One of Those Days

On days when things are going well; when the sun is shining and the temperatures are in the moderate range; when we make plans for the day’s schedule and the day pretty much goes according to it; when things are okay, on those days, we feel in control and satisfied and strong.

However, on days when the weather is threatening—maybe with tornado watches, or flood warnings, or blizzards; when the world or nation or family crises arise; when life does not go at all like the schedule, we face our vulnerability, our helplessness, our weakness.

I said all that to say today is the second kind. There are uprisings in the streets across the world. There are no apparent solutions to world-wide economic problems. Local news and emails tell of friends and acquaintances facing serious illnesses and of untimely deaths. Weather forecasters are calling for a huge winter storm to descend upon the Midwest with several inches of ice and/or many inches of snow.

In all these, humankind is indeed helpless, vulnerable, and weak. Oh, we can go to the grocery store for bread and milk and toilet paper and to the gas station to fill up our vehicles. We can seek to get prepared. But, we cannot control the weather or any of the other serious issues humankind faces.

I wonder how we appear to Heaven when we deceive ourselves and think we are in control. I wonder if we look like toddlers who demand to “do it myself” with a task far too difficult for them. As a parent, I would have preferred for my toddler to say “Help please? I need you!”

Is that a lesson for today as we face unknowns? Shouldn’t we reach out to our Heavenly Father and say “Help please; I need you!”

Psalm 91:15 tells “He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble.”

♫ I need thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like thine
Can peace afford.
I need thee, O I need thee;
Every hour I need thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to thee. ♫

His Hands

Last evening I got to watch it again—God’s people serving, not out of compulsion, but out of joy and out of a heart’s belief that serving (doing what needs to be done) should be the norm. Let me explain.

On Wednesday evenings, our church has a “Feed Your Faith” night. It is made up of a meal and classes for the various ages and interests. It is a fairly glorious thing to see—all ages, from babes in high chairs to our distinguished white-haired seniors, sharing tables, sharing a meal, sharing laughter.

The Sunday School classes take turns providing the meal which can be challenging for the Rock Group as we almost all have jobs and many have young children (three are pregnant). Still, it is our goal, when it’s “our turn,” to provide a nice meal as though serving for the Lord. Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” and Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.”

Also, we are aware that in these times of financial stress, some families may need a good hot meal with plenty to eat. And, as several of our seniors live alone, they may not cook well for themselves nor have the opportunity to have a bit of “out of the ordinary” fare.

Feed Your Faith is so handy for parents. It allows them the opportunity to attend mid-week church without the scurry of getting home, throwing some fast food on the table, cleaning it up, and getting off to church. I remember those days; they were a hassle. While serving proves challenging on our “week,” the other Wednesday nights are so convenient.

Above all that, however, is the important lesson that Jesus taught about what he wants, rather demands, from his followers. Matthew 20:26-28 “…whoever wants to become great among you must be your SERVANT, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to SERVE…” Also, I read in Luke 22:24- “A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest… the greatest among you should be… like the one who SERVES… But I am among you as one who SERVES.”

Modern humans have a tough time with that one. Modern society, including us, wants to BE SERVED. We want it “our way,” and we want it supersized, and we want it fast, and we want it to cost us little.

That’s not what the scriptures teach. Peter tells us in 5:2 “God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve…” Last night, I got to be a part of a group that demonstrated that very quality--”eager to SERVE.” They cooked, they stirred, they served, they washed dishes, they cleaned tables, they packaged food to be taken to some less fortunate, and then they went off to serve in their classes.

All I can say is the Rock Group rocks!!!

Sanctus Real sings:
♫ “And You are the face
That changed the whole world
No one too lost for you to love
No one too low for you to serve
So give us the grace to change the world
No one too lost for me to love
No one too low for me to serve

Oh let us see…
Let us be your face
Let us be your face
You look more like love everyday” ♫

Talk About High-Ways!

Well, there I was again—watching the History Channel. After work, I sat down for a few, switched on the TV, grazed through the channels, and landed on a show on the Bible Code-Fact or Fiction?

It’s like that Mayan calendar thing, I just can’t seem to turn the dial (not that TV’s have dials any more). The battle over the occurrence of codes in the first five books of the Bible was raging between experts on both sides. I did note that several of the believers in the codes were Jewish with one or two being a rabbi. Two others pro-code men were highly educated, yet believed in a powerful God.

Two others expressed their opinion that the whole thing was a bunch of hooey. They purported that one could find the same thing in “Moby Dick.” They obviously did not believe in a God powerful or omniscient enough to do such a thing and mocked that maybe God had written “Moby Dick.”

One did hint that if there were any encoding there, it might have come from more evolved aliens who came to earth long ago. Seriously, does that sound more likely than an all-knowing God?

One comment from the rabbi grabbed my attention as he talked about the first five books. He said the bible was not mere words on paper—it is ALIVE! Those words jumped off the TV and into my head. Where have I read those words before? I checked Bible Gateway and sure enough in Acts 7:37-38 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ …he received LIVING WORDS to pass on to us.”

Also, Hebrews 4:12 “For the WORD of God is ALIVE and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

I’m going to have to meditate on that for awhile—the Word of God is a LIVING entity. Hmmmmm. John 1:1 “1n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 “The Word became flesh...” Okay, that’s obviously Jesus.

Jesus, the Word, says in Revelation 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.” The Word is Alive!

Wow, I need to think about this. But then I remember, Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

We used to sing a chorus about that:

♫ Your ways are higher than mine
Your ways are higher than mine
Your ways are higher than mine
Much higher.
Higher, higher, much much higher
Higher, higher, much high-er.
Higher, higher, much much higher
Higher, higher, much high-er. ♫

A Voice Lesson

My son called several times tonight for help in burning a video to a CD for use in a high school Sunday School class tomorrow that he and his wife are to teach. I wasn’t sure it could be done, but I understand the desire to have it. Younger generations have grown up with visual learning techniques. High school age and younger spend a great deal of time with technology—texting, etc. I know I’ve said this before, but I still believe it strongly—the message of the gospel and God’s words to us never change, but the messenger styles have to change.

The class is talking about “The Voice of Truth” song by Casting Crowns which describes warring voices in our heads, voices of doubt and fear as well as the voice of truth. I think there is much relevance in the song.

Verse 1 expresses a wish to be like Peter who got out of the boat to walk to Jesus. As Peter found, the waves laughed at him saying he would never succeed. But the voice of truth met him and they got back in the boat.

Verse 2 expresses a wish to be like David facing Goliath while everyone else was shaking in their sandals. David, too, found the giant laughing at him saying he would never succeed. But the voice of truth rose up within him and the stone demonstrated the truth.

In both instances, there was a difficult time preceding the voice of truth, a time of testing, a time of choosing which voice to hear and believe. That sounds like each of us on a regular basis, right?

♫ “Oh, what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
You you'll never win

But the Voice of truth
tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says
"do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth
says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe
the Voice of truth

Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."

But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me

But the Voice of truth
tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says
"do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says
"this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe
(I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe
the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the Voice of truth
And I will listen to you..
oh you are the Voice of truth

A Mantle of White

Well, it came and, in some ways, it conquered—the snow that is. Sigh!

I’m not sure how many inches have fallen and how many more are to come, but there was only one day or so when the ground was visible. Now, it’s white again, and the forecast temps are too low to generate melting.

I should not complain. I had already decided to take a personal day off from work if many inches fell overnight for two reasons—one, I don’t want to walk on slick surfaces, and two, the granddaughters were staying with us and there was most assuredly no school.

So this morning, my husband and I had the chance to make pancakes (he makes a mean pancake) for breakfast and “special sandwiches” for lunch. The Redmans and Elvis had this in common—we love peanut butter and banana special sandwiches. Yum

So, while I wish it were clear outside, it is what it is. May God do what He said in Romans 8:28 “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him” and work this darn snow out for good for all who love Him.

I can’t come up with any great snow songs, but there are a couple of lines I like:

♫ “Over the ground lies a mantle of white,
A heaven of diamonds
Shine down thro' the night…
Walkin’ in a winter wonderland♫

Not Another Benaiah Day!

Although every day I seek to be, today I know I am on the same page as the Lord.

I have been watching the weather radar intermittently during the day and have seen the big blue approaching. Oh, I know the Midwest can expect changing seasons—hot summers and cold winters. However, this year seems a bit extreme to me. For example, another snowstorm is bearing down on southeastern Illinois.

I was checking out what Bible Gateway could tell me about God’s view of “snow” and I came across Job 38, a chapter called “The Lord speaks.” In verses 22-23, He says, “Have you entered the storehouses of the SNOW…which I reserve for times of trouble…?

I thought so! There are storehouses of snow and it brings trouble. See--we're on the same page!

Tonight, one of those storehouses may open its gates and dump on us some abundance. I hope not—not an abundance of snow or ice. But I would like an abundance of sunshine, warm temperatures, and just the right abundance of rain to bring an abundance of fruit, vegetables, and soybeans and corn.

Now that’s a storehouse I can get behind!

I do, however, remember Benaiah who went down into a pit on a snowy day and slew a lion. If any of you are feeling hero-like, tomorrow may be your day.

“Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful . . .”

NO—DO NOT SING THAT SONG!!!

Unopened Treasure Chest

There’s a line in a 1970 song that goes, “Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone?” Several different singers have recorded it in the years following, maybe because the picture painted by those words, sad as they are, unfortunately ring true. So often, I forget to recognize the value of what’s available in my life because I’m focusing elsewhere.

I’m not alone in this shortcoming. Tonight, our program is hosting a meeting that has the potential to be life changing for students, their parents, and their futures. It is an opportunity to learn how to find financial help for college. There is no charge for the meal or the information but are provided as a perk of our program. However, while many invitations were sent out explaining the benefits of attending, fewer than a fourth of those responded.

I’m sure there are many excellent reasons for absences; yet with the cost of attending college so high, I want the students and parents to find a way to do that. It is, of course, a decision each family must make for themselves; but I feel like for many, tonight is a unopened treasure chest—a lost opportunity to discover a nugget or two that could make a significant difference.

Now I said all that to say that spiritually, we too may miss nuggets and great treasure available to us. We may live in such a way that we “don’t know what we’ve got” in our hand. The scriptures are full of nuggets of truth that are life-changing. Still, we often let our bibles lie there, closed and dusty, while the pages contain all we need: 2 Peter 1:3 “his divine power has given unto us ALL THINGS that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him.”

The provision of God is a treasure hidden, not in an “Indiana Jones” or a “National Treasure”-like room under the ground, but in a closed book at our fingertips. Let’s not be too busy or too unconcerned or too uninformed to become a gold prospector. Psalm 19:9-10 "The laws of the Lord…are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.”

Joni Mitchell sang:
♫ “Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.” ♫

Show Me Your Glory

We finally made it through Revelation 1 yesterday in Rock Group. It is going to take some time to study all twenty-two chapters, but why hurry? It would be better, rather, to read and digest God’s word.

Well, maybe it took three weeks because I do so love that first chapter. The picture of Jesus Messiah is literally awesome. We noted that it is far, far different than the human Jesus we see being carried or walking around in the four gospels—starting with the newborn baby in the manger.

Just think, the Prince of Heaven gave up his GLORY to come to this planet. John 17:5 “…with the GLORY I had with you before the world began.” We may not really get that GLORY part, because we are so human.

Yet, picture this in Revelation 1:12-16 “I saw … someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. . . His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” Wow!

That’s a far different portrait than the baby lying in an animal feeding trough or the man beaten and executed with criminals. If we focus our celebrations of Christmas and Easter on images of a red-suited guy or whimsical eggs, what are we thinking? We are so earthly! Romans 1:22-23 cautions “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the GLORY of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals...”

I want us, and especially me, to be excited about the promise in Luke 21:25-28 “There will be signs…On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and GREAT GLORY. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

As I read the news, there is much anguish and perplexity on the earth and people are definitely apprehensive of what is coming on the world. Maybe those “Son of Man” and “GREAT GLORY” and “redemption” parts are getting very close. Now, that’s exciting!

Third Day sings a song. “Show Me Your Glory”
♫ I caught a glimpse of Your splendor
In the corner of my eye
The most beautiful thing I've ever seen
And it was like a flash of lightning
Reflected off the sky
And I know I'll never be the same

Show me Your glory
Send down Your presence
I want to see Your face
Show me Your glory
Majesty shines about You
I can't go on without You, Lord

When I climb down the mountain
And get back to my life
I won't settle for ordinary things
I'm gonna’ follow You forever
And for all of my days
I won't rest 'til I see You again

Show me Your glory
Show me Your glory
I can't live without You.” ♫
Music & lyrics by Mark Lee,Marc Byrd & Third Day

Just a Little Bit of Faith

As we are studying Revelation, the topic of Jesus’ return keeps surfacing. Today, I was mulling over the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 and Jesus’ words in verse 13, that we don’t know the day or the hour when the Son of Man is coming back. Immediately, He tells a story, an object lesson, describing that very event.

There is a man who has an estate (kingdom) and who is leaving on a journey to a far country, entrusting his estate in the hands of his people (servants). He will evaluate their performance by what he finds when he comes back.

While he is gone, his people are free to be diligent in maintaining and building up the owner’s estate, or they can go their own way, spending their days as they choose. They can pretend to be kings building their own kingdom, or they can retain their focus on their responsibility to the one who is coming back.

As the owner left, he gave three servants various “talents” with instructions to use them for his good. One received 5, one received 2, and one received 1. Obviously, he expected each to use those talents wisely with a promise of a reward when he returned.

You remember, too, that the first used his 5 and made 5 more. The second also busily worked and made 2 more. The third hid his and did nothing for the owner’s kingdom.

Now, when the owner came back (and he most assuredly did), he did not evaluate the servants’ efforts by comparing the quantity of results. He evaluated them by the distance each had come from his own starting position. They were not competing for his favor; all who contributed were rewarded with the owner’s favor.

When he evaluated the fruits of the labors of the first two, he did not call them effective or profitable. He called them “good” and “faithful.” He was obviously not looking for profit as much as faithfulness.

The third servant was called “wicked, lazy, and worthless.” I note that James 2:18 says “I’ll show you my faith by my works.” It would follow that not using one’s talents for the owner is “un-faith.” Is there any question in our minds about who is the owner in this story?

Hmmm, I Corinthians 10:26 declares, “for the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” Okay, ownership established. I guess we know who the servants are.

As we study Revelation and consider the impending return of the Lord Jesus to the earth, I’m thinking we should make sure we can answer “yes” to the Luke 18:8 question: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Notes to self: Acknowledge the owner; Use our talents; Build His kingdom; Demonstrate faith.

(A chorus we sang years ago)
♫ “Faith, faith, faith
Just a little bit of faith.
Faith, faith, faith
Just a little bit of fa-ith.
You don’t need a whole lot;
Just use what you’ve got.
Faith, faith, faith
Just a little bit of faith.” ♫

The Three Cousins - Dark Chocolate

One of the things I believe sets humankind above other creation is the ability to have memories. Memories do, by their very nature, produce a variety of emotions, some positive, some negative, and some a mixture of the two. That must be where we get the term “bittersweet.” The dictionary defines it as “both bitter and sweet to the taste” like dark chocolate and “both pleasant and painful” like a memory.

That is how our family finds itself today. We received word that my husband’s cousin out east has passed away. Let me tell you a little about him.

My husband’s mother was one of three children of a farm couple. Of the three, two stayed in the area and followed in their father’s farming footsteps. The other married an engineer and lived in several places around the world. Yet, they always came back to the farm as often as possible.

I find it interesting that each of the three had only one child, all boys, and all three sons were born within a year of each other. Needless to say, since they each were an “only child,” the three were closer than most cousins.

The cousins grew up and two of the three followed their grandfather’s farming occupation, while the third became an airplane pilot and lived in a variety of cities. Yet he, too, always came back to the farm as often as possible. Though miles separated the one from the other two, they remained close.

The years passed and the three “boys” became grandfathers. The traveling one retired near the beach out east. We knew some time ago that he had not been feeling well, but hoped for his recovery and his return to the farm for a visit.

Because of the oil spill in the gulf last summer, our family decided to vacation at the east coast instead of Florida. Fortunately, we were not too far from the east coast cousin, and he and his darling wife drove down and spent the day with us, our kids, and our grandkids. On our way home, some of us stopped by to see the couple’s retirement home and we ate pizza, laughed, and enjoyed visiting together.

Still, as we left, there was a vague sense that we might be hugging goodbye.

Notes went back and forth and we learned the cousin’s health was deteriorating. On Christmas day, our family gathered around the speakerphone and chatted just a few minutes as he was pretty weak. It was unspoken, but we all knew we were saying “goodbye” for real.

Yesterday morning, the call came—the cousin was gone. There are many memories that were made over the years, and we find they are bittersweet. We’ll miss you Gary!

A Woman of Faith?

A few years ago, I attended a huge women’s conference called “Women of Faith” in St. Louis. It was at what used to be known as Kiel Auditorium, then the Savvis Center, and now the Scottrade Center. Anyway, it is a giant arena with a concourse all the way around it.

I chuckle remembering it. Since it was a “women’s” conference, all the bathrooms had become Ladies Rooms, which made sense. There are always long waiting lines for the necessary facilities; but that day, the lines were not so long.

I said all that to say that I earnestly want to be a “Woman of Faith.” However, I find life to be so daily. Living a life of great power as a spiritual giant (while doing ordinary, mundane activities) is problematic. I find myself to be just that—ordinary and a bit mundane.

However, I hate to admit that it gets worse. I find that I am even mundane in church on Sundays. Oh, I love getting together with the saints. I love Sunday School. I enjoy singing the songs of the kingdom and hearing the Word of God. Still, I fear I slip into lukewarmness which God and I both hate.

Yesterday, however, was different. In my last blog entry, I told you about Jeremiah and about the prayer meeting and the focus of the believing community on keeping his name before the throne of grace. There were others, too, that were “standing in the need of prayer”(aren’t we all?) We had been praying without ceasing.

Still, yesterday was different at church. As good reports came from Jeremiah and from others, rejoicing just broke out. Oh, there were still needs, but faith was beginning to rise.

Three darling newbie lay speakers gave short messages as their first speaking assignment. It felt like watching our own little ones sing at a Christmas program—we were so proud of them. But, they weren’t just cute. They spoke from their hearts, and God used them to speak a word in due season. And, maybe we had ears to hear.

The congregation sang differently, too. Praise rang out from our mouths and hearts. It was beautiful!

What was the difference? I’ve been asking myself that question. Was it just thankfulness for Jeremiah’s life? That may well be part of it, but it was bigger. Had prayer prepared us for a worship service? Yes, I think so.

Still, it was bigger. I think I have it, at least in part. We were in the presence of God Himself moving in our midst. It wasn’t us; it was Him. Wow!

♫ I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine. ♫
by Bart Millard, lead singer, Mercy Me

For a time, I was a Woman of Faith.

For Jeremiah

The last few days have brought both the community of the Rock Group SS class and the larger community of our small town and rural area to our knees in prayer for one of our own. A young man, husband and father of a toddler, was horrifically injured in a farm accident Friday morning. He was hit by a falling field cultivator wing to his head and back.

An evacuation helicopter landed at the site on the farm and took him to a hospital an hour away. Word spread quickly among his friends and family that he was critically injured and barely breathing. We went to the only place to go at such a time—the throne of grace of God Almighty.

We gathered together in the church sanctuary barely speaking, with several holding back tears that were heartfelt. Just at the time we had set for prayer, we received an update from the pastor who had traveled down to the hospital. Jeremiah was alive in an intensive care unit. The pastor had a few other encouraging comments. Our tears turned to rejoicing, still understanding that the battle for his life and well being still raged.

Several of the prayer warriors seated there shared favorite scriptures to build up our faith, and we finished the sharing portion with our class title verse, Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my ROCK, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my ROCK, in whom I take refuge.”

Today, the battle continues but we have had a couple of reports of triumphs. There was surgery on a broken arm and a breathing tube removed. Every victory, large or tiny, is received with great thanksgiving to our mighty God.

Spending time in my car, I have been playing a song over and over that describes a scene from our studies in Sunday School in Revelation 1 and causes me to focus on the king rather than the storm. If you have never heard it, check it out on youtube.com and be inspired.

We Will Ride (by Andy Park)

♫ He has fire in His eyes and a sword in His hand
And He’s riding a white horse across this land
And He’s calling out to you and me
“Will you ride with Me?”
He has fire in His eyes and a sword in His hand
And He’s riding a white horse across this land
And He’s calling out to you and me
“Will you ride with Me?”
We say “Yes, yes Lord, we will ride with You”

We say “Yes Lord, we will ride with You
We will stand up and fight
We will ride with the armies of heaven
We’ll be dressed in white, we’ll be dressed in white”
We say “Yes, yes Lord, we will ride”

He has a crown on His head
He carries a scepter in His hand
And He’s leading His armies across this land
And He’s calling out to you and me
“Will you ride with Me?”
We say, “Yes, yes Lord, we will ride with You”

That fire in His eyes is His love for His bride
And He’s longing that she be with Him, right by His side
That fire in His eyes is His burning desire
That His bride be with Him, right by His side
And He’s calling out to us right now
“Will you ride with Me?”

We say “Yes Lord, we will ride with You
We will stand up and fight
We will ride with the armies of heaven
We’ll be dressed in white, we’ll be dressed in white”
We say “Yes, yes Lord, we will ride”

Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes Lord, yes Lord, yes Lord ♫

Copyright © 1997 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing.

I Wish Part 2

Well, this will be part 2 from yesterday’s entry. I haven’t had a great deal of time to think about this, but I did check headlines to see if there was any more news about any impending earth changes. I didn’t find any so maybe it’s “old news.”

Still, I think that Jesus’ return is something we should continually look for because of 2 Timothy 4, “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to ALL WHO HAVE LONGED FOR his appearing.“

“Longed for his appearing” is a strong term—not just glance about or have a fleeting notion that Jesus will come back. “Longed for” strikes me as a picture of a bride looking for her man who might be overseas serving his country with the promise of a wedding when he gets back. I would call that “longed for. . .” Think for a minute, doesn’t that sound familiar?

From Revelation 19:6-9, "Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude . . . shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the WEDDING of the Lamb has come, and HIS BRIDE has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” . . . Blessed are those who are invited to the WEDDING SUPPER of the Lamb!”

No wonder the bride should be longing for his appearing.

But when will this happen?

2 Peter 3:9-14 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

But, just as to the folks in New Testament time, Peter might say to us, “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

Would we scoff? Are we scoffing right now?

I Wish We'd All Be Ready

Have you been following the story of a Christian group spreading the word that Judgment Day is almost here? I had missed that particular story until my daughter had read it on Yahoo. “What did I think about that?” she wanted to know. Well, I hadn’t thought about it because I hadn’t heard about it. I had to admit it sounded like something I should hear about, especially since the Rock Group, our Sunday School Class, is just beginning to study Revelation (I might say at their request, not mine).

I had almost forgotten about the May, 2011 date when the headline surfaced on the Drudge Report. It was again brought to the surface of my thinking, so I read the article. I didn’t have much time to thoughtfully consider it as I quickly scanned the article, noting it quoted the scripture, Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” I nodded because that is my standard answer when I hear those kinds of predictions.

Still, we have just come through the Christmas season when everyone nearby except a very few missed the Lord’s birth because it didn’t look like what they expected--did not fit their theology. Whatever is going on, I don’t want that to happen to us as it did to them.

For some inexplicable reason, I found myself watching the History Channel’s shows about the Doomsday Clock, the Mayan calendar that seems to predict a great global upheaval on December 21, 2012, and the writings of Nostradamus, a 16th century “seer” who wrote “quatrains” and seems to indicate catastrophic events for earth, possibly by a comet in or before 2012.

My secretary had asked me what I thought about that a couple of months ago. Today, a coworker asked me why I, particularly, would watch such shows as surely I knew that none of us could possibly know such dates.

I quickly agreed with her about Matthew 24:36 (mentioned above) and assured her that I did indeed know that scripture and did indeed believe it.

However, I did have to throw into the mix, Amos 3:7 “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.“ So, I said further that the difficulty as I see it is recognizing WHO the prophets are and which voices are false prophets. What kind of people can God use? Remember Nebuchadnezzar?

I bring up this whole topic in the blog and in conversations because I want everyone (including me) to consider our ways, to evaluate our priorities, to genuinely seek to understand God and His plan in our lives. It is so easy to get caught up in our humdrum but frantic lives that we may acknowledge God on Sunday mornings, while the rest of the week is spent dealing with our wants at best and with our urgents at the worst.

Okay, this is long enough today. Perhaps tomorrow I will give the whole topic more prayerful consideration and continue the discourse. Perhaps, you should too.

♫“Life was filled with guns & war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the day grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind.

A man &wife sleep in bed she hears a noise
And turns her head he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill one disappears
And One's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The father spoke the demons died
The Son has come & you've been left behind.”♫
by Larry Norman