By now, wherever you are, you have heard of the novel coronavirus emerging from Wuhan, China. The virus hunter, Dr. Guan Yi who first helped identifiy the SARS virus of 2003, has pronounced the seriousness of this outbreak as only one who has seen it all can caution, he says that he is scared. The World Health Organization has officially gone on record declaring this to be a worldwide emergency.
As I write this post, I am aware of the number of people in China who are sick growing exponentially to 10,000 cases, and at least twenty countries reporting cases. That is the official tally. The actual number of cases may be much higher. Dr.Yi is right, this is scary isn't it? Oh Lord preserve and protect us!
This is reading like a story of the past, such as the Black Plague or the Flu Pandemic of 1918-1920. I remember reading all the stories of pandemics and epidemics as a child. I read how they began, how they progressed and the cold, hard statistics of death and devastation. We now know that the story of the Wuhan coronavirus will be recorded and preserved in history alongside these other events.
Whereas science and history record the cold, hard facts, it is the charge of religion, literature and poetry to describe the human and spiritual experiences of life. Turning to these stories as a child truly gave me the full context and human toll of pain, suffering, life, death and nobility. It told the story of saints who ran into danger while the rest of the people ran away from it, such as Fr. Damien who served the lepers of Molokai. Read the modern version of Fr. Damien in my blog post about Graham Staines (February 11, 2019).
What of the doctors who served the people dying of the Black Plague and who died doing that? Or the everyday men and women who served their families and communities amid hopeless circumstances and disease outbreaks? These are the heroes of the human story. People who were
serving not because they were ordered to but because they saw the higher purpose and nobility of it all. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.-John 15:13
The Bible tells us many stories of illness, and plague. It talks of service and love. How do we put that all together at a moment like this? What is the Christian response to such a disaster? The grim saga unfolding before us brings out all our instincts for survival. Our instincts to follow God are revealed in what we do next. Are we fighting at the market to get that last cabbage? Or, even though we know that we are sick, do we get on a bus or plane and risk infecting others? These are the normal things that we all feel compelled to do in our fight for survival. It is natural.
Without God’s Holy Spirit within our lives, we would not have the strength to face the sense of calling in those situations. We are called to be light* and salt* where we are planted by God. There could be food shortages but, what we all have can be shared to lightened the burden of hunger. We may want to travel to the best hospital to get treatment for our coronavirus but without traveling under medical supervision we risk other people’s lives. Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Bible tells us that we have an earthly existence and then an eternal existence. We all think we know how that will unfold. Some people tell me, my mother and father lived to be very old, and I will too. Others think themselves too important to die and reason that they should survive because of their great medical skills, artistic mastery or intellectual prowess.
When something like the coronavirus comes along it challenges all our suppositions as well as our spiritual fortitude. If you are reading this gripped with fear, I understand. You may wonder what the truth is about this virus, and may wonder if you are at risk. The media whips people up into a frenzy in the quest to get more viewership. The fact is you would do best to follow standard medical wisdom to reduce your chance of catching a communicable disease. Please wash your hands often under warm water and soap up for about 15 seconds. If you need to sneeze, be thoughtful of others by covering your nose and mouth and sneezing into a tissue, or sneezing into your elbow. Disinfect all surfaces often because the World Health Organization suggests the virus may live for a time on surfaces touched by infected individuals. It is time to bring these simple precautions to our schools, workplace, church, and other public settings. However, Do not fear. -Deuteronomy 31:6
For those in China, where every region now has recorded cases of this virus, the danger is upon them. We are not entitled to another breath of life, but God graciously has endowed us with it and will see us through any and all crisis if we ask Him into our life and make Him our Lord and Savior. As precious as it is, this life isn’t the last step in our journey. We must live our life with integrity and courage as we face uncertain circumstances knowing that when it is our time to die that because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ we can go to be with God. Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.-Psalm 23:4
* To be salt: Salt is a preservative. A believer needs to preserve the good in a world gone wrong.
To be light refers to bringing light to some dark situations.
Friday, January 31, 2020
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Jealousy In The Church
I ran into someone I had not seen for awhile at a New Year's Day Party. I originally met this woman when I was on the Board of a certain non-profit in Westchester County, New York. It occurred to me at the time how she stood out as a genuinely kind and caring person. She was well-liked and well-respected by those around her.
So, it was quite a surprise to hear that she had recently gotten thrown out of a local church. When she mentioned this at a table crowded with atheists and new age believers, everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to Megan's* story. It was like throwing out some chum for sharks!
I must admit I was curious too. Megan is originally from the Midwest. People from the Midwest generally tend to be nicer than New Yorkers. I think New York just got voted the rudest state in the Union, didn't we? So, Megan is basically the nicest person in Westchester County. What could she have done to raise the ire of the elders or Pastor such that they would ask her to leave?
The story unfolded during the Christmas season. Wow, is it just me or do you already feel the irony of someone getting thrown out of a church at Christmastime. She must really have a side that I have never seen, right?
Here is the story. Megan was the concert master for her churchs' annual Christmas production of Handel's Messiah. Recently, a new choir director had been hired. He wanted to bring in his own orchestra and choir master at that point. Megan told us that, "she was fine with that." That is until some, perhaps well-meaning, members of the congregation told her that she should continue in this long-held position. Megan brooched the topic with the new choir director who acquiesced and agreed to allow her to continue her role in that capacity.
The problem is, that he didn't mean it. Instead, he was deeply insulted. He could not let it go. His ego could not stand it. Megan called it music politics. Sure, music politics at the New York Philharmonic but at a local church? Does this seem like godly behavior to you? Nor did any of the atheists and new age believers think much of the Christian world when they heard this story. They are right too.
After hearing the non-believing crowd tear the church to pieces, it was my turn to chime in and say what I thought. I started by telling Megan that I was sorry that this had happened to her. I continued to explain that, in any church there are a variety of people at varying levels of Christian maturity. We are all a work in progress that God is working on. Being a Christian doesn't mean that you are perfect just forgiven. Within a "body of Christ" we should be accountable to one another in a kind way. The Bible tells us if someone offends us to go and tell him alone. When we do this and solve the problem immediately we show the power of God in our life and the life of the church. Why couldn't they talk this out?
When are we Christians going to let Christ be the head of our Church? This story highlighted something that we all need to think about. How do we handle the so-called politics of positions at our local church? Are we drunk with the power of our volunteer or paid position? Are there factions in our churches? The effects of factions are damaging and can destroy a church. The Bible uncovers what often lies beneath our disagreements. (For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."-James 3:16.)
I find it incongruent to think of hearing the words from the book of Isaiah proclaiming the coming Messiah sung in a church and imaging the resentment and factional disputes that lie underneath it all. Yet, isn't that what the Bible tells us, all our deeds are as a filthy rag-Isaiah 64:6. That description well fits the effect of what this church did in their musical performance.
We are sinners. This manifests itself in all that we do. We need to understand this, confess our sins to God and ask Him to help us to be more holy. We ought to obey and follow what the Word of God instructs us to do when conflict arises. (To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”- John 8:31-32.) Spoiler Alert: the Word of God never advises fighting over who gets to play the lead role in Handel's Messiah.
I know Megan and her husband have started to attend another church but I invited her to visit my church as well. I am praying that she does not confuse this all too human conflict with who Jesus is and what He did for her, because Jesus was a man just like us in every way except sin. He is her Savior and Lord.
* the names are changed to protect people's identity.
So, it was quite a surprise to hear that she had recently gotten thrown out of a local church. When she mentioned this at a table crowded with atheists and new age believers, everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to Megan's* story. It was like throwing out some chum for sharks!
I must admit I was curious too. Megan is originally from the Midwest. People from the Midwest generally tend to be nicer than New Yorkers. I think New York just got voted the rudest state in the Union, didn't we? So, Megan is basically the nicest person in Westchester County. What could she have done to raise the ire of the elders or Pastor such that they would ask her to leave?
The story unfolded during the Christmas season. Wow, is it just me or do you already feel the irony of someone getting thrown out of a church at Christmastime. She must really have a side that I have never seen, right?
Here is the story. Megan was the concert master for her churchs' annual Christmas production of Handel's Messiah. Recently, a new choir director had been hired. He wanted to bring in his own orchestra and choir master at that point. Megan told us that, "she was fine with that." That is until some, perhaps well-meaning, members of the congregation told her that she should continue in this long-held position. Megan brooched the topic with the new choir director who acquiesced and agreed to allow her to continue her role in that capacity.
The problem is, that he didn't mean it. Instead, he was deeply insulted. He could not let it go. His ego could not stand it. Megan called it music politics. Sure, music politics at the New York Philharmonic but at a local church? Does this seem like godly behavior to you? Nor did any of the atheists and new age believers think much of the Christian world when they heard this story. They are right too.
After hearing the non-believing crowd tear the church to pieces, it was my turn to chime in and say what I thought. I started by telling Megan that I was sorry that this had happened to her. I continued to explain that, in any church there are a variety of people at varying levels of Christian maturity. We are all a work in progress that God is working on. Being a Christian doesn't mean that you are perfect just forgiven. Within a "body of Christ" we should be accountable to one another in a kind way. The Bible tells us if someone offends us to go and tell him alone. When we do this and solve the problem immediately we show the power of God in our life and the life of the church. Why couldn't they talk this out?
When are we Christians going to let Christ be the head of our Church? This story highlighted something that we all need to think about. How do we handle the so-called politics of positions at our local church? Are we drunk with the power of our volunteer or paid position? Are there factions in our churches? The effects of factions are damaging and can destroy a church. The Bible uncovers what often lies beneath our disagreements. (For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."-James 3:16.)
I find it incongruent to think of hearing the words from the book of Isaiah proclaiming the coming Messiah sung in a church and imaging the resentment and factional disputes that lie underneath it all. Yet, isn't that what the Bible tells us, all our deeds are as a filthy rag-Isaiah 64:6. That description well fits the effect of what this church did in their musical performance.
We are sinners. This manifests itself in all that we do. We need to understand this, confess our sins to God and ask Him to help us to be more holy. We ought to obey and follow what the Word of God instructs us to do when conflict arises. (To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”- John 8:31-32.) Spoiler Alert: the Word of God never advises fighting over who gets to play the lead role in Handel's Messiah.
I know Megan and her husband have started to attend another church but I invited her to visit my church as well. I am praying that she does not confuse this all too human conflict with who Jesus is and what He did for her, because Jesus was a man just like us in every way except sin. He is her Savior and Lord.
* the names are changed to protect people's identity.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Ringing In The New Year!
Out with the old and in with the new is a common sentiment expressed as we begin any New Year. The implication being that it is a propitious time to redirect our path by letting go of some things from our past and developing a fresh approach for the future. (Ecclesiastes 3:6- A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away). I'm going to break this concept down a little further into the realm of mind, body and spirit. Let's review this past year in the realm of these three parameters of our well-being: mind, body and spirit.
Mind: How are you doing emotionally? Are you happy or sad? Anxious or well-balanced? Depressed or coping with things well? Are you exercising your mind in any way? As we celebrate the beginning of a brand new year you should do a review of your emotions and be completely honest as to where your are at. After all, there is always room for improvement. If your are depressed, what is that about? Should you think about moving, getting a new job or breaking up with that boyfriend? Do you need to stop letting people step all over you and think about setting some godly boundaries? The thing is, we paint ourselves into some corners and think there is no escape. That is simply not true. That leads us to depression and even anger. But, it doesn't have to be that way.
One thing to do in the new year is to stop being on emotional automatic. Instead, take time to reflect upon how you are acting, coping and feeling and catch yourself before you do the same old reaction pattern. That means instead of getting into the same old disagreements about money with a parent or spouse, stop yourself and ask what else you can do instead. Are you in an abusive pattern with someone and it goes from verbal or physical abuse, to breakup and then makeup over and over again? Do you have a pattern of drinking or drugging to cope with stress? Have you lost a few jobs over your angry outbursts? (Ephesians 4:26- In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry).
Are there any bad patterns in your life that you recognize and would like to change, such as choosing bad partners? Men who aren't emotional available, or who refuse to work. If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, it's time to wipe the slate clean! If you're saying to yourself New Years resolutions never work, that is exactly the self-talk that you must combat as you endeavor to contemplate new goals for this upcoming year. Start by taking some small steps. Just say no when a bad boy asks you out, walk out of a room when feeling the urge to have an angry outburst. Anger often covers up other feelings that we feel less comfortable expressing such as fear or powerlessness.
(Proverbs 28:13- whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy). It is better to admit what we are really feeling than to cover things up with obfuscations. Admit the cause of your depression instead of drinking that extra glass of wine. The Bible says that wine is a mocker and that means we will end up embarrassed by our overuse of it. Is it time to challenge ourselves intellectually? If the clock has struck midnight it is! So, what language are you going to start learning? What craft will you learn? What about taking a business seminar? Take a book out of your local library.
Body: Every year people sign up in droves for a gym membership in the month of January. As opposed to a mind or spirit makeover, people can easily look in the mirror and say I need a makeover now. Yet, many fail in their quest to loose weight or get in better shape. Again, don't be hard on yourself. Try some small steps. Drink some more water, add a fruit or vegetable to your diet slowly. Cut your dessert portion by 1/4 than alittle bit more some time later. Try to walk,or do a half-push-up.
Try to exercise outdoors if possible. God created trees, and a beautiful sky with birds. God looked at His creation and He said it was good. Shouldn't we too? Studies show that when you look at these things that you will have a greater calm and relaxation. Don't we all need that?
Spirit: Your body was meant to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. If we are not in relationship with God, something is missing. (Be still and know that I am God-Psalm 46:10). Take some time to reflect on the miracle of creation, who God is and what He has done through His son Jesus Christ. Make this a habit every day. Start reading the Bible in January. Start in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and see God's plan unfold.
Begin to look for God's plan for your own life. He has one you know. Start working with God and not against Him. ( Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a stream in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland- Isaiah 43:18-19).
Mind: How are you doing emotionally? Are you happy or sad? Anxious or well-balanced? Depressed or coping with things well? Are you exercising your mind in any way? As we celebrate the beginning of a brand new year you should do a review of your emotions and be completely honest as to where your are at. After all, there is always room for improvement. If your are depressed, what is that about? Should you think about moving, getting a new job or breaking up with that boyfriend? Do you need to stop letting people step all over you and think about setting some godly boundaries? The thing is, we paint ourselves into some corners and think there is no escape. That is simply not true. That leads us to depression and even anger. But, it doesn't have to be that way.
One thing to do in the new year is to stop being on emotional automatic. Instead, take time to reflect upon how you are acting, coping and feeling and catch yourself before you do the same old reaction pattern. That means instead of getting into the same old disagreements about money with a parent or spouse, stop yourself and ask what else you can do instead. Are you in an abusive pattern with someone and it goes from verbal or physical abuse, to breakup and then makeup over and over again? Do you have a pattern of drinking or drugging to cope with stress? Have you lost a few jobs over your angry outbursts? (Ephesians 4:26- In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry).
Are there any bad patterns in your life that you recognize and would like to change, such as choosing bad partners? Men who aren't emotional available, or who refuse to work. If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, it's time to wipe the slate clean! If you're saying to yourself New Years resolutions never work, that is exactly the self-talk that you must combat as you endeavor to contemplate new goals for this upcoming year. Start by taking some small steps. Just say no when a bad boy asks you out, walk out of a room when feeling the urge to have an angry outburst. Anger often covers up other feelings that we feel less comfortable expressing such as fear or powerlessness.
(Proverbs 28:13- whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy). It is better to admit what we are really feeling than to cover things up with obfuscations. Admit the cause of your depression instead of drinking that extra glass of wine. The Bible says that wine is a mocker and that means we will end up embarrassed by our overuse of it. Is it time to challenge ourselves intellectually? If the clock has struck midnight it is! So, what language are you going to start learning? What craft will you learn? What about taking a business seminar? Take a book out of your local library.
Body: Every year people sign up in droves for a gym membership in the month of January. As opposed to a mind or spirit makeover, people can easily look in the mirror and say I need a makeover now. Yet, many fail in their quest to loose weight or get in better shape. Again, don't be hard on yourself. Try some small steps. Drink some more water, add a fruit or vegetable to your diet slowly. Cut your dessert portion by 1/4 than alittle bit more some time later. Try to walk,or do a half-push-up.
Try to exercise outdoors if possible. God created trees, and a beautiful sky with birds. God looked at His creation and He said it was good. Shouldn't we too? Studies show that when you look at these things that you will have a greater calm and relaxation. Don't we all need that?
Spirit: Your body was meant to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. If we are not in relationship with God, something is missing. (Be still and know that I am God-Psalm 46:10). Take some time to reflect on the miracle of creation, who God is and what He has done through His son Jesus Christ. Make this a habit every day. Start reading the Bible in January. Start in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and see God's plan unfold.
Begin to look for God's plan for your own life. He has one you know. Start working with God and not against Him. ( Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a stream in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland- Isaiah 43:18-19).
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Christmas Message
Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord
What does Christmas mean to you? How do you celebrate it? Over the years I have heard many answers to those questions. Family, traditions and gift-giving are central. Cooking and decorating come in a close second as to importance. What I have noticed is that all of the things that we do for Christmas go back in history to ancestral practices which pre-date Christianity. I had a really scary experience in Austria. Have you ever heard of Krampus? This half goat, devil man must win the award for the most pagan of all customs that has managed to merge into Christmas traditions. I feel that when you watch a parade with furry figures of Krampus in it, or send a Krampus card to someone, its pretty much spicing up Christmas with a little bit of a demon please.
What about the Christmas tree? Over the years, I have spent a significant amount of time and energy devoted to having and decorating the perfect Christmas tree. This year, for the first time ever, I did not put up a tree. Sacrilege you say? Hold on a minute and let me explain. I made that decision for a few reasons. One is space. I happen to be storing some things for my church which cut down on available floor space. We don't want a fire hazard do we? Besides that, this year has been emotionally exhausting for me due to family problems. I do think it is important to be flexible and realistic each year as we contemplate the possibilities of Christmas. Some people were worried about me and shocked that I was not putting up a Christmas tree. A more manageable plan this year included putting up some garlands, wreaths, and nativity sets around my home. I also have Christmas floral arrangements around the house and some mini lights displayed here and there.
As I walked around my house and I contemplated the meaning of my changed decorating habits I reminded myself that having a Christmas tree or the best lit house on the block doesn't have anything directly to do with remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the Christmas tree seemed to be blessed by Martin Luther, and embaced by Queen Victoria doesn't it in fact go back to pre-Christian beliefs in tree spirits? Or doesn't my decor sound close to what the Romans did for Saturnalia? At the winter solstice the Romans decorated their homes with garlands, wreaths and gave out gifts. That is exactly what I am doing and I even do this the same time of year that the Romans did it.
As I walked around my house and I contemplated the meaning of my changed decorating habits I reminded myself that having a Christmas tree or the best lit house on the block doesn't have anything directly to do with remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. Although the Christmas tree seemed to be blessed by Martin Luther, and embaced by Queen Victoria doesn't it in fact go back to pre-Christian beliefs in tree spirits? Or doesn't my decor sound close to what the Romans did for Saturnalia? At the winter solstice the Romans decorated their homes with garlands, wreaths and gave out gifts. That is exactly what I am doing and I even do this the same time of year that the Romans did it.
Sometimes it is even hard to find time to contemplate the birth of Jesus amid all the running to and fro. The demands of the Christmas season varies from country to country but in general it seems like in addition to everything else that we have to do everyday that the season of Christmas brings a lot more work. Christmas plus final exams. Christmas plus end of year job requirements. Christmas plus all the other chores that we already have to do. Does it sounds as if I am a Scrooge? I hope not. The Christmas season is a beautiful and joyful time. However it all came to this point of the way we celebrate it let's try not to exhaust ourselves or do things that would be ill-advised such as get into debt to buy gifts or drinking to excess. Also, remember that the expectations of the perfect Christmas makes many of us feel inadequate. Is our family experience as good as the person next door? Does our cooking or family holiday measure up? A survey just done in the United States showed that the majority of Americans believe that we need more Jesus in Christmas. If you are overwhelmed, discouraged or lonely this Christmas remember that God sent Jesus to be with you in your troubles and to give you hope and new direction. He didn't come to help perfect people in perfect families who live in perfect homes. He came to help those who could get real and realize that they are sinners in need of salvation. Keeping this in mind keeps everything in perspective.
Merry Real Christmas!
Merry Real Christmas!
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Allegory of the Missions Trip- Part 3
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.- William Shakespeare.
Intro: How is the story of Queen Esther like my missions trip? Does the story of Queen Esther remind you of any events in your own life as a Christian? Let us contemplate these questions.
Queen Esther:
Intro: The story of the greatness of Queen Esther undoubtably casts her into the light of the hero who has greatness thrust upon them. Nowhere in the Bible story of Queen Esther do I see her either born or striving for a mighty role in the drama unfolding before her. Yet, when the time for greatness came she accepted the scepter of responsibility.
Setting: The Babylonian empire had laid siege upon the Jewish people and destroyed their capitol in the sixth century B.C. Many Jewish people were kidnapped and enslaved at that time and taken to live in Babylon. Some time after that, the Babylonian empire was itself defeated by the Medo-Persian empire. After this happened the Medo-Persians became the overlords of the Jewish communities living in exile. A Persian King eventually gave the Jewish people permission to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild that city.
Many Jews chose not to return to Jerusalem. They had grown accostumed to the life and culture of the place they now lived. Perhaps they were less religious or had grown prosperous in their new environs. Whatever the reason, this is the setting that the young Esther, (Hadassah) found herself in as we begin our story. She was a stranger in a strange land (Exodus 2:22), i.e. a subject of the Medo-Persian King Ahasuerus.
Up until the Jewish people established the state of Israel, they forever lived a life of insecurity and persecution. As a longtime exiled people they always formed a minority in the many countries in which they lived. Although they made important contributions to every country which they inhabited, they ended up hated and reviled none-the-less.
The ups and downs of life for the Jewish people can be seen very clearly in the story of Queen Esther (Esther 3:8). It is an exact template of all of the most heinous things which have ever happened to them. Yet, the finale of this story is one of the most hope-filled stories in the Bible.
Esther is an orphan child being raised by her cousin Mordecai (Esther 2:7). Mordecai represents the faithful remnant of Jewish believers in exile. He is watchful and protective of Esther and the Jewish community (Esther 2: 10-11). The dangers are many for the Jewish people. There is physical danger, as well as spiritual danger. God called his chosen people to be different than those around them. Could they continue to be spiritually strong and stay unified as God's people should be with so many temptations in a foreign land?
When our story begins we see that the goings on in the court of King Ahasuerus include drunkenness and demeaning behavior toward the King's wife Vashti. In what can only be described as a sadistic mindset, King Ahasuerus and his courtiers decide that Vashti must be dethroned and replaced by a new queen. Moreover, pretty quickly we see that one of the King's advisors Haman hates the Jewish people and is plotting an early version of a Holocaust.
Esther: We all live in an environment in which we must operate: at home, at school, at work or at church. Further, we must make decisions as to our responses to both the good and the evil we are confronted with every day. When challenges come, there is always a risk to us when we stand against it. When we rise to meet a challenge it is never convenient. It costs something.
The costs can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. They could be financial or effect our life in a multitude of ways. In the Bible, God often chooses the least likely individual for a divine role. It shows the possible for each of us to rise to a challenge, and it shows God's providence in the situation. Without Esther, all would have been lost. She was the person who played a pivotal role in saving those who were wrongly treated and in need of salvation.
Was there a Queen Esther on my trip, a Haman or King Ahasuerus? The answer is yes. The Spirit of Esther, Ahasuerus and Haman exists in all our lives and in various situations. It is up to us to recognize and follow God in those moments. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?- Esther 4:14b
Intro: The story of the greatness of Queen Esther undoubtably casts her into the light of the hero who has greatness thrust upon them. Nowhere in the Bible story of Queen Esther do I see her either born or striving for a mighty role in the drama unfolding before her. Yet, when the time for greatness came she accepted the scepter of responsibility.
Setting: The Babylonian empire had laid siege upon the Jewish people and destroyed their capitol in the sixth century B.C. Many Jewish people were kidnapped and enslaved at that time and taken to live in Babylon. Some time after that, the Babylonian empire was itself defeated by the Medo-Persian empire. After this happened the Medo-Persians became the overlords of the Jewish communities living in exile. A Persian King eventually gave the Jewish people permission to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild that city.
Many Jews chose not to return to Jerusalem. They had grown accostumed to the life and culture of the place they now lived. Perhaps they were less religious or had grown prosperous in their new environs. Whatever the reason, this is the setting that the young Esther, (Hadassah) found herself in as we begin our story. She was a stranger in a strange land (Exodus 2:22), i.e. a subject of the Medo-Persian King Ahasuerus.
Up until the Jewish people established the state of Israel, they forever lived a life of insecurity and persecution. As a longtime exiled people they always formed a minority in the many countries in which they lived. Although they made important contributions to every country which they inhabited, they ended up hated and reviled none-the-less.
The ups and downs of life for the Jewish people can be seen very clearly in the story of Queen Esther (Esther 3:8). It is an exact template of all of the most heinous things which have ever happened to them. Yet, the finale of this story is one of the most hope-filled stories in the Bible.
Esther is an orphan child being raised by her cousin Mordecai (Esther 2:7). Mordecai represents the faithful remnant of Jewish believers in exile. He is watchful and protective of Esther and the Jewish community (Esther 2: 10-11). The dangers are many for the Jewish people. There is physical danger, as well as spiritual danger. God called his chosen people to be different than those around them. Could they continue to be spiritually strong and stay unified as God's people should be with so many temptations in a foreign land?
When our story begins we see that the goings on in the court of King Ahasuerus include drunkenness and demeaning behavior toward the King's wife Vashti. In what can only be described as a sadistic mindset, King Ahasuerus and his courtiers decide that Vashti must be dethroned and replaced by a new queen. Moreover, pretty quickly we see that one of the King's advisors Haman hates the Jewish people and is plotting an early version of a Holocaust.
Esther: We all live in an environment in which we must operate: at home, at school, at work or at church. Further, we must make decisions as to our responses to both the good and the evil we are confronted with every day. When challenges come, there is always a risk to us when we stand against it. When we rise to meet a challenge it is never convenient. It costs something.
The costs can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. They could be financial or effect our life in a multitude of ways. In the Bible, God often chooses the least likely individual for a divine role. It shows the possible for each of us to rise to a challenge, and it shows God's providence in the situation. Without Esther, all would have been lost. She was the person who played a pivotal role in saving those who were wrongly treated and in need of salvation.
Was there a Queen Esther on my trip, a Haman or King Ahasuerus? The answer is yes. The Spirit of Esther, Ahasuerus and Haman exists in all our lives and in various situations. It is up to us to recognize and follow God in those moments. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?- Esther 4:14b
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Allegory of The MissionsTrip- Part 2
Intro: Last week, in part 1 of my missions trip story, I explained that I am not at liberty to reveal the country nor details of what activities transpired as I traveled with my church to try and make a difference for children in need. Part of that mandate is easy for me. In my blog, The Confessions of a Westchester Christian Housewife, it is policy to change the names of people and certain identifying characteristics in order to maintain some anonymity.
This blog is a spiritual diary that I share with you, my friends, as we all try to cast a spiritual light on this life we live. To do that I have to give frank portrayals of things that have actually happened. It has been a spiritual lifesaver for me. So, how do I begin to express the depth of pain that I have touched upon in this my latest missions trip without giving some salient features of that trip? How do I do honor to all those whom I have met and honestly tell their story without certain details?
The answer that I have come up with, is to explore the world of the allegory. That secret world that writers have created to host ideas and lay out commentary. The allegory has kept the writer safe from persecution throughout the ages. The allegory is a deep dive by the reader into a topic, sort of a brain teaser of truth.
Today, I am exploring my inspiration from literature of one of the great allegorical writers of all time, Dostoyevsky. As I pulled our my old "dog-eared" copy of his book, The Brothers Karamazov, and started to re-read it; I realized that there were many parallels between things that I wished to express and what he captured in his novel of ideas and emotions.
Inspiration: The Brothers Karamazov-
They all came from the same father. Yet, no unity existed. It had been many years since they had all been together as a family, when Providence would bring them all back together in their small ancestral village of Skotoprigonevsk. This is the place that it all started for these men, it is the place they were all born. The Brothers Karamazov all had business to attend to, but no uniformity of purpose or vision for their families' future.
They all had somehow survived their wreckage of a childhood. Poor Dmitri's mother died and he was sent away by his father to live with other family members who would raise him. He eventually joined the military. There is a sort of metaphor that emerges when you contemplate the career paths of all three sons. Would Dmitri be strengthened enough in the military to stand up against his biggest foe, his father?
Would Ivan ever find the reason behind all that had happened in his family life through his philosophical and intellectual explorations or a path to God? What of Alyosha? He was studying to become a monk under the spiritual Father Zosima. What a sharp contrast father Zosima is to his biological father Fyodor in every way. Is that the point?
These men were all quite different how would they ever come together as a family? What other situations exsisted for these brothers which would come to bear upon their situation. One such circumstance was about to come upon the scene. A situation exists in the way of a scene stealer : another brother will emerge.
Conclusion: The total outcome of any situation will equal the sum of its' participating parts. So, here we have our allegorical equation. The situation as envisioned by Dostoyevsky is dire. Evil exists and explodes in our lives and in the pages of this novel. It is huge too: lust, greed, narcissism, and even murder.
However, the theme of redemption beats ever present throughout this mess. There is light, truth, and grace, many of the characters in this novel are in a allegorical quest for this prize, like the medieval knights of old. Some of the characters are not!
Next week: Conclusion: Queen Esther and my Missions Trip
This blog is a spiritual diary that I share with you, my friends, as we all try to cast a spiritual light on this life we live. To do that I have to give frank portrayals of things that have actually happened. It has been a spiritual lifesaver for me. So, how do I begin to express the depth of pain that I have touched upon in this my latest missions trip without giving some salient features of that trip? How do I do honor to all those whom I have met and honestly tell their story without certain details?
The answer that I have come up with, is to explore the world of the allegory. That secret world that writers have created to host ideas and lay out commentary. The allegory has kept the writer safe from persecution throughout the ages. The allegory is a deep dive by the reader into a topic, sort of a brain teaser of truth.
Today, I am exploring my inspiration from literature of one of the great allegorical writers of all time, Dostoyevsky. As I pulled our my old "dog-eared" copy of his book, The Brothers Karamazov, and started to re-read it; I realized that there were many parallels between things that I wished to express and what he captured in his novel of ideas and emotions.
Inspiration: The Brothers Karamazov-
They all came from the same father. Yet, no unity existed. It had been many years since they had all been together as a family, when Providence would bring them all back together in their small ancestral village of Skotoprigonevsk. This is the place that it all started for these men, it is the place they were all born. The Brothers Karamazov all had business to attend to, but no uniformity of purpose or vision for their families' future.
They all had somehow survived their wreckage of a childhood. Poor Dmitri's mother died and he was sent away by his father to live with other family members who would raise him. He eventually joined the military. There is a sort of metaphor that emerges when you contemplate the career paths of all three sons. Would Dmitri be strengthened enough in the military to stand up against his biggest foe, his father?
Would Ivan ever find the reason behind all that had happened in his family life through his philosophical and intellectual explorations or a path to God? What of Alyosha? He was studying to become a monk under the spiritual Father Zosima. What a sharp contrast father Zosima is to his biological father Fyodor in every way. Is that the point?
These men were all quite different how would they ever come together as a family? What other situations exsisted for these brothers which would come to bear upon their situation. One such circumstance was about to come upon the scene. A situation exists in the way of a scene stealer : another brother will emerge.
Conclusion: The total outcome of any situation will equal the sum of its' participating parts. So, here we have our allegorical equation. The situation as envisioned by Dostoyevsky is dire. Evil exists and explodes in our lives and in the pages of this novel. It is huge too: lust, greed, narcissism, and even murder.
However, the theme of redemption beats ever present throughout this mess. There is light, truth, and grace, many of the characters in this novel are in a allegorical quest for this prize, like the medieval knights of old. Some of the characters are not!
Next week: Conclusion: Queen Esther and my Missions Trip
Friday, November 22, 2019
Allegory Of The Missions Trip- Part 1 of 3
I. Allegory:
1. a. The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.
b. A story, picture, or play employing such representation. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick are allegories.
2. A symbolic representation: The blindfolded figure with scales is an allegory of justice. - fromThe Free Dictionary by Farlex
II. Why have I chosen to tell my missions trip story by means of an allegory? Answer: Before and during this missions trip there emerged a cloud of secrecy. Something changed last year after the death of a man who was trusted and known in the country in which my church visits social orphans. Intra-cultural relations can get complicated. The desire of Jesus that we would all be one in Him has not reached fruition yet.
The people who took part in this years' missions trip were asked not to share details of our experience either with people we meet from the country that we visited or through online portals. Do I understand this all? No. I do know that it presents problems for a person such as myself who is exploring life and her Christian walk in a blog. So, I decided to explore the imagery and thoughts I had concerning my trip through another means.
III. Some Images of My Trip: Inspired by the Snow Queen-The Kids Journey
There exists a land vast and cold which is ruled by a Queen of Snow. It is a kingdom of the heart created through generations of stone cold cruelty and neglect. The snow has accumulated in the hearts of those who are ruled by such principles.
If you go back far enough in the history of this kingdom, you might find some of the conjectured causes of it all. Some say it was a curse. Others say the devil himself was encased in a mirror and when that mirror got shattered, evil sin spread throughout this kingdom.
Another kingdom exists which for an equal amount of generations has lived according to another set of beliefs. Since time immemorial the fundamental differences between these two places have caused repeated conflicts.
Alexa and Alex grew up in this other place. This kingdom was filled with fun and wonderful childhood experiences. Kind words to uplift all. Playing with dolls and blocks. Having hot cocoa after going skating. Having someone read to you every night before you go to bed.
Alex and Alexa were the very best of friends. Friends who looked out for, and cared about what happened to each other. They were inseparable and perhaps, Alexa even thought one day she would marry Alex and live happily ever after. It's one of those childhood dreams. In the kingdom where Alex and Alexa lived, it was a safe and secure place to dream and plan your future.
The wind would blow and bring a Spirit of warmth and goodness to the Snow Queens's land. Sometimes, the opposite would happen and an icy cold blast would come to the place where Alex and Alexa lived. The wind blew where it would and brought change to those affected by it (one way or the other). One such case regarded the child Alex. One day, the cruel wind blew into Alex's home and his family became ill from its' effects. Suddenly, evil desecended upon his household and Alex was not shielded. His eyes beheld evil things and snow accumulated in his heart and made it cold. What had Alex done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing!!
Next Week: some images inspired by literature.
1. a. The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form.
b. A story, picture, or play employing such representation. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and Herman Melville's Moby-Dick are allegories.
2. A symbolic representation: The blindfolded figure with scales is an allegory of justice. - fromThe Free Dictionary by Farlex
II. Why have I chosen to tell my missions trip story by means of an allegory? Answer: Before and during this missions trip there emerged a cloud of secrecy. Something changed last year after the death of a man who was trusted and known in the country in which my church visits social orphans. Intra-cultural relations can get complicated. The desire of Jesus that we would all be one in Him has not reached fruition yet.
The people who took part in this years' missions trip were asked not to share details of our experience either with people we meet from the country that we visited or through online portals. Do I understand this all? No. I do know that it presents problems for a person such as myself who is exploring life and her Christian walk in a blog. So, I decided to explore the imagery and thoughts I had concerning my trip through another means.
III. Some Images of My Trip: Inspired by the Snow Queen-The Kids Journey
There exists a land vast and cold which is ruled by a Queen of Snow. It is a kingdom of the heart created through generations of stone cold cruelty and neglect. The snow has accumulated in the hearts of those who are ruled by such principles.
If you go back far enough in the history of this kingdom, you might find some of the conjectured causes of it all. Some say it was a curse. Others say the devil himself was encased in a mirror and when that mirror got shattered, evil sin spread throughout this kingdom.
Another kingdom exists which for an equal amount of generations has lived according to another set of beliefs. Since time immemorial the fundamental differences between these two places have caused repeated conflicts.
Alexa and Alex grew up in this other place. This kingdom was filled with fun and wonderful childhood experiences. Kind words to uplift all. Playing with dolls and blocks. Having hot cocoa after going skating. Having someone read to you every night before you go to bed.
Alex and Alexa were the very best of friends. Friends who looked out for, and cared about what happened to each other. They were inseparable and perhaps, Alexa even thought one day she would marry Alex and live happily ever after. It's one of those childhood dreams. In the kingdom where Alex and Alexa lived, it was a safe and secure place to dream and plan your future.
The wind would blow and bring a Spirit of warmth and goodness to the Snow Queens's land. Sometimes, the opposite would happen and an icy cold blast would come to the place where Alex and Alexa lived. The wind blew where it would and brought change to those affected by it (one way or the other). One such case regarded the child Alex. One day, the cruel wind blew into Alex's home and his family became ill from its' effects. Suddenly, evil desecended upon his household and Alex was not shielded. His eyes beheld evil things and snow accumulated in his heart and made it cold. What had Alex done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing!!
Next Week: some images inspired by literature.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Notes On A Group Devotional
This Thursday, I am leaving with a group for a missions trip. Please keep me in your prayers. Each morning, after breakfast and before we start our day, we will do a devotional. Everyone is responsible for putting together one devotional for our group. Here are the notes of the devotional that I am preparing. Please note that when I refer to the death of the good King, I am also referencing the death of a key figure in this orphans ministry who recently passed away. This man was a mighty man of God who gave his all in the Lord's Service. He is hugely missed personally by us and by the children whom he served. In addition, how do we replace this pivotal figure in the Ministry?
Are We Ready To Serve?
Scripture Reading— Isaiah 6:1-9
1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2) Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3) And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4) At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5) “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” 6) Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7) With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9) He said, “Go and tell this people. (I’m going to stop there).
There is something about Chapter 6 of Isaiah which I couldn’t get out of my mind in the weeks leading up to this trip. There is something here for us as we embark on this mission to serve God, “Here I am Lord” and to “Go and tell the people.” Chapter 6 starts out announcing the death of a King. He was one of the good kings of Judah. His reign represented some sort of height in Israel’s history. The death of someone so important precedes the vision of Isaiah. Is anyone getting this?
A good king dies, a good leader goes home to be with the Lord and those left behind need a new vision to carry on. So, as the good king dies, Isaiah sees a vision of Gods’ holiness. Isaiah’s commission begins with a vision of Gods holiness. We have to reflect upon and know who God is before we are ready to say, “Here I am Lord.”
In this reading we learn that Isaiah is let into the inner sanctum of heaven. What happens next is truly amazing. He is utterly broken. He is like the good thief beside Jesus on the cross who sees a vision of holiness and knows it when he sees it.
Isaiah sees holiness, knows what it is and he completely gets the fact that beside God that he is a sinner. He knows that those around him are sinners too. So, before we can be ready to serve God, “Here I am Lord”. We have to be in touch with our sin nature.
The next thing that we see in verses 6 and 7 is that after this confession of sin, there is remission of sin. We need to go to God at this time confess our sin and cleanse ourselves as we ready ourselves for what God has for us today or in the future of this Ministry.
Prayer: Almighty God and Father, today I think anew of this vision of your holiness. I confess my unworthiness before your holy throne but I know that you have made a way for us to be worthy through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. We ask you to cleanse us and ready us to serve you Lord and we declare, “ here we are Lord to serve you.’
Amen.
Are We Ready To Serve?
Scripture Reading— Isaiah 6:1-9
1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2) Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3) And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4) At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5) “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” 6) Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7) With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9) He said, “Go and tell this people. (I’m going to stop there).
There is something about Chapter 6 of Isaiah which I couldn’t get out of my mind in the weeks leading up to this trip. There is something here for us as we embark on this mission to serve God, “Here I am Lord” and to “Go and tell the people.” Chapter 6 starts out announcing the death of a King. He was one of the good kings of Judah. His reign represented some sort of height in Israel’s history. The death of someone so important precedes the vision of Isaiah. Is anyone getting this?
A good king dies, a good leader goes home to be with the Lord and those left behind need a new vision to carry on. So, as the good king dies, Isaiah sees a vision of Gods’ holiness. Isaiah’s commission begins with a vision of Gods holiness. We have to reflect upon and know who God is before we are ready to say, “Here I am Lord.”
In this reading we learn that Isaiah is let into the inner sanctum of heaven. What happens next is truly amazing. He is utterly broken. He is like the good thief beside Jesus on the cross who sees a vision of holiness and knows it when he sees it.
Isaiah sees holiness, knows what it is and he completely gets the fact that beside God that he is a sinner. He knows that those around him are sinners too. So, before we can be ready to serve God, “Here I am Lord”. We have to be in touch with our sin nature.
The next thing that we see in verses 6 and 7 is that after this confession of sin, there is remission of sin. We need to go to God at this time confess our sin and cleanse ourselves as we ready ourselves for what God has for us today or in the future of this Ministry.
Prayer: Almighty God and Father, today I think anew of this vision of your holiness. I confess my unworthiness before your holy throne but I know that you have made a way for us to be worthy through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. We ask you to cleanse us and ready us to serve you Lord and we declare, “ here we are Lord to serve you.’
Amen.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Frenemies* ( Young Adult Edition)
Having good friendships are an important part of having a happy life. Yet, sometimes even though we want to be friends with someone, they don’t necessarily want to be friends with us.
They keep giving us a hard time, they might even be bullying us. It might be that a person that we know does not wish to hang out with us when we are outside during the daily recess at school. They might talk about us behind our back (gossip). They may even steal from us when we are not looking.
It’s all very frustrating and may make us angry sometimes. Today, we are going to talk about the battles that we have with people sometimes and, some strategies for dealing with them.
As I said before, friendship is an important part of a having a happy life. Friendship is a blessing, but what about when it goes wrong? What should we do? Should we just handle it by going along with every feeling that we have? For example, if someone yells at me, I want to yell right back at them, but should I do that? Someone has pushed me or teased me, sometimes my natural inclination would be to just push them or tease them right back. Should I do that?
I’m not going to lie to you. It might feel good for a minute to do that. Sin often feels good for a minute. But, it won’t bring lasting happiness. It won’t help any of us to be our best nor to build a good future for ourselves. We will end up being like that person who was mean to us.
It reminds me of the story of King Saul and David. King Saul was the king of Israel about 3000 years ago, and David was just a young boy tending sheep in his fathers field. Their paths were about to collide and they would each face some choices.
There was a time that King Saul had it all. He was given the opportunity by God to be the very first King of Israel. He was a great warrior and had Gods’ blessing in all that he did. But, as time went on his actions started to veer away from following God. He started doing things just because he felt like it, instead of doing things the way God wanted him to.
In time that would mean that God would take away the very special blessings that he had given King Saul and allow him to face the consequences of his actions. (The prophet Samuel spoke for God when he said, You have done a foolish thing, you have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you). God then placed that blessing upon the young shepherd boy David.
This should have been a happy ending for David but it wasn’t, not quite yet anyway. King Saul sensed David’s growing strength and his coming greatness and he grew angry and jealous. ( 1 Samuel 18:12 says Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.) Saul tried to hurt David. He used his power as the king of Israel to try and hunt David down and kill him. We always have a choice. We can use our power for good or for evil.
Well, anyway, David really wanted to be friends with King Saul. If you read this story in your bibles in the first book of Samuel you can see David tried to make friends with King Saul a number of times. He went out of his way to try to humble himself before Saul, and to show him respect, but King Saul would have none of it.
Just like David, even when people aren’t nice to us, we need to try to make friends with them if possible. To reach out and try to end any disagreements that we may have with people in our life. The Bible shows us that even though David had to suffer because of King Saul, God protected him every step of the way. And, even though it took time, David won his battle with King Saul and was victorious. God does that for us today, when we obey Him and live the way He wants us to. It may take some time but God has a good plan for each and every one of us, just like he did with David.
The Bible tells us, “not to return evil for evil, but overcome evil with good.” In other words, we need to do what David did. Even though King Saul hated David and wanted to hurt him, David did not return those feelings and even spared him from harm two times when he had the chance to take revenge on Saul.
Here’s another lesson. There was a time in David’s battles with King Saul that he felt he needed to hide from Saul to stay safe. Well, I can tell you this, there were some girls in my high school that were not very nice. Although I kept the door of friendship open with them, they were just like King Saul and refused to meet me halfway. While I didn’t have to hide in a cave to escape their wrath like David did, I thought it best to steer clear of them whenever I could.
However, one of these mean girls approached me one day and told me she was about to fail a math class. She asked me if I could tutor her. I did this as a job in high school. Well, I thought I can really have the upper hand now. I could really make her pay for teasing me. Instead, I felt a gentle sense of the Holy Spirit guiding me to know that was a very wrong approach and that instead, I should be kind in the situation. That girl just like king Saul, was doing whatever she thought best, and not what God thinks is best. A short time after I tutored her she asked me if she could cheat off my test exam. Of course, I said no. Cheating is not the right thing to do and God would not have blessed me for that. If I had cheated, I would have being veering off the path God has given us to follow.
To recap. Some lessons from the life of David.
1. Don’t just go along with everything you feel. Before you act, try to think of what Jesus would do.
2. Don’t forget God when things are going well, like King Saul did. Pray and learn what the Bible says about life and decide to follow it. Psalm 62, verses 1 and 2 has quoted David as saying, “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
3. God sees us differently than people see us. A lot of people looked at young David and thought, he’s just a shepherd, or he’s too young. But, God sees into our hearts and he knew that David had a mighty faith and earnestly tried to be the best he could be for God.
4. Be patient and have faith like David. Sometimes, it takes a while for things to
get better, even years for us to achieve our goals but remember that God is faithful. Eventually, David became one of the greatest Kings of Israel. Davids' last words should serve as an inspiration to us. He said, Be strong and of good courage; fear not or be dismayed; for the Lord, even my God will be with thee. He will not fail thee, til thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord-1 Chronicles 28:20.
*Notes:
1. Frenemies- American slang. A person in your life that you get along with and enjoy overall but, they will cut you down with virtually any opportunity. Roots for you to do good but not better than them. Jealousy involved.(Urban Dictionary)
They keep giving us a hard time, they might even be bullying us. It might be that a person that we know does not wish to hang out with us when we are outside during the daily recess at school. They might talk about us behind our back (gossip). They may even steal from us when we are not looking.
It’s all very frustrating and may make us angry sometimes. Today, we are going to talk about the battles that we have with people sometimes and, some strategies for dealing with them.
As I said before, friendship is an important part of a having a happy life. Friendship is a blessing, but what about when it goes wrong? What should we do? Should we just handle it by going along with every feeling that we have? For example, if someone yells at me, I want to yell right back at them, but should I do that? Someone has pushed me or teased me, sometimes my natural inclination would be to just push them or tease them right back. Should I do that?
I’m not going to lie to you. It might feel good for a minute to do that. Sin often feels good for a minute. But, it won’t bring lasting happiness. It won’t help any of us to be our best nor to build a good future for ourselves. We will end up being like that person who was mean to us.
It reminds me of the story of King Saul and David. King Saul was the king of Israel about 3000 years ago, and David was just a young boy tending sheep in his fathers field. Their paths were about to collide and they would each face some choices.
There was a time that King Saul had it all. He was given the opportunity by God to be the very first King of Israel. He was a great warrior and had Gods’ blessing in all that he did. But, as time went on his actions started to veer away from following God. He started doing things just because he felt like it, instead of doing things the way God wanted him to.
In time that would mean that God would take away the very special blessings that he had given King Saul and allow him to face the consequences of his actions. (The prophet Samuel spoke for God when he said, You have done a foolish thing, you have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you). God then placed that blessing upon the young shepherd boy David.
This should have been a happy ending for David but it wasn’t, not quite yet anyway. King Saul sensed David’s growing strength and his coming greatness and he grew angry and jealous. ( 1 Samuel 18:12 says Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.) Saul tried to hurt David. He used his power as the king of Israel to try and hunt David down and kill him. We always have a choice. We can use our power for good or for evil.
Well, anyway, David really wanted to be friends with King Saul. If you read this story in your bibles in the first book of Samuel you can see David tried to make friends with King Saul a number of times. He went out of his way to try to humble himself before Saul, and to show him respect, but King Saul would have none of it.
Just like David, even when people aren’t nice to us, we need to try to make friends with them if possible. To reach out and try to end any disagreements that we may have with people in our life. The Bible shows us that even though David had to suffer because of King Saul, God protected him every step of the way. And, even though it took time, David won his battle with King Saul and was victorious. God does that for us today, when we obey Him and live the way He wants us to. It may take some time but God has a good plan for each and every one of us, just like he did with David.
The Bible tells us, “not to return evil for evil, but overcome evil with good.” In other words, we need to do what David did. Even though King Saul hated David and wanted to hurt him, David did not return those feelings and even spared him from harm two times when he had the chance to take revenge on Saul.
Here’s another lesson. There was a time in David’s battles with King Saul that he felt he needed to hide from Saul to stay safe. Well, I can tell you this, there were some girls in my high school that were not very nice. Although I kept the door of friendship open with them, they were just like King Saul and refused to meet me halfway. While I didn’t have to hide in a cave to escape their wrath like David did, I thought it best to steer clear of them whenever I could.
However, one of these mean girls approached me one day and told me she was about to fail a math class. She asked me if I could tutor her. I did this as a job in high school. Well, I thought I can really have the upper hand now. I could really make her pay for teasing me. Instead, I felt a gentle sense of the Holy Spirit guiding me to know that was a very wrong approach and that instead, I should be kind in the situation. That girl just like king Saul, was doing whatever she thought best, and not what God thinks is best. A short time after I tutored her she asked me if she could cheat off my test exam. Of course, I said no. Cheating is not the right thing to do and God would not have blessed me for that. If I had cheated, I would have being veering off the path God has given us to follow.
To recap. Some lessons from the life of David.
1. Don’t just go along with everything you feel. Before you act, try to think of what Jesus would do.
2. Don’t forget God when things are going well, like King Saul did. Pray and learn what the Bible says about life and decide to follow it. Psalm 62, verses 1 and 2 has quoted David as saying, “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
3. God sees us differently than people see us. A lot of people looked at young David and thought, he’s just a shepherd, or he’s too young. But, God sees into our hearts and he knew that David had a mighty faith and earnestly tried to be the best he could be for God.
4. Be patient and have faith like David. Sometimes, it takes a while for things to
get better, even years for us to achieve our goals but remember that God is faithful. Eventually, David became one of the greatest Kings of Israel. Davids' last words should serve as an inspiration to us. He said, Be strong and of good courage; fear not or be dismayed; for the Lord, even my God will be with thee. He will not fail thee, til thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord-1 Chronicles 28:20.
*Notes:
1. Frenemies- American slang. A person in your life that you get along with and enjoy overall but, they will cut you down with virtually any opportunity. Roots for you to do good but not better than them. Jealousy involved.(Urban Dictionary)
Sunday, October 6, 2019
The Boy I Can't Forget
It has been almost one year since I met a shy and introverted boy named Daniel* on a missions trip. I can still see his eyes which seemed to say so much to me. Things that his mouth could not utter nor his mind come to terms with. Life truths that a child is simply not yet equipped to fully understand.
Those truths instead can be acted out in many ways. These are just some of the things I saw on a trip that I might not be fully equipped myself to handle. Yet, as I write this, I am getting ready to go again to visit the same three group home/orphanages with my church.
After my last visit to these children in need, I had a lingering sense of depression hanging over me for awhile. I prayed about it and felt that I needed to do more for these children immediately. My church was supportive. So, they allowed me to do a fundraiser to raise money for a sewing center and start a knit class to make handknit scarves for 150 kids. Both ventures were successful beyond my wildest dreams, and the depression lifted.
So often the thing that helps depression the most is action. Action is often the hardest thing to effect when one is in the throes of such feelings. Let's all try to remember that when we get the blues the next time. The simple act of trying to do something rather than nothing is cathartic. The old adage, it is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness comes to mind. So, here I am again trying to light a candle and praying to ignite a flame in the hearts of these children and the staff of their orphanages for Christ.
One of the things that I bring to this trip is empathy for the brokenness of these children and the immediacy of their needs. I came from a truly broken family and so do these children. This is no time for soft-pedaling a spiritual message. I am resolved to teach as Jesus did, right where people need it most. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners.-Isaiah 61:1. These words from the book of Isaiah are the scriptural basis that Jesus used to announce His ministry at a synagogue he was teaching at.
What great meaning these words have for me as I prepare for this trip. This scripture passage serves as one of the focal points of my mission. It is a worthy and godly goal to heal broken hearts and to preach the gospel which has the power to transform lives. Even lives that seem broken beyond compare. Our Lord is the hope and redemption for all. Or as someone very sage once said, my Jesus He can fix it!
P.S. My blog is now listed in The Top 100 Christian Wife blogs for the United States on Feedspot. I pray that this exposure can help to touch people's hearts and minds and gently lead them to Jesus. I am happy that Christian blogs can be found in a listing such as this one. It is analogous to the old library card catalog of the past.
* the boys name has been changed.
Those truths instead can be acted out in many ways. These are just some of the things I saw on a trip that I might not be fully equipped myself to handle. Yet, as I write this, I am getting ready to go again to visit the same three group home/orphanages with my church.
After my last visit to these children in need, I had a lingering sense of depression hanging over me for awhile. I prayed about it and felt that I needed to do more for these children immediately. My church was supportive. So, they allowed me to do a fundraiser to raise money for a sewing center and start a knit class to make handknit scarves for 150 kids. Both ventures were successful beyond my wildest dreams, and the depression lifted.
So often the thing that helps depression the most is action. Action is often the hardest thing to effect when one is in the throes of such feelings. Let's all try to remember that when we get the blues the next time. The simple act of trying to do something rather than nothing is cathartic. The old adage, it is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness comes to mind. So, here I am again trying to light a candle and praying to ignite a flame in the hearts of these children and the staff of their orphanages for Christ.
One of the things that I bring to this trip is empathy for the brokenness of these children and the immediacy of their needs. I came from a truly broken family and so do these children. This is no time for soft-pedaling a spiritual message. I am resolved to teach as Jesus did, right where people need it most. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners.-Isaiah 61:1. These words from the book of Isaiah are the scriptural basis that Jesus used to announce His ministry at a synagogue he was teaching at.
What great meaning these words have for me as I prepare for this trip. This scripture passage serves as one of the focal points of my mission. It is a worthy and godly goal to heal broken hearts and to preach the gospel which has the power to transform lives. Even lives that seem broken beyond compare. Our Lord is the hope and redemption for all. Or as someone very sage once said, my Jesus He can fix it!
P.S. My blog is now listed in The Top 100 Christian Wife blogs for the United States on Feedspot. I pray that this exposure can help to touch people's hearts and minds and gently lead them to Jesus. I am happy that Christian blogs can be found in a listing such as this one. It is analogous to the old library card catalog of the past.
* the boys name has been changed.
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