A Year of Waiting - Respite

The word respite is a waiting word, but one that usually gives the idea of a welcome break. A respite is defined by Webster’s Online Dictionary as (noun) a period of temporary delay, an internal rest or relief; as (verb) to grant a temporary period of relief to, or to grant a respite to, or to put off or delay. A respite is a term also applied to giving a caregiver a break from caring for an ill loved one.

As I type this my husband and I are on, what I would call, a respite. We got away for the purpose of rest and relief. Although, I think a true respite would be to completely unplug, with no phone or internet, something that is rarely attained, even when we purpose to do it. However, just getting a change of scenery and getting outside can provide a similar benefit to a true respite.

Image by Julia from Pixabay

Doesn’t that picture make you want to get away? Ha, ha. Getting away is something both my spouse and I find cathartic to the chaos filled, fast paced and anxiety inducing lives we are often living. Even though we no longer have children at home, we live close to our girls, and in turn our grandsons. This is a wonderful thing and I count myself very blessed to have both of our grandsons in our lives and to be a part of helping our daughters and their significant others take care of and have input in their lives.

In addition to family my spouse’s job keeps him busy, and I have my blog and all the other responsibilities of maintaining a home, grocery shopping, making meals, laundry, the list goes on. As with most people we are also constantly bombarded by images, noise, and input in the form of news, social media, and everything else we have access to on the internet.

As I have in all the past posts on A Year of Waiting, I find a definite connection to our waiting on the Lord. So often, God brings circumstances into our lives to bring us into a waiting position. We are to wait for Him, whether it is for deliverance, justice, healing, rescue, hope, glory or perfection. Waiting is much less about what we are waiting for and more about who brought us to a place of waiting.

Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay

The Old and New Testaments are full of examples of men and women who had to wait. Noah had to wait while building the ark for the actual flood, over 100 years of waiting. Abraham waited a lifetime for a son. Hannah waited for a child. The people of Israel waited 400 years before they were lead out of slavery from the Egyptians. Simeon waited his whole life for the One who would save Israel. Jesus waited approximately 30 years before starting his public ministry. Life is filled with waiting.

When we look closely at the word respite we see it is a waiting that is meant for good. Indeed, I believe that all waiting brought about by God’s orchestration is meant for our good. As I mentioned in my original post at the beginning of this year, Word for 2024: Wait, waiting can be to keep us safe, give us rest, or give us time to think through a decision or recover from a difficult circumstance or tragedy.

Unfortunately, finding a respite in these busy, chaos filled, and tragic times can be difficult. It really takes a choice and often a predetermined plan. Whether you need to find time to spend with God or time to regroup and reenergize, or time to grieve and heal, the best way to get a respite is to schedule it in just like you would a doctor’s appointment, a trip to the gym, or a visit with a friend.

Image by SerenityArt from Pixabay

Don’t think of it so much in terms of quantity as in quality. An individual who is providing long term care for a sick or aging family member finds they are much better able to cope when they can just walk a way, even for a short time period. Whether it be 15 or 30 minutes for a walk outside, a two hour walk around the mall, or an entire weekend in a different location you can find respite in the smallest of changes and moments.

Also, recognize what might work for me, might not work for you. Not everyone likes the outdoors. I can actually sit out on our patio on a sunny day and feel like I am getting away from whatever struggle I am dealing with. Both my spouse and I love to take walks and hike, but not everyone does. The point is to find what works for you.

Respite is a type of waiting that is important for all of us to do. God made the Sabbath for our benefit, and for His glory, but it seems in this day and age, we have forgotten how to rest and be still, whether you believe the Sabbath is on Saturday or Sunday. God knew how restless a people we would be and also how fatigued we would become from our nonstop lifestyle.

“10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.””

— Psalm 46:10 (NASB 1995)

“28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.””

— Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB 1995)

I hope you will find time for a respite, and find time to go to the Creator of your soul who truly knows how to give you rest.

Mulling it Over - Romans 8:30

Last month we looked at Romans 8:29, and had a short discussion on the theological points of predestination and free will. We also looked at what followed this idea of predestination, that we are being conformed to the image of Christ.

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

Today we are going to look at verse 30. Once again, we are proceeding slowly, so that we might truly understand and let the Spirit drive home the truths revealed in these Scriptures.

“30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

— Romans 8:30 (NASB 1995)

and these whom He predestined,

We discussed this in last month’s post. The end result is God is able to both predestine and give us a free will. We tend to limit God, because we think if it is beyond our understanding then it must not be the case. We need to recognize God’s wisdom is a mystery and is not always completely known to us.

“6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;
8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;”

— I Corinthians 2:6-8 (NASB 1995)

For instance, a 7 day, literal creation has stumped many a Christian over the decades. This is not a problem for me. As my husband always says, “Seven days? What took Him so long?” Ha, ha. Unfortunately, rather than taking God at His word, and according to His word, man has come up with alternative theories to better coincide with the evolutionary theory touted by Darwin. The Day Age Theory, and The Gap Theory are two of the most popular.

Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay

I just wanted to reiterate, we are the Creation, not the Creator, and we are limited in our understanding of the many layers of God. With that said, lets move on.

He also called;

This idea of calling has also had its day on the debate floor. Questions that have been around for years include: Is everyone called? Is calling just for special people at certain times? Is calling only for people going into full time Christian service, like a missionary or a pastor, etc?

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

I see calling as a general term, much like predestination. We are all predestined, meaning God wants all of us to become His children by belief in Christ. In the same way we are all called. The difference lay in the fact that we must respond to His calling. We must choose to believe. Of course that presupposes you believe in free will. :)

“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord..”

— I Corinthians 1:9 (NASB 1995)

Let me reiterate, I am not a theologian. I had three years of Bible school, but that doesn’t mean I have exhaustively studied every topic. However, I do believe God gives us His wisdom, understanding and knowledge as we delve into His deeper layers through His Holy Spirit. That being said, if you ever think I am in error in the ideas I bring to you, I welcome your thoughts.

and these whom He called, He also justified;

The word justify is defined in several ways: to judge, regard or treat as worthy of salvation; to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable. Justification is the process by which Christ takes on our sin through His death on the cross enabling us to be worthy of God’s calling. In essence Christ’s blood covered us so that we might be made right before God.

Image by Sang Hyun Cho from Pixabay

“24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;”

— Romans 3:24 (NASB 1995)

…and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

The predestination, calling and justification all lead to the perfect end result, our glorification. The older I get, the more I look forward to this glorification process. At 60 I am experiencing all the things that age brings with it. I have become acquainted with chronic illness, my hair is thinning, my joints ache, and my brain is almost always in the phase of post menopausal fog.

Image by kapokia from Pixabay

Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world.

“33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

— John 16:33 (NASB 1995)

We don’t have to look very far to see trouble. The southeast part of the U.S. has see two large hurricanes in the last two weeks. Out west there continue to be wildfires consuming thousands of acres of trees. We are entering in to flu and Corona season, in addition to that allergens are ever present and driving many of our sinus cavities wonky. We have political and societal unrest in the United States and there is still a war going on in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Jesus told us we would have trouble, but He didn’t want us to stay in that mindset. He told us He would give us peace, and He has overcome the world.

This mentality of looking towards glory is not a bad thing. Yes, we still need to be present. We need to live our lives as the brightest lights of Christ that we can be so others might come to know Him. How much easier it is to do this when we know that we are called, justified and one day will be glorified.

Just like the Morning Glory flower we need to turn our faces towards the light of God and His truth and open ourselves up completely to what He is trying to do in our lives. Only in doing that will we become the beautiful reflection of Him that we are meant to be.

Creative Christianity: The Widow's Quest - Part 4

(The following story is based on the parable in Luke 18:1-8. It is a fictional account with allegorical aspects. This is a fictional world with characters and events created by me.)

Connie, Rocky, and their little band of pups continued along through the manufacturing district until they entered another area of residences. This neighborhood looked a little better off than the area she had found Rocky, and substantially better than the Rift, but it still looked worn and weary. Connie wondered if that was how she looked?

She knew they needed to get something to eat, but toting along a pack of pups probably wasn’t going to let them in to very many places.

“I think we need to find a place to rest for a little while.” Connie spoke out loud.

“And get something to eat. I’m starving, and I think Isabella is too.” Rocky looked behind them.

Image by Lenka Novotná from Pixabay

“Isabella?” Connie looked to where the mother pup was following at some distance. She looked ready to drop. The two puppies who were walking still seemed to have plenty of spunk.

Rocky nodded. “Yeah, that was my baby sister’s name.”

Connie’s heart hurt. The boy had been through so much loss. She had too. She decided they weren’t going to lose Isabella. She stopped walking so the the pup could catch up, and as they waited she noticed a young woman pushing a stroller down a side street.

She handed Rocky her side bag with the two sleeping pups and said, “Stay right here. I am going to see if we can get some help.”

She jogged towards the woman. Trying to not look threatening, she slowed to a walk and smiled while still a few yards off.

Image by Patou Ricard from Pixabay

“Hello,” she began.

“I don’t got any money, so don’t try to sell me anything,” the woman clipped.

Connie could see as she got closer, while the woman was younger, she looked tired, and not particularly clean. She quickly attempted to put her at ease.

“Oh, I am not a sales person. I was just wondering if you might help me, you see I am new to the area, and my nephew and I have been walking for a while and wondered if there was a park nearby where we could rest for a bit.” She felt bad lying about Rocky, and she also didn’t mention getting food. She didn’t want the woman to think she had money.

“You got that dog’s papers?” The woman jutted her chin out towards where Rocky, Isabella and the two puppies waited.

Connie tried to think fast. “Well, I would gladly get her papers, but as I said I am new to the area and we actually just found her today. I felt so bad for her and her little pups.”

The woman drew closer, and Connie could see a little boy in the stroller, probably about two. “Do you think I could show them pups to my boy? He just loves animals, and they are such a rarity around here, since they all need to be papered. We can’t afford the fees, let alone the food to feed one.”

Connie relaxed a little. “I understand. Everything is so expensive. A pet is a big commitment. I am Connie, by the way.”

The woman finally smiled. “I’m Maribelle, and this is my boy Adam.”

Connie bent down. “It is very nice to meet you and your momma, Adam. If you don’t mind walking over, the mother pup is very tired. She needs food, but I wasn’t sure where to go.'“

She and Maribelle started walking and the young woman said, “If you need food there is an old church on the corner of Rawls and Jones. They serve lunch and dinner. You just have to sit and listen to the pastor talk about his religion.”

Connie took that information and filed it away. When they reached Rocky and the dogs, Maribelle picked up one of the puppies and showed him to her son. The boy laughed and wiggled in his seat with joy.

Maribelle stood up and asked, “You a steamer? I see your bag there.”

“Well, I uh…yes, I am.”

“If you and your family want to come to my house, I’ll give you food in exchange for work on our water heater. It stopped working a few weeks back. Sure would be nice to have hot water again.”

Constance looked at Rocky who nodded enthusiastically. She knew she was taking a chance. She had long ago stopped trusting people and knew this could be a trap. Desperate people did desperate things. She knew that fact well from living in the Rift. She looked at the young mother and her little boy and thought something about them felt right.

She nodded. “That would be nice, and I will take a look at your water heater.”

Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay

Maribelle smiled brightly. “Wonderful! Adam, did you hear that we are going to have company and you can play longer with the puppies.”

Adam clapped his hands and said, “…upppies!!”

They all laughed. Connie picked up her bag of tools, where the two smaller pups were just starting to wake up. She pulled each one out. Rocky took one, and Maribelle, much to Adam’s delight put the other one in the stroller with him. They made their way to Maribelle’s home.

Connie found herself marveling at feelings that rose inside her; feelings she hadn’t had for a very long time. Gratitude, joy and hope. Still, the Rift part of her wondered how long it would last. How long before she was, once again, disappointed, let down, and hurt? How long?

A Year of Waiting - Tarry

The word tarry as defined in Webster’s Online Dictionary means: to delay or be tardy in action or doing; to linger in expectation; wait; to abide or stay in or at a place; stay, or sojourn. Tarry is an older word used in the first few senses in the 14th century. Ask yourself, how often do I use the word tarry today? We don’t usually say, “I tarried at the train station.” “I’m going to tarry at the seashore.” “I’m sure to tarry in line at the concert.” It sounds rather archaic.

Image by Thomas from Pixabay

When it comes to this word journey I have been on for the year 2024, I like the way tarry opens up other doors and windows to this idea of waiting. As I have noted previously, waiting can be a complete drag, and most of us would not sign up for an adventure in waiting, but our lives are full of lines, traffic jams, delays, and prospects of a future that require we wait.

When I hear the word tarry, I do not think of a long term situation. However, if we look at the King James Version of scripture, which uses a synonym, sojourn we see that the span of time could be quite lengthy.

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.”

— Exodus 12:40 (KJV)

Still we get the sense that it was not intended to be forever. When God speaks of a long term living situation He often uses the word dwell, or abide. We took a closer look at the word abide in February. You can see that post here.

“1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron’s beard,
Coming down upon the edge of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon
Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever.”

— Psalm 133 (NASB 1995)

Psalm 133 has a tone I would associate with a long term living situation. God intended that we dwell together in unity in a place where we experience the blessing of life forever. In this psalm it is a reference to Zion, which we can also look at as eternity with God. With the state many of our current churches are in it can be hard to imagine being able to dwell with those same brothers or sisters together forever in unity. Ha, ha. However, God said it will be true. We won’t just be tarrying, but putting down roots and dwelling.

Image by Filip Loczek from Pixabay

Since we already looked at the idea of abide, I wanted to spend some time thinking about what it means to tarry with God. I have learned, it is essential that we tarry with God as much as we can, especially when our lives are pulling us in so many directions. You might feel on any given day, “I don’t have time to abide. I am too busy.” However, if we don’t find the time, God will give us the time, and that is not always preferable as it usually comes with some sort of difficulty. God is not mean hearted, He loves you purely with everlasting love, and He knows exactly what you need, and that is directly linked to the time you spend with Him.

Let me give you a personal example. I was really struggling for several weeks this past month. I was exhausted, discouraged and my heart felt so heavy. Grief was a blanket I was regularly wrapping up in. Grief over my mom being in a nursing home and not being able to be there to help with her care. Grief over my children who have walked away from the truth of the scripture and the love of Jesus. Grief over the state of our country and the fear of the looming downward spiral. Grief over relationships. Grief over loved ones with cancer and other illnesses. Grief over other people’s kids who were struggling with addictions and various other issues. Grief over my own health. The list goes on.

Image by Tern70 from Pixabay

I am learning the importance of acknowledging these feelings and allowing myself to feel them. They are real, after all, and are felt on the deepest levels. However, we all know we can’t live in those dark places. We always need to return to the light, otherwise the darkness will become an all too comfortable place to abide and dwell.

I felt God pulling me. Whispering to me, “Amy, come to Me. Spend time with Me. Only I can meet every need and help you bear every burden.” I know this to be true, but as you know our flesh wars against us every chance it gets. Finally, one sunny afternoon, I took my Bible and my prayer journal out on the patio and began a search through the scriptures. I was looking for Psalm 34:18

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

— Psalm 34:18 (NASB 1995)

I knew it was in the psalms, but I couldn’t remember where, so I just started leafing through. God brought me two different passages.

“8 Depart from me, all you who do iniquity,
For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication,
The Lord receives my prayer.”

— Psalm 6:8-9 (NASB 1995)

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

“1 “I love You, O Lord, my strength.”
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.”

— Psalm 18:1-3 (NASB 1995)

Image by Enrique from Pixabay

When we tarry with God we can find peace and joy, even in the midst of our grief and pain. When we tarry we spend time, even just a small amount of time, doing the following:

1 - Remembering God’s character - He hears our weeping, our supplication and He receives our prayers. Don’t you love that? God isn’t ashamed of our emotions. He wants us to come and ask. He is our Abba, Father and He loves us. He wants to hear our prayers. He doesn’t just hear them, He receives them. He takes them on as His own. Remember The Bee Keeper? If you don’t, buzz on over to that post for a refresher.

2 - Acknowledging His abilities - He is our strength. He is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. He is our shield. He is our salvation. He is our stronghold. He is our refuge. All of these things are His abilities, and He gives them to us without reserve. He can protect, give strength, and get us through anything that comes our way.

“7 Then the earth shook and quaked;
And the foundations of the mountains were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
And fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick darkness under His feet.
10 He rode upon a cherub and flew;
And He sped upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out His arrows, and scattered them,
And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.
15 Then the channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were laid bare
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.”

— Psalm 18:7-15 (NASB 1995)

Image by Jean Louis Tosque from Pixabay

3 - Renewing our understanding of Him - I have read Psalm 18 numerous times, but the Scripture, being that it is living and active, spoke to me anew. The above verses floored me. He is not just a gentle and loving God; He is a powerful, mighty force able to move mountains with a thought. He has, can and will display holy anger when the time is right for His wrath and will to be accomplished. It sets my heart to quaking, but also fills me with hope. He will have the final word, and all that is dark, and ugly, and painful will be burned away in His purest, most holy light.

“16 He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.”

— Psalm 18:16-19 (NASB 1995)

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

“49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord,
And I will sing praises to Your name.”

— Psalm 18:49 (NASB 1995)

4 - Thanking Him for all He has done - If you can only tarry for a few minutes, I think this is the best bench to sit on. Gratitude is known to change hearts, minds, health, and perspective. When we sit for a few minutes on God’s goodness and provision to us it gives us the ability to keep going because we come away with hope. With God there is always hope.

Take it from me, if you are struggling with grief, pain, bitterness or other unresolved feelings and situations it certainly is helpful to talk it out with a trusted friend or counselor, but also don’t forget to tarry for a little while with Jesus. He makes all the difference.

Mulling it Over - Romans 8:29

We are working our way through Romans chapter 8. I know I have taken a long time to get through this passage, but it has been worth the plodding pace. There is so much in this chapter to chew on, so like our friend the cow, we will continue to ruminate on this a few verses at a time until we are done.

Image by Heiko Stein from Pixabay

Today’s verse is one that has been included in what I like to call the predestination/freewill debate. I am no theologian, but I am a believer in a powerful and mysterious God, who can be beyond my human comprehension. In fact, I prefer it that way. He is beyond our complete comprehension and understanding. He gives us enough information to know His unchanging character, His complete and boundless love, His merciful forgiveness, and His long suffering patience. I do not need to know every single thing about Him, or completely understand his ways.

“8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

— Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB 1995)

I have always believed that the most important aspect of the Scriptures are the Gospels of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is pointing forward to the necessity of a Savior, and the New Testament is the fulfillment of the prophecies and the subsequent start of the church. I most definitely agree that all of Scripture is the inspired Word of God and all of it is important and we can learn from it, thus the reason I am spending so much time on these different passages, even the pieces that may not be easily explainable.

“29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ”

— Romans 8:29 (NASB 1995)

Let’s dive in to this verse phrase by phrase.

For those whom He foreknew…

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

It is no stretch of the imagination to understand that God is all knowing. We could read all the books in the world and still not have a fraction of the knowledge He has. That doesn’t mean He just knows everything about the universe and how it all stays in place and was put together, but he knows you and I.

I have been doing a personal study on Psalm 139, a passage I have long loved. I shared some thoughts on the first three verses on a Faith Inspiration post recently. (Click on the link to go directly to that post.) From that psalm we learn how much God knows us, and it isn’t just current knowledge, it is from the foundation of the world. To say “those whom He foreknew” makes perfect sense. He knew each and everyone of us from the beginning of time.

He also predestined…

Image by Ryan McGuire from Pixabay

This is where, for some people, things get sticky. There are basically two theological points of view that underly the predestination/freewill debate: Calvinism and Arminianism. I am choosing to not go into details on those two points of view. A good comparison of Biblical texts that are controversial between the two can be seen here. You can also look up each and see what their basic points are if you are not familiar with them.

However, let me make clear, God is the one who gives us knowledge and understanding. It is important to search things out ourselves and ask for God’s wisdom and direction when looking at different passages. I think things are pretty clear when it comes to sin, Christ’s role in atoning for our sin, and our need to believe in the work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection to have eternal life. Also, if a person leans one way or the other, does not mean they are not saved.

Remember, God is God. He is almighty. He is beyond our finite minds to understand. There is most certainly a way for Him to predestine something, and also give us freewill to choose. The key is to not get hung up on it.

…to become conformed to the image of His son…

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

I think the important point here is what follows the word predestined. What did God predestine us to do? To become conformed to the image of His son. Isn’t this what God wants for everyone? He wants all of us to accept His son as our savior, and be conformed to His likeness. He wants all of us to look like Jesus. Christ left us the Holy Spirit to make this possible.

You might be thinking, there is no way I can be perfect, but God knows that. The fact that we are still in our flesh means we will continue to struggle until the day He takes us home, but we do have the power and strength through Him to become more and more like Jesus.

…so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren…

Image by Victoria from Pixabay

Jesus is not only our savior, but our brother. We become His brothers and sisters when we believe in Him and call God our Father. When Christ died for us and rose again He became the firstborn among all of us who believe, meaning we will all, like Him have eternal life and rise from the dead by the power and might of the Father above. Indeed, there will be many brothers and sisters because of our belief in the finished work of Christ, not what we believe about predestination or freewill.

Next month we will look into verse 30 and learn more about the process God uses to draw us to Himself, make us His own even though we are sinners and bring us to future glory.

I hope you will join me then.

Faith Topics: Quarrels or Kindness

We are living in a time where information is readily available at the push of a button. Whether we want to look up our symptoms on WebMD, watch a YouTube video on how to clean a headlight, or scroll through Instagram to see who’s wearing what, we can access anything at any time of day or night.

Image by Pixelkult from Pixabay

Not only is information instantaneous, but responses and opinions about the information are immediate as well. You can disagree with someone promptly without really thinking through if the things they said, or you said are going to be beneficial or helpful. From what I have seen, it is more often the case that the original information is not the issue, but how people respond to the information given.

Just what is our responsibility as Christ followers when it comes to the management of information, and our responses to that information? Are we suppose to stand up for God, and defend Him? Are we suppose to preach truth, no matter who it might hurt, or what toes we might step on? Are we being irresponsible if we don’t respond, or if we decide we no longer want to deal with the the messiness of disagreements and name calling?

While I am not a pastor, or a psychologist, I do believe God gave us clear instructions in His word for how to maneuver life in this chaotic world. As always, when we are unsure about something we should explore His word first and see what He says.

We are going to look at several passages that I think speak to this issue, and then I want to offer a few guidelines to keep in mind when you are wondering if you should “speak up”.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy two times. In those letters he tried to encourage the young pastor with regards to handling his congregation. Paul knew it wouldn’t be easy for a young man taking on a group of people who were not only stubborn, but easily pulled along by the current trend of teaching and information.

“20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—
21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith.”

— 1 Timothy 6:20-21 (NASB 1995)

Obviously, the letters to Timothy are included for our benefit as well, so we might take the same advice to avoid worldly, empty chatter and the opposing of arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”. So much of what we see on social media and hear from what are often thought of as reputable news sources is falsely called “knowledge.” That will be a post for a different day, because today I want to focus on our response to “information” whether it is true or false.

Let’s look at another passage also in a letter written by Paul to Timothy.

“23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.
24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

— 2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NASB 1995)

What I like about the Apostle Paul is that he was very straight forward. Verse 24 is really all we need to remember when we ask the question, should we as Christ followers quarrel? No, we should not. Does that mean we shouldn’t discuss, try to make a point, give evidence to support what we believe and so on? Of course not, however, we must do it as the above passage states: with kindness, able to teach, patiently, with gentleness.

When I read many of the comments to volatile posts on social media I do not see a whole lot of kindness, patience, or gentleness. Most of the time it is not about teaching, it is about wanting to be right. Our job is not to be right. Our job is to lead others to the Lamb of God. We are here to lift up the name of Jesus, not prove how intelligent or special we are.

Image by Elsemargriet from Pixabay

Believe me, I get it. There are times I want to bring down all the hell fire and damnation I can find in the Bible to make a point. There have been many times I have thought about taking the blog in a different direction and trying to be more issue oriented, but that is not what God has called me to. He has called me to encourage, pray, love, and when there is opportunity lead back to Him. People don’t need my point of view, they need Jesus!

We are called to kindness, gentleness and patience for a purpose, that God might grant those in opposition repentance leading to knowledge of the truth…His truth, not that which is “falsely called knowledge”, so that they might come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, because he has taken them captive to do his will.

I don’t know about you, but this changes my perspective in such a huge way that I can’t even talk about it without getting emotional. We are here for the glory of God. We are here to be lights in the darkness. We are the front line warriors called to fight in the unseen realm to help those lost lambs come back to their senses and escape the snare of the evil one.

What does this mean? How do we respond in these powder keg times? Here are a few ideas.

1 - Pray.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

If we are praying as Paul told us:

“18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,”

— Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 1995)

…then our attitudes will already be in check. Not only that, but praying in the Spirit enables Him to do the work before, during and after. We can’t soften people’s hard hearts, that is the Spirit’s job. We can’t draw people to Christ, that is the Spirit’s job. We can’t force a brother or sister in Christ to see things our way, that is a Holy Spirit work.

Prayer has always been the work we must do first and foremost, yet it is almost always an afterthought. What does God’s word say?

“17 pray without ceasing;”

— I Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB 1995)

This quote says it all.

“It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.”

— Hudson Taylor

2 - Question your motives.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

If you are like most of us, meaning flawed, sinful humanity, then always ask yourself, why do I need to respond to this? Will my response be met with openness or with hostility? Am I doing this because it is a Holy Spirit leading, or my own leading? Am I looking to encourage and give hope, or am I wanting to put down and destroy?

“1 The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the Lord weighs the motives.
3 Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.”

— Proverbs 16:1-3 (NASB 1995)

3 - Question the source.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Often times social media posts are about numbers and reactions. The more people give a thumbs up or a thumbs down, the more times the post is shared, and the more comments on a post are all part of the social media formula. If the source isn’t someone you know, or a source you identify as reputable it is better to let it go and not respond.

The other thought to keep in mind is many people who post in anger are often in pain. Think about what might be driving that person to say what they are saying, or to respond to a situation with deep bitterness or hatred. Often, that person is suffering, have experienced loss, or is in real physical pain or torment.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.”

— Proverbs 15:1 (NASB 1995)

4 - If you still feel the urge to respond, do it in private.

Image by alda2 from Pixabay

There is a way, on most social media apps, to message someone in private. You do not have to continue down the proverbial public rabbit trail, whether you are responding to the original post or a comment on the original post. Send a message expressing your concern and/or your thoughts so that person can think about your input without the opinion of the masses.

When you are able to have a private conversation with someone, and I believe this is better in person rather than via email, text, or in a public social media thread, you can both ask questions to clarify statements being said, and you can read each other’s body language and facial expressions. You can see if something you are saying is causing the other person to erect a wall, or throw up roadblocks and you can back off, or change the subject. Why is this important?

“20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him..”

— 2 Corinthians 5:20-22 (NASB 1995)

As His ambassadors we are His representatives. It used to be important to behave with propriety in public whether you were a politician, a religious leader, a teacher, or a clerk at a fast food restaurant. This is still true for those of us who call ourselves Christ followers. We are to represent God and His heavenly kingdom on this earth, not in a the manner of a bar room brawl, but with love, respect, dignity and honor.

“26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. ”

— Ephesians 4:26-27 (NASB 1995)

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it gave you some things to think about. Thank you for stopping by the blog. Have a great week!

Creative Christianity: The Widow's Quest - Part 3

Rocky was an amiable companion. It seemed he had not had anyone to talk to, or at least anyone who would listen to him for quite a while. He talked about the neighborhood he lived in before his father had left and his mother died. He told her how when he was very small it had been a decent place; a place where people looked out for each other and took care of each other.

“I’m not sure what happened. I think I was so caught off guard when my dad left and didn’t come back that I didn’t realize what was beginning to happen in our neighborhood. The older people were dying, and the other adults were taking off, just like my dad…”

Constance was surprise at how perceptive and willing to share this young man was. Again, her heart swelled with feelings, not only for this boy, but for the children she had always wanted to have.

Image from Pixabay

They had left the area closest to the Rift boundary behind and were slowly making their way through an an industrial part of the lower south side of Minward. This is the area her forged work papers said she was assigned to do maintenance. She wanted to get as far from there as possible. She saw workers milling about waiting for the morning whistle to open the gate and let them inside.

Just as they crossed an alley way they both heard a soft bark. Connie turned her head, but kept her pace. Rocky, turned into the alley.

“Hey, come look at this!”

Connie stopped, but didn’t venture into the alley. “Rocky, I think it’s a bad idea to get too close to any wild animals around here. Not only that, but we need to keep moving.”

“But Connie, we can’t leave her. She needs our help.” Rocky was persistent.

Connie finally relented. She looked around again, and moved slowly into the alley. She drew up next to the boy and there, in a partially decomposed wooden crate, was a female dog with four young pups who were currently eating their breakfast.

Image by Montree Ladlongmuang from Pixabay

Before Connie could stop him, Rocky had bent down and was petting the mother and all her babies. The dog licked his hands and face causing him to laugh. The little pups whimpered and wiggled, their attention distracted from suckling to a new play companion. Rocky soon had his lap full of yapping, licking, biting puppy ardor.

Connie was about to scold him, but then she realized this was probably something he needed. She wondered how long it had been since he had been able to be just a boy. She decided the Manor at Minward wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was the Rift. She could give the lad a few minutes of joy. She plopped down on the ground beside him, and soon had puppies in her lap as well which made her forget for a few moments the hardship life had brought her.

After a few more minutes Connie put her hand gently on the boy’s shoulder. “We really should not stay here any longer. We might draw someone’s attention that isn’t friendly.”

“But what about the dogs? We can’t just leave them.” Rocky’s voice was concerned.

“I’m sorry, Rocky, but where I am going there won’t be any place for a dog, let alone her pups. It would be different if you had a home you could go back to, or if I wasn’t on a quest.”

“A quest?”

Constance hesitated, but then she made a decision. “Yes, Rocky. I am on a quest to talk to the Lord of Minward about bringing justice into the Rift.”

Rocky’s attention left the puppies and focused on her face. “You’re from the Rift? I didn’t think anyone ever left there, unless they are a Hy-Bred.”

“Well, that’s mostly true…unless you have friends who can forge work papers.”

Rocky’s eyes widened. “You mean, you are kind of like a spy?”

Connie laughed. “Hardly! I’m no more a spy than you are the Lord of Minward. I’m just one person trying to make a difference and find redemption and justice for people suffering in the Rift.”

She stood up. “We need to get going.”

Rocky put each of the pups back by their mother then stood up. “I wish we could give them some food or something…especially the mom. She looks like she needs it more than them.”

“She’s doing what mothers do; giving up her own comfort and needs to give life to her own.”

Rocky gave a little wave and they moved quickly out of the alley.

It wasn’t long before they began walking again that they heard numerous tiny yips and yaps coming from behind them. They both turned around and there came the mama dog with one pup in her mouth and the other three waddling along behind her as quickly as their little legs could carry them.

“Connie, look! They want to come with us.”

Constance watched the dogs struggling to follow them, and once again her heart softened. She knew at the rate they were going she might never get to the Manor of Minward, but somehow that didn’t seem quite as urgent as it had a few hours ago. She looked at the boy, and then at the pups. She began unraveling the scarf she had around her neck, then she opened her pack and got down on her knees.

“What are you doing?” Rocky asked.

“Well, we won’t get very far if we don’t give all those short little legs some help. I’m going to make a soft place in my pack where the smaller two can lay. Those two bigger ones should be able to keep up.”

Image by Aleš Háva from Pixabay

Rocky looked excited. “You mean we are going to take them with us?”

Connie nodded.

“Oh yippee! I’ve never had a pet.”

Connie picked up the two smaller puppies and put them gently down into her side pack. They snuggled together and almost immediately fell asleep.

“Come on. We’ve got to get some food some where soon, for us and them.”

Connie was not sure why she was accumulating this rag tag band of misfits, but she knew she had to help those who were less fortunate. Maybe it was how she had been raised. Maybe it was something she knew her husband would have wanted. Maybe it was God trying to show her she was not alone. Whatever the answer she knew they were now in it together.

A Year of Waiting - Enduring

When it comes to waiting, it can be a time of anticipation and expectation, or it can be a time of grueling, determination to not give up. Usually, our waiting times fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

The last time I posted about my word for the year: waiting, it was a look from above as I compared our waiting time to a plane in a holding pattern doing laps around the airport as it waited for a runway to come down on. (See that post here.) A holding pattern is frequently what our lives look like as we wait for answers, wait for jobs, wait for love, and the list goes on. We keep circling the airport, waiting for the chance to finally land, and hoping when we do it will be on the right runway.

Image by Jens from Pixabay

Since that last post on waiting, I have encountered an up close and personal look, once again, at the word endure. Endure was not on my list of similar waiting words, but I was struck this morning by the thought that enduring is a very real, gut level, type of waiting. Let’s look at a few definitions of the word endure.

Intransitive Verb

1 - to continue in the same state

2 - to remain firm under suffering and misfortune without yielding

Transitive Verb

1 - to undergo especially without giving in

2 - to regard with acceptance and tolerance

When we look at the thesaurus we see additional words such as: undergo, experience, go through, encounter, sustain, digest, accept, assimilate, handle, taste, stand for, tough it out, and others. Looking at these words we do not see a passive waiting, but an active, working it out, type of waiting. Like the gentleman above, just hanging around by one arm, waiting, looking as though he has not a care in the world; you can bet he is waiting with endurance as he hangs on for his very life.

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

This is the unseen torment of endurance. It is often when others are enduring that no one else knows what they are dealing with. The inner struggles are unseen. The agonizing dark nights are unnoticed. The passage of days grow long, where all that is wanted is for something to change; for something to get better; for someone to come along and give support in the waiting. I do not know why God delays in bringing about relief in these time of enduring, but I do know that He is good, and He is allowing our long travail through the valley of darkness for a purpose.

As Christ followers, most of us are familiar with the following verse.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

— Romans 8:28 (NASB 1995)

I covered this one verse more fully in my Mulling It Over post, where I have been going through the eighth chapter of Romans. Today, I just wanted to reiterate the goodness of our God. We may be waiting in the most dire of circumstances, but He is worthy of our continued allegiance and trust.

We are called to endure. The Bible encourages us repeatedly to not lose hope, the keep up the good fight, to run the race and more.

Image by Harut Movsisyan from Pixabay

“2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

— James 1:2-4 (ESV)

The testing of our faith can produce endurance, or as this version says, steadfastness. Why is steadfastness so important? If we let it have God’s desired effect it makes us perfect and complete, lacking nothing. That’s pretty amazing. Of course we don’t want to go through struggles, but if we can realize the importance of this weighty waiting, we can endure, knowing God will perfect us through it.

A little further along in James we see this reiterated.

“12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. ”

— James 1:12 (ESV)

Image by jbundgaa from Pixabay

Girlfriends, we aren’t just going to be made perfect, lacking nothing, we are going to receive a crown of life. That is a promise from God to those who love Him. Whoo, hoo! I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to wearing that crown right up to His heavenly throne, where I will cast it with tears of gratitude at his nail pierced feet.

Let’s look at one more passage on endurance.

Image by chengchi123 from Pixabay

“1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

— Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

These two verses remind us we are not alone in the long wait of endurance. Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, endured the cross. He did it in obedience to the Father, but also for joy. Wait! What? Yes, He did it for joy, the joy of having us with Him; the joy of bringing us into glory with Him; the joy of knowing the fulfillment of everything the Father had put into motion at the beginning of time.

The long wait of endurance is difficult, but in it we are always seen and known by the One who completely gets it.

Faith Inspiration: Psalm 139:1-3

This column is meant to inspire our faith; to move us to action or even to contemplation. Scripture has become more and more my source of inspiration. After all, these are the words of God; His thoughts given to men and written down. All of them were spoken, or God breathed by His Spirit to the men who wrote. I believe, though this is becoming a less popular opinion, that God’s word is without error. I believe that it is alive and transforms us as we read and meditate on it.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Today’s source of inspiration comes from one of my favorite Psalms. Psalm 139 is a psalm of David. I recently decided to reread this Psalm taking it three verses at a time. Often, if we want to learn more we need to take a deep dive into just a few verses at a time, thus my Mulling it Over series. I am finding more and more that a brief look at God’s word is never enough. He has so much more to say to us in between the lines, through the voice of His Spirit speaking to our spirit. This is the beauty of an intimate relationship with God.

“1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.”

— Psalm 139:1-3 (ESV)

I have long looked at this passage as a way to understand my standing before God. Indeed, it reminds us that we are worthy and needful of His love and compassion, and it has been so since the beginning of time. As I read through these verses again, I was suddenly struck by the fact that the psalm is not just telling us details about ourselves, but it it telling us great secrets about the Almighty God.

What do we learn about God from these three verses?

1 - He desires to know His creation. God didn’t just set the world into motion and walk away, though some like to believe that is the case. God interacted and wanted to have a relationship with his artistry. Let’s look back at Genesis. First of all we see God actively involved in the making process. He didn’t just make primordial ooze and let it evolve, he spoke, molded, shaped, and breathed everything into existence. The more telling statement is this, “And God saw that it was good.” God actually took time, not only to create, but to enjoy what He had created.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Further on we see God’s personal involvement to make sure His work was taken care of by creating Adam. (See Genesis 2:5.) After this He also attended to Adam’s need to not be alone by making a companion completely suited to him. (See Genesis 2:18-24.) In addition we are told that God walked in the Garden. He was part of their community, and though we don’t know exactly what this was like we can use our imaginations. (See Genesis 3:8.)

Maybe this seems scary or off putting to some, but to me it gives such comfort and reassurance that can only be described as complete trust. If a being as powerful and righteous as our God wants to know us He is doing it with complete, pure love.

2 - He has know His creation from the foundation of the world. This is obvious from the same verses I pointed out from above. In addition, the first line of the psalm says, “…you have searched me and known me.” Both these words are past tense.

Image by info254 from Pixabay

As a writer I do like words to make sense; to choose the correct word for the correct sentence, and have the appropriate grammar, tense and so on. However, when it comes to God, I do recognize He is outside the bounds of time. The Bible is written for our understanding, so that we might comprehend what is being said. Since God is eternal He not only knew us from when He set the world into orbit, but He knows us in the present and in the future.

3 - He desires intimacy with us. It isn’t enough for God to know His creation. He wants to be intimate with us. Intimacy basically means familiarity. We often use it with regards to a sexual relationship, but today many sexual encounters require no intimacy at all. True intimacy is a feeling of closeness, belonging and trust.

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.”

— Psalm 25:14 (ESV)

Image by Dim Hou from Pixabay

The psalmist says, “You know when I sit down, and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” God must be up close and personal if He knows when I am sitting, and when I am getting up. He also knows my personality and what makes me tick. He can take one look at my face and know exactly what I am thinking. My husband is good at reading me, but not that good. He also knows where I am most of the time, but not every single minute of every day.

4 - God is aware at all times. For the same reasons stated above, God is fully aware of where we are, what we are doing, and what we are thinking. (See Psalm 139:7-8.) I know there are varying thoughts on the omnipresence of God. Some say that while He is everywhere present, He doesn’t necessarily know everything that is going on at every moment. Others say God can be everywhere present, but also chooses to not be at all times. My belief is that God is big enough to know all of us, at all times, in every place, and in all circumstances. This is what makes Him a personal God. It is not for us to understand this mystery, merely believe.

“9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

— Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

“4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.”

— Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”

— Psalm 46:1 (ESV)

5 - God is actively involved. Verse 3 states that God searches out our path, and our lying down. He is acquainted with all our ways. How can you be acquainted with all of someone’s ways without being a part of their life? God is our Good Shepherd. He knows the lamb who has the loud, obnoxious baaa; the one who hides in the corner of the fold; the one who bullies the others, and the one who tends to wander away. Make no mistake, God quietly observes, but He is actively orchestrating our lives to bring us into intimacy with Him.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.”

— Isaiah 40:11 (ESV)

This gives me great comfort. Life is hard, and having loved ones who don’t walk with Him makes it even harder, but these revelations about God, through His word inspires my faith to trust, be still and lean on His timing and compassion to bring them back to Him.

I hope this has inspired you to worship, praise and thank Him for the amazing God He is.

Until next time.

Mulling it Over - Romans 8:28

This week we are only going to focus on one verse from Roman’s 8. Last month we looked at verses 26 and 27. We learned more about all the Holy Spirit does for us in helping us to live the Christian life in this flesh. We were also reminded of His work to help our weaknesses by praying for us with depth and clarity, as He always prays the Father’s will for us.

Today’s verse brings the last two verses into sharp focus.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

“28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

— Romans 8:28 (NASB 1995)

Let’s dissect this verse phrase by phrase.

And we know….

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

This is an interesting way to start this verse. How do we know? What is it we know? How is it that we know it? How does the author know that we know? Does the author know and we don’t know?

We will find out what we know in the next phrase, but let’s just sit here for a minute. How do we know? We know because of the work of the Holy Spirit. Remember last week we had a list of things the Holy Spirit does for us. Two of these stand out: the Spirit dwells in us if Christ is in us (vs. 9), and the Spirit testifies with our spirit we are children of God.

Jesus Christ, the Son, knows the mind of the Father.

“14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,
15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

— John 10:14-15 (NASB 1995)

“30 I and the Father are one.””

— John 10:30 (NASB 1995)

If Christ knows the Father, then when we receive Him, we also receive the Father, our Abba, Father. So too, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. He testifies with our spirit that we are sons and daughters of God and so we know. We know whatever it is He, the triune God wants us to know.

…that God…

Make no mistake, God is in this. He is continuously at work in our world, even during those “dark nights of the soul.”

“‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?”

— Deuteronomy 3:24 (NASB 1995)

“There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”

— 1 Corinthians 12:6 (NASB 1995)

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

— Philippians 2:13 (NASB 1995)

…causes….

Image by falco from Pixabay

Sovereignty is something we must address when it comes to God causing things to take place. The word sovereign means one possessing supreme power. We typically refer to a king or queen as a sovereign as within their kingdom they possess supreme power, and ascendency.

Those of us who live in democratic societies might cringe at the idea of being beneath one who is sovereign. We have become so brain washed to the idea of independence and rights that we tend to forget we still live in community and need a system of checks and balances to keep anyone from having too much power.

However, when it comes to a supreme God; an all loving and completely good God it can be an easier pill to swallow, that He is ultimately in control. He allows and he prevents. He protects, and He holds back protection. He provides and He withholds.

What is it that this mighty being is causing, and for what purpose is He allowing it to happen.

….all things to work together for good…

It doesn’t say that God is causing only the good things to work together for good. He is causing ALL things to work together for good. The good, the bad, and the ugly; the light and the darkness; the times of prosperity and the times of poverty; the times of strength and the times of weakness. In His sovereign ability to see it all, He alone can work it all out for good.

…to those who love God…

Image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay

There is a descriptor here. He doesn’t work everything out for good for everyone on the planet. He only does this for those who love Him, and…

…to those who are called according to His purpose.

We might be asking ourselves the question, “What is His purpose?” Believe me the last three and a half years for me have been a questioning time. I don’t question His character, but I once in a while I do question His purposes. The question, “What are you doing, God,” often comes to my mind. It is okay to question, but we don’t want our questioning to become doubt that leads to frustration and bitterness.

“19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.””

— Exodus 33:19 (NASB 1995)

When Moses asked God if he could see His glory, God agreed. God says of Himself, He is good, as we can see in the above verse. The fact that a good God can make all things work together for good makes sense. However, we can also see in that verse that He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious and He will show compassion on whom He will show compassion. I don’t think this is God’s way of flipping off people who are struggling. I believe it is a confirmation of His sovereignty and we are being reminded that it is He who is ultimately in control.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

God doesn’t change. The God of the Old Testament is still the same God, but there is now a new covenant through Jesus Christ. Jesus really does make all the difference. It is because of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that God works all things together for good.

Being called according to His purpose, is quite simply living day to day in His presence. This isn’t a call to some grandiose life, or a suddenly acquisition of a super hero cap and ability to fly. We are simply called to live according to God’s purpose: to obey Him and glorify Him in everything we do. This we can do no matter where we find ourselves on life’s journey. No matter if you are homeless, employed, divorced, married, single, young, old, in perfect health or struggling with chronic illness, you are called according to His purpose.

I hope you find His words encouraging. Life is hard, but our God is good, all the time.

Have a great week.

Mulling It Over - Romans 8: 26-27

The month of May flew by with my younger daughter’s graduation from the Master of Nursing program, our meandering trip across the states of Wisconsin and Michigan, and the last week spent helping to take care of our two year old grandson while his mom and dad were on their anniversary trip in Cancun, Mexico.

June started off with a literal bang as the roof on our house and garage got completely torn off and redone. The roof was followed a few days later by the gutters, and then about a week after that a few guys came out to finish off a few trim pieces that had been missed. In the midst of all of that I got slammed by a sinus infection. As I write this I am once again on an antibiotic, steroids and I’ve been working with my pulmonologist on switching up inhalers. Eye, yie, yie. Welcome to Amy’s “new normal.”

I know I am not alone in this journey we call life, and as Jesus said before and I will say again, “…you will have trouble in this world.” Trouble with a capital “T” is often lurking around every corner. I know numerous people struggling with the respiratory gunk, have cancer, or are struggling with relentless burdens. That is precisely why this 8th chapter of Romans is so fitting to our lives today. Remember we, along with creation, are longing, and groaning for that future glorification of our bodies and an eternity with our God.

La Crosse, WI

In this Mulling It Over column, I have been looking at the 8th chapter of Romans. Romans is packed full of theology and doctrine that is pertinent to our faith as Christ believers. Chapter 8 reminds us who we are in Christ and why his death on the cross was necessary to set all things right and fulfill what the law could not do. This week we are going to look at two more verses, and only two because there is a lot to mull over.

“26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

— Romans 8:26-27 (NASB 1995)

Let’s take these verses a phrase at a time.

Image by Andrea Don from Pixabay

In the same way the Spirit - When we see the phrase, “in the same way” it typically refers back to the verses or passage that came before. In this case it is referring to the work of the Spirit in the previous verses. Let’s review what that work is.

1 - The Spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death (vs. 2)

2 - The Spirit gives life and peace to those whose minds are set on Him (vs. 5)

3 - The Spirit dwells in us if Christ is in us (vs. 9-10)

4 - The Spirit of Him (God the Father) who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies (eternal) (vs. 11)

5 - The Spirit helps us put to death the deeds of the body (flesh) (vs. 13)

6 - The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God (vs. 16)

7 - The Spirit gives us first fruits (referring to the gifts of salvation, reconciliation, forgiveness and so on that we receive when we believe) (vs. 23)

As we can see from looking at this list, the Holy Spirit has an equally important place in the Christian’s walk, and now we come to the next, gloriously wonderful thing He does for us.

Also helps our weaknesses -

Image by Лечение наркомании from Pixabay

The Spirit helps our weaknesses. Having a chronic health problem has put me fully in contact with my weakness. The reality is we are all weak. It doesn’t matter how physically, mentally, or emotionally strong we are, life can take us out in a heartbeat. It is here, in this realization of our weakness, the full beauty of the Spirit’s work in a believer’s life takes place. Could it be, our weaknesses are the result of one very important point?

…for we do not know how to pray as we should…

Image by Malachi Cowie from Pixabay

Imagine a world where, when anything goes wrong, we drop to our knees in prayer? We don’t just throw up a rote prayer, or one we’ve learned by heart as a child, we come into full combat mode aligning our desires, interests, struggles, thoughts, and heart with the One who truly knows what is best for each and every one of us. We would pray according to the Spirit. We would pray as Jesus taught us with a “…gentle and humble heart.” It is only in learning to pray this way that we will truly find rest for our souls.

As we study God’s living word we are reminded again and again we do not do this alone. He is with us. He is making it possible. He is instilling us with Spirit filled, death-defying, almighty power through the blood of the one we gave our lives to, Jesus Christ.

Once again, I am stunned by this beautiful Savior who made it all possible. He gave us a choice. He gave us a hope. He gave us grace that is unbound. He extended mercy where none is deserved. He knew how we would struggle in this life, fettered by the chains of flesh, constantly struggling to keep our eyes on Him, but fiercely aware of the multitudes of unseen that desire to take us down.

Once again He provided a way.

….but the Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings to deep for words…

Image by Richard Reid from Pixabay

This phrase is rich with images. Imagine the Spirit doing this work of intercession. This is not an easy work. Ask yourself how easy it is to pray, and you begin to understand how amazing our Holy Spirit is. He doesn’t just speak, He groans; so deep and heavy is the need for each of His Father’s creation whom He indwells. Words cannot do this intercession justice. These prayers fall to the language of lament and mourning. For a being, not restricted by language, how very telling it is that His mighty prayers are lifted up as groans. (If you get a chance read my allegory, The Bee Keeper. This gives life to the above words.)

…and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is…

Image by Ben Kerckx from Pixabay

Who is He who searches the hearts? It is God, our Abba, Father. The God who is everywhere present and all knowing, is also the God who is one in three. The trinity works from the same mind. While we know that not all things have been revealed to the Son, or the Spirit, such as the time of His return, we do know that the three work with the same goal in mind; that of our salvation, sanctification and future glorification. The Father is confident in the Spirit’s intercession and rightfully so…

…because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Image by Jondolar Schnurr from Pixabay

The Spirit cannot do anything other than the will of the Father, so His intercession for us is according to what God’s will is for us. The possibility of a simple, child-like trust arises from this knowledge. If we truly believe that God is good, and we know that He is working out good in our lives, then we can lean back in His mighty arms as the same Spirit who lives within us intercedes for us in complete alignment with the Father’s will.

“13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

— Philippians 2:13 (NASB 1995)

These two verses are the basis for what comes in the next session as we narrow in on one verse, Romans 8:28. I hope this has been an encouragement to you today, just as it has been to me.

Until next time.

Creative Christianity: The Widow's Quest - Part2

(This is a fictional piece based on the parable of the widow and the judge from Luke 18. I wrote this piece for entertainment purposes only.)

By the time Constance got to the second check point the rain was torrential. Her coat felt heavy as it took on water, and her tool bag was completely soaked. Thankfully, there was a long line of people which, she hoped, would make it easier for her to just slide through without much notice.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

As she stood in the line, she noticed the other people waiting. It was a hobby of hers, people watching. She had always enjoyed sitting in obscure places to watch people. People were so interesting and unique. That was how she and Amos had met. He had been sitting on a different bench a little way away from her at the small park near her parents’ home. Apparently, he enjoyed doing the same thing. It wasn’t that unusual. If you weren’t part of DeCaro’s network, there wasn’t much else to do.

She noticed him sitting there, and he noticed her. Eventually, they noticed each other noticing each other. One day when she arrived at her spot, he was sitting on her bench with a bag. Inside were two sandwiches. His pick up line had been, “I made too many sandwiches this morning. Would you mind eating one so I don’t have to throw it away?”

Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay

They both laughed. No one ever threw anything away in the Rift. Every morsel, every scrap contributed towards keeping you alive.

The people in the line were mainly workers, but there were a few Hy-Breds. These were people from the upper echelon that came into the Rift to gamble, buy drugs, and abuse whoever they could, just because they had money. One couple in particular was getting impatient and tried to cut ahead of others in line. This caused a small fight to ensue.

Check points at the perimeter of the Rift were actual guard stations, all employed by DeCaro. Several guards came out to break up the fight. There were at least two people who scooted past the check point without getting their papers stamped. The problem with this lay in the fact that if they got caught outside the Rift without their papers in order they would be sent back to DeCaro, and from there most likely sent to the Extermination Yard.

Constance kept her head down and stayed out of the way while the guards took control of the situation. The Hy-Breds were taken inside to warm up while they waited for a ride to take them home. The others who fought back were beaten and not allowed to cross.

It was all so incredibly unfair. That was exactly why she was willing to risk an audience with the Lord of Minward. She had no idea what sort of a man he was, but she knew she had to try to get his attention focused on the Rift and the people who were being preyed on who lived there.

Image by gregkorg from Pixabay

“Papers!”

The man behind the window was angry, Constance assumed, for having to deal with the fight. DeCaro’s employees preferred to not have to work. She quickly presented her papers. He barely even looked at them before he stamped them and shoved them back at her. She fought the urge to grab them and run. Instead, she began to fold them while she still stood in front of the window.

“Move along!”

Constance moved slowly as if she was still struggling to get her papers back into her coat pocket before the rain completely soaked them. What she was really doing was trying to make herself look as inept as possible. She walked away, breathing a sigh of relief.

Just because she was no longer in the Rift, didn’t mean she was out of danger. Not everyone in the city of Minward were law abiding citizens. She kept alert. She was thankful once the rain slowed eventually stopping. She crossed a few streets, but at the next corner she knew she was being followed.

Image by 652234 from Pixabay

Running was not an option, so she decided to confront the person. She whirled, coming face to face with a young man, probably not more than twelve or thirteen. Startled, he stopped, looking at her with wide eyes.

“Can I help you, young man?”

“I…I…thought…maybe, I could help you…you know…for a little coin.” He gave her a sideways smile trying to look hopeful.

Constance sighed. “I’m sorry, lad. I don’t have any extra coin.”

The boy didn’t give up. “Well, what do you have in that bag? There’s got to be something valuable in there.”

Constance felt bad for the boy, but she also knew she wasn’t in a safe place. He might be working with a gang, and she could be surrounded before she knew it. “This is just my tool bag. Do you live around here?'“

“Here and there.”

She looked around, noting the windows, doors, and side streets. She didn’t notice any movement, so she started to relax.

“Where’s your family?”

“Dad left a while ago and hasn’t come back. My mom said, that’s because he’s no good. My mom….” It was plain to see the boy was grieving. “She got sick. Without a job, she couldn’t afford to go to the doctor. She died a few months ago.”

Constance’s heart broke for the boy. “You don’t have any other family? An aunt or uncle? Grandparents?”

He wiped at his eyes with his ragged shirt sleeve, and shook his head. “I had a baby sister, but she died when I was little. I never knew my grandparents.”

What could she do for this boy? She lived in the Rift. She was just as bad off as he was…well, that was not entirely true. She had been raised by two loving parents. She had known the love of a wonderful man. She had friends, and she had a purpose. An idea came to her; a crazy, but wonderful idea.

“Since I would be negligent to leave you alone would you like to come with me? I am going to see the Lord of Minward.”

The lad’s jaw dropped. “Do you have an invitation? I heard he don’t see anyone without an invitation.”

Constance was quiet for a moment. “Well, no, but I am going to see him anyway. I have to see him.” Her voice grew stronger. “Besides I could use the company, and you look like you could use a decent meal.”

“Hey! I thought you said you didn’t have any extra coin!”

“I don’t, for someone who is trying to take advantage of me, but I do have coin to share for someone who is a friend.”

The boy thought for a moment, then he smiled. “I can be your friend.”

“Good! Let’s be off then. I want to get to the upper city and the Manor of Minward by the time the sun is high over head. What’s your name, by the way?”

“My mom named me Peter, but you can call me Rocky.”

“Rocky it is. I am Constance, but you can call me Connie.”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Constance wasn’t sure if she believed in God or not, but for some reason this young boy had wormed his way into her heart and her mothering instinct took over. She and Amos had tried to have children, but never did, and then he died.

Maybe, just maybe she was being given a second chance.

A Book Review: Seen, Secure, Free by Allison Allen

(This book was gifted to me in exchange for a review. No money exchanged hands for this book.)

I found another book through Frontgate Media that looked like a good read so I am writing another review. This book by Allison Allen, Seen, Secure, Free takes a look at our hidden lives with Christ, explaining why these hidden places are not meant to be places of frustration and unknowns, but opportunities for deep, personal, intimacy with our savior, Jesus Christ.

Allison Allen’s story encompasses drama in the most literal sense. After attending and graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelors in Fine Arts, Allison ended up on Broadway performing in over 600 performances of Grease. Allison also performed with Women of Faith in their one woman drama presentations all across the country for three years. Currently, Allison works with Lisa Harper on Lisa Harper’s Back Porch Theology podcast. This is Allison’s fourth book.

Here is a good synopsis of Seen, Secure, Free.

“In today’s image-conscious culture, we tend to measure our value by how socially visible we are. We’ve confused fame with fruitfulness. We’ve equated exposure with excellence. And when people ignore, dismiss, or reject us, we can lose our sense of who we truly are...

Even when you feel unseen, invisible, or invalidated by the world, you are seen by God. This means you don’t need to wonder if you matter or strive to be noticed. Instead, you can rest in the truth that God knows and loves you more deeply than any person every could...”

— Seen, Secure, Free (back cover) by Allison Allen

Allison and her family have been frequent visitors to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Throughout the book Allison uses the beauty and treasures of the Bank to show how God has spoken to her in the hidden places of her life. One of the most beautiful finds she discovered on the beach was a complete Whelk shell.

“Whelk shells are usually milky, but this one looked as if a midnight sky had been reduced into one of nature’s most delicate husks, rounded out by a perfect band of stars—as if an Impressionist master had daubed and brushed a paintbrush upon it. In all my years, I’d never seen anything like it.”

— Seen, Secure, Free p. 3.

Through the use of her own personal experiences, passages of scripture, and her own creative writing skills, Allison takes us through the realities of a life that is seen, secure and free in Jesus Christ. In my own life I have experienced times where I have felt unseen, and that I don’t matter. It seems in our world today much of the emphasis on who is valuable and whose life is meaningful has to do with outward accomplishments and accolades, whether it be trophies, awards, or likes on social media.

Allen’s book takes us on a journey to discover, like that beautiful shell, the value and import of that which is hidden in Christ. She begins with the section titled Seen. In this section we are reminded no matter how invisible we feel, we are always visible to God. Using Concealed Characters like One of Many Others (Luke 8:1-3), and the Daughters of Shallum (Nehemiah 3:12), we learn:

“We are seen by the God of the universe. Our worth, our beauty, is in the eye of the Beholder. Knowing this secures us and frees us. It changes our focus in life and catapults us into the glorious freedom of children of God.”

— Seen, Secure, Free p. 17

In this same section we revisit Hagar. Hagar, slave of Abraham and Sarah; mother of Abraham’s seed, running from her master’s wife. God saw her. Hagar wasn’t looking for God, but He saw her, and He came to her and spoke to her.

“God has His eye on you—not to bruise your battered heart or to turn you inside out and critique you but to bring to you the only balm that can heal you. When you are experiencing spiritual heart failure, God will resuscitate you. Whenever you think you are alone, think again.”

— Seen, Secure, Free p. 25

As we traverse the next two sections of the book we hear from other hidden characters, like the priest that helped carry the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Allison does a beautiful job of bringing to life, in bite sized vignettes, people who were mentioned that we really know nothing about. She quickly delves into what they might have been thinking and feeling during the different events described in the Scriptures. Through these creative pieces she embeds the specific ideas that we are not just seen by God, but He also secures us and gives us true freedom.

“There is glory to the hidden life. There is a radical transformation when intimacy is pursued and cherished...the battle is won in the hidden places, in the hard in-between, in the long center years between the call and the fulfillment, in the difficult and faith-filled standing in the muddy riverbed, knowing that God is a faithful and “and every present help in trouble.””

— Seen, Secure, Free pp. 132-133

I believe Seen, Secure, Free is a must read for anyone, but especially for women. We are so often the ones who are struggling in the hidden parts of our lives. I found this book very helpful at a time when I am not sure what is next and waiting is the only direction I have been given. Allison’s words reminded me that I am seen, and to dive deep into this time of being hidden in Him.

A Year of Waiting - Holding Pattern

When the idea of doing a deep dive into this concept of waiting tickled my brain, I wrote down a list of different words and phrases that revolve around the concept of waiting. So far I have looked at wait, abide, and pause. Today I want to look at a term used by the airlines.

Image by Erich Westendarp from Pixabay

When we are flying from one city to another, we often experience delays due to busyness, weather, or other problems, and often the pilot will be told to go into a holding pattern. When in a holding pattern, the pilot will fly an oval course over the airport as they are waiting their turn to land.

This phrase came to my mind as I grew up in a home where airplanes and flying were a pretty regular occurrence. My father was an airplane mechanic, and also had his pilot’s license for a number of years. He ran a small airport where he serviced single engine planes flown mostly for recreation. It was rare to have to enter a holding pattern at that small airport, but the idea still holds true, because great care is taken to not have an accident while flying in the sky.

I wondered, how do I bring the Bible into this idea of a holding pattern and the people of Israel came to my mind. These chosen ones of God were often in a holding pattern. They spent over 400 years in the arms of captivity to the Egyptians. I am sure during that time they were often heard murmuring, “When? When is our deliverer going to come?”

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

We know God brought Moses along as that deliverer, and we also know their time of enslavement to the Egyptians was drawing to a close. However, this wasn’t the only time they found themselves in a holding pattern. Some time after they left Egypt they found themselves at the mountain of God: Sinai. It was here Moses received the Ten Commandments, and all the many laws associated with living life.

“1 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain.”

— Exodus 19:1-2 (NASB 1995)

Due to movies like Charlton Heston’s Ten Commandments, we often think their time at Mount Sinai was a mere few days, but in reality it was close to a year. In fact they held a holding pattern in the Wilderness of Sinai for approximately two years. During this time, God not only gave them the Law, but He instructed them on the building of the Tabernacle.

If we spend a little time thinking about these holding patterns the Children of Israel had to endure we can recognize God’s wisdom in the waiting. Their time in Egypt was actually a time of great growth. There was a population explosion among the Israelites. That was precisely why Pharaoh became persistent in keeping them under his thumb.

“8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
9 He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.
10 Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.”
11 So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel.
13 The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously;
14 and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.”

— Exodus 1:8-14 (NASB 1995)

Their holding pattern in the Wilderness of Sinai was meant to teach the people the necessity of the Law and the Tabernacle as a space for worshipping God. While we now recognize the Law and the Tabernacle as a shadow of God’s future intent, salvation through the perfect lamb of His Son Jesus, it was necessary to remind humanity of the holiness and righteousness of God.

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Are you experiencing a holding pattern in your life right now? Do you feel like an airplane circling over the airport waiting for the go ahead to land? I am right there with you, girlfriends! While this time is difficult, I am trying to remember God’s purposes are beyond what I can comprehend. He knows exactly what other planes (circumstances) are circling around, and how to bring everything safely onto His runway, in His time. While we are waiting, I recommend talking to the co-pilot (Jesus). Get to know Him better. After all, His Father owns the airport!

Have a great weekend, everyone, and fly safe! :)

Mulling It Over - Romans 8:18-25 - Part 2: The Groaning and the Hope

It has been months since I did a Mulling it Over post on this Faith page. When last we came together here, I was studying the 8th chapter of Romans. We learned from the very first verse that in Christ Jesus we are not condemned. He came, not to condemn, but to save that which was lost. We were lost in our sin, but when we gave our hearts to Him we became something different.

We learned that the law of the Old Testament was weak and only a shadow of what God truly wanted. Because of this weakness, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to do what the Law could not. Having just celebrated another Easter reminds us of the wonderful, awful, necessity for this sacrifice of Christ’s own body on the the cross. The perfect lamb of God opened the gateway to the throne room of His Father.

Now, as we live on this earth, entombed in our flesh, we struggle day after day to walk in the spirit, not the flesh, but it is only by setting our minds on the Spirit, and feeding the Spirit that we are able to put aside that flesh and regularly abide in Christ. We are not under obligation to the flesh, and if we have that same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead we can put to death the deeds of the flesh.

When we put our faith in Christ we have been adopted as the sons and daughters of God. This gives us the right to cry out to God and call Him, Abba! Father! This sonship enables us to be heirs to the Kingdom of God and all the rights and privileges therein. (To see all the previous posts click on the links: Romans 8:1-2, Romans 8:3-4, Romans 8:5-8, Romans 8:9-11, Romans 8:12-13, Romans 8:14-17, Romans 8:18-25 - Part 1 )

Today we are looking back at a few things we already covered in Part 1, but with this chunk there is a lot to cover, so we are going to look at it in pieces, rather than phrase by phrase.

“18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

— Quote Source

I would like to look at these verses as a comparison of place, not only physical locale, but spiritual position.

Physical:

Image by munki from Pixabay

When sin came into our world with the first choice of disobedience, corruption came with it. Life which was meant to be eternal, gradually shortened. Living things grew old. Not only that, but disease began to ravage humanity and all other created things. Plants contracted blights, animals became infested with parasites, and humans knew pain in both childbirth and aging.

Spiritual:

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Sin distanced us from the Creator. Not only were we driven from the Garden, but we lost the personal relationship with our God. We became the naughty sheep that needed to be tended across the wilderness, and God our keeper. He created boundaries with the Law, a shadow of that which He originally intended, but a necessity to tie a Holy, Pure God, to a stiff necked and sinful people.

When we compare these two areas we can divide the above verses into a compare and contrast of sorts.

Physical/Suffering - Spiritual/Glory -

• Anxious longing (vs. 19) - Glory revealed (vs. 18)

• Waiting (vs. 19 & 23 & 25) - Sons of God revealed (vs. 19)

• Subjected to futility (vs. 20) - Creation set free (vs. 21)

• Not self-determined (vs. 20) - Children of God set free and glorified (vs. 21)

• Enslaved to corruption (vs. 21) - Adoption as sons (& daughters) (vs. 23

• Groaning (vs. 22 & 23) - Redemption of our bodies (vs. 23)

• Pain in childbirth (vs. 22) - Fulfillment of hope (vs. 24 & 25)

• First fruits of the Spirit (vs. 23)

• Persevering (vs. 25)

This entire section of Romans 8 is about what is and what will be. What is plays out in this physical realm, and includes suffering. We suffer all throughout life on this fallen planet. Some suffer far more than others, but we all suffer. For the Christ follower this doesn’t just include the same trials and struggles as others, but has the added component of a waiting and longing for what will be: our life in glory with our Lord.

Paul includes the suffering of creation, which I find interesting, but it makes sense. God’s plan was for a beautiful place full of life and energy. It was a place of freedom. Man lived in concert with his Creator and his creation. The world, and all that was in it was for man’s pleasure and care.

Image by 12019 from Pixabay

Creation groans and longs for its former glory. Storms, hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, forest fires; these are all signs of a creation yearning to be what it was originally intended to be. It wasn’t given the choice of suffering, as the Creator subjected it to futility, so that we would have hope.

Let’s just pause there a minute. God allowed this amazing thing He had created to become less than so that you and I would have hope. I don’t know about you, but being able to go outside, touch a fuzzy kitten, see the trees changing in the fall, hear the ocean waves crashing, or a stream gurgling, and smelling the seasons as they change always gives me hope and reminds me that my God is near even when the world is in chaos.

Image by Fabien from Pixabay

Not only does Creation feel this yearning and goes through the pains of childbirth, waiting for its return to glory, we do too. I know as I age I identify more closely with this groaning and suffering. I know that one day I will be in a glorified body with nor more coughing, sinus issues, achy knees and wrists, and no more desire for things that are not good for me. I will know fully, just as I am fully known! (I Corinthians 13:12) Our hope will be full, and we will stand before our Abba, Father. What glory that will be.

Finally, the last verse in this section is pertinent to where we are right now. We must wait for hope to be fulfilled, and wait for it eagerly with perseverance. Remember, my word for the year is Wait? God in His rich and lavish love is reminding us that we are in a waiting time, but glory is coming. Creation knows this to be true, and we can do.

Dear friends, with perseverance wait eagerly for hope.

The Greatest Story - The Story Behind the Cross

We are all story tellers in one form or another. Whether you are telling a friend about your trip to the doctor’s office, your spouse about the new movie you just saw, or people on social media about the sales at Nordstrom, we are all telling a story. Your story might not be exciting, or full of action and romance, but it is your story. Story telling is a way of relaying information. At times the information might be made up for the purpose of entertainment, but more often story telling is a way to relay true accounts and facts.

Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay

We tell stories with our words, but we can also tell stories with our body language and other vocalizations. Crying tells a story of great sadness, or euphoric joy. Anger tells a story of frustration or hatred. Walking with your head raised, making eye contact tells us you are confident and most likely friendly. Sitting alone at a social even with your head down looking at your phone tells a story of relational struggle and possible low self esteem.

Story telling has been around for centuries. It is one of the oldest ways of relaying information. When God inspired the writers of the Old and New Testaments He spoke to them in a type of story form. He didn’t just give them a list of facts telling them to write them down as bullet points. He gave them people, places, events with incredible details.

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are rich with details on the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ. Indeed, they do not just include the who, what and wheres of a good story, but they are also seen as true accounts of Christ’s teaching, travels, prayers, and sufferings.

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

To be sure, these are not made up stories, but factual accounts of the life of Christ and the lives of his followers. From His birth in a stable in Bethlehem, to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, to His agony in the Garden, to His death on a hill with a criminal on each side, to His burial, to His walk in the garden after three days, these books give us every detail we need to know the living Christ.

What makes Christ’s story the greatest story ever told? It is unique in its message, and universal in its reach. This story is the only one inspired by the true, living God, put together by 36 different men, all with the same message over a period of 1500 years.

The focus of the Old Testament is the why. The first two chapters of Genesis relate the beautiful symphony of the triune God bringing our planet, and life into existence. Unfortunately by Chapter three, we learn of the devastating fall of that glorious creation by one choice to sin. What follows is a detailed telling of the history of the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people and the system of the law, God put into place to govern those people.

We need to remember this was all laid out to point to a future event: the coming of the fulfillment of the Law, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is full of prophecy pointing to Christ’s coming. In order to fully understand the need and provision of the New Covenant, God gave us the detailed account of the Old Covenant. As seen in Hebrews, the Law was imperfect, but Christ was perfect.

“18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
20 And inasmuch as it was not without an oath
21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

“The Lord has sworn
And will not change His mind,
‘You are a priest forever’”);

22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.”

— Hebrews 7:18-22 (NASB 1995)

Christ is the guarantee of a better covenant, the new covenant brought about in the New Testament. This covenant is laid out simply in a few simple verses from the New Testament.

“16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

— John 3:16 (NASB 1995)

Image by Fernando Rodriguez from Pixabay

The following verses are known as the Roman Road. They tell the Gospel of Christ in simplistic terms.

“23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

— Romans 3:23 (NASB 1995)

“23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

— Romans 6:23 (NASB 1995)

“8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

— Romans 5:8 (NASB 1995)

“9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ”

— Romans 10:9-10 (NASB 1995)

We learn all about the system of sacrifices that were part of the Old Covenant in the Old Testament. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross did away with the need for that system. The Law given to Moses by God, was fulfilled in Christ given to us by His Father.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The story of the cross was centuries in the making, but the most beautiful thing about it is that it gave access to the throne of God to every single person who believes. It doesn’t matter who you are or who you have been. It doesn’t matter where you live or what sort of job you have. It doesn’t matter how low you have gone, or how great you have been. The story of the the cross is for all.

If you are struggling today with the story of your life, look to Jesus. He will make all the difference.

Whatever Happens by Robert J. Morgan - A Book Review

(This book review is being done in exchange for the book. No money has exchanged hands for this review.)

I was contacted again by FrontGate Media to review a book. They send me numerous titles throughout the year, and I only choose certain ones to review. It needs to be worth my time to read the book, and it has to be something I am interested in keeping. This book by Robert J. Morgan is just that. You can read more about the author here.

Whatever Happens: How to Stand Firm in Your Faith When the World is Falling Apart is a deep dive into the book of Philippians, one of my favorite letters of Paul. The Apostle Paul is writing from Rome where he is a prisoner, to the church at Philippi. The introduction to the book gives us a good synopsis of what follows.

“Whatever. Whatever happens. The apostle Paul was facing uncharted circumstances and an unsettled future. He didn’t know if he would be released or executed. He didn’t know if he would live or die. But he knew one thing: Whatever happened, he was going to stand firm in the faith and conduct himself in a manner worthy of the gospel.”

— Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens p. x

This is the call for all of us who have given our lives to Christ. Whatever. Whatever happens, to stand firm in the faith and to live a life worthy of the gospel.

Morgan’s first two chapters set the background for how Paul came to Philippi by taking a look at the events in Acts 16:6-34. Reading through the passage we can see how God closed many doors to get Paul to the place He wanted him. Morgan makes a point that God’s will for our lives is progressive, premeditated, and purposeful, and that is why we need not get discouraged when a door closes. God always has the best plan.

Morgan also points out that during his stay in Philippi Paul doesn’t just make converts, he makes enemies who actually have him arrested, beaten, and thrown in jail. It is during this time of incarceration that we see the apostle and his companion Silas go from tending their wounds to worshipping their God in song. The aftermath of this time of worship includes an earthquake, a distraught guard, and the eventual conversion of the guard and his whole family.

“Through song and suffering, the church was planted in Philippi, and through song and suffering, we, too, serve the Lord faithfully with joy, even in our midnight hours.”

— Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens pp. 15

With a casual, easy to read style, Morgan gets into the meat of the book of Philippians by breaking the chapters down into bite sized sections. Each chapter of Morgan’s book delves into a group of connected verses. Morgan uses relevant stories, quotes, and examples to tie in how this letter of Paul is just as relevant to us today as it was to the new converts in the church at Philippi.

Each chapter starts with the words, Whatever Happens…Here are a few.

Chapter 3 - ….Layer Your Life with Generosity

Chapter 5 - …Remember God is Still Working on You

Chapter 7 - …Replace Gloomy Thoughts with Glorious Ones

Chapter 10 - …Never Be Intimidated

Chapter 20 - ...Actively Press On

Chapter 26 - …Discover the Secret to Contentment

Whatever Happens brings new insights to the book of Philippians, and how it applies to the times we are living in today. It is a strong reminder that God gives us the strength to press on when life is difficult, and He gives us the ability to have joy in the midst of those hard times.

Here are just a few of the quotes I highlighted in my copy:

“As we grow in Agape, we make wiser decisions because we develop greater knowledge and depth of insight.”

— Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens pp. 43

“The circumstances of our lives have become servants of Christ’s commands. Our circumstances must bow before Jesus. We may not be able to control them, and chaos may seem to reign. But the Savior who turned water into wine and death into life can bring about a mutation, a transfiguration, a reversal, an evolution of our circumstances. The Savior can turn our circumstances into His servants for the advancement of His Kingdom. This is part of redemption.”

— Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens pp. 52

“The attitude of exalting Christ whatever happens has the power to weaken or destroy the grip of circumstance-based anxiety in our lives—-to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

— Robert Morgan, Whatever Happens pp. 69

“I cannot grow spiritually without keeping a positive attitude about life.”

— Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens pp. 103

“God put the burning stars into a dark sky to teach us something about our own lives and about the mission He has for us. We are to shine His light into a dark world. I cannot think of a single better way of using my time than by holding forth the Word of Life.”

— Quote Source

“...I had never before thought of joy as a safeguard, as a shield, as a weapon, as an invisible cloak around me, or as a guardian who served as a security officer.”

— Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens pp. 127

I could go on, but I hope reading a few of these quotes gives you a taste of the knowledgable and thorough insight the author has put into this look at Philippians. I believe this book is apropos for the times we are living in. We are living in a darkened world, and God desires we be the lights that shine spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I found this book spoke to my heart, bringing a new understanding of the Letter of Paul to the Philippians. It reminded me that my faith is never stagnant and I have never arrived. There is always more to learn. I would strongly recommend Whatever Happens to every Christ follower.

A Year of Waiting - Pause

If you have been following me since the beginning of this year, I chose the word, wait as my word of the year. After I chose the word, I thought it would be a good idea to devote one Faith post a month to this idea of waiting. In mulling the idea over, I thought it would be interesting to look at different definitions and nuances of the word wait, after all, waiting isn’t just about standing in line to get tickets to see your favorite band, or board your flight. Waiting is a time consuming part of our lives, and I feel it deserves a weightier look. Ha, ha. See what I did there?

Image by Alana Jordan from Pixabay

Let’s look at the definitions for the word pause as given in Webster’s Online Dictionary.

As a noun:

1 - a temporary stop

2 - a - a break in a verse

b - a brief suspension of the voice to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts.

3 - temporary inaction especially as caused by uncertainty: Hesitation

4 - a - the sign denoting a fermata (music related)

b - a mark (such as a period or comma) used in writing or printing to indicate or correspond to a pause of voice

5 - a reason or cause for pausing (as to reconsider)

6 - a function of an electronic device that pauses a recording

As a verb:

Intransitive -

1 - to stop temporarily

2 - to linger for a time

Transitive -

to cause to pause: stop

Let’s pause at the word pause. Ha, ha. I think it would be good to temporarily stop, and hesitate when it comes to considering the word pause; a word we really don’t think much about. We often view a pause as an interruption, but a pause is often necessary to be able to think, take a new direction, or find peace and restoration.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

When my first grandson came along, I became familiar with Time Out’s, a discipline method that is still used by many parents today. The purpose of a Time Out is to allow the child to not only think about what they have done wrong, but give them time to cool down if a situation has become volatile. I think this is a well intended method, and preferable in many ways to a spanking or some other form of physical punishment. I know for my grandson it was fairly effective in curbing misbehavior, though I don’t know for sure what he was thinking about during the Time Out. Ha, ha.

A Time Out is a good way to think of the word pause. It is a time to pull away and think about things. We see that Jesus gave us the same type of example when He would get away by Himself to pray. He paused His busy activities of healing people, teaching his disciples, and making new followers to get away and think, breath and pray.

“36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.””

— Matthew 26:36 (NASB 1995)

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”

— Mark 1:35 (NASB 1995)

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”

— Luke 5:16 (NASB 1995)

Image by Sonam Prajapati from Pixabay

While the Bible does not specifically use the word pause as we know and use it, there is the use of a Hebrew term in the book of Psalms and Habakkuk that literally means, think about it. This is the word, Selah.

“Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.”

— Psalm 24:10 (NASB 1995)

“I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.”

— Psalm 32:5 (NASB 1995)

“The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.”

— Psalm 46:7 (NASB 1995)

“God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise.”

— Habakkuk 3:3 (NASB 1995)

The word, Selah is used 71 times in the Psalms and 3 times in the book of Habakkuk. Obviously, the Psalmist thought it was important to use this phrase often. He wanted us to think about all that God had done, both the rescuing and the judging because both are very important to remember.

If you find yourself in a time of waiting think about how you can see this as a time to pause. A good idea might be to keep a journal where you can think about why God might have you in a waiting period. You could use journalling as a time to pause from the busyness of life to pray, think, and consider. There are so many reasons God might want you to take a Time Out. These are just a few:

1 - Rest.

Image by DanaTentis from Pixabay

I mentioned this in my initial post in January, Word for 2024: Wait. As women, and Christ followers it is not uncommon to burn ourselves out. We are constantly doing, giving, helping, working; often with little time to catch our breath, let alone do something for ourselves. Let’s face it, we barely even pray for ourselves. We fail to process our emotions, because we are always helping others to carry or process their emotional loads. Even when we lay down at night we run through our to do lists, and before we get up in the still hours of the morning we are praying for all our wandering lambs.

I just turned 60, and I am only beginning to understand this is not really what God wants for us. We are God’s creation. God is the heavy lifter, I am but dust. Perhaps if I became more acquainted with this mighty, omnipotent being I would spend more time relishing the practice of His presence in worship and adoration, rather than trying to solve every problem for everyone we love and care for. God will work it out. He alone is able.

This being said, I know how hard this is. Letting go and actually resting is probably the hardest thing we can do, especially as mothers. It took a major illness to change my way of thinking, and even now I still struggle against this trending current; this current that says you only have value if you are doing and being. However, it was during the time I was down and out that I heard and saw the love and provision of the Lord in a new and deeper way. And, He’s not done yet. I am still learning how to rest, how to take time for myself, how to spend more time with Him, and how to let go of all of the preconceived notions of what gives me value.

2 - To change our thought patterns.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

As used in the book of Psalms, and Habakkuk, taking a moment to think about what the scripture was saying was important enough to include the term, Selah. Perhaps our waiting time is not just about rest, but about changing the way we think, or taking us back to thinking about what is really important.

A time of illness, recovery, or job loss can certainly give you ample opportunity to think. The important thing is that we think about the right things. Am I thinking about my struggles, or am I thinking about God’s goodness? Am I dwelling on my anger, or thinking about God’s provision? Am I tempted to continue in a behavior or a wrong way of thinking, or am I ready for God to bring about change?

The best way to change our thought lives is through regular reading and study of God’s Word, and through the mindset of choosing gratitude and joy.

3 - To change our actions.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Just like a child being sent into a time out, God will often use times of waiting or times of pause to gently turn us away from bad or unproductive behaviors towards truth in Him which will also cause changes in our actions. As Christ followers we should always be growing and changing to become more like Christ, and that may involve changing many of our fleshly behaviors.

Since I lost my job in 2019, and went through a health crisis in 2021, I have had a lot more time to spend reading, and studying God’s word. I am not a very disciplined person, so I don’t regularly get up in the wee hours of the morning to have my quiet time, but lately, the Lord seems to be waking me up earlier, even when I feel dog tired (and these days that is a regular occurrence) so I can have that time with him. I believe God knows our hearts and our circumstances. If we are open to His work in our lives, He will bring it about.

If you are in a situation right now where you are waiting, consider it a pause. Linger over your Heavenly Father and get to know Him better. This will always help you feel more content while you are waiting.

Have a great day.

Faith Topics: Why is it Necessary to Study the Bible?

Let’s face it, life is busy, especially if you are working, have children, or are involved in any sort of activities outside the home. People just have a lot to do these days. If I am a Christian and believe in eternal security (once saved, always saved) what’s the point of studying the Bible? Isn’t it enough to hear it on Sunday morning? Isn’t reading it once in a while more than sufficient to keep me grounded in my Christian faith?

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

There are several thoughts I have on this topic and I think it is an important issue to address. Let’s start by looking at what scripture itself has to say.

“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB 1995)

This verse gives us several good reasons to study God’s word.

1 - All of Scripture is inspired by God.

Image by Aritha from Pixabay

If you were interested in learning more about a certain historical figure, Hollywood star or famous pop singer would you go to the Tabloids or would you want to go to the direct source? An autobiography is going to be more revealing about a person than a few short paragraphs about where they were last seen and who they were last hanging out with. If we claim to be Christians and want to live a Christ like life then the place to go is the Word of God to receive information that is most accurate and truthful. God, Himself, inspired the men who wrote the words. I believe this is the most accurate historical document we have.

2 - All of Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and for training in righteousness.

Image by Dolf Maurer from Pixabay

Think about this for a minute. If you read a magazine, a textbook, or a fictional piece, each one may give you some sort of benefit. You might learn how to cook a certain dish from a recipe book. You might learn more about what vitamins to take as you age from a magazine on aging. You might find yourself swept away by a riveting adventure which helps you relax. However, unlike the Bible most things we read are not able to do everything the Bible can do.

The Bible is a historical account of the Nation of Israel, giving us a history lesson. The Bible is a book of poetry and love. The Bible gives us steps to ease anxiety, love our neighbor, and forgive those who have hurt us. The Bible teaches us how to live, how to love and how to have a relationship with an amazing God.

3 - All Scripture enables us to be adequate and equipped for every good work.

Image by free stock photos from www.picjumbo.com from Pixabay

You know what I like most about that last phrase? The word adequate. It doesn’t tell us that we will be perfect. It doesn’t say we will be all knowing, powerful, or rich. It says we will be adequate. Webster’s Online Dictionary defines the word adequate as: Sufficient for a specific need or requirement; good enough. God gives us what we need when we need it. He doesn’t give us more. Why do you think this is? It might have something to do with humility and dependence.

Our ability to be equipped for every good work, isn’t dependent on our ability. It is dependent on God. This fact takes us back to the first two points…it’s all from Him, and it is meant for teaching, correction, training, etc. We have to be continuing to learn and study and grow.

Another familiar verse in the Bible about why we should study it is the following:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

— 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

I went for the King James Version of this verse, as it is the verse I remember growing up with. It is one of the few versions that uses the word study and links it to the ability to understand accurately what God’s word is saying. We don’t need to be ashamed if we know God’s word, what it says and what it means. If we look at the New American Standard version, it reads a little differently, but the end result is still the same. We are to be diligent workmen, who don’t need to be ashamed, because we know how to handle God’s word.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

— 2 Timothy 2:15 (NASB 1995)

If we just look at this one verse we can come up with several more reasons we should study God’s Word.

1 - To be able to present ourselves to God.

Image by svklimkin from Pixabay

Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is merely the first step in a life time of growth and knowledge as we get to know Him more and more. Not only are we getting to know Him better, but He is making us more like Christ. When we know His word, we can bring that to Him and show that we know Him and His desires for us. Knowing and studying His word is like giving a gift back to him. We are saying that we agree with what He has said.

2 - To be an unashamed workman.

Image by 652234 from Pixabay

Often what makes us feel ashamed in our Christian walk, is not what Jesus has done for us, or our belief in Him, but our inability to talk about those things. I believe one of the important ways we become better able to talk about our faith and defend it is by knowing what the Bible says. Regular study of the Word helps us to walk with Him without feeling unable to share our faith.

3 - To be able to accurately handle truth.

Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay

Regular study of God’s word will not only make us more confident, but will enable us to know what is true and what is untrue. There are many who believe the Bible is just another book. They might even acknowledge that it has historical significance, but they do not believe everything in it to be true. They argue that everything from creation and the flood, to the virgin birth and resurrection were just fabrications put together by a random string of zealots to lead people into some sort of cult like living. The problem with many of these supposed arguments is that they really don’t take into account the actual words of the scriptures. A question both my husband and I ask people who say they don’t believe is, “Have you ever read the book?” Most often the answer is, “No.”

Let’s not depend on the world to tell us whether to believe the Bible or not. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to do what He is best at, revealing the truth in the living, God breathed, words of Scripture. Paul admonished us in the book of Colossians:

“8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. ”

— Colossians 2:8 (NASB 1995)

Paul also instructed Timothy about not listening to the “irreverent babble”.

“20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—
21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith.”

— I Timothy 6:20-21 (NASB 1995)

I hope this gives you a little motivation to start looking at the Scriptures with more time and care, for in studying His Word we will be blessed with a deeper relationship with Him.

Creative Christianity - The Widow's Quest: Part 1

The following piece begins a series based on the passage found in Luke 18:1-8. It presents a fictional account with allegorical aspects which coincide with the parable told by Jesus in those Scriptures. This is a fictional story with a world, and characters built by me. I hope you enjoy it.

Constance made her way through the narrow, muddy streets, thankful it was raining. A constant downpour washed away some of the surface filth making her feel there was a modicum of cleanliness here in the Rift. She kept her head down, the hood of her coat concealing her face. She didn’t want anyone to know where she was going. If they found out she was on her way to the Manor of Minward they would beat her until she was no longer recognizable. The Black Needles didn’t appreciate the people of their ward asking for help. They didn’t need help. They could make it on their own.

Image by Lucent_Designs_dinoson20 from Pixabay

Constance smirked beneath her hood. Neoplo “The Builder” De Caro wasn’t just known for building the run down, decaying ruins the people of the Rift had to live in, but for raising up the crime syndicate that preyed on the very people it was supposed to protect. She had seen enough; enough suffering; enough struggle; enough darkness. If the Lord of Minward was truly just, as she had often heard through her fourty-three years, why didn’t anything change? She was going to find out.

She was going to have to get past a few of De Caro’s check points. He wasn’t fond of people leaving his barony. He had an intricate web of knowledge woven together by his army of groveling lackeys. Constance learned from the time she was very young to blend in. She didn’t want to stand out. Being noticed by Neopolo, meant you became one of his, either that, or you conveniently disappeared. She felt bad for the younger people. De Caro’s appetite wasn’t just reserved for food and drink.

Constance felt bile rise in her throat, but she swallowed it, and clenched her fists. She wasn’t going to become just another of De Caro’s appetizers. She had to have hope; hope that the Lord of Minward would be able to make a change. Maybe he just wasn’t aware of how bad it was in the Rift. As the Lord of an entire city, he must be very busy, and maybe information wasn’t getting through due to De Caro’s influence.

The first check point loomed ahead. Her training in boiler maintenance should be able to get her through this one. She felt the tool bag by her side, then slid her hand into her coat pocket where the forged work papers printed on union stationary, and folded neatly, stayed dry from the down pour.

Image by Anna Veronika from Pixabay

Constance wasn’t alone in this quest. There were a few others who wanted a better life, and knew De Caro’s empire building wasn’t going to benefit them. She and Amos had formed a small group of other “believers”, which now was up to twenty members. They rarely all met together, but stayed in touch using messages sent via trusted couriers. Since the steam movement, and its subsequent advancements in communications, things like sending handwritten messages on foot had become obsolete. Now things were moved along through vast tubular networks both above and below ground pushed along by the compressed power of steam.

Amos had been like a little boy, completely enamored with the advent of the new Steam Era. He loved the machines, the gears, the noise and the power behind something so simple as heated water. She missed him terribly. It was coming up on five years since his death, but grief was relentless where darkness bred, and the Rift was a breeding ground for all that was dank, and miserable.

Image by Peter H from Pixabay

Constance took a deep breath and moved confidently to the first check point. Each check point held a small booth barely big enough for one person, but often occupied by several of Neoplo’s goons. There were three of them in this one. They were chatting and laughing. There were several other people in line.

When her turn came, Constance pulled the papers out of her pocket and quickly shoved them through the small opening in the window.

The man looked down on her, from where he sat in the dry, heated booth.

“You in a hurry there, lass?”

Constance wanted to quip back she was old enough to be his mother, but didn’t reply, just shrugged. She found the best thing to do was not engage. Once you started talking, they became interested. She waited, turning to look at the line that was forming behind her. That was a good thing. The more people waiting, the less time they would take to push you through.

The man stamped her papers and passed them back through the window. As she reached to take them, he wouldn’t let go. She looked up at his scruffy face.

Image by Sammy-Sander from Pixabay

“Smile, Sunshine. Life ain’t so bad. Doesn’t old De Caro take good care of his people?”

Constance swallowed the retort brewing in her gut, gave a shy smile and nodded her head.

“There we go! You have a good night now, lass!”

Constance placed the papers back in her coat pocket. As she walked away she let out a deep breath. One more check point to go.