29

Bible Students:

Many Bible scholars consider Psalm 22, the psalm Jesus quoted here, a Messianic Psalm.
There are at least four points of comparison between Psalm 22 and Matthew 27.  See if you can find them.
Look especially at Ps 22:1,7,8,18 and Mt 27:35,39,43,46.

You may also like to read through the Gospel of John during this Lenten season.  As you do, make note of how intimately connected to and dependent on the Father, Jesus was.  This made the abandonment the Son experienced all the more painful…all for you and me!

* A Theological Word:

God forsaking God.  Who can understand that?
Martin Luther (quoted in Abiding Christ Church, Lenten study 2012)

The first three sayings were probably all spoken before noon.  This one, which is in every way central, was uttered about 3pm, after three hours of darkness and silence during which the Son of God bore the sin of the world.  In that work He had to be forsaken by God, and yet at the same time there was no splitting up of the Trinity.  All that is involved is inscrutable, but He gave Himself, He was made sin, He bore sins, and His soul was made an offering for sin.  His work was to bear sin.

Charles Ryrie,  Biblical Theology of the New Testament, p.69

Lenten Meditation: Eulogize your living loved one

eulogy  noun, plural eulogies.
1. a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially a set oration in honor of a deceased person.
2. high praise or commendation.

In our week’s Lenten meditation, we focus on the Lord’s care for His dear mom as His own death approaches.  How tender, how like a beloved son of a beloved mom! Caring for our treasured loved ones is at the heart of “family” in the purest sense of the word.

However, we often forget that true caring can be much deeper and more needed than merely physical care, as critical as that is.  There’s a caring that touches heart and soul…one that meeting physical needs approaches, but a caring that perhaps only loving words can reach.

We busily go through our lives, often thinking many kind thoughts and feeling loving, appreciative sentiments for our loved ones, but not stopping to put words and voice to them…nourishing the soul of ones we love.

Rather what do we traditionally do?  We wait until the person has passed away to express those words, words that deep down she may have been longing to hear.    We give those golden words to others in the form of a eulogy, either formally or informally delivered, at a funeral or memorial service.

I’ve been thinking a lot about death these days, especially since my dear mom has gone to her reward with Jesus in heaven just last November.  About eight years ago, several of my siblings had the wonderful brain-child to celebrate my mom’s 85th birthday with a big party/reunion.  This was a huge deal with music, singing, readings and fun!

As part of that, many of us wrote, in a sense, our eulogies to her, and my son Jeremy compiled them in a book with photos.  And as wonderful as the entire occasion was, the most important thing was that little volume of golden words.

I’m not sure my mom was able to take it all that day. But I do know something was received…she was honored with words of love, affection, and affirmation.  And she looked through that book while she was in the Manor House Senior Center, and who knows but many memories kicked in when she viewed not just words but alsophotos of loved ones.

So dear friends, don’t wait too long!  Don’t even wait till 85…life is a vapor!

I really believe that a big part of our grief over the loss of a loved one is really regret (which can eat us alive!).  Seize the opportunity to just simply say the beautiful, wonderful things you think and feel, even right then and there in the moment. You don’t need a big bash to do it! Don’t assume the person knows how you feel!We are all insecure enough to NOT KNOW!

You will be glad you did…but most of all, your loved one will be “cared for” in the depths of her soul!

For His honor and glory! Amen!

To see my “eulogy” for my mom’s 85, click here.

Take a look at the one another verses.

Lenten Meditation: Eulogize your living loved one

eulogy  noun, plural eulogies.1. a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially a set oration in honor of a deceased person. 2. high praise or commendation.

In our week's Lenten meditation, we focus on the Lord's care for His dear mom as His own death approaches.  How tender, how like a beloved son of a beloved mom! Caring for our treasured loved ones is at the heart of "family" in the purest sense of the word.

However, we often forget that true caring can be much deeper and more needed than merely physical care, as critical as that is.  There's a caring that touches heart and soul...one that meeting physical needs approaches, but a caring that perhaps only loving words can reach.

We busily go through our lives, often thinking many kind thoughts and feeling loving, appreciative sentiments for our loved ones, but not stopping to put words and voice to them...nourishing the soul of ones we love.

Rather what do we traditionally do?  We wait until the person has passed away to express those words, words that deep down she may have been longing to hear.    We give those golden words to others in the form of a eulogy, either formally or informally delivered, at a funeral or memorial service.

I've been thinking a lot about death these days, especially since my dear mom has gone to her reward with Jesus in heaven just last November.  About eight years ago, several of my siblings had the wonderful brain-child to celebrate my mom's 85th birthday with a big party/reunion.  This was a huge deal with music, singing, readings and fun!

As part of that, many of us wrote, in a sense, our eulogies to her, and my son Jeremy compiled them in a book with photos.  And as wonderful as the entire occasion was, the most important thing was that little volume of golden words.

I'm not sure my mom was able to take it all that day. But I do know something was received...she was honored with words of love, affection, and affirmation.  And she looked through that book while she was in the Manor House Senior Center, and who knows but many memories kicked in when she viewed not just words but also  photos of loved ones.

So dear friends, don't wait too long!  Don't even wait till 85...life is a vapor!

I really believe that a big part of our grief over the loss of a loved one is really regret (which can eat us alive!).  Seize the opportunity to just simply say the beautiful, wonderful things you think and feel, even right then and there in the moment. You don't need a big bash to do it! Don't assume the person knows how you feel!We are all insecure enough to NOT KNOW!

You will be glad you did...but most of all, your loved one will be "cared for" in the depths of her soul!

For His honor and glory! Amen!

To see my "eulogy" for my mom's 85, click here.

Take a look at the one another verses.

Lenten Meditation: Finding It Home

I wrote this a year ago, while my mom was still alive...now she is in glory, experiencing what she had anticipated all her life! Paradise, Heaven, the Pearly Gates, our Eternal Rest...mystery beyond measure!

The Bible gives us glimpses of this place of rest from earthly labors...streets of gold, myriads of angels, the throne of God, believing loved ones we have said "good by" to on this earth, and most of all, the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lover of our souls!

My almost 91 year old mom is getting very close to that glorious place.  I think that all her life, she has kept heaven in view.  I remember as a child she would quote this verse to me:

...eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 DRA

She applied that precious verse to heaven, and she is certainly right.*  We humans cannot even imagine...but we will have our spiritual senses sharpened to take it all in.  Now we experience Him & His delights as in a shadow, don't we?  But then face to face!

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV

I found a sweet book on Heaven in my search to find something my mom could take in with her now limited physical understanding.  It's by Anne Graham Lotz.  Perhaps you would like to take a look.

The older I get in the Lord, the more I realize what Jesus said is true, "Unless you become as a little child, you cannot enter [and might I add, "experience"] the kingdom of God."

As I woke up this morning, I recalled a song I have loved for years.  It has a hauntingly beautiful melody, so rich in imagery.  Here it is. Enjoy it in two ways.  The first is the song movingly sung by a male voice; the second, at the end of a sweet medley sung by Christine Wrytzen.  May you be blessed by both.

Finally Home

When engulfed by the terror of the tempestuous sea, Unknown waves before you roll; At the end of doubt and peril is eternity, Though fear and conflict seize your soul.

But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven! Of touching a hand-And finding it God's! Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial! Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!

When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night, O how lonely death can be; At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light, For death is swallowed up in victory!

But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven! Of touching a hand-And finding it God's! Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial! Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2uZxlfFQm4']

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX4F1eatvmY']

*In the context of 2 Corinthians 2, this verse is more broadly applied to experiencing the Lord in ever increasing measure even while here on earth.  Of course in heaven, it will be full...hallelujah!

Another song shared just today by my devout cousin-in-law. Thank you, Marilyn!

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPLO3c1LrTU']

Loving and Being Loved

A few years ago on Valentines Day, I ran to Kroger to pick up a few needed items.  As I got out of my car in the parking lot and walked across the lot to enter the store, I saw a man leaving, carrying a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers!   For some reason, it moved me to tears. Here was a middle-aged, short, stocky guy...not handsome at all....not romantic looking or attractive in any way.  And yet, I realized he was incredibly blessed because he LOVES someone.

Maybe she's a wife, a sweetheart, a daughter, a mother...but he has SOMEONE to love.

And maybe she loves HIM in return!

Love is a gift...both sides of love -- loving and being loved.

If you love someone today...let him/her know!  If you are loved by someone today...be thankful!

Above all, dear friend, know that you are loved by your God...be thankful and let HIM know!

We love because He first loved us! 1 John 4:19

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

I love this poem.  I discovered in the form of a picture book when my kids were young.  Now I use it printed out with several Hershey Hugs and a real hug!  Give it a try!

Hugs by Ron Stopkoski

It's wondrous what a hug can do. A hug can cheer you when you're blue A hug can say, "I love you so," Or, "Gee, I hate to see you go."

A hug is, "Welcome back again," And, "Great to see you!  Where have you been?" A hug can soothe a small child's pain And bring a rainbow after rain.

The hug! There's just no doubt about it! We scarcely could survive with out it! A hug delights and warms and charms. It must be why God gave us arms.

Hugs are great for fathers and mothers, Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers. And chances are your favorite aunts Love them more than potted plants.

Kittens crave them. Puppies love them. Heads of state are not above them. A hug can break the language barrier And make your travels so much merrier.

No need to fret about your store of 'em; The more you give the more there's more of  'em. So stretch those arms without delay And GIVE SOMEONE A HUG TODAY!!!!

My Sticky Valentine...Loving Real, Loving Well

I am so honored to introduce you to my latest Guest Branch, my darling daughter, Elizabeth ... better known to all of us as Beth. Beth and Nate, her husband of ten-plus years, started out as good friends in high school. Years later, at just the right time, their real-life friendship blossomed into something more.

So in this post from her own blog, Beth describes a real-life romance, celebrating Valentines Day in a real-life way.

A profoundly real truth for us all!

Beth and Nate

My Sticky Valentine

Valentine’s Day has always been a sticky holiday for my husband and I. My decorating style may be romantic at times, but our style as a couple just doesn't jive with all the over the top drama associated with the holiday.  My date night of choice for example would be to go play a rousing game of billiards and flirt competitively with my husband over drinks rather than exchange sonnets professing our love.  There is just something that doesn't ring true in my heart if it has to be cloaked in too much pomp and circumstance.

We usually just play it safe though and go the humorous route, oh yeah, and chocolate...lots and lots of chocolate.  Honestly I would be hard pressed to find an occasion in life where Godiva would not be appropriate.

But last year I couldn't opt-out with humor.  Just a couple of months prior we had taken a large financial hit with our rental home, having to replace the entire AC unit as well as completing some other major repairs. While we were trying to regain our footing, we found out that we were expecting.  Being the efficient military couple, forced to travel light, we had gotten rid of all the paraphernalia required for a child under the age of 4.

It wasn't earth shattering and truly the latter one was a blessing but by Valentines day we were left feeling stressed and emotionally tired.

I set out to compose a valentine that was financially cheap, emotionally extravagant and honestly whimsical.

After composing the message, I printed it out on card stock folding it at the top twice, leaving 1/2in allowance between the folds, to fit a box of my husband's favorite chewing gum on the inside.

Then I left it on the seat of his car.

It's not perfect.  In fact I can't help thinking how my graphic designer brother might react to my type choice and spacing.  I guess its only fitting. My husband and I are not perfect either but in our imperfection, perfect for each other and isn't that what Valentines day is all about?

Visit Beth at her blog Rental Pretty

Rental Pretty

I'm not afraid to experiment with unconventional materials, snatch up and repurpose rejected items waiting for the landfill,and occasionally fail in the process.

It's all in the effort to transform this bland rental space from rental ready to RentalPretty.

Lenten Meditation: Dust to Dust

I grew up in a liturgical church.  So from my childhood into my early adulthood, I observed the church calendar.   Ash Wednesday marked a real turning point in the calendar year.  It was a turn from comfort, frivolity, and enjoyment (think Mardi Gras) to a time of repentance, self-denial, and mortification called Lent. Ash Wednesday was a day when we all remembered that someday we would each die and face our Maker.  The priest would put the sign of the cross on our foreheads in black ashes and say,

Remember, Man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return. [based on Genesis 3:19]

A  very sobering reminder...and I took it all very seriously.

Even though I'm not a part of a liturgical congregation now, I think it's a good thing to remember that death is up ahead for each of us.

But why death?  The Bible says,

The wages of sin is death...  Romans 6:23a

But the good news is

...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23b

Pastor and Bible teacher, Chuck Swindoll, takes the symbolism of the ashen cross a step further.  He says,

The mark is a sign of Christ's ownership of the person and a symbol of sorrow for sins...We are His possessions and a true appreciation for the cost of our salvation begins with an understanding of the seriousness of sin.

So while Ash Wednesday reminds us of our sin and our mortality, we can look ahead to Good Friday and Easter Sunday because we are His possession.  We know the end of the story, and (as someone has said) "We win"...because HE won!

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1Peter 2:24

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15

“Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” ...thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:54-57

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For more about Lent and Ash Wednesday, visit the Voice blog.

Coming soon: 

Lenten meditations:  Jesus' Last Words from the Cross

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For those who have lost "their valentines"

Thinking of you this week, dear grieving ones.  Are you one of them? -- you've lost the "love of your life," a treasured loved one, a precious friend. I've been listening to this song... and thinking of you!  May the Lord's comfort be yours in abundance today!

God Is Love

All we hold is frail and brief Patched together by belief The pattern only partially Revealed for us to see What are tears but seeds we sow? In fields unseen such harvest grow Whose joys will one day overflow The measure of our grief

REFRAIN If God is love Then love we trust Is strong enough to hold our sorrow If God is love He carries us We will not fear what comes tomorrow Love will heal us For God is love

Then suffering's no enemy And poverty, no poverty And death our greatest victory When swallowed up in life

REFRAIN

Though sorrow surge at every step Yet goodness is assured For none that harms or troubles here Will speak the final word Love speaks the final word

REFRAIN

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt6z67UA04o']

Total Cardiac Rehab: It takes a Village...

February is American Heart Month. How appropriate since February is also the month of Valentine’s Day, celebrating the heart’s favorite emotion — LOVE.

Well, these past Februaries,  "American Heart Month" has taken on new meaning because the “love of my life” had a heart attack several years ago.  So the last few years have brought lots of changes to both of our lives, but especially his.  And cardiac rehab had played a big part.   As many heart patients know, cardiac rehab takes a village…

It took a village of medical personnel.  There were the paramedics who responded when we called 9-1-1; the doctors who did the heart cath; the nurses who cared for John in the hospital; the physical therapists and technicians who exercised and educated him so he could find his “new normal”…and the list goes on and on.

Then there were the neighbors, family, and friends who prayed, jumped in to help, and emailed, facebooked, called, and sent cards with words of encouragement. There were also fellow heart patients, past and present, who empathized and spurred John on.

It has taken all of these folks using their expertise, gifting, and care to enable John to recover from a “widow-maker” level heart attack.  Now he can live in relative good health for as long as God ordains.  We thank God for the village He’s provided.

All of this makes me think of the village the Lord has provided for our “spiritual cardiac rehab.”

Through our personal heart relationship with the Lord Christ, we have received a new heart and new spirit, so we are complete in Him.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you….And I will put my Spirit within you…  Ezekiel 36:26-27

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  2Cor 5:17

But while we are living in our broken humanness on this earth, we need our minds, affections, and wills continually renewed.  And in God’s eternal plan in Christ Jesus, it takes a village…the Body of Christ, the community of believers, His church.

Our minds get darkened by the enemy’s lies.  Our affections get wooed by the “sweet-talkin’” world.  Our wills are weakened and pulled away from God and His ways.  And all of this even while we have the indwelling life of God in Christ through the Spirit.

Oswald Chambers (July 12, My Utmost for His Highest) says it well:

THE SPIRITUAL SOCIETY “Till we all come . . unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13

Rehabilitation means the putting back of the whole human race into the relationship God designed it to be in, and this is what Jesus Christ did in Redemption… The rehabilitation of the human race on Jesus Christ’s plan means the realization of Jesus Christ in corporate life as well as in individual life.

Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this purpose – that the corporate Personality might be realized. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy spiritual retirement; we are here so to realize Jesus Christ that the Body of Christ may be built up. Am I building up the Body of Christ, or am I looking for my own personal development only?

The essential thing is my personal relationship to Jesus Christ – “That I may know Him.” To fulfill God’s design means entire abandonment to Him. Whenever I want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. It will be a big humiliation to realize that I have not been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only about realizing what He has done for me.

So our growth in Christ not for our own spiritual “pleasure.”  We all need each other for our “spiritual cardiac rehab” on this earth.

How does this work?

1. Connect to a community of believers who know and love the Lord, His Word, and His people. Today, there are many options:  from small groups to house churches to mega-congregations; from contemporary & casual to formal and even liturgical. The important thing is…where does GOD want you.  No matter what you choose, it won’t be perfect.  As one Bible teacher I know used to say, “If you find the perfect church, don’t join it…because you’ll ruin it.”
2. Give to & receive from others in the body of Christ. I love the story in John 13 where Jesus washed His disciples feet.  Most of us immediately get the lesson that we are to “wash each others’ feet” by serving them. But tucked in that passage is the added lesson that we need to let our feet be washed by our brothers and sisters.  When Peter protested about the Lord washing his feet, Jesus responded: Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.   John 13:8 It dawned on me one day when reading that verse that perhaps part of what Jesus was saying was…if you don’t let your brothers and sisters serve and minister to you, you are rejecting ME…”no part with ME!”
3. Use whatever gifts the Lord has given to build up one another and glorify God and His grace. One of my favorite Bible words is “manifold.”  It means various, multi-colored, variegated (like yarn), multi-faceted (like diamonds)…and it’s used in my favorite verses about spiritual gifts: As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1Peter 4:10-11

So each of us is a “facet” in the brilliant diamond of God’s glorious grace when we serve in the fulness of the Spirit in the gifting He’s given us.  What a privilege!  And what a protection as we walk through this sin-cursed world.

Don’t try to do it on your own, dear brothers and sisters.  We need each other in the Body of Christ!  As a friend once said when going through some dark trials in his family, “The Body of Christ is at its best when a believer suffers!”  Why?  Because we are part of each other.   And the Lord’s multi-faceted grace ministers through His people!

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Bible Students:

If you would like to read and study further about spiritual gifts, look at these additional passages:

Romans 12:3-13

1 Cor 12:4-31

Eph 4:7-16

Be sure to note what the goal or purpose (anticipated outcome) of the gifts is in each of these passages.  Our unity in diversity is a beautiful thing to behold!

Joy in January: Every Praise

every praise

I love this video, and I think you will too! I go back to it often because it helps set it all into perspective for me -- truly...

...EVERY PRAISE is to our GOD! Amen!

So find a private spot (if you are inhibited like me) or grab your nearest friend, relative, child, or grandchild (my personal favorite), and move your body, soul, and spirit in every praise to our glorious God...hallelujah!

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuuZMg6NVeA']

Joy for a Suffering Soul: Just Be Held!

jeremy

Eighteen years ago ... right about now, our family began to walk through the trial of our lives. Our precious son Jeremy began to have obvious issues that led to a diagnosis of thyroid cancer on February 13, 1998. My goodness, he was only 20 years old, athletic, handsome, healthy (or so we thought). As his mom, I experienced pain that I had never felt before or since. I watched my gorgeous "baby boy" walk through the trial of his life with courage and grace, despite his normal fear.

As I now look back to that time, the one thing I always say is "God carried us!" And I guess that is all I can say ... we were held and carried! And there is a bittersweet joy in that kind of deep trial ... when all there is to make it through is HIM and His loving Presence.

Willam and me, baby

So here's another song to add to our "Joy in January" series. It's a song for seeming un-joyful situations and periods in life.

So if you are going through what seems to be the "perfect storm," pause here, let go, ... and let yourself be held!

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZitK6_IMQ']

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And now for a shameless advertisement at the request of my business manager (a.k.a. my husband John):

At the risk of appearing self-serving, I want to invite you to read my book, The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension,...not because I wrote it but because it reveals a God who is intimately and securely united with us in every possible way.The-With-ness-of-our-God-cover-temp-3-210x300

If you are struggling to feel connected to the Lord, though you may know in your head you belong to Him, please consider this little volume. In it you will receive manna for your heart, not just your head. You will find not only simple, practical instruction, but also meditation, stories for application, questions for journaling and just pondering...and more.

Or maybe you aren't struggling but just want to go deeper...this is for you too. You can dive into the deep or stay on the surface...your choice.

And the book is very accessible and affordable. You can purchase on online (see links). Locally, volumes can be purchased at BellHOP Cafe for just $14.00. And I've priced the ebook at the lowest allowed, $3.99 or even less on some on-line sites.

So please take a look and consider walking with us on this journey into The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension.

And thank you for your grace!

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksDn82ujvc0']

Publisher website: www.janloyd.com

On my blog with links to Amazon etc, endorsements, outline, excerpt, pdfs of other resources and leaders guide: http://www.abranchinthevine.com/with-ness-of-our-god/

Joy & Grief & Love & Life all mixed together: for Shirley

For your Maker is your husband,    the Lord of hosts is his name... Isaiah 54:5

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows    is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

Don & Shirley

My dear friend,

I heard a song as I was walking this morning...and I thought of you!

I remembered a poem from days gone by...and I thought of you!

And I thought of grief and joy and love and life...and I thought of you, my precious sister-friend!

And I remembered your delightful, "crusty," out-spoken husband Don, who is now "exploring the mysteries of Christ."

Most of all, I remembered Jesus who has experienced grief and joy and love and life...all of it, so He knows!

So for you my darling Shirley (and for those you love and who love you and your Don) as you face the loss of your dear husband:

Grief Joy Love Life

And so first the poem:

Life, Paul Dunbar

Life Paul Laurence Dunbar

A crust of bread and a corner to sleep in, A minute to smile and an hour to weep in, A pint of joy to a peck of trouble, And never a laugh but the moans come double; And that is life!

A crust and a corner that love makes precious, With a smile to warm and the tears to refresh us; And joy seems sweeter when cares come after, And a moan is the finest of foils for laughter; And that is life!

And then the song:

God Is Love

All we hold is frail and briefPatched together by beliefThe pattern only partiallyRevealed for us to seeWhat are tears but seeds we sow?In fields unseen such harvest growWhose joys will one day overflowThe measure of our grief

REFRAINIf God is loveThen love we trustIs strong enough to hold our sorrowIf God is loveHe carries us We will not fear what comes tomorrowLove will heal usFor God is love

Then suffering's no enemyAnd poverty, no povertyAnd death our greatest victoryWhen swallowed up in life

REFRAIN

Though sorrow surge at every stepYet goodness is assuredFor none that harms or troubles hereWill speak the final wordLove speaks the final word

REFRAIN

Don & Shirley & Jim D & me

With-ness...We are a Privileged People!

For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?Deuteronomy 4:7 NLT

And if that was true of the people of God in the Old Testament, it is even more true of us believers who have come to Christ by faith. And the truth of that unfolds through some unique, but often overlooked, words we call prepositions.

The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension explores this very truth: God is with us in every possible dimension.

Check out this new video:

https://youtu.be/ksDn82ujvc0

Fear Not: a Conversation for Every Day of the Year

It's never too late to enter into this conversation. Hear your Lord speak to your heart: My child...

prayer

Fear not...you are never alone for I am with you!

Fear not...you are never left out for you are one with Me !

Fear not...you are never condemned, but always accepted! I not only love you...I like you!

Fear not...you are always adequate with My adequacy...no matter how helpless and inadequate you feel!

Fear not...you are alive with my everlasting, indestructible life, no matter how dead you feel inside! I am your Life!

I AM in your "right here, right now," whether it be suffering in a hospital room or struggling over a wardrobe choice in your closet...and everything in between...I am with you!

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief...

You are my Courage, when I am afraid!

You are my Adequacy, when I am helpless and afraid of failing!

You are my Comfort Zone, and nothing You send me is outside of YOU, my Comfort Zone Christ!

Abba

You are my words, the Word, when my words fail me!

I invite you, O my King, my indwelling Lord...

into my fears...one by one...moment by moment...day by day...

into my mind and harassing thoughts...

into my nervous system and blood pressure that tends to be like the wind and waves being tossed to and fro...

into each and every thing I face today and for as many days as we walk together on this earth...

I chose YOU afresh this year... this day, my God.  Amen.

The Lord is ever present with us.Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.

Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy...and the God of peace will walk with you. Philippians 4:5b-9 VOICE

The Wise Men...gifts of Essential Oils?

Magi, Wise men, Three Kings...those figures way at the end of the Nativity scene (I suppose because they were still traveling from afar)... In recent years, this trio (if it was a trio) have become my heroes. Think about it! People probably thought they were crazy following a star to God knows where. THEY probably thought they were crazy after a time. What courage! What perseverance! What joy in the finding!

Listen to my paraphrase of the verses recorded in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”… they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [literally, they rejoiced vehemently with MEGA-gladness!]

But not only courage, perseverance and joy...WISDOM! Yes, wise men, remember?

So this year I have come to a new appreciation for the wisdom in the gifts they brought: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I had always heard these symbolic explanations for the gifts:

gold for a King frankincense for a Priest myrrh for anointing, embalming for His Sacrificial Death

But I think our Father God had practical reasons also for moving the three from afar to bring those treasures. And I came to conclude that because of my experience with the essential oil, frankincense.

One day shortly before Christmas, I stopped by my daughter-in-law's house to drop something off there. I had a splitting headache that morning, and I had been suffering with headaches in the back of my head for several days. I asked Cortney (our family oils expert) if she had any essential oil for headaches. After she asked me a few questions, she said I could try frankincense and proceeded to tell me how to use it.

As I drove away, my headache surprisingly started to fade and a deep relaxation started to come over me. Cortney hadn't said anything about relief of stress, relaxation or anything along that line. But when I called her, elated with the results, she assured me that I was experiencing the effects of "frank."

As the days past, I reflected on how smart God was in giving His Son just what He and His human family would need on this earth.

So today, why not learn a bit about the essential oils, frankincense and myrrh, through the words of our family expert, my dear DIL, Cortney Loyd. And then take a look at a couple of her links if you would like to explore further.

You may become a "believer" like me and many others of all ages.

wise-men-seek-him

Historical Background:

Essential oils have been used for over 5,000 years. Many ancient texts including the Ebers Papyrus and the Bible have documented the use of essential oils. The Ebers Papyrus is one of the oldest known medical documents in history. It is an Egyptian medical papyrus of herbal knowledge dating to 1550 BC and has over 700 formulas and remedies. The Bible has over 600 references to essential oils and/or aromatic plants from which the oils are extracted. Myrrh and Frankincense are the most frequently referenced essential oils in the Bible. According to the Center For Aromatherapy Research and Education, Myrrh is referenced (directly and indirectly) 156 times and Frankincense is referenced (directely and indirectly) 81 times.

Frankincense is known as the “King of Essential Oils”. In ancient times (as early as 3000 years before Christ), it was one of the most valuable commodities, more valuable than gold. It was in such great demand from Pharaohs and Caesars, that the Frankincense Trail was created. This trade route supplied thousands of tons of frankincense from Southern coast of Oman to the Holy Lands, following the coast of the Red Sea. It was approximately 2,400 miles long and caravans up to 6,000 camels would travel this route.

Historical uses of Frankincense include burning of incense in religious ceremonies, to support normal digestion, to aid in gum health, beautification facial masks, cosmetics (the heavy kohl eyeliner Egyptian women famously wore), insect repellent, perfume, salves for wounds. Frankincense is also a key ingredient in the ancient embalming process.

Myrrh is known as the “Queen of Essential Oils.” Myrrh appears with more frequency than any other plant substance in the writings of the Greek physician Hippocrates. Most Egyptian medicinal formulas included Myrrh. Egyptian women wore “crowns” of wax infused with Myrrh. As the wax would heat in the sun, it would cover their bodies with myrrh oil.

Historical uses of Myrrh include incense in religious ceremonies, perfume, health aid, facial treatments, a frequently used spice, an “air freshener", to purify the dead and is also a key ingredient in the ancient embalming process.

Modern Uses:

Frankincense and myrrh essential oils have many modern day uses, actually too many for this blog post but I will highlight the major ones. Frankincense promotes calmness and relaxation. It is great for skin care. It reduces the appearance of skin imperfections and also helps with healing nearly everything related to skin issues such as sores, burns and cuts. Frankincense exhibits many potential health benefits relating to joint and muscle pain, stomach problems, allergies, asthma, cough, headaches, diarrhea, mild depression among others. It’s properties are believed to support the immune system. More studies need to be made, but many believe that frankincense may have anti-cancer benefits.

Myrrh has properties that are believed to heal dental infections. It also has properties that are believed to treat and heal wounds, prevent infections, help soothe chapped skin, prevent skin aging, promote relaxation, relieves congestion, fights viral infections that cause coughs and colds, stimulates blood circulation and provides relief from inflammation of tissues caused by infections.

Present Debate:

Modern medical use of essential oils is a highly debatable topic. You can get on any social media and do a quick search and see how fierce the debate is. Although the debates are sometimes ugly, essential oils are substantially growing in popularity once again. A general trend to move away from synthetic chemicals back to more natural health products have brought essential oils to the forefront. Many are turning to holistic and alternative practices over concerns about safety of synthetics used in modern medicine.

It is important to do your own research and educate yourself before using essential oils. Too much of a good thing can still harm your body, natural or not. Essential oil purity and therapeutic value is vital to essential oil safety and efficacy. There is a range of quality between essential oil manufacturers. High quality essential oil manufacturers will be able to provide, upon request, the purity of their products, country of origin, testing results, sustainability initiatives, and how they grow and harvest the plants. Aim to purchase “therapeutic grade” essential oils that have the scientific botanical name, extraction method, and chemical components.

Want more information?

Click on the links below:

Which oil company do I believe in? 

Have questions on how to get started with essential oils?

simple drop co

Already an essential oil user? I offer creative products to help you share your essential oils. Check it out here.

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4th Week of Advent: I Wonder as I Wander

My friend Penny is a walker (a very serious, fast walker, by the way).  But Penny doesn't just walk for exercise, she also "walks" closely with the Lord.  So when Penny shares, I listen. And when she shared about a favorite Christmas carol, it made me take notice. Why?  Because while walking, Penny has been doing what this song describes.

The song?  Here are the lyrics:

I wonder as I wander out under the sky, How Jesus the Savior did come for to die. For poor on'ry people like you and like I... I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall, With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all. But high from God's heaven a star's light did fall, And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing, A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing, Or all of God's angels in heav'n for to sing, He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King.

So as we get close to the end of our time of preparation,  why not "wonder as YOU wander" -- whether down nature paths or even through shopping malls?  And as you walk, meditate on all the glory of the Incarnation of our God into this world!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvADhdoQ8n0[/youtube]

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Readings for the 4th Week of Advent

Sunday -- Luke 2:1-20 Monday -- Matthew 2:1-11 Tuesday -- Isaiah 9:2-7 Wednesday -- John 1:1-18

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You might also like:

Walkin' n Talkin' with My Savior

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I love this blog post from the Voice blog.  It explains what some Christians believe is "taking 'Christ' out of 'Christmas'." by using "Xmas"  by David Capes